DailyPost 2044
INDIA AT CROSSROADS
There was a time long back, when India was at crossroads, though the country was not this sort of geographical, societal or an emotional entity, when Gandhi entered the freedom movement, emerged as its leader and defined / visualized some contours of independent India. Immediately on independence, the challenges were huge and humongous, the country was again at crossroads, finding a meaning, creating a wherewithal of a nation and positioning India in the world comity of nations. From reorganization of states, electoral politics, infrastructure, planning mechanism, educational backbone, bringing science into the mainstream, to making a mark on the global stage. This became our routine. Recent times have been transformational in every way. India once again is at crossroads, worthwhile and rapid intervention can take us on the right trajectory, or else we get into the theory of indispensability.
Defending whatever we do, cannot take us anywhere. Working without reference points has no relevance. Using any type of data for proving a point, is an art of getting into more and more indefensible situations. It’s time to ideate, plan, iterate, create a blueprint and then proceed in a mercenary manner. Two essentials before we start with anything; accepting the fact that we are in an overall mess. This needs to be mapped out even before one wants to talk about it. And secondly, what can be termed as the time quotient. It means the amount of unadulterated time, people who have been tasked to this job, finally apportion for the purpose. There comes a time in nations history, when people who matter, get into those positions without any great difficulty and want to enjoy the fruits of power, while talking like freedom fighters.
Electoral battle is not a battle for the nation, battle starts henceforth. In a similar manner getting into permanent bureaucracy is not the battle, the battle starts henceforth. Unfortunately, both these groups treat the entry as a battle and struggle. That is precisely the reason that they can have a good night’s sleep, when the country is caught in a myriad of vagaries. That is how serious issues of life and death finally end up as verbal duals. The working equilibrium is that both the groups keep battling it out for better positions in the political executive or in the regular executive. They also certify their hard work, successful, and blemish less careers. All this is not adding up to not even to the most basic threshold the nation needs to be live and kicking. When will the nation’s agenda become the agenda of these two groups?
One projection of the RBI made public is that the Indian economy is expected to overcome Covid-19 losses by financial years 2034 -35. Without getting into the detailing of it, or the role of governments for this tragedy or what governments can do extricate the nation out of this situation, the reality is that we are in a one of its kind economic mess. Unemployment, sectoral issues etc all adding up to this critical mass. Another critical fact is the impact on judicial administration of executive misdemeanors is impeding democratic checks and balances. CJI recently lamented that governments are ignoring court orders. There is a sheer “defiance” of governments towards judicial pronouncements, and an inclination to pass off the responsibility of the decision making to court. ”Legislature’s ambiguity, lack of foresight and public consultation before making laws had led to a docket explosion.” This gives us a fair idea into the decision making and functioning of the executive in troubled times. Professional expertise is conspicuous by its absence all round, for nation building, more so where it is required the most. In a complex broken system, their role would be critical. Let’s own up our present and the future.
WHO WILL SORT OUT THE MESS OF OUR OWN CREATION, WE WILL HAVE TO!
Sanjay Sahay, Ex.IPS,
Founder Director, TechConPro