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Aligarh: Team Anna's
campaign against corruption may have caught the imagination of the
nation, but what is perhaps little known is that though ancient
India had a well-evolved democratic system that went down to the
grassroots, its elected leaders had to adhere to well-defined laws
that prescribed stiff penalties for those who swindled public
money or indulged in improprieties.
Aligarh Muslim University historian S. Chandni Bi, who has
specialised in epigraphy, the study of inscriptions, says around
1,000 years ago there was zero tolerance towards financial
bungling. According to him, inscriptions in the southern state of
Tamil Nadu clearly indicate how intolerant civil society was
against corrupt practices and the violators of ethical framework.
Chandni told IANS in an interview: "A well evolved democratic
system was functional, starting at the Saba level, between the
eighth and the 16th century in South India, irrespective of the
ruling dynasties: the Cheras, Cholas, Pallavas, Pandyas and
Vijaynagar.
"The members of a Saba were elected by the whole community of the
village by a system peculiarly known as 'Kuda Olai'system (Kudam-Pot
and Olai-Palm leaf). The village was divided into wards called 'Kudumbus',
and every ward had to write the eligible person's names on the
palm leaves. The bundle of palm leaves was emptied in a pot. The
member was chosen by draw of lots."
The most important point to note here was the issuance of strict
guidelines by the rulers, inscriptions give fair indication of the
clarity of thought and zero tolerance towards financial bungling.
"Among the inscriptions three are very important which belong to
the 10th century A.D. Two inscriptions are found in Vaykundanatha
Perumal temple at Uttramerur, Kanchipuram district and another one
is from Pallipakkam village of Tanjore in Tamil Nadu state
belonging to the rule of Parantaka Chola Ist," Chandni explains.
"The crimes committed by the members of the Saba are divided into
three categories. The swindling of funds or public property and
those who failed to submit their accounts have been considered as
crime number two. Such members were not eligible to contest the
Saba election for life long. Not only they but their relatives too
could not contest elections, like children, in-laws, brothers and
their children, grand -parents, grand- children, relations through
wife etc., nearly for three generations. They were called as 'Grama
Dhurogis'.
"While murder of even Brahmins was considered pardonable, crimes
like cheating or swindling public funds were unpardonable even by
gods. Political crime was not pardonable but other crimes could be
punished with penalties or performance of penance and charitable
deeds, to become eligible for elections again."
There were established codes of conduct laid down for the Saba
members as found in an inscription from Mannur village of
Tirunelveli district. Among them, the most interesting one relates
to obstructing the political processes or functioning of the Saba
deliberately. In such cases a penalty of five Kasu (Rupees) was
imposed for every such act of mis-conduct, on such members. Yet
they were permitted to stay and participate in the proceedings of
the Saba. Generally, the Kings' orders were executed by passing in
the Saba.
To prevent political power getting concentrated in one family
leading to dynastic tendencies, rules were framed. "According to
this rule, the present members of the Saba cannot contest the
election for next 2 to 10 years. In the same way none of their
relatives should have contested for the past five years if one
wanted to contest for membership of Saba. There is also a sub rule
to provide equal opportunity for everybody stipulating induction
of two new members without any previous experience as members of
the Saba."
The Sabas had to be dissolved before the election of the new one
and the elections were generally conducted by the village
accountant and a judge called 'Madyasthan'. In the public services
there were no holidays and therefore no one in authority could
neglect public duty. "It was categorically mentioned that the
elected members should provide their service for 360 days. The
elected members' term of office was only one year and
automatically should resign after completion of the term."
They also actively practised the right to recall. "In those days
if an elected member of the Saba committed a crime or violated
law, he was immediately sacked. Such has been our rich and
exemplary past. Let us bring it back instead of looking to the
west for solutions," said Chandni who is teaching South Indian
History in AMU.
(Brij
Khandelwal can be contacted at brij.k@ians.in)
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