Amrit Varsh: Is 75 a Mature age for a Nation ?

When India wakes up on August 15 morning, we will feel elated boundless. Yes, why not? Our India has completed 75 years of Independence, ‘We are the World’s Largest Democracy’, we are a 135-crore population and a very strong economy…..blah, blah, blah !

True, we have so many achievements to boast of; an AtmaNirbhar Bharat with strong manufacturing base to provide everything to our citizens, from pin to aero-plane; a robust industry, enough food-stock to feed our own 135 crore mouths and capacity to export to other stressed nations; a strong 15 lakh active Armed Force well equipped with made in India  weapons to defend our borders; an educated 35-40 crore middle class and well qualified IT professionals, engineers, doctors; second highest GDP growth figures, Missions up to Mars and many more milestones to make us proud.

Yet, we need to introspect, pause a bit and review the performance and possibilities we missed in the past.

We cannot boast of our achievements in isolation, without peeping out, unlike a frog in the well, how other big nations around the Globe progressed and solved their internal, external problems.

75 years is a long period for any society or a civilization to perform, exert and excel.

If we do some Atma-Chintan, before getting on the AtmaNirbhar path, we are still fiddling with our initial issues.

Our Constituent Assembly, though full of wise and worthy intellectuals, left a plethora of unresolved issues. Religion-forced Partition of India, lack of confidence and clarity were the banes of social conflict facing the newly-freed country, The guiding principles like reservation, religious freedom, secularism and socialism etc. added into the preamble should have been helpful in solving the inherent conflicts in social life in 25-30 years and the country should have set up new goals for the future. Yet the political divide has survived over such a long period and even widened beyond repair. Regional politics, factional fights, selfish greed and unprincipled acts of leaders have decimated the vast gains of 75 years.

The Tryst with Destiny professed by our first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, at midnight of August 15, 1947, is nowhere in sight. The herculean task of unifying 584 small states of India into one Bharat has yet to bear fruit. We are now passing the Baton for the Golden Future to the Third Generation of our citizens with the same confusion of thoughts and ideologies.  The dream of Unity in Diversity, Clarity on path to progress and crossing the goalpost are still nowhere in sight.

The leaders at the helm and citizens at large, must introspect why a large section of population could not gain from reservation, why delivery of justice is a far cry for the oppressed, complainant and last man in the line. Why do the benefits of progress not reach the needy? Why do the people in power still get away with the bounty and are less afraid of law?

India at 75, is still unsure of fulfilment of a stable and prosperous Society as evils of procrastination versus performance, confusion versus conformity, symbolism versus tangible, entitlement versus earning by effort and several such retrograde maladies are eradicated.

Apart from introspection over domestic issues, India needs to fix its priorities in international relations. We can’t remain aloof from Super Power rivalry and its impacts on our future. Borders with China, Pakistan and other countries need speedy settlement for stable peace and progress at home. India should find its destined place of pride in Global scene.

India at 100 should be free of its problems at Birth, walk with strong feet and head high in the Sky !

A Mature Society, a Blooming Democracy, and a bright Star in the Galaxy of Nations !!