75 Independence Day Celebrations - Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav?

 

75 Independence Day Celebrations - Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav?

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, meaning Nectar of grand celebration to signify 75 years of India's

independence from the British Colonial slavery, began on 12 March 2021 and will continue up to 15

August 2023. The government of India also started a campaign Har Ghar Tiranga (Tiranga at each house),

that is to fly the national flag on every household. Its end objective is to promote, advance and

consolidate the spirit of "Nationalism" amongst the current generation of "We the People".

Azadi means "Freedom"; Amrut means "Nectar"; and Mahotsav means "Festival".

"Why and what for the much hyped celebrations by "We the People" sponsored and

encouraged by all political parties?

Common academically in the past to highlight that what we got 75-years ago is "Political

Freedom for 34 crores" from British Colonial Rule, more aptly, slavery. But, what about the

strangulation of polity by the resurgent neo-dynasty's and feudal lords?

Political freedom too is myth and mirage! The best example to cite is the findings of Association

for Democratic Reforms giving the number crorepati's and criminals masquerading as leaders sacrificing

their self and progeny in favor of "service to society".

Woeful lack of understanding of the true import of "British Colonial Rule" is real. Irrefutable fact

is subjugation of South Asia by the "British Crown" between 1857-1947 virtually in all dimensions to

include: political, social, cultural and economy. The British exploited - loot - natural resources and, in

turn, exploited its markets - over £45 trillion. But, NO corruption at all levels. In contrast, Indian rulers

and leaders are exploiting the country, more aptly, looting the country.

However, what was most destructive is the shift engineered by the British by imposition of their

language and cultural values - total shift to western modes and ways of life. In contrast, China has

retained its language and its cultural values - a mix of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. China is

emerging technology superpower. Ipso facto, China is on the forefront of spreading its cultural thought

through its centers/schools in Africa and other countries. Almost three decades since the first China

Cultural Center was opened in Mauritius in 1988, China has established 31 centers around the world - 12

in Europe, 10 in Asia, five in Africa, three in Australia and Oceania, and one in Latin America.

Most significant is the Islamist surge sweeping the mankind. Saudi Arabia and Iran are in the

forefront of funding spread of Islam. The growth of Mosques in USA include: 1921 - the first purpose-

built Highland Park Mosque in Detroit, Michigan; 1934 - Mother Mosque of America, in Cedar Rapids,

Iowa; By 1970 - more than 100 Mosques; By 2000 - 1,209 Mosques; By 2010 - rose to 2,106 Mosques;

and by 2020 - 2,769 Mosques. In Canada, the Al-Raschid Mosque was the first purpose-built mosque in

1939 at Fort Edmonton Park, Alberta. Today, there are over 200 Mosques. Thus, the surge of Islam in

the North American continent is real.

Social Security Dimension

Next, let me broadly analyze the transformations in the social security dimension. Society

breeds politics. Scholars claim that India gained political freedom only on the stroke of midnight hour

14/15 August 1947. That too betrays intellectual bankruptcy. For what we gained was freedom from

alien or colonial rule only to be replaced by autocratic dynastic and feudal rule. Slavery and poverty still

persists even after 75 years.

The complexity of the Indian social mosaic is bewildering to include: birth place of four religions

among others – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism; 18 official languages, 122 major languages,

234 identifiable mother tongues and 1365 rationalized mother tongues; and over 3000 castes and

around 25,000 sub castes. Everyone knows that India is a pluralist society: multi racial, multi ethnic,

multi communal, multi cultural in composition. Diversity is mind blogging. To consolidate and advance

unity and diversity, mutual respect and tolerance, the two basic imperatives of pluralism, are vital. Yet,

with utter disregard to them, vested interest groups are pursuing highly confrontational and adversarial

politics, which are gnawing away at the very vitals of the “Idea” of India - unity in diversity.

Undeniably, the “Great Indian Society” is traversing in dynamic flux and transforming at a pace

unimagined ever before. Its fallout is vicious and vexatious social churning. Escalating sectarian unrest

and violence embittering and enlarging the social divide among various interest groups is the most

dangerous threat to stability and security of the nation.

