MILES TO GO
Looking back at India’s Independence
Sixty years have passed but we have not yet been able to build a nation that Pandit Nehru dreamt of. Let us critically analyse our achievements and failures during the past six decades. Let us take constructive steps for improving the quality of human life. We still have miles to go - and go with determination - for achieving our objectives.
The legacy of Jawaharlal Nehru
The new Prime Minister of India had to deal with the consequences of the carnage sweeping the country; preside over the integration of the princely states into the Indian Union; settle disputes with Pakistan on issues involving the division of finances, of the army, and of territory; cope with massive internal displacement, keep a fractious and divided nation together; and define both a national and an international agenda.
Nehru was leading a combination of old and young Indians all energized by patriotism and the opportunity to finally put their dreams and vision for India into practice. The Nehru years were generally peaceful (except two wars with our neighbours) with the generation of freedom-fighters controlling the Union and state governments and political parties.
Nehru also engineered major social and political reforms in India. Laws were passed abolishing caste discrimination, dowry weddings and suttee, and extending legal rights and social freedoms to Indian women, all against tough opposition from orthodox Hindus. Discrimination based on casteism was outlawed. Nehru championed a nationwide campaign to enroll every Indian child in a primary school and encourage higher education. The famous Indian Institutes of Technology were established during Nehru's reign.
Sixty Years Passed Since independence
Problems and Problems
Crimilisation of politics
Corruption is an abstract term. According to a World Bank report abuse of public power for private gains is described as corruption. But this appears to be too simplistic explanation of corruption. In fact it is a multi-faceted evil, which gradually kills a system. A basic conflict between the ethos and system has weakened the Indian polity. The feudal outlook of the ruling class polluted the people's mindset, which judge the status of an individual on his capability to flout the law to favour them. This is the reason why corruption is no more viewed by people with abhorrence in Indian society. Many political leaders who are facing corruption charges, continue to have wide range of people's support.
Transparency, responsiveness, accountability, probity in public life and good governance are now only slogans. The legislature has failed to make the judiciary, executive and even media sensitive to the cause of the common people. The failure of the political leadership to take a principled stand against corruption has clouded the system to the extent that it is now difficult to understand whether the system is alive or dead.
In the present context corruption is so much linked with power that our politicians have adopted a cynical attitude toward political morality. Maneuvering the anti-defection law for electoral politics with the help of both money and muscle power and other unfair means for the sake of power have affected the political morality of all the political parties and as such none of them can claim themselves to be faithful to nation in true sense.
Politicians are fully aware of the corruption and nepotism as the main reasons behind the fall of Roman empire, the French Revolution, October Revolution in Russia, fall of Chiang Kai-Shek Government on the mainland of China and even the defeat of the mighty Congress party in India. But they are not ready to take any lesson from the pages of history.
Criminalisation of politics is another facet of corruption. N.N.Vohra, Union Home Secretary in his report (1995) on this issue observed: “A network of mafias is virtually running a parallel Government pushing the state apparatus into irrelevance.” Quoting some 'DIB' sources, he added, “….there has been a rapid spread and growth of criminal gangs, armed senas, drug mafias, smuggling gangs and economic lobbies in the country which have over the years developed an intensive network of contacts with bureaucrats, government functionaries at local level, politicians, media persons and strategically located individuals in non-state sector. Some of these syndicates have also international linkages including the foreign agencies.”
Delay in getting justice
Few politicians will quarrel with the notion that justice and rule of law issues are the critical substructure of modern society especially where such notions do not go beyond rhetorics. When it comes to prioritising, the instant mass appeal issues, healthcare, low cost housing, education, roads are more likely to get favourable mention. This is even more so in developing economies, where the most visible manifestations of poverty, illiteracy, disease, poor public utilities and amenities always seem so overwhelming. Yet the fundamental importance of justice and the rule of law is indisputable.
In many ways, its neglect conduces to and promotes poverty, disorder and disincentives commerce and investment. The problem is how to impress this upon political decision makers. Perhaps the most important challenge that justice sector reform faces in attaining priority on the political agenda is that of presenting it as a bread and butter issue rather than some elite contraption of convenience to be addressed when more pressing problems have been dealt with
Unethical politics
Parliamentary democracy cannot take root in a country where parties take only its form without getting the feel of it -- where these are caste-based and not issue-based, and the driving force is muscle power and not open debate.
That is why there are so many parliamentarians and State legislators with criminal backgrounds. The challenge that Indians face is the bankruptcy of political leadership -- mature, responsible and informed statesmen, concerned more with basics that unite people and less with trivialities that divide them. Leaders who are dedicated to national priorities above party interests, party interests above political ambitions and personal perceptions above casteist pressures. Such men of vision are not in sight.
Indian political parties basically are medieval hierarchies, demanding object servility not only from the cadres but from the second line of leadership, if there is any -- all in the name of discipline. Indeed, it is difficult not to react negatively to the present politics of India, despite her magnificent achievements in other areas.
Caste Politics
The Indian caste system is relaxing somewhat, especially in metropolitan and other major urban areas, due to the penetration of higher education, co-existence of all communities, and lesser knowledge about caste system due to alienation with rural roots of people.
