The contestation around use of natural resources is long-standing in human history; access to land, forests, water and minerals have led to rise and fall of civilisations. As large societies like India and China began rapid economic growth in recent decades, such contestations have intensified. Local inhabitants, especially tribals and indigenous communities, access these resources for socio-economic and spiritual sustenance. When commercial and industrial demands begin to restrict or deny such access for them, their resistance is to be expected.

Two decades ago, a significant constitutional amendment in India gave ‘Gram Sabha’ (village assembly comprising of all adult voters) the right to participate in governance of their communities, including governance of natural resources. In tribal areas, this right of Gram Sabha was made decisive under a special PESA legislation. As usual, such legal rights of local communities are largely ignored and/or denied by higher tiers of governance at provincial or national levels.

In a somewhat dramatic judgment, the Supreme Court of India recently ruled that all 12 Gram Sabhas must decide if their traditional habitat in Niyamgiri hills of Odisha can be given to Vedanta for bauxite mining. During the past five weeks, all these 12 Gram Sabhas met in wide public view under the court’s mandates. Citizens of these 12 villages unanimously rejected the offer to part with these resources for Vedanta.

This is a historic moment in the governance of natural resources in India, and perhaps elsewhere too. Citizens’ right to decide on the manner in which such resources can be used has been affirmed in full public view, and upheld by the highest court of the land. Niyamgiri also highlights the significance of ensuring that ‘governance from below’ is strengthened to provide checks and balances to governance from above.

Hundreds of other examples of such Gram Sabhas have been taking place from around the country; many of these have successfully asserted local citizens’ right to decide about their future. Yet, higher tiers of governance, executive and administration have continued to deny and/or ignore such rights. Coupled with corruption and increasing dominance of business interests in democratic decision-making, such denial of mandates and roles of Gram Sabhas has been rampant in India.

The time for reinventing democracy is now. Democracy is not merely about electing representatives; representatives are accountable not just during election time, but throughout their conduct as people’s representatives. Participatory democracy must complement representative democracy; active citizenship, as exemplified through the Gram Sabhas, is a critical pre-requisite for making democracy work for all citizens, and not just for the few.

Rajesh Tandon  
August 29, 2013