MUMBAI, Aug 15: Maharashtra Governor PC Alexander today made a fervent appeal for stengthening participatory democracy in the country. Addressing the special joint session of the State Legislature, Alexander regretted that while parliamentary democracy has proved its viability, peoples' participation in fortifying democratic institutions is still a far cry.

`Participatory democracy' is not merely the demand from elected representatives to improve roads and canals, hospitals and schools in the constituency.

``It should really mean participation in the process of formulation of government policies on matters affecting the well being of the people. Unfortunately, this type of participatory democracy has yet to take firm roots in our country,'' Alexander observed. He said fifty years is too short a period to judge the efficacy of the democratic system, especially when India did not have any tradition of modern state system.

Another weakness in our democracy was the lack of consciousness among common people about their rights. ``The people of India had to wait for two centuries to break out of the shackles of slavery and to give themselves a Constitution guaranteeing fundamental rights and equality for all citizens,'' he said.

But mere mention in the Constitution did not ensure the success of democracy. The Governor said that people should be more aware, alert and vigilant about their rights and duties and this alone can infuse life into the Constitution and make democracy meaningful.

Lauding the role of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Netaji Bose and Lokmanya Tilak, Alexander said that Indians ought to feel privileged that such leaders contributed to the country's freedom struggle and provided farsighted leadership and inspiration to the people.

``We are proud of the fact that Maharashtra had been at the vanguard of the freedom struggle. The spirit of freedom and the will to fight for justice and rights have been a cherished legacy of the people of this state from the days of the illustrious Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who embodied in himself intense patriotism, indomitable courage, nobility and heroism.

Mahatma Phule and Babasaheb Ambedkar had created among the common people a consciousness about social justice, while Justice Ranade, Dadabhai Naoroji, Phirozsha Mehta, Gopalkrishna Gokhale, Vinobha Bhave and Tilak had provided inspiring leadership to the entire nation,'' Alexander said.

In fact every town and village of Maharashtra can legitimately feel proud of its contribution to the liberation movement. He said the great city of Mumbai became the natural choice as the venue of the founding of the Indian National Congress in 1885 and later for launching the final battle for freedom through the Quit India movement of August 1942.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.