Ranchi, March 16: Lalita Bara is a resident of Maoist-hit Latehar district. She had heard Jharkhand has elected its first majority government. Today, the 35-year-old mother of three had a first-hand experience of what that meant.
"Bad and unstable governance have been at the root of extremism in Jharkhand. For the first time it seems there is no threat of the government being pulled down. The question is will it deliver? Will our new MLAs walk the talk?" the intermediate and a member of a self-help group in her native Sabano village said after she watched the ongoing budget session in the Assembly.
Lalita was among a group of 12 men and women from various parts of Gumla and Latehar districts who took seat in the spectator's gallery during the state power play, courtesy NGO Citizens Foundation that arranged the Assembly date for some marginalised members of the society following permission from Speaker Dinesh Oraon.
While pink slips granted them entry to the corridors of power, thick glass separated them from the debating legislators on the floor of the House. Watching live their elected representatives raise issues concerning them was a historic moment, observed Sunita Oraon of Jariyan village, also in Latehar district.
The dozen special visitors to the Assembly today were all BPL cardholders and a point on benefits not reaching the poor definitely had them glued to the proceedings. "One person raised the issue of many like us (BPL cardholders) not getting benefits despite provisions. One minister (Saryu Roy) assured others that the problem will be sorted out. But will it really? In the House, MLAs promise to end our problems, but what they say is seldom implemented," Sunita, one among the nine women, mused.
Marshal Bara, a small-time trader from Gumla, said they were going back with hope. "We grapple with extremism, human trafficking and unemployment. We are sanguine our fate will change," he added.
Most of the visitors did not understand some of the major political discussions like those on resource gap and advertisement policy, but they listened with rapt attention nonetheless.
Dezi Gloria Toppo, who hails from Sisai Assembly constituency in Gumla district represented by none other than Speaker Oraon, said she felt enlightened. "At village-level, there is the panchayat where most discussions end in fish market-like chaos. Here, things are better. If such meaningful debates are converted into action, then all problems of Jharkhand will be gone. If someday, I contest and win an election, this single-day experience will be helpful," she added.
Later in the day, the Speaker invited the guests to his chamber. There they raised issues of corruption and apathy of respective district administrations. They complained that women self-help groups were not receiving adequate support.
One of them was also naïve enough to ask the Speaker his name. "Sir, please tell me your name. When I go back to my village, people will ask who all we met in the Assembly," the person said.
Oraon gave them all a patient hearing and said: "I know your problems. As the Speaker in the Assembly, I am forcing the government to become more answerable to its people. I may encourage MLAs to bring residents from their constituency to watch Assembly proceedings. It will re-establish people's faith in democracy."
