Democracy is defined in dictionaries as “a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.” And, every time with pride we own up the attribute of being the world’s largest democracy. The largest democratic republic-INDIA! More than six long decades of democracy in our country, and what is the outcome? The point to ponder in today’s context of misuse of power and status by politicians and public ‘servants’ is that whether the democracy in the country has been helpful enough in development or has it been a hurdle? Have the citizens of India been able to discharge their duties and enjoy their rights properly that has been vested in them by the much hyped largest democracy?
Democracy gives the power of selecting the ruler to the public. In layman’s language democracy can be referred as people selecting their master or king. This is one of the best advantage or the best part of the Indian constitution that I personally am an admirer of. Democracy empowers its citizens, makes them confident and gives them the sense of decision making for their own benefit. And, above all we learn to judge people. Elections are the biggest festivals of any democracy in which a large man power, huge amount of money and several hours of preparations are involved. Political parties start their campaigning months before the date of contest and seize their pomp and show 72 hours before the elections only to the fear of being disqualified. Every political party has its own agenda, its own promises. The leaders do not hesitate in making big promises to the public and special ones to the poor but what a common man is generally left with after the round of pomp and show and false promises is belied hopes and expectations. One casts vote to a candidate expecting to get some basic facility in lieu of what generally seems to him a simple pressing of a symbol on the EVM but, the candidate as soon as becomes a member of the house finds the same slum a hell and forgets the dwellers who have had faith in him while electing him. Anyways, this fact corresponds more to the topic of “corruption in Indian politics” or “our politicians- a saviour or traitors?”. Let us come to our main topic about democracy in view of our country’s development.
In 1950, when through the preamble of the constitution of India, we had declared ourselves as a democratic nation little must anyone had thought about what may happen in place of what we wanted to happen. The freedom fighters and the builders of the nation must not have thought about democracy as the biggest hurdle in our progress. It was for good that the public was given the power to elect their leaders but had anyone ever thought about or imagined the hundreds of ways this right could easily be mutilated? We would know that a politician is unjust or is misusing the powers given to him but we cannot through him out as easily as we can talk about it because it is a democracy. We know that religious political groups would always act as an acid on the marble of unity in due course of time but, the country cannot get rid of it as it has been destined to carry all these extra loads on the path of development being a democracy. Sadly, the outcomes of the democracy in our country due to several factors have come out to be quite a contrast to what it was actually desired. Somewhere today, every Indian who has a desire to be called a citizen of a developed nation points it to the democratic system which even in more than sixty years could win the nation a tag of developing nation from the tag of undeveloped nation at the time of independence. One single decision if has to be taken for the country’s progress, cannot be taken on the spur of the moment without a formal discussion in the houses and the consent of the president. What would be a better example than the bizarre that came in world’s eyes and brought shame to our political system at the time of the much talked N-Deal with the US. Just because a small segment of people did not agree to the rules of the agreement to which all the concerned and knowledgeable had agreed to took such a long time to be finally locked. And, the worst of all faces of democracy is the power that so called public servants of all ranks enjoy. In most of the offices the officer has the liberty of appointing his helper, subordinate and other clerical rankers. This appointment is mostly on the basis of favour than qualities. Many a time candidates with required qualifications are not employed and the non deserving ones are appointed. And, not to mention is the prevailing red tapism and corruption.
In my opinion, till date, democracy on the whole has been one of the biggest hurdles in the country’s development. Be it finalizing the N-Deal or execution of Ajmal Kasab, the trial of attackers on the Parliament or the trial of the monstrous retired DGP every time by the shackles of democracy the justice has been tied and India has been presented as a helpless lady crying for justice and progressing at snail’s speed towards development. This leaves me with great thoughts and determinations about the country’s development but knowing that the side effects of the prevailing form of democracy is such a giant that even if an angel, I cannot overcome it alone, I sit back sad and am left humming the lines of a famous song from a bollywood hit
“O mother India we are your children.......”
