BENGALURU: With state Assembly elections approaching, social activist Medha Patkar said that it is time to address the ‘4Ms’ which are machine, (EVMs, strengthening of the VVPAT system), money power (bringing details of electoral bonds, PM Cares funds in public domain), media, and muscle power (parties using mafia to win elections).
Participating in a convention Karnataka Convention on Electoral Democracy organised by the Constitutional Conduct Group, Jan Sarokar, People-First, National Alliance for People’s Movements and Election Watch (Karnataka), she cited reports of media houses allegedly receiving cash in sweet boxes from the chief minister’s office.
During the session on Election Commission of India, she said, “It has become politicised. Not just apathetic, but worse.” Patkar spoke on fighting communal forces, and said that she along with like-minded people have been addressing it under ‘Nafrat Chodo Samvidhan Bachao’ (dump hatred, save Constitution).
“We have selected 300 districts, and will walk 75km in each of the district. People should look only for development to choose leaders. The campaign started on October 2 and will conclude on December 3,” she added.
“The details of electoral bonds and PM Cares should be made public. Debates among candidates must be held for a better democracy,” she said, adding that people are beginning to listen to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after his Bharat Jodo Yatra, which she will join on November 17. “We are not just going to stop with convention and debate, we will go to public, prepare a common agenda, manifesto, and make the parties and aspiring candidates respond to them. We will make them raise issues of development,” said Kathyayini Chamaraj, one of the organisers.