India is preparing for a billion voters all over the country, including those in remote rural areas and islands, as it approaches its General Election. The logistics of organisation, fairness, equality and independent inspection are staggering, but India has done this peacefully in the past, and will do so again.
The biggest truth is that every Indian cares about their vote, making India the world’s largest democracy. Citizens treat it as a matter of pride to cast their vote; there is a respect for politics in spite of all its flaws, and an active interest in policies and politicians all over India. Remember that unlike Britain, Indians had to fight for their independence – from the British no less.
Readers of my weekly column will know how passionate I am about community, despite the challenges they face, and the politics, egos and tensions they create. I keep celebrating the big picture of community as an antidote to loneliness, as a place to find family and belonging, a brotherhood which is inclusive of rich and poor, and where children find the joy of playing with other children who look and feel like themselves.
Faith binds communities even though it raises emotions and can cause tensions too. Communities are becoming rarer all the time due to the pressures of life, and the scarcity of time and skills to volunteer. Often community politics can be exhausting too, and good people can give up their leadership from frustration. There can be egocentric leaders who always want to have power and control, but these cannot be voted in all the time.
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There are big elections at a national level, and very local elections at a community level. Both are important – there is more intimacy in community elections as we know the people, and the results of their actions are easily visible and questionable. Like charity, politics begins at home and extends to the community, the town and the nation. When a community leader decides to stand for election, they know that they will get criticism but choose not to have a quiet life but to achieve something meaningful and lasting. They take risks to help advance the community and protect and preserve its values.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is where community leaders report on their performance, answer questions from the public, and stand up for election. This is a public forum and ought to be treated with respect and handled professionally so that questions are answered and not ignored. Often when I raise a challenging question, I am asked to make the change by joining the committee rather than sitting on the sidelines. This is very unfair and shows how little some leaders know about governance and accountability.
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The AGM is also a time to celebrate big breakthroughs and achievements. We should attend to congratulate the team on the good things they have done and the transformations they have shaped in a short time in office, against very high expectations and challenges. As they are usually volunteers (unlike paid politicians), it is so important that we show our solidarity by attending and not ignoring their record.
The next time you are asked to attend an AGM, remember how important communities are for a resilient society – so please go and cast your vote. Otherwise, you may be left with leaders you don’t like… Remember evil can flourish when good people do nothing. Stand up and be counted, queue up to cast vote as they do in India – it matters for all our better futures.
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Professor Atul K. Shah [@atulkshah] teaches and writes about Indian wisdom on business, culture and community at various UK universities and is a renowned international author, speaker and broadcaster.