Independence Day

--Independence or perpetual dependence....

           
     As we enter the eighth decade of freedom from colonial rule, a few gaping questions still remain for “We The People”. Our generation is dutybound to resolve them for our next generations from whom we have borrowed this world.

            Let us compare Japan with India. Both were devastated by the western powers. However, eight decades later today, Japan is miles ahead of India in terms of economy, democracy and world stature.

            The key differentiator between South Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Pakistan etc and other developed countries is that in the latter, democratic values in lifestyle were institutionalized very systematically whereas in the former, like India, we got contended by mere political democratization. Resultantly, democratic temper has not yet taken root in South Asian countries and an apparent chaos is self evident.

            India, until the 18th century, was a net exporter of ideas to the world. However, progressively under colonial rule, the rich democratic tradition of 2000 years starting from Vaishali’s republics was strangled. Post 1947 independence, India sadly continued with a similar Westminster model of democracy which centralizes power with States & the Central governments.

            Centralization of power results in stunted initiative taking endeavors from the citizenry. Power centralization dwarfs creativity. It is indeed lamentable that independent India has failed to produce a single Nobel laureate- in original streams like pure science, mathematics, philosophy, literature -who worked from India.

            The hallmark of any robust democracy is freedom of its citizenry to commit mistakes and its indomitable spirit in taking up new initiatives. Present Indian laws neither authorize We the people to take initiatives nor give us freedom to err. On the contrary, present Indian System authorizes our governments to do both.

            The only way to real independence is to completely overhaul the present Indian political system by ushering in laws which curtail the power of governments and give those powers to We The People. Decentralization of power will be our truest tribute to the multitude of Gandhis, Boses, Bhagats, Ashfaqullas who laid down their lives for us to live in an independent India where initiatives, new ideas and creativity belong not to the governments, but to We The People.

            …..Because we haven’t inherited this world from our ancestors, rather borrowed from our children.