Yes, its governance is still in
experimental phase with some pretty rough hands given the charge to run the
social laboratory.
Yes, its democracy needs much
more to be called a democracy envisioned in its Constitution.
But, we cannot deny, that in
spite of all its weak points and all its failures, it is still a functional democracy,
even after 67 years of independence and is moving ahead with its democratic
experiment.
We cannot deny that the movement
of this democracy is positively oriented. Yes, voices are crushed and manipulated.
But voices are also raised.
Look around for democracy in the
global geopolitics. Look around for democracy in countries that have been ruled
by foreign powers or have colonies of the western nations.
The slate is so badly
crisscrossed that it becomes too hard to find even a single satisfying example.
Yes, the subjective interpretations may come with some names but that would be
akin to comparing the foreign rule in America with that in India.
India, one of the culturally most
diversified countries, with many languages and dialects and with many
religions, castes and sects is still a homogeneous democracy, even after 67
years of an independence that came with one of the worst religious riots the
humankind has ever seen.
It is the positive orientation of
the democracy only that a person from the weakest socioeconomic section of the
society can uproot a political dynasty that has ruled the country for the most
of its independent history with an overwhelming public support.
And we are from this
functionally-moving-ahead democracy. We
are from this independent country that has been able to this stage of its democratic
experiment.
And following its Constitution,
we are free to voice our opinions. We are free to choose what we should be. We
are free to choose who we are going to follow.
Yes, circumstances do affect and
force to make choices, but we also have the space to fight back. A Red Fort Independence Day Speech by Narendra
Modi once again proves it.
