How much democratic is Indian Democracy?
Our democracy is the largest in the world. The Large number of electorate has helped it earn this distinction.
* * So point number 1-it's fully democratic as far as the number of electorates is any criteria for measurement.
Unlike many parts of the world where power transfer is accompanied with great violence; in our country the changeover is peaceful, giving full honour to the people's wishes reflected at the polls.
* *So point no.2- There is no transitional unrest or upheaval to say the least.
If a peaceful transition of political power is recognised as an indicator one can safely conclude that our democracy is fully democratic.
The Constitution has been structured in such a way that military power is subsumed in civil authority whose supremacy is out of question. Any aspirations for military ascendancy is constitutionally out of the question.
* * So point number 3- For a democracy to flourish let alone survive in any or all the world over it's necessary that military power is kept always subordinated to the civil rule.
On this count also ours is fully democratic.
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But that being so is our democracy truly democratic?
Being fully democratic is not an indication of being truly democratic.
It all depends how much the democratic institutions and practices are respected by the governed and the governor.
We seem to do precious little;rather belittle democracy and its institutions.
(a) We have shown the tendency to weaken parliament veritably referred to as a shrine of democracy under the garb of democratic practice at the road.We have shown our love for playing anarchy by taking refuge in democratic practices of dharna, protests. We do not seem to heed to not only the government but also the judiciary also.
There appears to be an environment being consciously built by some anti-democratic forces. Being a non-conformist & anti- government to the verge of an anarchist is cheered by a one half of a section of the people and media including the so called social one.
(b) the reverse is also not untrue. The other half of that section is doing just the opposite with the help of the social media.
The macabre of this social media is minacing.This use of Social media is doing more damage than it can hold people of different religions together.
Unrestrained as this media is as of now, these people are doing great damage to democracy. Less said the better.
We seem to practice jingoism in the name of nationalism.
(c) ordinance route of legislation has become a new normal.
(d) democracy,in its new version; though not recognised formally but practised essentially, is all that justifies lust for position,power,money which is ludicrously evident in various ways and forms in all the organs of the state.
(e) leaders and parties make or break alliance purely for the sake of personal gain while vouchsafing their action having taken for the welfare of the caste they claim to represent.
The list would be endlessly numerous if all our failings are recounted.
Issues like unity and integrity, environment, corruption,law and order, gender inequality, prohibition,employment generation fail more or less to attract us.
Political parties seeing what is written on the wall don't have compunction to throw 80/20 or 85/15 as dice of their choice; the popular meaning of such mathematics is not beyond comprehension.
The irony is- be it political parties or the people we have been led to suppose that it's only the election commission for which democracy and democratic practices should be a matter of concern.
For now our rights and duties is to reap the benefits only.Practically we are an obligation free people with little responsibility notwithstanding the fundamental duties enshrined in our constitution.
After all, they are non-justiciable!
R.R.Prabhakar.
16.01.2022.
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