HAS INDIAN STATE SUCCEEDED IN SATISFYING PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS ? If yes, up to what extent? Otherwise, what are the reasons behind

its failures? What alternatives do I visualize and

how do we get them?

WHAT IS A STATE? Politically speaking, India is a State

because it satisfies the basic requirements of territory, people, sovereignty and capability to enter into international relations.

Generally speaking a State is Parens Patreas-father of its inhabitants which justifies its existence by taking care of its citizens so that they flourish and cherish life instead of cursing it.

HAS INDIAN STATE FULFILLED ITS ROLE AS PARENS PATREAS Since State works through its organs so

the idea here is to analyse the past record of their ability to do justice to duties and responsibilities.

These organs are the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary.

Since the jurists bestow upon legislature, the element of future, hence for all practical purposes the responsibility finds fixation on it.

THE POSITIVES

State has succeeded primarily in keeping the institution of democracy alive and keeping the nation physically united.

These days it has succeeded, to some extent, in generating wealth but that is like islands of prosperity in a sea of poverty. That is why, probably, the recent survey of India Inc reflects a .9% rise in governance confidence.

THE NEGATIVES

The negatives are so many that it is difficult to voice each and every one. But the crux of the situation lies in the term injustice and unfairness. The people of India are befooled every now and then when their only aspiration of a civilised society is raped recklessly in front of their own eyes by social spiders like-

Corruption Undignified Public Behaviour Lack of political will in areas of

water, energy security, education and pollution & population control

Insensitive Bureaucracy-Public administration is working with an object of fostering helplessness and hopelessness in people. The whistle blowers have to lose their lives. We have yet not politically matured to listen to the dissent of the deprived.

Illiteracy-We have yet not realized the potential of an educated society, which is the basis of a civilized society. Only education can cure some of the evils of our society, namely population explosion, poor civic habits, caste and other religious biases. Only an educated person is competent and capable of understanding his rights and duties.

THE REASONS There is a popular saying that we get

what we deserve. If this be true then the onus rests on us to disprove it.

The process of disproving leads us to dissection of Indian Psychology. We have had narrow mentality and

were torn into different castes and other religious groups since time immemorial. It means that there has always been disharmony amongst people inter se because of them belonging to specific Vernas.

The wish to dominate each other was inherent and this made us vulnerable to divide & rule philosophy. Naturally no ruler ever wanted to unify the people into a single community because this could have deprived them in the form of uniform uprising. In fact in those times the concept of India was itself very hazy and differentiated. With the British colonization of India, at least a territorial integrity came into existence. But still the formation of national character was far from existence.

The second reason responsible was the economy of shortage and penetrative presence of organs of government in the socialist regime. As Rousseau, the famous jurist-philosopher has said, “Man was born free, but is in shackles everywhere.” The above referred combination proved fatal for the common man. The shortage ridden economy saw ordinary man seeking favours from the Government officials to meet their daily demands.

This made them realize the power of their posts and forgot the ultimate objective of Socialism. The shortage economy made the common man also corrupt and rent seeker. The enterprising attitude was brutally killed for no good. State ownership of resources further worsened the situation as the state largesse was for them who could appease the people at the helm of the affairs. In this regard Rousseau said, “That system of governance is best, which has the least government.

IMPERATIVES POPULATION CONTROL EDUCATION SENSITISATION OF PUBLIC SERVANTS PROMOTION OF NATIONAL CHARACTER INCULCATION OF VALUES RIGHT FROM

CHILDHOOD SPREAD OF CAPITALISM BUT SAVING IT

FROM THE CAPITALISTS

ENSURE SELF SUFFICIENCY IN FUEL NEEDS SPEND ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENTER

INTO LONG TERM PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTENERSHIP

PUBLIC SHOULD QUESTION THE DEPLOYMENT OF PUBLIC FINANCE AND THUS HOLD THE RULERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEEDS

KEY TENETS OF CIVILISED SOCIETY SHOULD BE PUBLICLY IDOLISED AND REWARDED-LIKE HARDWORK, HONESTY, INTEGRITY, TOLERANCE, DEDICATION

HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE IMPERATIVES SUGGESTED AWAKEN ONESELF-REALISE THAT WE ARE

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NATION-CHANGE ONESELF FOR THE BETTER

THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF A HUMAN BEING SHOULD BE RESPECTED BY EACH ONE OF US

TEACHERS HOLD AN IMPORTANT POSITION IN NATION BUILDING-THEY SHOULD REALISE THE MAMMOTH TASK LYING ON THEIR SHOULDERS. THROUGH THEM ONLY THE CITIZENS OF TOMORROW CAN BE CONVINCED ABOUT EXCELLENCE IN WORK WITH SOBRIETY AND SPIRITUAL CONTENT IN NATURE

MEDIA SHOULD PLAY A CRITICAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN CREATING A PROPER MIX OF NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE INFORMATION DISSIPATION

STATE THROUGH GENUINE INSTITUTIONS PROMOTE CREATIVITY, ART AND OTHER STREAMS WHICH ADD VALUE TO HUMAN LIFE. THIS SHOULD BE WIDELY PRACTISED AND NOT ONLY THROUGH PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS LIKE IITs OR IIMs. AFTER ALL A PERSON WHO IS MENTALLY AT PEACE WITH HIMSELF CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIETY.

WE NOW NEED TO MOVE TO BOTTOM-UP APPROACH OF GOVERNANCE AND FOR THAT MORE AND MORE POWER SHOULD DECENTRALISED.

LOCAL SELF GOVERNANCE SHOULD BE PRESCRIBED AND PRACTISED SERIOUSLY.

STATE SHOULD REFRAIN FROM OVER INTERFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIFE BY ADORNING THE ROBES OF A FACILITATOR AND NOT A PARTICIPANT

THE GOLDEN WORDS OF CONFUCIOUS SHOULD BE OUR GUIDE “When things are investigated, knowledge is

extended. When knowledge is extended, thoughts are made sincere. When thoughts are made sincere, the heart and mind are rectified. When the heart and mind are rectified, the personal life is cultivated. When the personal life is cultivated, then the family is regulated. When the family is regulated, the state will be in order. When the state is in order, there will be peace throughout the world.”

THANK YOU