Principles of Democracy - Part Three

In this part, I wish to touch upon the approach to democracy in our country.

So first of all, what is it that I mean by "approach to democracy"? I refer to our understanding of the term, and its application. We understand democracy as a process, a process of liberation, a process of enlightenment.

Why then, do we have a notorious history of communal violence, despite claiming to be a secular nation? Why then, do we have a concept of reserving seats in medical colleges for the underprivileged ? And why is it that we confuse support with pampering?

These topics deserve a separate time for writing, and they are subjects by themselves. In this blog, I will touch upon the topic of reservation briefly.

To begin with, reservation began as an aid, a crutch to help the crippled in Indian society. It served as the prosthetic leg to replace a lost one. However, the idea of reservation as the proverbial prosthetic leg has lost ALL sanctity today. It is no longer an aid, but the main preference for some people. There are several people who wish to be enlisted as Scheduled castes (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST) or as other backward classes (OBC) - to gain benefits, even if they do NOT need them!

Inequalities caused by birth are unreal. They are illusionary, and can be wiped out by a mere thought. Education being a powerful force, does not distinguish between high and low, rich and poor. In today's time, our emphasis must be to ensure education reaches all levels of society. The free and compulsory education bill was finally tabled in parliament in this session, and came as a welcome first step to this cause.

So does democracy mean creating a level playing ground, or furthering the divide by drawing thick, artificial lines? The answer lies in the former. My argument is that the entire concept of reservation, does NOT hold good in an emerging economy - India does not deserve this tag of "underprivileged" anymore. For us to create a truly level playing field, we need to smoothen the process by ensuring education reaches all. This of course means removing corruption, creating public awareness, introducing incentives for educating the girl child and a promise of a dignified vocation. Reservation CANNOT ADDRESS these very fundamental issues.

So, democracy is required to be ploughed back, till we "wipe every tear from every eye" and till the "poorest of the poor" is delivered of his need. It certainly does not end by creating a make believe shelter which is prone to the geo political exingencies of the complex Indian political plethora. Democracy and foreign policy, which I propose to discuss in Part 4, will explore these geo political exingencies in greater detail.

Democracy is a unifying force. It belongs to all Indians, and not just to a few babus sitting in the plush environs of New Delhi. I urge you to rephrase your thoughts on democracy as regards the caste system, and usher in a renaissance of liberation.

Principles of Democracy - Part two

This is the second part of my series of essays on democracy. In part one, I had restricted myself to the meaning of democracy in an Indian context. In this part, I will write on what ails us and why we have not instilled democracy to perfection.



As I let my mind drift, the first reason I can envisage, is our 200 years of British rule. One thing the British indeed achieved was the imposition of their ideals and culture on the Indian psyche. So, it follows, that English dominance is not only inevitable and unquestionable, but your acceptance of everything English is a yardstick of achievement. If you studied at Oxbridge or Bristol - Wow ! But if you studied at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyala, or the University of Trivandrum - Who cares ?! This acceptance of western ideals, unfiltered and unbiased and unquestioningly, is actually a mark of English dominance persisting on us even today.



But I do not wish to draw a conclusion at this point that English dominance is the sole reason for an imperfect Indian democracy. Far from it. Let us not forget that the British taught us democracy. The emphasis of my argument is the "unfiltered, unbiased and unquestioning acceptance".



This means that while it isn't wrong (as it can never be wrong) to accept an idea from anywhere in the world, we mustn't apply it blindly. Our circumstances, our world must be considered while we instill an idea, even democracy. Even modernism.



Democracy in India is very much unlike democracy in the west. Vox populi is much more complicated in India. It begins in the tehsils and taluks of Kanyakumari and Kumarakom, and not in the big skyscrapers of Delhi and Mumbai. Unless we realize this, we may not be able to feel the pulse of India.



India's pulse lies in all her people - high and low, rich and poor. It doesn't make a difference if the citizen is old or young. Indian-ness is explicit everywhere. We approach any problem not just keeping in mind the end result, but how the end result will affect us ! I find that self emphasis missing in western ideals, where almost everything is institutionalized.



