India has been hailed as the world’s largest and most vibrant democracy. The world is full of praise for the rule of law and democratic freedoms that are enjoyed by it’s people. But is it even remotely close to what it should be ? 57 years of democracy has failed to improve the lives of the common masses .I don’t think this what our valiant avant gardes had in mind when they gave up their lives in hope of a superior nation.
This is not to say that I am against democracy, but there are certain inalienable facts which cannot be surpassed.
Our Indian constitution states that the Government of our country is ‘of’ the people , ‘by’ the people , ‘for’ the people, but I think our esteemed leaders and politicians figured there was something off about it, so they took it upon themselves to correct it and now it goes something like this…
Government “off “the people, “buy” the people, “far” from the people.
Democratically elected leaders have done nothing but made themselves rich at the expense of the poor, while at the same time extorted as much taxes out of the middle class under the ruse of using the money to develop the country, thus further deteriorating the people’s condition towards inevitable doom.
How functional is our democracy if voting needs to be strategic in order to decide who among the lesser of the devils we should vote for .The multiparty system has bombed badly.
We pay taxes and it’s our hard earned money that the ruling government utilizes not for the development or for the welfare of the people but to bribe voters .Regional and minority ideologies are often exploited without care , just for the sake of getting power in the next elections.
Why does a political party wants to come in power, it’s not the responsibility and from their course of action it’s neither the nation’s good or the people’s welfare they have in mind and neither is the ideology they solemnly swear by their life to follow their main objective.Then what is it that these political parties want…..?
It is said that the Indians just wanted freedom to steal from, loot and oppress the common man. I don’t want to believe that , but 57 years of history , suggests otherwise.
Following the previous election, almost a quarter of the elected members of India’s parliament had criminal charges registered against them .
These people were not finagled upon the population; they were elected by the people in one way or the other. India has a representative form of government and the political leaders represent the people.
I think we Indians have been persuaded ( that too by our own selves) into worshipping an idol called democracy without understanding it’s true worth in terms of rights and it’s functions.
The first words of the Preamble - “We, the people” - signify that power is ultimately vested in the hands of the people of India ( by that it means us...if I got you confused).
I think George Bernard Shaw was right in saying that democracy is a device which ensures that we shall be governed no better than we deserve. And right now I think we are getting exactly what we deserve.
The whole system is in front of us ...naked in truth…yet we beg to differ, then with what right do we demand justice when we are the means through which injustice prevails.
I have always wondered if the choices we make matter? I believe they do. And I believe that it is we who have the power to change. For better...or worse.
1 comment:
Nice post, one small error. The of the people, by the people and for the people is a Lincoln quote; not sure if it is there in the Indian constitution. The pun was good though.
You have succinctly stated the obvious, yet there is hope. Most of us leave the situation as hopeless, but it is up to us to arrest the situation our country is in. We know the naked truth, that is a start. What do we do about it? Join the forces, the services, politics. Contribute as much as you can in the sphere you work in.
The sad thing though is, most people crib about this all the time, but when they have the opportunity to do something about it, they think "That guy is from my caste, I'll vote for him."
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