Has Indian democracy lost its soul since Independence? When will India be truly secular and free from power-mongers? Have we abused our freedom and democracy? Is there still hope for a new and resurgent India?
India is the second most populous country in the world with 1.3 billion people.
On August 14-15, 1947, when the clock struck the midnight hour, India became an independent nation, ending nearly three centuries of British colonial rule. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, in his address to the nation on that momentous occasion said: “ At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.” Pandit Nehru and other political leaders tried to build a new nation.
THE POWER-MONGERS
It is almost seven decades since India became a democracy. There has been much progress on many fronts. But power-mongers have prevented rapid socio-economic development. Today democracy has become a mockery in India. The major national parties and the political parties mushrooming every now and then, appear to have no major social or economic agenda other than to grab and keep power at any cost. Towards that end, they will enter into any coalition agreement even with parties having opposing ideologies and try to topple the government in power, preventing even well-meaning governments to implement developmental schemes. Corrupt politicians, fraudulent businessmen and corrupt bureaucrats and public functionaries have usurped and maintained power by hook or by crook, abused authority and swindled developmental funds, throughout the history of this fledgling democracy. They have divided India along communal lines, promoted intolerance, hatred, and violence. As a result, they have thwarted social and economic progress, while lining their own pockets. Many politicians have taken to politics as a career and as a lucrative business and passed on the positions of power to family members.
Power-hungry public men have thrown democratic ideals and values to the winds. The common man is taken for a ride with election promises that are seldom fulfilled. The Constitution of India now appears to be fit only to gather dust in libraries. Freedom, equality, fraternity and social justice remain ideals yet to be fully practiced or implemented. Integrity of character, patriotism, and dedication to public service are qualities rarely found in public life today.
COMMUNALISM
The greatest threat to democracy in India today is communalism. Politicians of every hue have promoted communal vote banks and sectarian interests. As a result, secularism enshrined in the Constitution of India, remains only on paper. Secularism means respect for all religions while promoting freedom of thought and worship. India has been the haven of spirituality and had been the birth place of major religions such as Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Hinduism has been hailed as the religion of tolerance. But militant Hinduism has reared its head in recent times. Islamic fundamentalism is also tearing the country apart. Great philosophers such as Adi Sankara, Swami Vivekananda, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and their writings have given way to radical Hinduism. Advaita Vedanta and the Upanishads are long forgotten by Hindutva advocates. Similarly, Sufism is not a philosophy to be followed by many radical Moslems. When the nation denounces Mahatma Gandhi and tries to make Nathuram Ghodse, Gandhiji’s assassin as a national hero, Gandhian ideals take a back seat and violence, killing and looting become the order of the day.
SHINING BEACONS
However, now and then we have seen shining examples of great leaders. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, aerospace engineer and scientist, who became President of India, endeared himself to the Indian masses. Many business leaders in the information technology sector were responsible for launching India as a global leader in information technology. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, a globally renowned economist, was able to liberate Indian economy from excessive governmental controls. His liberalization policies helped to attract foreign direct investments into India and propel the economic development of India. It has also to be admitted that by a rough estimate, at least one-third of the bureaucrats are committed to public service and maintain absolute integrity and devotion to duty. They are the ones who maintain the system. Such committed public servants including some patriotic politicians and businessmen have helped Indian democracy to survive while neighboring Pakistan had been oscillating between military dictatorship and democracy through its checkered history.
CONCERNS
But what is of concern is that old values are on the decline. There is a craze to amass wealth by fair means or foul. An underground or black economy is growing. Social disparities are widening. India has some of the top billionaires of the world. They indulge in ostentatious living and wasteful expenditures rather than contributing to corporate social responsibilities and promoting education, research or social welfare. Excessive governmental controls coupled with political and bureaucratic corruption have prevented remittances from expatriates to be channeled to promote industrial growth or to fund developmental projects. One-fourth of the 1.3 billion population of India, do not have even $1.25 per day to eke out their living. Dowry deaths and crimes against women are on the increase. There is unplanned development of cities. Agriculture, the mainstay of the Indian population has been on the decline. The craze for degrees has prevented the promotion of quality education particularly in professional colleges for medicine or engineering and in other professions.
THERE IS STILL HOPE
All these indicate that there is a leadership vacuum in India calling for a new vision for Indian society. India today needs role models for men in public life and a new rallying point. India needs a new brand of leaders in every sphere of human activity, politics, business, government, education, etc. India needs leaders with integrity of character, leaders with a vision, who can think differently and act differently, to take the nation to new heights of glory within the global fraternity. The existing political parties have to reexamine and redefine their mission and allow socially committed youngsters to take the reins of power. The future of India lies in its youth. There is still hope.