We may understand here, that what ails us is not an idea, but an act.


So while democracy is fine, our understanding of it is flawed. Take for instance, our understanding that the reservation system in educational institutions helps the scheduled castes of the country get represented in a better way. Our understanding that talks are the best solution to every problem. Our understanding that no matter what happens, the private sector is always right.

In fact, these are so fundamental that my questioning these bedrocks of thought is going to be looked upon with disdain. More on these factors in part three. I invite criticism - constructive and enlightening.....

Principles of Democracy - Part one

To begin with, this is a series of 5 blogs I propose to write on democracy in India. I do so empowered with a sense of abstract thinking and of course reality checks, the right wing loyalist I am. I do not wish to talk about politics - let me make that very clear. I wish to be the neutral observer to what is happening in the country's political sphere. I wish to explore the real meaning of democracy in the Indian context and seek to impovise what we think on the subject.

Democracy is essentially the rule of people. You know - by the people, for the people, of the people. But is that the case in our country ? That is a far more intriguing question to me. It makes me think for longer than 5 minutes.

For instance, we see democracy as a state where the mandate of the majority prevails - wrong and abstract and uninformed though it may be. 70% of the populace votes for an ideology / party / person / group - and that group comes to power. Add to this equation an over exuberant media and you have a perfect government at the helm of affairs. But then, is that is case with India ?

Democracy may not deal much with the rights and wrongs, but it deals with the old and new. Precisely why we feel the need for change. Does this explain why we have elections held every five years ? Because we feel the present system of governance is old ? 5 years - a lifetime in politics - anywhere. The general perception is that democracy is the rule of the people, mentioned above. But in our country, what is worth noticing is that the supposed core of democracy - populist rule - is not half as explicit as much as ideological emphasis.

Because nothing else can explain the presence of several tainted ministers in our parliament, the meteoric rise of the UPA, the phasing out of other factions, the seemingly impossible futures of Orissa and Bihar, and the seemingly endless brawl over Kashmir - issues which plague us to this day. If we are really a democracy fulfilling some of the basic conditions listed above, we should have risen above all this long, long ago.

The fact that we have not, brings me to a conclusion that we have not instilled the ideals of democracy to perfection. That being said, we cannot call ourselves a perfect democracy. What ails us is what I propose to save for part two. I invite ideas - old and new :)

Dharana...Dhyana...Samadhi...Modernism's link to the past

There is a saying that history repeats itself. I have always believed this to be true. How true, is something I experienced for myself today. So here I am, at 9:11 PM ready to go to bed, but just thought I should put my thoughts on positive thinking on blogosphere before I hit the sack.

Modernism, as defined earlier means progress, progress and progress. It does not, however, mean innovation led progress. All progress need not arise from the new. It can be a respect for the old as well. That is why modernism is fantastic. It accommodates all, in all times and in all spheres.

One such beautiful technique is meditation. Though not religious, meditation helps one connect to the inner self, and this quintessential ode to spiritualism makes it an integral part of just about any religion.

I learnt to meditate today, and believe that is the best thing that can happen to anyone. For the benefit of anyone who happens to read my writings on this blog, let me just share my knowledge of meditation :

STEP 1 : Find a clean place
STEP 2 : Relax. In whatever pose you wish. If you want to stand, stand. If you want to sit, sit. If you want to stretch, stretch. If you want to itch, itch ! The whole objective is "to calm down".
STEP 3 : Close your eyes. Concentrate. Focus. Enjoy the darkness you behold.
STEP 4 : Breathe Deeply. This isn't something specifically mentioned anywhere, but I find it extremely useful in the "calming down" exercise.
STEP 5 : Let your thoughts drift. Do not and I mean do not stem your thoughts. The trick is to lose all your stress. It is like removing excess baggage from your shoulders. If for any reason, you feel that the exercise is not working well, open your eyes. Drink water and continue once again when you feel like it.
STEP 6 : Slowly open your eyes after 10 minutes. Enjoy the beautiful day that lies ahead. Enjoy the new you.

