Republic Day- Some Thoughts
There are many people who blame embracing democracy to be the main reason for our relatively slow progress in our national development citing China's phenomenal strides in different spheres but the truth is democratic form has won our choice with all its deficiencies and demerits because any other alternative to it would have fared much worse. The founding fathers of our own country had the wisdom to appreciate that India could not be run in any other form of governance which was not democratic. It worthwhile to take a look at the travails and traumas everywhere, especially in countries whose political structures were meant to reflect the revolutionary aspirations of the people, are not only under stress and strain but are experiencing vast upheavals because of the absence of democracy. Even the people who are so fascinated by the extraordinary economic progress made by China and consider it to be the favourite destination for investment, are troubled by the threat of political instability which may break out any time and any moment. India definitely scores over China on this.
The history of Eastern Europe and breakup of the erstwhile USSR are important landmark events in the eighties. What could be the fate of totalitarian states, the events which led to fall of Communist States like Poland, Czechoslovakia were pointers to the long suppressed democratic aspirations of the people of these countries which switched over to the democratic form. Even a super power like USSR, with all its military might, could not succeed in preventing a breakup which led to the birth of a host of new states which have all embraced democracy. It is mainly because the problems of meeting the ever-expanding horizons of human beings and their legitimate political aspirations could not be done by any other forms of political systems. In dealing with human aspirations and the flowering one must take into account that the first step is the establishment of and gaining respect for the identity and dignity of each individual being. Once that respect and recognition is given to one's basic identity, the task for transcending it is made much easier.
In the context of our country which is as diverse as ours , such recognition is extremely important to keep us together strong and vibrant. We have glorious diversities in art, culture, literature, dance, drama, music, languages, religions etc. It would be foolhardy to subsume this rich mosaic of diversities. Any majoritarian concept, whatsoever short term appeal it might hold for a section of the populace, which ignores this important reality and and tries to bulldoze it, would be eventually rejected by the people. As one of our brilliant thinkers so nicely put it: “ Modern India can only be tapestry, woven out of strands of different hues which together create a brilliant pattern”. And the democratic ways promote this diversity while strengthens unity.
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