Within India the clash of civilizations is real. The clash of cultures is real: cow dung of the

Northern heartland vs. coconut of the Southern tracts vs. bamboo of the Northeast. Furthermore, the

clash between ideologies, pluralism vs. nationalism is real. Add to it, the clash of religions: Hinduism vs.

Islam vs. Christianity. If one is managed adroitly, another raises its ugly head to devour India.

For vicious social churning, the blame squarely rests on the decrepit leadership that is fueling

communal, ethnic, caste and class social strife to embarrass its ruling rivals. What is unfolding in a

vicious way is the continuation of unfinished agenda of communal, ethnic, caste and class contest. When

the conflict resolution spins out of control, they blame the people for the plight of the nation.

“Yatha Raja, Thata Praja” was the proverbial quote during monarchy rule for bygone ages. In

democracy, People get what they want and deserve. In today’s democracy, “Yatha Praja, Thata Raja”

represents reality. Society must squarely accept that it is responsible for throwing up mediocre

leadership time and again at all levels. The legacy of dynastic inheritance continues as hitherto fore.

Pursuit of caste politics - caste polarization - continues to play havoc with consolidating unity in

diversity. Democracy has opened the doors to the OBC, SC, ST and minorities to forge political alliances

to throw the traditional upper ruling castes out of power. A casteless society remains a mirage.

Society has become increasingly corrupt – both morally and materially. No place for ethics,

morals and values. None is concerned with national values. Democracy stands distorted; socialism

stands discarded; and secularism is the worst fraud. Tolerance is a myth. Meekness is viewed as

weakness. Ruthless and strong willed leadership alone can survive in the hawkish world of today.

Reiterating the obvious, there is refreshing undercurrent sweeping the social fabric. People

want change; and they want leaders and political parties to deliver pre poll promises without delays.

And, they want rapid pace of change for the better; not status quo or "Hindu Growth Rate". More

important, they want a fair and just share in status, wealth and power irrespective of accident of birth.

Even a layman’s realization that “United we stand; divided we fall” as a nation. People also realize that

the power, strength and resilience of a nation in the face of adversity are dependent on the unity –

harmony and cohesion - of its social fabric.

The more I reflect on the root causes tearing apart the social fabric of the nation, the more

evident three causes come to the fore. One, demographic transition – natural growth rates, migrations

both legal and illegal and conversion row - is the mother of all strategic internal security challenges. It is

the rate and pace of change induced by demographic transition that is emerging as a key national

security threat concern. Can India manage nearly 2 billion people by around 2050 in the face of

dwindling natural resources? More importantly, when the inherited population proportion rates in 1951

between Hindu: Muslim: Christian communities are undergoing changes considered a major threat

concern what with scarcity of resources and finite political power to share. The day is not too far off for

yet another communal holocaust in modern India.

Two, having inherited social structure, leadership has failed to promote and consolidate true

nationalism. People continue to trace and owe their loyalties on narrow parochial lines like being a Tamil

or Telugu or Maratha, Sikh, Punjabi, Bengali and so on. Political parties and leaders for self

aggrandizement have polarized society deliberately on narrow tribal, clan, caste, communal and supra

tribal lines.

Finally, of utmost significance, people of the heartland must accept that minorities in the

strategic borderlands of the northeast and J & K are majorities in their own territory. Resist they would

with all their might any legal or illegal demographic transitions turning them into minorities.

Furthermore, quite a few pockets astride international borders have emerged as communally crisis

explosive regions due to migrations. Waiting for an opportunity, the pseudo secular opposition political

groups are bound to exploit such opportunities to regain political power.

Be that as it may, the current status of Indian society is that of a ship caught in a tempest in a

violent storm with the society as the sea. People on board the ship, have opted Modi to be the

boatswain - the Prime Minister, to steer the course with great dexterity to avoid being sunk. Somehow,

the extra constitutional “Hindu Parivar” organizations want to seize the opportunity to exercise control

over their own fate, besides the fate of the nation and the boatswain. His stoic silence or muted posture

clearly reflects his resentment against their interference.

In sum, the social challenges inherited by Modi and the BJP appear insurmountable. It requires

tremendous dexterity to satisfy competing claims of vested interest groups for a fair share in status,

wealth and power. “India First; India Best” may be a good slogan. Of course, “Sabke Sath, Sabke Vikas,

Sabke Prayas and Sabke Vishwas” as a slogan lends hope; but can Modi and the BJP deliver and forge

unity in diversity? The least they can do is to achieve Hindu unity.

