Stop lecturing india about democracy : vimarsana.c

While laying the foundation stone for the new Parliament building in the national capital last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of India’s tryst with democracy long before the Magna Carta was signed in England in 1215 offering liberty and freedom to the people. He referred to Anubhava Mantapa a peoples’ Parliament open to all sections of society established by the philosopher-saint Basaveshwara in Karnataka a century earlier.
The egalitarian principles laid down by the saint were later incorporated in the composition of democratic assemblies in many countries. Modi also referred to the prevailing electoral rules during the Chola period in the 10th century, as seen in inscriptions found in Uthiramerur, a village in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu. The inscription said every kudumbam (community) would be represented in the peoples’ assembly. It also listed out the rules for eligibility of candidates and said persons who do not declare their assets would be barred from contesting elections. He also referred to the sanghas and sabhas that existed in different parts of ancient India.