About the Book :

India has entered the new Millennium without the aura of the much-touted millennium. Indian democracy is shallower and hollower now than a decade ago. If India has to develop into a full-blown democracy, instead of merely gloating over sustaining democracy as its greatest achievement, India ought to strengthen its democratic structures and institutions and make concerted efforts for clean, corruption-free, efficient, secular, transparent and people-centric governance; rapid expansion of civil space for rapid secularisation and democratisation of state and society with secular public institutions mediating between both; equip and energise the udiciary for expeditious ustice delivery, especially for the masses who cannot afford to spend and cannot afford to wait; and protect and uplift the weaker sections from poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, and social oppression. !s the nation has been caught between the two evils "ongress and #$%, team!nna&s anticorruption surge, launching of the !am !admi %arty led by !rvind 'e riwal who played a ma or role in team-!nna, the !!%&s stunning performance in the (elhi !ssembly elections held in (ecember, all happened in quick succession. )he !!%&s *model politics+ being tried out in (elhi, and expected to be tried out in %arliament through the ,ok -abha elections will decide the nature of the future of Indian democracy. )here is much to be said in favour of and expected from the !!%&s *alternative politics+. .or this, understanding the perception of reality is as important as understanding the elusive reality itself. )hat is best done by identifying the fault

lines in governance, the perfidies of the governors, and the pitfalls of the governed, through critiquing the system, seeing it through the common man&s *looking glass+. )his book is a critique of the political scenario prevailing today as seen through the common man&s *looking glass+.

About Author :
Dr. P. RADHAKRISHNAN was a Professor of Sociology at the Madras Institute of Develop ent Studies. His research e!perience spans ore than three decades. He has pu"lished widely. His "oo#s include Religion$ %aste and State$ &he Perfidies of Power' India in the New Millenniu $ Peasant Struggles$ (and Refor s$ and Social %hange' Mala"ar )*+,-).*/$ and Progress &owards 0ducation for All' &he %ase of &a il Nadu 1with R. A#ila2. He has to his credit several other pu"lications$ which include articles in edited "oo#s and leading 3ournals$ research notes$ wor#ing papers$ and reviews. 4oo# readily availa"le at' 4oo#adda.co Ho eshop)*.co