Political Dimension

Next, on grand display in the political dimension is the viciousness and vulgarity politics. Politics

of opportunity is on grand display; ideologies are irrelevant. Power is the sole obsession of political

parties and leaders. So also, ‘cut-throat’ competition is rampant in all spheres what with "scams galore"

surge. Leadership realizes very well that social unity and national unity are synonymous. Without social

unity – harmony and cohesion – national stability, peace and security are impossible. Yet, they are hell

bent upon on traversing on highly confrontational mode least realizing that it will hurt them on the

rebound. All political parties and leaders are following the e British inherited policy of "Divide and Rule"

with appeasement of minority vote banks in the forefront. Its reactions are the surge majority

polarization.

Realize leaders must that harmonization of mutually exclusive interests is most vexatious for the

state to manage with competing claims to gain ascendency over the other within the same space. They

must avoid playing the politics of pseudo secularism vs. communalism forever, if they are earnest to

nurture unity in diversity.

The desecration of the temple of democracy happens on daily basis during sessions with utter

disregard to loss of crores of rupees of tax payer’s money. The course of recently concluded monsoon

session sine dies of the Parliament, what with vitriolic and venom spewed against each other,

reconfirms such a skewed view. Debate, conciliation and consensus, key components of a vibrant

democracy, are an anathema for the elected representatives. They claim to be leaders, but they do not

believe in decorum, probity and propriety and respect for the ‘Chair’. A day is not too far off that their

behavior may rebound and hurt them on the rebound by the crowds on the streets.

Arrogance of political leaders at all levels is phenomenal - narcissist and megalomaniac. Leaders

do not govern holding “Prajale Prabhuvulu (People are Master)” or as partners which real democracy

implies. Instead; they rule treating subjects as slaves. They are law unto themselves brandishing guns at

toll gates; humiliate bureaucracy in full public gaze and treat police forces guarding them worse than

‘chaprasis’. When the time for elections approach they go around on Yatra's with folded hands seeking

their votes. “Fame is based on Fraud” truly exemplifies their leadership behavior.

In reality, political parties and leaders for self aggrandizement have polarized society

deliberately on narrow tribal, clan, caste, communal and supra tribal lines. And, political leadership will

not induce such a dramatic shift. The society can alone do it; and they have shown the way in 2014

elections

Of utmost significance, people of the heartland must accept that minorities in the strategic

borderlands of the northeast and J & K are majorities in their own territory. Resist they would with all

their might any legal or illegal demographic transitions turning them into minorities. Furthermore, quite

a few pockets astride international borders have emerged as communally crisis explosive regions due to

migrations.

Waiting for an opportunity, the pseudo secular opposition political groups are bound to exploit

such opportunities to regain political power. “India’s Democracy” of today is “triumph of criminals and

scoundrels”, whose extravagant life styles living in fortress type of Bungalows surrounded by gunmen

and escorted in convoys of vehicles and privileges make even the “Maharajahs” of the past to pale into

insignificance. Neo-Maharajahs and neo feudal are lurking around everywhere today in Indian

democracy to exploit the situation for self aggrandizement. Following closely behind in extravagance is

the bludgeoning bureaucracy, the judiciary and the security forces. They too have least concern for the

lesson of mankind’s history that economy cannot for ever sustain an over stretched government

machinery. Collapse regimes and nations will unable to meet gargantuan appetite of state machinery.

Modi and the BJP, therefore, face a most bizarre political situation to overcome. Democracy has

been hijacked by criminals and scoundrels as elected representatives. Its root cause is very well

recognized. No Eureka. Money and muscle power decide electoral outcomes at all levels. No sight of

electoral reforms on the horizon. More talk for public consumption; and no action. The talk of public

funding is foolhardy; economy cannot sustain it.

Furthermore, how can one expect intellectually and morally bankrupt leaders to turn into

“angels” overnight? And it is not easy to throw out the strongly entrenched rogues foisted by dynastic

inheritance. Only revolutionary political reforms best suited to the existing and emerging societal

context can do it, which may be the wish of the majority; but forlorn hope.

Democracy functions on its own logic and grammar. Democracy, both in conception and

execution, is least suited to India due to its diversity, size and quality of people or its vicious chemistry.

