The Civil Society Forum, a coalition of several civic society organisations, movements, and individuals, presented its manifesto for the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Elections 2023, demanding the political parties to take favourable decisions on the development of the state.
The manifesto, a result of collaborative efforts of about 28 organisations, includes key demands for various sectors, such as rural and urban governance, housing, agriculture, health, labour rights, and the rights of women and children, among others. Representatives of the organisations presented the demands broadly clubbed into eight clusters.
The manifesto presentation was chaired by historian and author Ramachandra Guha. Representatives of CPI(M), Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were present at the event.
“One of the distressing features of our democracy in recent years is that it has become an election-only democracy, which is very worrisome," Guha said.
He added that an initiative, like this, "is important to restore the true meaning of democracy" and ensure that it is a continuous and everyday affair with regular interaction between the people and their representatives.
Guha remarked that the absence of representatives from both BJP and JD(S) is a reflection of their deliberate indifference to the voices of civil society.
R Dharmasena, representing Congress, spoke of the party's achievements when it was in power and asked the citizens to question the ruling party over its "unfulfilled promises".
Ashwin Mahesh, a representative of the Aam Aadmi Party, noted that about 85 per cent of what was in the forum's manifesto is included in the already-released party manifesto for Karnataka. He, too, asked people to question parties over the work they have already done rather than will do.
CPI (M) state committee member S Y Gurushanth said that the people have become disillusioned with political parties. "We need to fight against the curtailment of state powers by the Centre," he said and added that the agriculture and industry sectors are in deep crises.
Kathyayini Chamaraj, executive trustee, CIVIC Bangalore, said that the forum is attempting to change the narrative of the elections. "We want people to start questioning the government about real issues and not be distracted by the political parties' divisive agenda," she added.