Mohammed Uzair Shaikh
Digital Reporter. Neutralist. Tackling 'Alt Right', 'Ctrl Left'. For queries, contact at mohammed.uzair@corp.india.com. ... Read More
August 15 is the day to cheer. On this day, the nation celebrates freedom. This independence was extracted from the colonial rule of British. On this day, it is customary for every Indian to show his patriotism. The sense of nationalism gets awakened for a period of 24 hours, as soon as the institutions of parliamentary democracy get lit up at the Raisina Hill. The mood of celebration could be sensed across India. A national holiday is observed across sectors. The celebration begins in schools, colleges, universities, offices, corporates and government institutions. However, the rationale behind the celebration is not yet defined. For some, it is the commemoration of the freedom struggle, for others it is the celebration of their martyrdom, and few consider this day as the one which ended years of “slavery” in 1947. However, it would not be an overstatement to say that what we are celebrating is hypocrisy.
Mahatma Gandhi, the karta-dharta of our freedom movement redefined Ram Rajya and associated it with the western concept of democracy. The end of British rule was projected as the usherance of an era where the sons of soil, no matter how poor they are, will have the rights over their land, their water, and their crop. The white kurta-clad Congressmen of the era gave prolonged speeches on how the free India would embrace democracy and ensure justice to the last man standing in the queue. Little did the gullible masses knew that in the name of democracy, these “visionary” leaders wanted to replace the oppression of Britishers with that of indigenous politicians. (ALSO READ: Do you know India celebrated their first Independence Day on 26th January, NOT 15th August!)
In the name of democracy, the wrath of kleptocracy was unleashed on the people, with the nation being ruled by Nehru-Gandhi clan and governed by babus. The entire module of governance was inherited from the British “masters” and even the draconian legislations designed to suppress the majority were not abolished. The democracy in this Independent India is farce to this day. Here are 7 reasons to prove why:
1. Policies designed to widen the rich-poor gap
During the era of Nehruvian socialism, the fake policies of social justice ensured that masses were made beneficiaries of the scheme only on paper. The on ground reality was depressing. Employment rate was ever-dwindling, there were no means to elevate the people falling under the poverty line. The pressure on rural farming land was increasing, and more and more amount of youths were rushing towards metropolitan cities to survive working as unskilled labourers. Following the liberalization of the economy in 1991, these issues were expected to be addressed. However, the opening up of the market majorly benefited the industrialists and the bourgeois class, as successive governments failed to use the positive bang in the economy to positively target those entrenched within poverty.
The instances of flawed policies are evident to this day as one could see that the government feels free to cut corporate tax from 30 to 25 percent to benefit the industrialists, but do not refrain from proposing a 27 per cent tax rate for the GST, which would adversely impact the disposable income of the common man. The eagerness shown to pass the draconian amendments in Land Act to allow acquisition of agricultural lands is another example which indicates the priorities of the government.
2. Justice is beyond the reach of aam aadmi
The sluggish judicial system could be gauged by the fact that Chief Justice of India TS Thakur has to plead before the government to take immediate steps to save common man’s faith in judiciary. The immense shortage of judges, probing officials, judicial infrastructure have made it difficult for a common man to get justice. While loan defaulters and dreaded criminals are walking free, some nearly 4 lakh prisoners in Indian jail are rotting without any charges being framed against them. Since they could not hire a lawyer or pay the bail bond, their fundamental rights have been snathced without any charges officially levelled against them. A recent report released by a legal think-tank claims that nearly 3 crore cases are pending before the Indian judiciary. The report further claims that the high courts of Bombay, Orissa, Gujarat and Kerala have taken 10-15 years to clear nearly 86 per cent of their cases.
3. Inheritance of colonial era laws
Despite attaining freedom, archaic laws meant to suppress freedom of Indians are kept intact. The Land Acquisition Act and is one such legislation. Similarly, the provisions of Indian Penal Code dealing with ‘sedition’ have also been inherited by the British masters. Recently, it has come to light that the law of sedition is being used by the government to curb freedom of speech, as seen in JNU. Popular writer Arundhati Roy, and several tribal and left-leaning activists have slapped with sedition. Gujarat’s political activist Hardik Patel also had to face the charges of sedition.
4. Commercialized media working with vested interest
Commercial media in the nation has turned into the opinion leader. These media channels receive hefty amounts in terms of advertisement from political parties and industrial giants. Some of the media channels and publications are themselves part of the oligarchy. Hence, it will resort to the day-to-day debates on lumpentariat issues, but most of the commercial media would refrain to challenge the status quo in terms of political transparency, election funding, etc. Despite reports that both the main political parties are heavily funded by industrialists, and both the parties refusing to disclose their source of funding, no media channels have dared to highlight the issue in an ad hoc manner.
5. Rigged elections and unfair electoral practices
Despite the voter being granted ballot rights, elections in India are not absolutely free and fair. The menace of booth capturing is still to be eradicated. The distribution of money and liquor to influence voters is still a reality. And most of all, politicians play with the fear, hatred and anxieties of majority and minority communities to increase their vote bank.
6. Social justice, really?
The cause of upliftment of Dalits, adivasis and other scheduled tribes, the original sons of soil, is the duty of every Indian government. However, by mere fixation of reservation in educational and governmental institutions will not bring the change. It has turned into a tool of political propaganda, with some fringe politicians committing to end it, others promising to end their lives to safeguard it. However, upliftment of the downtrodden communities require the vigour which was once exhibited by Mahatma Gandhi, Bhimrao Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule. Despite reservation, a latest report on Dalits claim that nearly 60 per cent of the community members are not able to clear Class 10th of education. Only one out of three Dalit and tribal child gets the opportunity to attend schools. The social stigma surrounding them has not yet trickled down, with them being subjected to routine humiliation and subjugation to the socially dominant castes and class in the rural belts of the nation.
7. Freedom of speech comes with a heavy price
Mahatma Gandhi once described freedom of speech as water, which needs to be offered to the citizens in a wholesome manner, since water cannot be further diluted. However, despite the constitution granting free speech, exercising it may cost one a huge price. Either you could face the onslaught of the state, or the extra-constitutional authorities. Either you could be hounded like a Kanhaiya Kumar of JNU, or shot to death in a manner in which the right-wing hooligans silenced rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, MM Kalburgi and Govind Pansare to death. These extra constitutional authorities are present among both the major religious communities of India. One should also not forget the reactions meted out towards Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen for Satanic Verses and Lajja respectively. Similarly, it was another blot on the state when Kerala’s Prof T J Joseph’s hand was chopped off by activists of a certain community since he asked blasphemous questions in the examination.
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