Is the parliamentary form of democracy based on the first past the post criteria best suited to the

chemistry of pluralistic society caught in a vicious churning? The simple answer is negative. One may

attempt, but it is an impossibility to ensure basic human rights, freedoms particularly from starvation,

equality, particularly equal protection under laws.

How apt is the Western view of Indian democracy: “functional anarchy?” Elected

representatives rape democracy inside the precincts of the Parliament - Temple of Democracy. The time

for soft options, known as refinements, is over. Only, hard options, revolutionary in nature, can reset the

course of the nation to traverse on an even keel. Fundamental restructuring alone can save the nation.

Consensual leadership behavior cannot implement such radical shifts in all fields.

In hindsight, the days of catchy sloganeering like "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan", "Garibi Hatao", "Congress

ka Haath, Aam Aadmi ke Saath", "Indira Hatao, Desh Bachao", “India First; India Best”, "Ache Din

Anewale", “swatch Bharat", “Government with a difference - Less Government and More Governance,

and “SMART Governance”, " Sabke Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabke Prayas and Sabke Vishwas", etc., are over.

People want is fulfillment of their basic needs of food, shelter and clothing and improved life-styles.

Modi, as the Prime Minister, is caught in a complex web of contradictions and controversies. He

needs to marginalize both the sulking and the more radical elements of his own party and also those in

the “Hindu Parivar”. Then only, he can forge a modicum of working relationship with the opposition

parties who any way would like to embarrass him at every opportunity.

In sum, one thing is certain. Democracy is firmly embedded in the psyche of Indian masses.

However, the dire need of the hour is fundamental systemic changes involving various processes or

steps in democracy.

Economic Dimension

Next, few realities of the economic dimension. 75 Years ago, modern Indian inherited

"destroyed economy". Ipso facto, the British destroyed the supremacy of the Indian goods. Indian

handicrafts lost both domestic and foreign market. In particular, Indian handloom weaving industry was

hit by the industrialization in England and eventually collapsed. The British goods succeeded ultimately

in penetrating into the Indian market through its machine made goods.

Irrefutable historical fact of ancient era was that India was the "Land of Promise". Indian

economy was the largest economy in the world for most of the two millennia from the 1st until the 19th

century. Indian economy, constituted 35 to 40% of the world GDP larger than all of Europe combined. Its

lesson is simple. Population was below 20 crores, mostly insulated on regional basis. No competing

religions and divisive politics.

Few facts are recounted to provide a balanced perspective. Regression of economic growth

during the Mughal era (1600-1700) was real. The GDP had grown by only 22%, that is, at an annual

growth rate of 0.20%. Next, during the British East Indian company rule from 1700 to 1850, the GDP

grew 39%, that is, 0.22% annually. And, from 1850 to 1947, British India's annual growth rate of GDP

was 0.55%. In 1990 international dollars, it grew from $125.7 billion to $213.7 billion, a 70% increase.

In 1820, India's GDP was 16% of the world total. By 1870, it had fallen to 12%, and by 1947 had

fallen to 4%. By 1980 that is after 33 years of independence India's GDP remained virtually static with

GDP Nominal at $189.4 and GDP (PPP) at $372.3. Just prior to liberalization in 1991, the GDP Nominal

was at $274.8; and GDP (PPP) at $1005.9. India's per-capita income remained mostly stagnant during

Mughal Rule and the British Raj. From 1850 to 1947 India's GDP per-capita had grown by 16%, from

$533 to $618 in 1990 international dollars.

Thus, India's economic growth rate was termed as "The Hindu rate of growth" that refers to the

lower annual growth rate that stagnated around 3.5% from 1950s to 1980s, while per capita income

growth averaged around 1.3% before the economic reforms of 1991.

The combination of protectionist, import-substitution, Nehruvian Fabian socialism (gradualist

and reformist instead of revolutionary), and social democratic-inspired policies governed India until

1991. The economy was then characterized as Dirigisme. It had extensive regulation, protectionism, and

public ownership of large monopolies, pervasive corruption and slow growth.

