Indisciplined Democracy: need for the right dose

   Nikhil Mohan Gupta                                                                                                              

    India is the world's largest democracy. But it seems that the word 'democracy' is limited to the elections only. In a democracy, the citizens elect their representatives for the Parliament, but the discipline--the self-control which is needed to run the world's largest democracy, is nowhere to be seen. The works, the major projects initiated by the government are good news for patriotic citizens. But to even correctly think, what is going on behind the curtains has become a big irony for them.

    Firstly, I would like to elucidate the meaning of indisciplined democracy as comprehended by a fifteen-year old Indian. First of all, discipline in democracy means that the government running as well as all the government servants should have some code of conduct, some self-control in themselves. They should have some order in the offices to work. The offices and the appointments should be tight in order to develop a feeling of working hard -  firm determination to cement their place in the offices. But in reality, the rope for these servants has been held too lose, leading to corruption. Not doing all this leads to indisciplined democracy. Our politicians and bureaucrats have not learnt any lessons from the past scams and scandals. The offenders have always gone scot-free without any punishment because of various legal lacunae. Resultantly, corruption has been flourishing at all levels. Bribes are given and taken openly without any check. Corruption stands almost legalized in our country and this is the major cause of the poverty and illiteracy of the masses. Why this lack of seriousness? Why this lack of understanding? This is what is indisciplined democracy.

    India became independent from British Raj about fifty-three years ago. At that time, it was hoped that India would cultivate into an economic-aggressive country and some good governance to a clean and progressive democracy. Before independence, each Indian had a heart-breaking feeling to die for the country, do anything for the benefit of our country. Even after these fifty-three years of independence, an independent democracy, the feeling has not much changed but just that feeling of giving, the urge to give, to bow to the holiness of the country, to fight for our independence without caring for our lives has been changed to taking, to grip money in exchange for the security, secularism, socialism, nationalism and all other features which have been associated with India for the past 53 years. But due to this change in feelings, India has nurtured into an indisciplined democracy. It is a major insult, a disgrace to our freedom-fighters who donated their blood, their everything for our independence. Corruption has reached the deepest of hearts in our political leaders in such a manner that a common Indian has forgotten the word 'democracy's' real meaning. Democracy is a rule for the people, by the people and of the people.

    Our judicial system is the first thing to be blamed for making this shameful (read barbaric) act of corruption. No discipline can be found in the system. The people whose cases are pending for 20 years, are prone to pay bribe to the government officials so that their cases may be sped up. This increases the vulnerability of the officials and they too become prone to such indisciplined acts of corruption and bribery. But the latest revelation, the sensational reveal by Tehelka and the Supreme Court's decision not to probe into this Tehelka case (on being asked by the government to probe into Tehelka issue), has shown that Indian judiciary does not get influenced by anything and gives decisions in favour of the party in power  -- the government. This decision has really shown that there is a complete separation of executive and judicial powers in the world's largest democracy.

    Every government have their own promises to be fulfilled, their own kartavya (duty), which our ministers should fulfill in a disciplined manner. As a result, the word democracy's real meaning comes forth. But for a typical Indian to even think of such an administration has become a distant dream. For the past five-seven years, there has total instability in the Indian politics. The government which have been formed are coalition-governments, where one cannot be imagined to fulfill his duties towards the citizens. An indisciplined democratic government has become a convention of late and a disciplined government to work towards the betterment of India is not in the 'Dictionary' of our present-day politicians. This system has to be changed - it needs to be given a dose of right medicine, otherwise this indisciplined democracy - this infinite corruption in this generation would lead India to dumps, it would change the direction of India's growth.

    Due to this indisciplined democracy, India's internal as well as external security has come into sharp focus and has threatened India's security by large. The middlemen who arrange the defence deals want money; want riches, without caring for the security of the nation. Such deals involving middlemen should be done away with.  Our system is also to be blamed. The politicians who are caught in such acts of corruption exploit our weak system in such a manner that they get away with them. Let's suppose that a person is even thrown out for his corrupt practices but do we know that the next person who is appointed is honest or not? He may be double more corrupt!! This also doesn't lead to any cleansing of the system. 

    Our laws and acts should be so oriented that they project towards a cleaner and more transparent governance. I hope the present-day modern technology with internet would make the governance transparent leading to a clean system. These days there is no area left, I suppose which has not been affected by this fatal virus - CORRUPTION . I hope that every Indian has a patriotic feeling for India and would together lead India to the ultimate goal of making India, the nation once it was long ago. 

    Every crime that goes unpunished spawns two more. This doubling of figures has already gone far enough, hasn't it?

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