The Current Situation
Over six decades have passed since India won freedom. Freedom was achieved from an alien rule after a long and painful struggle.
Yet the struggle was all along cheerful and filled with exemplary acts of courage and unyielding determination of the sons and
daughters of this great land. The struggle for self-rule was inspired by lofty ideals of liberty of thought and person, equality, justice and
economic wellbeing, to name a few. The struggle for freedom was preceded by and also itself packed with movements for social reforms
aiming at cleansing the then rotting society. This renaissance brought several much required reforms in the society like the condemnation
of the sati practice, rectifications to the caste discrimination, alleviation of the status of women and so on.More than anything else, this
renaissance initiated the rediscovery and resurgence of the pure ancient Indian culture and value system itself. This period was indeed a
high watermark in the history of our civilisation. Freedom brought great joy. It came with great hopes of building of a great Nation, out of a
civilisation for long under shackles and a soul long suppressed. The atrocious partition of the motherland notwithstanding, freedom came
with the great promise of resurgence of a culture long under decadence. Self-rule brought in the much needed opportunity ofbuilding a
nation brimming with happiness and prosperity, based on a just social order. The constitution of India, a product of the soaring spirit of the
time, is a document par excellence, having as its basis the eternal values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, and strongly
influenced by socialistic principles. It was a very good beginning indeed. However, the tempo of reform and reconstruction based on the
great ideals was lost too soon in the early years of self-rule. The resurgent forces that had emerged and gained momentum during
the struggle against foreign rule, faded away within the first few years of freedom. Selfish, greedy and all sorts of evil forces, which found
themselves suppressed during the renaissance, raised their heads back at the first opportunity. Now, they even took newer shapes and
multiplied in numbers and dimensions. The physical absence of a mighty 'alien' 'enemy' set in general complacency in the polity and
society. The Indian nation began with all the good things embodied in the constitution. But as time passed, the nation has been digressing
from the spirit of the constitution. The self-serving forces have either overdone to implement certain provisions to further selfish interests
(like casteist and communal reservations, pseudo-secularism, etc.) or have largely underdone to implement or enforce the more important
provisions(like the Directive Principles including Panchayat Raj, etc).The nation is yet to realise the constitution in the right spirit. Six
decades passed by with achievements far less than the potential of a great nation, and more problems emerged. Among the achievements,
some are striking indeed, like the political integration of the fragmented country, the advancements in science, engineering and technology,
particularly those related to space, nuclear energy and computers, as alsothe re-emergence of Indian entrepreneurship and economic
development, however uneven or in pockets, the emergence of globally competitive human resource in different fields like engineering,
management, medical sciences, finance, etc., and the much improvedfood situation. Not that these achievements are any small. But they
are definitely fewer than what a committed nation with a single-minded devotion to progress and development, and a honest society with a
strict vigil on the evil tendencies of greed, and selfishness could have achieved. Also, the adoption of western ways of economy and life,
and that too at a hurtling pace, without building practically meaningful social security systems and neglecting the Indian culture has rudely
shaken the social, moral and economic fibre of the country. It is heartening that amidst all this rot there are good people, organisations and
public servants, who are indeed doing their best to confront evilforces and prevent a complete collapse. Their number, however is very
small and is dwindling day by day. Today the nation has slipped into a regressive cycle of competing for caste, religion and region 'benefits'
or blind aping of the west or fascination for it's own fantasised world of modernity. It is running behind the mirage of economic prosperity as
promised by globalisation, free trade and complex structures, while totally neglecting the inner peace and happiness as provided by
enlightenment and spiritual development of the individual and the society on the basis of both reason and ancient wisdom. Poverty, hunger,illiteracy, injustice and exploitation are still the order of the day. Not to mention the crumbling village economy, agriculture, rural industry,worsening law & order, deteriorating internal and external security, the widening urban-rural gap, and the bursting cities with the dark contrasts of pockets of 'prosperity' and over half their populations living in slums. In six decades we have nearly quadrupled our population but have miserably failed to give ourselves the basic necessities of life ― clean water, food, adequate and affordable health care, social security, affordable and wholesome education, electricity, good roads, irrigation up to its full potential, and the like. Our courts take decades to 'do' justice, government offices are citadels of red tape and dens of corruption, and the 'babus' and 'netas' practicing 'masters' of the 'art' of manipulation and corruption. Private individuals and corporations are not far behind. They swindle money and get off with sleazy deals. We have destroyed our forests, our natural environment and the rich bio-diversity, reduced the worshiped rivers and streams to sewage drains and pushed several wonderful beings in the animal kingdom, including the national animal Tiger and the majestic Lion to the brink of extinction. Our cities are at best third grade lodges or railway platforms, where everyone stays but hardly lives and cares for the surroundings. Power and money mock law and ethics, and bulldoze equality and justice.Politicians and other power brokers exist and operate by exploiting people on the basis of caste, religion, region or the like and by plundering the national wealth, day in and day out. Public offices are treated as fiefdoms and the public servants are free India’s feudal lords. Rules are limited to theturned and twisted, and violations legalised to suit the interests of the politician-bureaucrat-criminal combine. In fact, it's no more nexus of the politician, the government official, and the criminal. Now, either, the former have turned criminals or the criminal himself is the politician. Today democracy and liberty have become toys in the hands of all kinds of evil forces and perverted minds. Using the freedom of expression as a shield, the evil forces are furthering their own selfish interests and spreading all kinds of obscenity and hatred. There is clearly a general decline of moral values in today’s India. Degeneration is noticeable in almost all walks of life. The diseases of selfishness, greed, hypocrisy, corruption of all forms, intoleration, casteism, communalism, regionalism and separatism to name a few, are on the ascendant.
The blind aping of everything 'foreign', rampant commercialization and hurtling growth of materialism show the moral bankruptcy of the society. The land where 'guru dakshina' was voluntary and was offered, as per one's capacity, only at the end of education, opportunities for admission to elementary school are auctioned. India, the Golden Sparrow of yore ― the symbol of contentment, happiness, peace, harmony and prosperity; and the guiding light of human intellect and spiritual nirvana is today neither. The present India is one of the most corrupt nations of the world, dragging and struggling to give its people a peaceful, and happy life, and maintain a respectable position among the nations of the world. In sum, the great sacrifices of our reformers and freedom fighters stand shamelessly betrayed in present -day India. How long do we allow this disorder to continue?? Is this the India dreamt by the Ram Mohan Rays, the Vivekanandas and the Subramanya Bharatis? Is this the India for which the Lakshmibais, the Ashfaqullahs, the Azads and the Bhagat Singhs sacrificed their lives? Is this the India for which the Tilaks, the Gandhis, the Subhash Boses, the Nehrus and the Sardar Patels toiled lifelong?? Do we let things go to the dogs??? Who will relight the lamp of wisdom and nationalism in this darkness of sheer greed, selfish ness, ignorance and indifference? Who will redeem the Indian nation to its pristine glory?