-Ponnoly
India is the second most populous country in the world with 1.3 billion people.
On August 14-15, 1947, when the clock struck the midnight hour, India became an independent nation, ending nearly three centuries of British colonial rule. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, in his address to the nation on that momentous occasion said: “ At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.” Pandit Nehru and other political leaders tried to build a new nation.
THE POWER-MONGERS
It is almost seven decades since India became a democracy. There has been much progress on many fronts. But power-mongers have prevented rapid socio-economic development. Today democracy has become a mockery in India. The major national parties and the political parties mushrooming every now and then, appear to have no major social or economic agenda other than to grab and keep power at any cost. Towards that end, they will enter into any coalition agreement even with parties having opposing ideologies and try to topple the government in power, preventing even well-meaning governments to implement developmental schemes. Corrupt politicians, fraudulent businessmen and corrupt bureaucrats and public functionaries have usurped and maintained power by hook or by crook, abused authority and swindled developmental funds, throughout the history of this fledgling democracy. They have divided India along communal lines, promoted intolerance, hatred, and violence. As a result, they have thwarted social and economic progress, while lining their own pockets. Many politicians have taken to politics as a career and as a lucrative business and passed on the positions of power to family members.
Power-hungry public men have thrown democratic ideals and values to the winds. The common man is taken for a ride with election promises that are seldom fulfilled. The Constitution of India now appears to be fit only to gather dust in libraries. Freedom, equality, fraternity and social justice remain ideals yet to be fully practiced or implemented. Integrity of character, patriotism, and dedication to public service are qualities rarely found in public life today.
COMMUNALISM
The greatest threat to democracy in India today is communalism. Politicians of every hue have promoted communal vote banks and sectarian interests. As a result, secularism enshrined in the Constitution of India, remains only on paper. Secularism means respect for all religions while promoting freedom of thought and worship. India has been the haven of spirituality and had been the birth place of major religions such as Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Hinduism has been hailed as the religion of tolerance. But militant Hinduism has reared its head in recent times. Islamic fundamentalism is also tearing the country apart. Great philosophers such as Adi Sankara, Swami Vivekananda, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and their writings have given way to radical Hinduism. Advaita Vedanta and the Upanishads are long forgotten by Hindutva advocates. Similarly, Sufism is not a philosophy to be followed by many radical Moslems. When the nation denounces Mahatma Gandhi and tries to make Nathuram Ghodse, Gandhiji’s assassin as a national hero, Gandhian ideals take a back seat and violence, killing and looting become the order of the day.
SHINING BEACONS
However, now and then we have seen shining examples of great leaders. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, aerospace engineer and scientist, who became President of India, endeared himself to the Indian masses. Many business leaders in the information technology sector were responsible for launching India as a global leader in information technology. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, a globally renowned economist, was able to liberate Indian economy from excessive governmental controls. His liberalization policies helped to attract foreign direct investments into India and propel the economic development of India. It has also to be admitted that by a rough estimate, at least one-third of the bureaucrats are committed to public service and maintain absolute integrity and devotion to duty. They are the ones who maintain the system. Such committed public servants including some patriotic politicians and businessmen have helped Indian democracy to survive while neighboring Pakistan had been oscillating between military dictatorship and democracy through its checkered history.
CONCERNS
But what is of concern is that old values are on the decline. There is a craze to amass wealth by fair means or foul. An underground or black economy is growing. Social disparities are widening. India has some of the top billionaires of the world. They indulge in ostentatious living and wasteful expenditures rather than contributing to corporate social responsibilities and promoting education, research or social welfare. Excessive governmental controls coupled with political and bureaucratic corruption have prevented remittances from expatriates to be channeled to promote industrial growth or to fund developmental projects. One-fourth of the 1.3 billion population of India, do not have even $1.25 per day to eke out their living. Dowry deaths and crimes against women are on the increase. There is unplanned development of cities. Agriculture, the mainstay of the Indian population has been on the decline. The craze for degrees has prevented the promotion of quality education particularly in professional colleges for medicine or engineering and in other professions.
THERE IS STILL HOPE
All these indicate that there is a leadership vacuum in India calling for a new vision for Indian society. India today needs role models for men in public life and a new rallying point. India needs a new brand of leaders in every sphere of human activity, politics, business, government, education, etc. India needs leaders with integrity of character, leaders with a vision, who can think differently and act differently, to take the nation to new heights of glory within the global fraternity. The existing political parties have to reexamine and redefine their mission and allow socially committed youngsters to take the reins of power. The future of India lies in its youth. There is still hope.
-Ponnoly
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