On this 61st Independence Day, August 15, 2007, India has much to rejoice and celebrate. An ancient civilization and a new nation, has regained its confidence to take its rightful place in the comity of nations.Of course, we have to reflect upon the tasks unfulfilled, which are too many. It is also the time to recall the blunders and avoid them in future.It has been well-said "Those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it". This ia a portrait of India, warts and all.
First, the achievements, and they are many. Some of the outstanding among them are : (1) The democratic system. Our founding fathers – Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr.B.R.Ambedkar and many others - framed a constitution which assures liberty, equality and fraternity to all its citizens. The ancient wisdom of our civilization (Every man is the flame of the Divine ) and the modern thought ( Man is the measure of everything ) has been brought together in this Charter of Freedom. It had withstood the ravages of time. The framework is still intact – we have elections periodically which reflects the will of the people, though distorted by caste/ religious divide. The only interregnum was during the Emergency. (2) Unity : Integration of princely states, thanks to Sardar Patel's sagacity and Princes' wisdom. (3) Individual Freedom : Freedom of expression is the core of a free society. This has been guarded by the free press and free judiciary. (4) Food self-sufficiency : Green Revolution has ensured that India is not a basket case. This is followed by the White Revolution which can provide sufficient proteins to children and livelihood to farmers. (5) Atomic and Space technologies : These have been achieved in spite of 'the denial regime' of Western Powers. The atom bomb exploded by the Prime Minister Atal Behari Bajpayee has exploded the myth that India is a soft state. (6) The Economic Reforms : The credit for them should go to the late Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and his Finance Minister Manmohan Singh. Indian people were freed from the economic bondage called 'the permit-license raj'. This has released the creative energy of the people – initiative and enterprise. See the telecom revolution and the software revolution. Message is, 'let thousand enterprises bloom'.
The tasks ahead : (1) Education and Health : Universal primary education and universal primary health-care facilities in every village.(2) Agriculture : India still lives in its villages.Sixty percent of our people are dependent on agriculture.Any economic reform which does not touch the lives of our villagers is not a reform at all. A cluster of villages should have an agricultural school with short courses in modern agriculture taught free of charge – soil testing, rain-water harvesting,seeds, fertilizers, loans, insurance, marketing etc. If the state can do this, there is no need for subsidies which usually goes to the rich farmers.(3) Infrastructure : Our state has to give up its fascination for 'commanding heights' of the economy and concentrate on infra-structure – deplorable state of our roadsways, raliways, airways, ports is a shame.Public-Private partnership is the way forward. The state has to take a bold decision to get out of all business enterprises, and the monopolies should be corporatized with powers to take investment and marketing decisions.(4) Police & Judiciary : Police should be freed from the clutches of politicians. Only then we can expect the rule of law. There should be a Central and State Commissions for police and judiciary to ensure efficient police and speedy justice. (5) Social Justice : Naxalite violence and Jehadi terrorism has its roots in our socio-economic issues.While violence has to curbed with an iron hand, social and economic development should reach these villages where people fall prey to the violent agitations. Empowering people in these areas with land distribution,education and employment should receive our urgent attention. (6) Corruption : This is the cancer which is corroding our nation. There should be summary trial and punishment in all these cases, not just to the peons in the office but all the higher-ups. De-centralization of power, computerization of information ( rules & regulations, applications & decisions, list of authorities etc.) and updating all out-dated laws are some of the ways for the state and the people to confront this menace.
Our Blunders : (1) Partition : Not because the British India was divided into India and Pakistan. That could have been done in a civilized way. Mass exodus and slaughter have made it a tragedy beyond imagination. It was a conspiracy to keep both countries down .(2) Kashmir : After the Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession and was supported by all the political leaders of the state there was no need for the Kashmir issue to go to the UNO. Indian army should have been allowed to clear the state of all invaders.This pestering sore still refuses to heal. (3) The Chinese Invasion : Our euphoria about the non-imperialistic character of socialist countries and the effectiveness of the non-alignment movement was shattered at one stroke by Mao. Even peaceful countries have to be strong. India has been invaded with superior arms many times in the past. (4) Planned Economy : Our mixed economy gave us the worst of the both the worlds. When politicians and bureaucrats decide what is to be produced and distributed, it led to corruption and monopoly. Let us hope that chapter is over.(5) Religious and caste divide : Pandit Nehru always tell us that we are building a classless, casteless and secular society. Now we have a new class of politicians and bureaucrats. So many cases have been filed against them but few of them have been convicted. Caste have become a badge of honour, more backward the better.Secularism has been so much distorted that Ramakrishna Mission and Arya Samaj educational institutions want to be 'religious minorities'. Hindu temple funds are misused by politicians, and one case is pending in the Bombay High Court.(6) Indo-US nuclear deal : It looks more like a trap to prevent India entering the club of five than a way to solve our energy problem.
Future Beacons : India was great,and its time has come to be great once again. India was a wonder, and now, with India Unbound, it will shine again.Pandit Nehru wanted to build a modern India. Gandhiji wished to reach the last – antyodaya ( unto the last). Rabindranath Tagore prayed Indian mind to be without fear and hold its head high by breaking narrow domestic walls, and enter that heaven of freedom. Our ancient sages said "Lead us from darkness to Light" – the Light of Freedom – Liberty, Equality and Fraternity which has found its expression in the Preamble of our Constitution. These are the ideals of our nation and let us strive to achieve them.
M.D.Kini
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