SPEAKING
FREELY India at 64: A struggling
democracy By Sunil Kumar
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India last Saturday
celebrated its 64th year of being republic. This
is a ripe old age for a human being, but what
about nations? Do these also mature as time
passes?
It isn't entirely fair to equate a
human's life cycle with an entity as grand as a
nation. But another question is - has 64 years
been long enough for Indian to develop a system
that ensures basic human freedoms are available to
all citizens, irrespective of their status?
The 'Rainbow Republic' In 1950,
the Republic of India started a journey full with hopes
imbued by its long struggle
for freedom. The process started with a number of
firsts. One was universal adult suffrage - even
nations like United States of America achieved
this quite late in the day.
India then
struggled in its first few decades with the grim
issue of poverty. However, with assistance from
science, it has now achieved a great degree of
self-sufficiency for its huge population. As India
marches ahead in scientific advancements and
innovation, diversity has also been hailed as a
special strength of the country.
Leaders
like the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru,
deliberated in detail on the rich and diverse
historical and cultural heritage of the nation in
his tome Discovery of India. Mahatma Gandhi
also discussed in simple argumentative style the
advantages of Indian civilization and the strength
it possesses over the comfort-seeking adventure of
Western capitalist structure and industrial
process in his work Hind-Swaraj.
Such unique thoughts and ideas by
illustrious Indians challenged deep-set
assumptions and are truly integrative in their
conception. These works are a guiding light for
the young generation of India in the 21st century.
However, India appears to be caught in a storm of
protests and the very idea of India is facing
perhaps its severest test of strength. What ails
the biggest democracy in the world?
Unattended scars and injuries It
is not difficult to identify the cracks. The need
of the hour is to address with a sense of urgency
the festering sores of caste-based violence,
communal hatred and crumbling governance
machinery.
Reforms need to be ushered in
policing, to make the nation feel safe for its
women and children. This must be the first
priority of government.
Meanwhile,
infrastructure has to be created for the
educational needs of poor children. The Right to
Education Act, 2009, was passed very late in the
day, and efforts must not stop at that.
Laws are only a part of the solution. It
has to be felt that the destiny of the nation is
tied to each child who attends school. Visions of
a safe, healthy and a country free of violence
must always inform and influence the leadership.
Be it governance, social welfare measures or
ensuring supremacy of "rule of law", necessary
reforms must not be delayed.
Social reform
movements against many social evils were also
carried out by illustrious personalities in
pre-independence days, and India is still not free
from every social ill. This should be a lesson
that a reform delayed today becomes a societal
menace tomorrow.
Challenges to Indian
democracy Corruption in public office is
eating away at the republic. Public anger has
started spilling onto the streets. As regional
power centers demand more autonomy and the federal
structure suffers, the political thicket is
dampening the genuine leadership opportunities for
young blood from not-so-wealthy backgrounds.
The fact that descendants of erstwhile
princely states still flourish in the political
and movie-making world with ease cannot escape the
mind of an astute political observer. There is a
need to redistribute political opportunities.
However, one can argue that if opportunity
knocks at each man's door it is up to him to
answer. To be an enlightened participant in the
democratic affairs of a nation, an educated young
person from a humble background needs more than
just luck.
Natural resources also need to
be redistributed equitably among the people. As
opined by the Supreme Court of India in numerous
judgments, resources such as rivers and forests
are held by mankind in "trust". Exclusive control
over them cannot be given to individuals and
organizations, and benefits arising from them are
for the enjoyment of each citizen.
The
idea of power is often misleading. Power does not
lie in subduing your opponent by physical
strength, but making him respect you for your
noble deeds and inner strength. India can overcome
the challenges of the 21st century. But it needs
to look deeply once again into the grand and noble
vision envisaged by the constitution of India
signed in 1950, and work sincerely towards making
this a reality.
Sunil Kumar is a
Research Fellow with the India Institute, an
independent, not-for-profit public policy research
and advocacy organization based in New Delhi,
India. He can be reached at
skreative@rediffmail.com.
Speaking Freely is an Asia Times
Online feature that allows guest writers to have
their say. Please
click hereif you are interested in
contributing.
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