I have tried this and it really works. This is one of the simplest things we learnt long, long ago in the past, yet its relevance in modernism cannot be questioned. Meditation existed 500 years ago. It exists even today. It is one of the few bounties of the past that have been expertly woven into modernism.

Modernism is enlightenment. Enlightenment is modernism.

The First Singh of India

So India has finally broken the jinx of traditional votebank politics that almost always decide who comes to power. The mandate, unlike 2004 was emphatic. The fractured mandate of 2004 meant that the UPA had to come to power with the support of the left. But the mandate of 2009 was a clear majority for the incumbent government. Very good. Stability ensured. Appreciated.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about the mandate. I am both happy and sad. I am happy because the people voted in huge numbers, especially in J&K. And there was only one major issue that built this emphatic mandate - Economic Recession. The world suddenly seems to have only one priority - and that is to rid itself of this recession. People from all walks of life have jumped into the process, and are trying to correct systemic flaws and usher in new changes. So thankfully, we will not debate religion a lot over the next five years. This Government is led by a brilliant economist, and has a great team with him. So a lot is expected from this government - they have no other option but to perform and to perform well.

I feel sad too, because I am right wing. Enough Said.

If the last king of Scotland was a dictator par tolerance, the First Singh of India is a man who will be very keenly watched by the world over the next 5 years. Come to think of it, this may just work. In modernism, leadership knows no political affiliation too. Leadership is respected, irrespective of political dogma and view.

I am taking my second group exams for the CA course on the 8th, 10th and 12th of June and hope to resume writing full time from then....

Modernism is Success. Success is Modernism.

India decides...

With a passion for modernism, I cannot help writing about the manner in which Indian democracy has beautifully grown over the years. I was not fortunate enough to be born in the 50s or 60s or 70s, but from what I have heard, and from what I have experienced, and from what I see today....I can see the impact of modernism on Indian democracy. It's almost "in-your-face". The very vitality of the Indian electorate is a testimonial to modernism. I am not sure how many of us here in India are passionate about voting, or even about the general political scenario (be apolitical, but do you even know what being political means?), but the one thing that is above all opinion and theory, is the presence of a strong, heartfelt desire - the desire for change. In India, we want to take the next level.

Because we are tired of being called part of the third world. We are tired of being known as a developing nation. We would like to transcend all boundaries, and evolve into a developed nation. A nation that can compete with the best in the world. A nation that can set the right precedents, and lead by example. A nation, which can, by its success, prove to the world that resilience can indeed lead to fame and glory. Yes, there can be no better example of resilience than the Indian success story. Someday, it will materialize into the great Indian dream.

I closely watched the previous general elections in 2004. The India shining campaign led by the BJP, the then incumbent government, was not successful against the Congress' traditional "Aam Admi (Common Man)" campaign. The biggest issue for the BJP was development. Their campaign focused solely on how much India had grown over the past 5 years of their governance. India Shining was indeed a very impressive and a very glamorous campaign that was well worth its money. The rebuttal for this campaign was, of course, the accusation of non performance, the supposedly "stale" and "unwarranted" idiosyncrasies of the incumbent government, and the manner the Congress wanted to make India Shine. And of course, the eternal weapon (something I have never understood, by the way!) - Communalism Vs. Secularism. I refuse to write anything further on that issue because I am just too tired of writing something I do not believe in fundamentally! That debate is for the religious. I am not religious (though I am not Godless).

This campaign is focusing on two major issues : First, the issue of national security. We have been victims of terror strikes from our neighbour and other anti national forces for quite some time now. And our response, I must say here, has not been great enough to merit a strong support from the international community. We need to rise out of our shells, shed our timid nature and come out strongly. The BJP's manifesto is just that : Mazboot Neta, Nirnayak Sarkar (Strong leader, decisive Government). The 'strong' tag is for Mr. Advani, the PM-in-waiting. The 'decisive' tag, is for the fact that the incumbent Congress led government has not been able to take some of the tough decisions the BJP thinks it would have made, had it been in power. Hence the logo. But it goes beyond that, please! The BJP has made a lot of well researched promises that look very appealing to the average voter like me. Because, like it or not, we in India are put off by the slightest act of terrorism that puts development on the back burner. We hate that ! I think I wrote some time ago that we want to take the next level. So if there is one thing I really know about my fellow voters, it is the fact that all of us need a promise.....that no matter what happens, the next level will be taken.

