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Majoritarianism, big challenge to democracy, says Chidambaram

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai Sept. 17. The biggest challenge faced by Indian democracy now is majoritarianism, the Congress Jananayaga Peravai leader, P. Chidambaram, cautioned today.

Majoritarianism, which asserted the might of the majority, would destroy society. He was participating in the launch here of a social organisation, `Roots of Democracy' formed by the Congress MLA, S.G. Vinayagamurthy.

Forms and pillars of democracy existed in India, but its roots had to be strengthened, said Mr. Chidambaram. The first root was a realisation that freedom was a birthright. However, the craving for democracy, which was witnessed during the Emergency and the anti-Hindi agitation in the 1960s and 70s, diminished in recent times. ``We take democracy for granted now. We think there is no threat to democracy.''

Education, second root of democracy, should be spread far and wide, as 50 per cent of the children did not go to school. The third root, sense of fearlessness, must be fostered, as the people appeared to have lost a sense of moral outrage and slipped into consumerist complacency.

The fourth root, humaneness, was crucial to the survival of democracy, he stressed.

D. Pandian, CPI leader, however, struck an optimistic tone, asserting that the democratic roots were ``strong and deep'' in India. The proof was that a majority of the Hindus had not fallen prey to the majoritarian frenzy whipped up by fundamentalist forces.

Panruti S. Ramachandran, former Minister, said democracy was not about numbers or numerical superiority, but was about freedom.

Mr. Vinayagamurthy said the organisation would hold periodical meetings on key issues to spread public awareness of democratic rights.

Seetha Ravi, editor, Kalki, and Maalan, Sun News Channel editor, addressed the gathering.

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