Today's web-connected world has brought about another paradigm shift with the internet. This is not just impacting politics, but is in a sense fundamentally redefining it. Earlier, technological evolutions helped politicians more. They could take advantage of new means and dimensions. Information technology has led to empowerment of people as well - each and every one of us. This is important for a large democracy like India. I have been saying IT + IT = IT : Indian talent + information technology = India tomorrow.
Information in the pre-internet era was more one-dimensional. It was limited to politicians bombarding their thoughts and views on citizens. Now it is a two-way process. Citizens are empowered with wide access to information - from multiple channels. This information, moreover, is real time and updated.
Importantly, these informed citizens also have avenues of voicing their opinion and influencing policy. Citizens now have a direct say. In India earlier, a citizen's connect to politics was limited to once in every five years - from one election to another. Now, he engages with, and is a part of the polity every moment. He shares information, raises questions, comments, and connects with others. He voices his opinion and gives his feedback.
The internet has, therefore, truly empowered the citizen. It has forced the politician to perform, not just promise. In a way, it has become a challenge for the political class. The time has come for the political class to adapt to this change and reinvent itself. It needs to stop running away... The political class needs to stop seeing technology as a problem-creator, and start harnessing it in the right spirit. As a politician, I use technology extensively - from the simple to the cutting-edge.
In the 2012 elections, I pioneered the using of 3D Holographic technology to reach out to multiple geographies. I addressed voters at 53 places across the state all at once. This unique concept not only helped me reach out to more geographies and voters, but also helped reduce the cost, time and energy required.
At a personal level, I interact with millions of my fellow countrymen and women through social media. I share my thoughts with them, as well as listen and learn from them. I understand their concerns as well as connect with their dreams and aspirations. The internet has become the new public sphere. Former US President Bill Clinton aptly called it the new town square. In this age of internet democracy, citizens are netizens, who transcend the geographical borders of countries and continents. No wonder it is called the "Wired Republic".
Today, technology has merged politics with governance. They cannot be separated as the focus of the public sphere is on accountability, and transparency. Good governance is the key political agenda now, be it in the developed or developing world. Internet, new communication media and digital convergence have been major drivers of this...
It has transformed the policy-making process. It has ushered in an age of direct democracy - where the common citizen directly engages in the policy-making process and affects the policy outcomes, rather than being limited to doing so through his elected representative. I would like to give you a few examples from my Gujarat experience:
Listening to people's voice is an important element in democracy. To ensure this, we use ICT [information and communications technology] for redressing grievances. I personally host SWAGAT sessions in my office. The unique aspect of this project is that the grievance of the common man is addressed in real time. Solutions are provided online to him immediately. It also acts as a feedback mechanism. We modify policies and systems based on repeated grievances. Our efforts have been applauded by the UN, receiving the UN Public Service Award in 2010 for "Improving Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness in Public Service".
Earlier, when politicians used to lobby for infrastructure like schools and hospitals in their constituencies, we did not have any scientific method of deciding the allocations. Today, we map the demography, the need and the availability using GIS [geographic information system]. We, thus, bring parity among the local communities. This has also given a new direction to local politics. I find it interesting to see how netizens have evolved their own language and dictionary of words. Here neither the spelling nor the grammar matters. One hundred and forty characters can convey it all. This dimension also plays an important role in empowerment. It gives people from different parts of the world the confidence to overcome their limitations in language. It enables them to go ahead to freely express and connect.
In conclusion, let me say technology in itself is neither good nor bad. That depends on how it is harnessed. While "technology in politics" plays a crucial role, it would do us great good to stay away from letting "politics into technolog".
Deployed in the right way, technology can be a powerful force... The challenge is how better we can connect the common man to this www world... We must focus our technological policies and innovations on the greater good - empowering people and nurturing a development-based agenda.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at the Google Big Tent Active Summit on Technology in Politics, in Gandhinagar on March 21