Though inter-caste marriages are now relatively common in India, many Indians consider caste a major criterion for matrimonial choices. Almost all Indian matrimonial websites and matrimonial columns in Indian newspapers contain caste-based categories and it is common to see matrimonial advertisements openly stating the caste as a criterion of choice.
In rural areas and small towns, the caste system is still very rigid. The total elimination of caste system seems distant, if ever possible, due to caste politics.
The Government of India has officially documented castes and subcastes, primarily to determine those deserving reservation (positive discrimination in education and jobs) through the census. The Indian reservation system, though limited in scope, relies entirely on quotas. The Government lists consist of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes:
Politics in contemporary India is now marked by the resurgence of caste politics. In a sense, this is true. The past two decades have seen a dramatic collapse of the old political formations and parties which had dominated the politics of the Nehruvian era. Even the movements of that period, right up to the mid-1970s, were largely movements on economic issues and questions of corruption, black-marketing, hoarding and food shortages. Through the decade of the 1980s, there was a gradual erosion of the Nehruvian secular-nationalist imagination, and one of the factors responsible for it was the re-emergence of caste in public discourse.
In order to preserve national integration and a peaceful plural and tolerant society, caste based politics must be discouraged. Undeserving politicians often win elections because of their caste identity instead of their ability to serve their electrorates. Ruling political parties often dole out special privileges for securing their votes.
Upgrading of infrastructure
The government and municipal authorities are responsible for providing adequate infrastructure. But roads are in poor condition, sewerage system is inadequate, inadequate supply of safe drinking water, lack of superhighways, poor dry port facilities, poor air/rail connectivity between small towns, shortage of highspeed trains, lack of highspeed goods traffic through rail and roadways
Sports
Sharply differing perceptions make it rather difficult to properly assess India's standing in the world of sports today. The picture of the Indian sports is gloomy. But it is evident that for a nation of India's size and population its sporting successes are few and far between. In today's highly commercialised and fiercely competitive sports, mere skill and talent are not enough to ensure success in the form of medals. In this regard the developed countries have a definite edge over the developing ones for they have surplus financial resources as compared with their basic needs. They can obviously afford to spend enormous amounts of money on providing proper infrastructure, modern equipment, latest coaching and training facilities and, above all, adequate financial incentives to their sports persons. The big financial gains that sports person from the developed countries enjoy during their active career and the post-sport security available to them are the crucial factors which tilt the scale in favour of the developed countries. The proverbial wisdom that money makes the world go round applies to sports also .
Miles to Go
Yes, we shall have to go many more miles for turning Nehru's dream into a reality. We shall have to work hard in the following areas
Ethical politics
Politics encompasses a wide variety of activities, from government elections and office holding to public policy and expressing ideological beliefs. For each of these actions, there are ethical considerations and consequences. No discipline is more visible, thus political ethics is a hotly debated and very public arena.
Preservation of national integration
India comprises of people belonging to different beliefs, races, religions and languages. Unless a cultural integration among these different sections of people takes place, unless every Indian considers himself an Indian first, the integration of India is incomplete.
Model free education
Given the proper environment, every child yearns to learn. Give them the opportunities to get quality education irrespective of their economic or social status. The prime objective of school level education is to help the child acquire the ability to read and write.
Free healthcare facilities to all
The government should be entirely responsible for preventive healthcare service and should take the overall charge of providing this service to the country.
Appeasing voters for winning elections
Major political parties like the Congress, BJP and Samajbadi are all out to attract eminent Muslims into their fold. Muslims feel that these parties always viewed them as a vote-bank rather than as a community that needed help. The BJP has traditionally criticized the Congress' strategy of "appeasing Muslims" and has accused it of being "pseudo-secular". Indeed, prior to the meteoric rise of the BJP in the nineties, Congress was blatantly communal, stirring communal passions to win votes.
Strengthening research and development base
Science and technology are the basis of economic progress. As a result of five decades of planning, we now have a strong agricultural and industrial base and a scientific manpower impressive in quality, numbers and range of skills. Given clear-cut objectives and the necessary support, our science has shown that it has the potential and capability for solving problems and developing further. But these are not being exploited fully.
Importance of leading stress-free life
Stress should be tackled at source. This means that not only do we know how to deal with the symptoms of stress, we should also know how to deal with the underlying causes as well.
Environment sciences should be part of school curriculum
An unprecedented environmental turmoil is now endangering our planet. This subject must be part of school curriculum for enabling children to be aware of the problem.
Establish green cities
The process of urbanization is causing environmental degradation. Affordable new level of quality townships should be constructed.
Abandon consumerism
Control your desire to possess. Use, reuse and recycle should be the mantra.
Improved waste management process
Adequate waste management is an effective way to improve the quality of the environment.
Encourage the practice of yoga and naturopathy
Yoga allows the Indian culture to participate in and actively support a rich spiritual life, as well as give the individual comfort and clarity to progress along the path of self-realization.
Ensure availability of trained manpower
The most effective way to reduce poverty is to make young people employable. A young person with appropriate training can either get a suitable job or become a petty entrepreauner.