But this is never in the form of a commitment or a promise that I do to mother India but is always in the form of a sarcastic question that are we really your children? It is now high time that we should give it a progressive thought before we celebrate a century of our Independence in 2047.
Democracy gives the power of selecting the ruler to the public. In layman’s language democracy can be referred as people selecting their master or king. This is one of the best advantage or the best part of the Indian constitution that I personally am an admirer of. Democracy empowers its citizens, makes them confident and gives them the sense of decision making for their own benefit. And, above all we learn to judge people. Elections are the biggest festivals of any democracy in which a large man power, huge amount of money and several hours of preparations are involved. Political parties start their campaigning months before the date of contest and seize their pomp and show 72 hours before the elections only to the fear of being disqualified. Every political party has its own agenda, its own promises. The leaders do not hesitate in making big promises to the public and special ones to the poor but what a common man is generally left with after the round of pomp and show and false promises is belied hopes and expectations. One casts vote to a candidate expecting to get some basic facility in lieu of what generally seems to him a simple pressing of a symbol on the EVM but, the candidate as soon as becomes a member of the house finds the same slum a hell and forgets the dwellers who have had faith in him while electing him. Anyways, this fact corresponds more to the topic of “corruption in Indian politics” or “our politicians- a saviour or traitors?”. Let us come to our main topic about democracy in view of our country’s development.
In 1950, when through the preamble of the constitution of India, we had declared ourselves as a democratic nation little must anyone had thought about what may happen in place of what we wanted to happen. The freedom fighters and the builders of the nation must not have thought about democracy as the biggest hurdle in our progress. It was for good that the public was given the power to elect their leaders but had anyone ever thought about or imagined the hundreds of ways this right could easily be mutilated? We would know that a politician is unjust or is misusing the powers given to him but we cannot through him out as easily as we can talk about it because it is a democracy. We know that religious political groups would always act as an acid on the marble of unity in due course of time but, the country cannot get rid of it as it has been destined to carry all these extra loads on the path of development being a democracy. Sadly, the outcomes of the democracy in our country due to several factors have come out to be quite a contrast to what it was actually desired. Somewhere today, every Indian who has a desire to be called a citizen of a developed nation points it to the democratic system which even in more than sixty years could win the nation a tag of developing nation from the tag of undeveloped nation at the time of independence. One single decision if has to be taken for the country’s progress, cannot be taken on the spur of the moment without a formal discussion in the houses and the consent of the president. What would be a better example than the bizarre that came in world’s eyes and brought shame to our political system at the time of the much talked N-Deal with the US. Just because a small segment of people did not agree to the rules of the agreement to which all the concerned and knowledgeable had agreed to took such a long time to be finally locked. And, the worst of all faces of democracy is the power that so called public servants of all ranks enjoy. In most of the offices the officer has the liberty of appointing his helper, subordinate and other clerical rankers. This appointment is mostly on the basis of favour than qualities. Many a time candidates with required qualifications are not employed and the non deserving ones are appointed. And, not to mention is the prevailing red tapism and corruption.
In my opinion, till date, democracy on the whole has been one of the biggest hurdles in the country’s development. Be it finalizing the N-Deal or execution of Ajmal Kasab, the trial of attackers on the Parliament or the trial of the monstrous retired DGP every time by the shackles of democracy the justice has been tied and India has been presented as a helpless lady crying for justice and progressing at snail’s speed towards development. This leaves me with great thoughts and determinations about the country’s development but knowing that the side effects of the prevailing form of democracy is such a giant that even if an angel, I cannot overcome it alone, I sit back sad and am left humming the lines of a famous song from a bollywood hit
“O mother India we are your children.......”
But this is never in the form of a commitment or a promise that I do to mother India but is always in the form of a sarcastic question that are we really your children? It is now high time that we should give it a progressive thought before we celebrate a century of our Independence in 2047.
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