Respecting Diversity, Imbibing Democracy: Virtual session on Democracy in Everyday Life.

The first virtual session, with the second cohort of the Youth for Governance took place on the 21st of May. The session on Democracy in Everyday Life and was facilitated by Dr. Rajesh Tandon, Founder-President of PRIA and Ms. Shruti Priya, Program officer at PRIA. The session aimed at building an understanding of the principles of Democracy and how it functions in our everyday life. By encouraging the fellows to inculcate these democratic values in their everyday life, the session hoped to instil its principles so that they do not only carry it throughout the duration of the fellowship but even beyond that.

At the onset of the session, fellows shared their own understanding of Democracy which appeared to be limited to a form of government, elections, choosing their representatives, rights, consensus, expression, equal opportunity to express thoughts and ideas. Some equated democracy to freedom, some noted that the very discussion taking place in the session is Democracy.

However, democracy is more than just elections and freedom. It is listening and respecting different views and opinions while also encouraging them to share their views, valuing other’s knowledge even if it is ignored by the authorities, coexisting despite differences, and encouraging conversations across people with different views and opinions is a democratic act.

Upon asking how they practice democracy in their everyday life, they talked about Democracy being practiced in the domestic sphere of home by forming a consensus within the family members regarding what to cook for dinner, from within the walls of the classroom examples of choosing what to do for practicals were shared. Independence to pursue a career of their choice, their freedom to protest and other examples were quoted by the fellows.

After the discussion, fellows were assigned small breakout rooms for the group discussion activity. Each group was presented with a small case study and were asked to present their recommendations, suggestions, and inputs. The case study touched upon themes of gender, sexuality, plurality, freedom of choice with democracy holding the central aspect.

Fellows came up with deep insights and varied perspective on a single issue which was reflected in their presentations. In a case study concerning a past bully who wanted to stand for elections representing an Anti-Bullying department, a few fellows believing in equal opportunity voiced their opinion that the past bully should be given a chance to stand for elections because one should not be judged by what one has done in the past. On the contrary there were a few who drawing parallels of the scenario with the politicians of the country said “Most of the politicians have a criminal background and people still vote for them trusting them to have changed but that doesn’t happen” similarly there is a very minimal chance of the past bully changing. They believed he should first be given a smaller role and only when he has proved himself worthy of the position should he be given a leadership role.

In a different case study of a restaurant staff and customers getting thrashed on accusations of selling pork, some fellows believed it was an infringement of the right to information since people were not aware the restaurant sells pork, others said it was a consumer rights concern, there were others who believed no matter what the scenario, violence is not the way to deal with differences.

Eventually what came out of these discussions were the various facets of practicing Democracy in Everyday Life.

India is a diverse nation, we differ on account of our religion, economic status, upbringing, gender and all these differences, sometimes do lead to disagreements. There are ways of dealing with these disagreements, ways that are non-violent and democratic like communication, conversation, understanding each other’s point of views. Therefore, coexisting even in the face of disagreement becomes a democratic act. Dr. Tandon highlighted “Our capacity to live with different people, plurality is the absolute test of democracy.”

Democracy does not mean we can do what we want to. While democracy is freedom there are limits to our freedom. One’s freedom is not absolute. It is exercising one’s liberty while ensuring other’s rights are not infringed. “Democracy is as much about claiming my rights as respecting other’s rights,” noted Dr. Tandon.