The National Wish List

THE BEGINNING OF any year is the time when we put pen to paper for courage-soaked resolutions: ranging from giving up alcohol to smoking to fried food. It’s almost as if we are putting ourselves out to be the sacrificial lambs that we really aren’t. These are mere resolutions which have to be amplified much like a Las Vegas wedding: no one takes either seriously. I have very rarely come across resolutions which are nation-directed or community-encompassing. It’s almost as if we wish to be individualistic in a manner that may be detrimental to both planet and people.

India has gone through a lot post-1947: We have been divided; then further divided (when some states themselves were divided) and this has never helped the larger Indian cause. Over the years, for reasons known to many of us, we have used identity as the new electoral weapon. And this had its origins in the manner in which Indira Gandhi conducted her politics. But can we afford this now? Can we actually have regional identities becoming so strong that they threaten the very fabric of a united India? I for one believe not. Our regional identities must be subservient to our larger Indian identity. There can never be religious superiority either because that will hurt the very notion of a composite India or an Akhand Bharat. Besides, religion while being personal can inflame passions like nothing else can, when drawn into the public domain.

So here are some resolutions that we perhaps need to make as Indians for India:

One, we must try and keep displays of religion and/or religious fervour as private as possible, especially when it comes to governance or roles that public servants play. The government can’t be Hindu or Muslim or Christian. Its officers can be but the government must act only for India and Indians and not for any community. Build temples and churches and mosques but let the communities do that. Any form of patronage from the government will be counter-productive.

Two, we need to act on all that has been said, over the years, qua our judiciary. This whole thing about justice delayed is justice denied has now become an apology rather than a meaningful summary of the state of our justice system. Justice is about fairness and having 70 per cent of our prisons full of undertrials is not justice. It is in fact a crime. Every judge of the Supreme Court post-retirement bemoans the demise of a functioning judiciary but does precious little when serving on the Bench. This too needs to change.

Three, we need to broad-base our education system rather than take false pride in building more schools. The focus has to be on knowledge and not just on a degree. The tragedy with our education system is that we produce people who score well but innovate poorly which is why India, in spite of its software prowess, has never created a Google or a Facebook. Let’s face the truth: by and large our IT industry is about labour arbitrage and not about cutting-edge innovation.

Four, we have perhaps the worst civic sense in the world. It took a courageous prime minister to even bring the subject of cleanliness to the fore where, in other nations, you would have taken this for granted. We are miserably irresponsible when it comes to respecting public property and public infrastructure. The stones thrown at brand new Vande Bharat trains are testimony to this reprehensible trait of ours. I hope this changes in 2024 and if we don’t do this willingly, laws must be put in place which award strict punishment to those who indulge in this uncivil behaviour.

Five, the language; the essence of our political discourse is worsening from day-to-day. Never have we witnessed such a decline of both morality and public utterances like today. Constitutional offices aren’t being spared either. Every individual and every public office is fair game. This needs to stop and my fear is that with the impending Lok Sabha election, this will get worse before it hopefully begins to get better. This level of abuse and hatred never augurs well for a nation and that too one which is now coming together.

I am a great believer that India in 2024 will continue its global ascendancy but then like all quick ascendancies this one, too, needs to be tempered with humility and grace. We are a civilisational legacy and not some recent nation that needs to stomp every ground to prove itself.

Have a splendid 2024!

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