Democracy in Digital Age : Revisiting the Gandhian Idea of Civic Engagement

Information is a core community need in any democracy whether it is digital or conventional. People having access to information always have an edge over others who were denied the access due to their sociopolitical backwardness. The digital media not only accelerates the access to information but also develops a new attitude among the people to receive, own, engage, respond and connect the information for the negotiations with the sociocultural surrounding which is the core of any democracy.The commentary appreciates the Gandhian idea of civic engagement which urges the need for the free flow of information that helps people to participate in the life of the community. It further contextualises the potential of digital communication in connecting the people regardless of wealth or age, urban or rural and enhances the capacity of individuals to engage with information related to civic engagement and governance. This will ensure a greater role for civic bodies which Mahatma Gandhi urged as the core of democracy