The myth regarding citizen's forum candidate is revelead

Recently, a new trend had started among the civil society to bash the politicians and political parties. The members of Civil Society proclaimed that all the parties and their representatives were worthless and corrupt. No doubt, gazing at the current fraudulent conduct by shameless people in power at the center, this sentiment of rage from the citizens was not absolutely imperceptible. Thus, they endorsed an independent representative of the Civil Society or Citizen’s forum, whatever one may call it, during the 2007 Corporation Election in Mumbai, from Ward no. 63-the area representating Juhu Scheme and surrounding. One Mr. Adolf D’souza was chosen and the area that represents glitterati of Bollywood and the educated class. The Mumbai Mirror and such newspaper backed him, enormously and he was considered the sole savior of common man from the clutches of “corrupt” political parties.
But,
The reality was not so..
Today, the same Mumbai Mirror has printed the cover news that , “Tables turned on city’s first citizen corporator. Juhu residents turn against their man Adolf. Five years after they fought to get him into the BMC, constituents say they’re unhappy with D’Souza’s performance. E-mails doing the rounds say that he did not speak up when needed; D’Souza says no point screaming on the floor of the house….”
And,
The story goes on..
But,
The bottom line of the story is.. He has been hugely ineffective, to make any difference in his constituency.
I have been closely connected to the Ward no. 63, thus am aware of the conditions and predicament faced by the locality. Though this area, on a larger scale is constituted of bunglows and up-market buildings, the roads of North-South roads were such low lying that for years, the water logging during monsoon was a common nuisance. The water-logging was to such an extent that sometimes the land could not be visible for days . About ten years back, the then BJP corporator Shri Arun Deo, got the leveling done of the roads, from his corporator’s fund and got the pipelines repaired which were extremely old and narrow, as when they were built, the population residing in the area was less dense. All these efforts of Shri Arun Deo, could be effectively employed as he, apart from being honest and committed, belonged to the political party which possessed manifesto, had party fund and backing of party workers which would enhance the machinery to work for improvement.
But,
Sadly, the citizens representative could not be as effective in serving and solving residents problems even though he may have been as non-corrupt as Shri Arun Deo but he lacked the party backing. Being non-corrupt only, is not the solution to all the tribulations faced by the citizens of the area but to stand up for the hazards faced by them against the officials or Govt. if need be, is required in the corporator. Mr. Adolf may have been an honest man not accepting bribes but he neither did solve residents perils nor did he speak up in the corporation to represent the troubles faced by area. One need not be a profound orator to speak up in the corporation but the elected representative must have the ability and capacity to be heard and followed by the authority as well as machinery and Mr. Adolf did not possess either. Thus, on important issues, when the voting of members happened, he had no choice but to genuflect to one or the other party. In such cases, there are more chances of a sole independent representative being bought, sometimes on monetary consideration or on some other favor.
All in all, the idea of citizens corporator has failed immensely.
Firstly, one needs to understand the concept of political parties and Civil Society. Members of political parties do not appear from Venus or Mars. He is one of us, born and nurtured in the Civil Society, itself. Thus, if an honest person wishes to work for the society and make difference, he should become part of a political ideology that he believes in. If dedicated souls commit themselves to work for betterment of society and join party, then the party will have cluster of sincere members. Otherwise, the huddle of dishonest people will surround the parties and we, sitting at home, will grumble and moan.