So then again you have the mad rush of people at election rallies, the festive atmosphere that makes one feel that the kaleidoscope of the Golden bird has been condensed to a meeting, the frivolous acts of the ground level political neta who never ceases to violate the model code of conduct issued by the EC but doesn't care nonetheless, the promises, the cars, the "raths" (that reminds me, Mr. Advani has not undertaken a rath yatra during this election campaign) and the media. This mixture has such sheer proportions, that it vitiates any and every feeling of abjection the average voter might carry on his shoulders. The feeling automatically changes to that of hope and expectation. This is something so typical about Indian elections, that no other country can ever dream of replicating.

I understand that the BBC is travelling across our country to cover the Indian elections this year. We borrowed their system of governance, but we have added our own flavours to it that makes it look unique. Remember, we are atleast 10 times the size of Britain. If democracy can survive with such vitality here, it can survive with vitality in any corner of the world. Hats off to you India...you are a jewel!

Modernism is leadership. Leadership is modernism.

When the mind is willing but the flesh is weak...

Most of us interpret the phrase - The mind is willing but the flesh is weak - as an expression of innocuous weakness - something that is purely temporary, something like writer's block, or the loss of appetite. I disagree. As a disciple of modernism, I feel that the phrase is an expression of an evil rusting....oh yes, an evil decay that cannot be reversed. Why? Because lost time does not come back.

If your mind is willing, but the flesh is weak, you have lost focus my friend !

And focus once lost is lost for good. Even if it means the loss of that one moment, a moment that you could have channelized better and achieved something, miniscule nonetheless. That one moment, is a moment of great triumph for someone across the world. That one moment, is surely going to go down in history as a moment to be remembered...by someone across the world. No moment is worthless, and yes, conversely, every moment is priceless. Modernism's little lesson.

The world is yours, to you belongs this vast and boundless sky...only if you respect every moment of your life for the sheer pricelessness it carries with it, and only if you use that priceless nature to do something better for yourself. Live for the moment? No way! I say, live the moment!

May every moment of your life be a defining one, a revolutionary one.....a modern one.

Leadership

I am writing this while watching NDTV's Indian of the Year awards ceremony and have just heard Omar Abdullah make an acceptance speech for the GenNext Politician of the Year. And for the very, very first time in my life, I heard someone talk about Jammu & Kashmir with hope. That is a very important word in my dictionary. Hope. The word epitomizes the future, and bespeaks the arrival of opportunity and achievement.

Why should businessmen go to Davos for networking ? Why can't we have a Davos in India, right here in Gulmarg? The generation of my parents used to come to Kashmir to honeymoon and spent months in Houseboats on the Dal lake or in a hut in Pehelgaum. I want to see that back in Kashmir.

Be it honest desire or vain talk, it made me happy. Hope.

And it made me write on leadership. Omar Abdullah, atleast for that moment in time, was the perfect leader. Another "perfect" leader I have great regard for in India is the Chief Minister of Gujarat - Narendra Modi.

Leadership knows no age, nor is it limited by Rank.

Hal Krause wrote this timeless poem on leadership which shaped my respect for leadership as an Institution. When I look at Abdullah, I see a real life example of ageless leadership.

Leadership is an institution that transcends all worldly barriers, which is single most inspirational aspect.

As a nation that is supposed to grow phenomenally, we need equally phenomenal leadership. Most of us refuse to lead. I wouldn't be too upset with that if it were not for the fact that we refuse to be led as well. It's just that in India we refuse to be led. We choose to be individualistic for all the wrong reasons. I do not see why we should behave that way. Being led, according to me, is far more honourable than being bull headed.

How many of us think of politics as a career option today ? Maybe that is an esoteric question. It has been asked several times, without much success though. But I am tempted to ask it once again. I would definitely like to lead my country if I get a chance.

Modernism is Exodus. Exodus is Modernism.