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| Ramachandra Guha, leading historian and author of the bestseller "India After Gandhi" |
1. Left wing political extremism: Maoist insurgency in heart of India
Maoists are attempting to create a one party communist dictatorship. At the root of it is the dispossession of India’s tribal people. Tribals are excluded from the formal democratic process. They are the ones who have gained least and lost most from 6 decades of India’s development and progress. This economic deprivation has given impetus to them to join hands with the Maoists.
2. The challenge of right wing religious fundamentalism. Visible tendency towards fundamental assertion especially in Indian faith communities esp. Hindus
There was no discrimination on the basis of faith in the formative years of India’s democratic experiment. But within each of India’s religious faiths there is a tussle between liberal and intolerant fundamental forces. In most other developed nations religious practice is a private matter. But religious practices in India have sped up into the political domain.
3. Decline of political centre and conversion of political parties into family firms (nepotism)
Congress party was an extraordinary institution from the late 19th Century to the first decade of the 20th century. It united a diverse disparate population. For most of its history, the Congress was run in a way a modern political party should be run- as an open secular institution.
But Indira Gandhi in the late 1960s converted Congress to a family firm. Naturally other political parties were given the incentive to do the same. For example in TN, one of the major parties is the DMK. This was a social democratic party with a tradition of emphasis on social welfare and gender equality. It is the party responsible for mid-day meal programme for school children especially girls. But now the DMK exists so that Karunanidhi will pass on his mantle to his son Stalin.
Move to the North, the state of Punjab which is dominated by a party called the Akali Dal. It started out as a progressive reformist party of the Sikhs. It arose in the 1920s as a challenge to a corrupt and decadent clergy, which then controlled the Sikh Gurudwaras and Sikh faith. So it is a party with an honourable tradition of democratic affirmation. The Akali Dal today is controlled by a single family called the Badals.
4. Corruption and corrosion of Public institutions
Public appointments are increasingly decided on the basis of kinship, nepotism and sychophancism. There is a visible decline in capability, efficiency integrity and honesty of public institutions. Largely because modern institutions which need to run on impersonal principles have become captive to kinship, family, caste and religion.
5. Growing gap between rich and the poor
Equality of result is a utopian fantasy but the democracy should at least strive to equality of opportunity.
6. Rapid pace of environmental degradation
Another problem which the “market” can’t solve is that of the environment. Regardless of India’s position in the global front India needs to look at India’s own environment. Our rivers are dead. Our cities are among the most polluted. There is a massive depletion of groundwater aquifers.
7. Apathy of media
While we do have an active and free press. There is Worship of glamour and celebrity. For instance more people will cover a beauty contest than agrarian distress.
8. Political fragmentation and policy incoherence it gives rise to
India is too diverse is to run on the two party European model. So it is no surprise that there are 18-20 parties in the ruling coalition. But India can’t have good long term robust policies nor have a government free from corruption. The magic number of 272 in the Lok Sabha is crossed by major parties after they go shopping for the numbers. Multi party coalitions in India have led to political fragmentation as well as intensification of corruption.
9. Disturbances in North and North east i.e. Kashmir and North East
Insurgency exists in parts of India, which seemingly do not want to be part of India.
10. An unstable neighborhood i.e. Pakistan and China
Tensions have existed for many years with these nations bordering us.
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