Since 1991, continuing economic liberalization has moved the country towards a market-based

economy. Since the start of the 21st century, annual average GDP growth has been 6% to 7%. By 2008,

India had established itself as one of the world's faster-growing economies. From 2013 to 2018, India

was the world's fastest growing major economy, surpassing China. As per the latest data in 2022, India's

GDP nominal is $3.535 trillion (Rank 5); and in PPP terms it is $11.745 trillion (Rank 3).

As on 2022, the GDP per-Capita is $2515.4. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF),

on a per capita income basis, India ranked 142nd by GDP (nominal) and 128th by GDP (PPP).

However, today the economy of India is a middle income developing market economy. It is the

world's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and the third-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP).

Be that as it may, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening only. The self-serving elite

are hell bent upon further enriching themselves at the cost of the less privileged and the nation. Of

course, “Land for the Tiller’ has lost its appeal in rallying rural masses. But, tribes are up in arms to

protect their forests – the main sources of livelihood.

Now, the ‘Tsunami” of corruption has enveloped the nation - most sinister internal security

threat. Corruption is institutionalized at all levels in the society. Corruption covers all fields of human

activities: water, food, housing, sand, earth, land, mining of all natural resources, marine resources,

human hair, bones, dead bodies, bones, human trafficking, narcotics, arms etc. Think of one, you can

uncover many.” Corrupt society has only bred corrupt leadership. But for few exceptions, “Service

before Self” is unthinkable for today’s leadership who are mercenary’s in pursuit of wealth, status and

power. “Loot and Scoot” is the name of the game played by all those is power. “Zero Tolerance against

Corruption – moral and physical” is a bogey. Lokpal Bill and the ordnances are an “eye wash”. “Crony

capitalism” continues as to hitherto fore.

Internal Security Threat Challenges

On the internal security front, an awesome total of 179 insurgents, militants and terrorists,

abetted and aided by state and non state actors, have laid seize to the nation. As per South Asia Portal

of Terrorism, they include a total of 116 groups in the Northeast with 36 in Assam, 39 in Manipur, 3 in

Nagaland, 2 in Mizoram, 5 in Meghalaya, 30 in Tripura and one in Arunachal Pradesh. Add to it, 36

militant groups in J & K, 12 in Punjab besides 6 Left Wing Groups spread from Nepal to Kerala in the Red

Corridor and nine other groups. Around 71 of them belong to Islamist groups with 36 in J & K, 18 in

Assam, 6 in Assam and others. The figures do not include the Indian Mujahedeen, the SIMI and the

recent JuMB in Bengal.

Challenged by outsiders and suffering from identity crises, ethnic militant groups are indulging in

barbaric cleansing activities. For example, the most recent is the killing of nearly 80 people –both

Adivasis and Bodos - in ethnic related violence in Assam.

Most disturbing is the close nexus between political parties and leaders and militants,

insurgents, terrorists, smugglers and drug and arms peddlers in the strategic land and sea borders,

which has been a common feature of the past largely in pursuit of power and self aggrandizement by

vested interests at the cost of national security interests. Similar is the situation in urban and rural areas

throughout India.

Claiming to be the guardians of law and order besides custodians of peace and tranquility, police

forces are in total disarray due to lack of professionalism. Instead of qualitatively improving to discharge

duties in democracy be endearing themselves to people, they have become objects of ridicule – haftas,

extortionists, rapists etc. Law enforcers are turning into law violators. VIP security has precedence over

law enforcement and people security. Crime prevention, detection and investigation have become

peripheral and mostly reactive, if any. Penalize and punish the poor; and protect the powerful is quite

common. And, the police forces blame the political leadership for such absurd state of affairs.

Finally, there is total institutional and systems failure to include the Judiciary and the media.

Technology lag is also real in almost all fields of human endeavor.

Such is the harsh reality of modern India after 75-years of independence. Despite "Great

Blunders" by successive Prime Ministers, none can deny that modern India has overcome many

challenges in the past. It is good to gloat over achievements of being the largest democracy in the world.

Except for economy, all other power dimensions are suffering from atrophy or entropy. Serious

introspection is vital to promote social unity and resurgence of sacrificing political leadership in service

of the society. Otherwise, collapse modern India will, if it does not change its course!! Grand

celebrations to arouse the spirit of nationalism are good; but it cannot per se bring about revolutionary

changes that are necessary to restore a modicum of intellectual thought.

Article by GB Reddy Sir