The Republic of India in terms of population is the largest democracy in the world and has taken commendable strides. It is touted as world’s fastest growing economy and is the sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and the third-largest by purchasing power parity. It topped World Bank’s growth outlook for the first time in fiscal year 2015“16 when it grew @ 7.6%, however aberrations aplenty are found in many areas on closer scrutiny of the seventy year old Republic.
The preamble to our constitution secures its citizens justice - social, economic and political - liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; equality of status and opportunity and promotes amongst them all fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual. The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 got inserted the words Socialist, Secular and Integrity to ensure the economic justice and elimination of inequality in income and standard of life.
It is time we reviewed and reassessed how far we have evolved in achieving the cherished goals and objectives of the authors of voluminous document that has the genesis of ‘The Republic of India’
Today our society is more deeply divided than ever on the lines of religion, race, caste and ironically the chasm is of the making of political ruling class, for deeper are the divisions in the society more is the beneficial polarisation of votes in elections. Power to govern simply boils down to simple math of winning seats. Character, quality of candidates have become unimportant and irrelevant. So in this democracy eulogized as dynamic and vibrant, there are 4000 criminal cases pending against MPs and MLAs. 30% member of Lok Sabha and 40% of Rajya Sabha have criminal cases registered against them.
There is obscene inequality on economic front. Seventy year old Republic’s 73% of wealth is owned by its richest 1% of the population whereas 22% population eke out living from about Rs.140 per day. Seven crore extremely poor are not sure when the next meal will come. This will pose a threat to the social and democratic structure of the nation in coming years. The present and all the past Governments have miserably failed to work out a mechanism to pay the farmer a rational rates for their produce under ‘Minimum support price’ scheme. The farmer suicide continue unabated. The recent fall in Consumer price index ( CPI) brought relief to consumers though, has increased beleaguered farmers’ woe as it further pushes down their incomes.
Dalit youths are tied up and flogged in the centre of the town in PM’s home state and there are no policemen around. Dalit bridegroom has to seek police protection in 2019 to go to bride’s place ceremoniously on horseback because it raises upper class’ hackles. Social equality remains a distant dream.
In today’s political environment one enjoys freedom of thought and expression so long as they fit in ruling party’s ideological template. Wandering in Marxist, Leninist territory can land one behind bars branded as Urban Naxalites. Invitation extended to author Nayantara Sahgal to chair Marathi literary summit was cancelled and permission to ex- High court judge BG Kolse Patil to lecture in Fergusson College was denied only because both of them are known to hold contrarian views. It is also difficult to fathom why the nation ranked as world’s 4th most powerful military power should get rankled by a bunch of slogan- shouting students in JNU campus that it should feel the need to haul them up to the court charging under sedition.
This, in a way, is to put the youths of the country on notice that the present dispensation brooks no dissent. It also reflects in the recent order of the government authorising ten Govt. agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt ‘ any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer.’ All it means is that every one of us is presupposed as a terrorist or a bad guy till contrary is proven.
Ours is a diverse nation in terms of religion. The Constitution guarantees Freedom of religion in India as fundamental right guaranteed by Article 25 to 28. Triple Talaq, entry of women in temples or dargas or any prayer places should not be the concern of the apex court of the land because these are faith related issues. Will the courts sit adjudicating on practice of male circumcision in Muslims or Jain practice of Sallekhana-fasting unto death- or their monks roaming cloth-less in public places?
Nation like Israel has no written Constitutions. Israelis were swift in taking the toddler Moshe along with his nanny after his parents were killed by the Gunmen in 2008 Mumbai attacks. In our nation, in stark contrast, the wife of soldier Hemraj who was martyred in 2013 while fighting Pak troops near LOC and whose decapitated body was found later on, is even today running from pillar to post to get the promised petrol pump and Govt job.
So more than having a code book- the constitution- the sense of duty and profound love of the citizen for one’s country and character, sincerity and integrity of those sitting in Governance is of paramount importance to make a nation great. Without it pompous celebrations associated with the day are just meaningless rituals.
