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Idea of India@Crossroads: Road ahead

By Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury. Dated: 8/15/2019 10:37:14 PM

As India celebrates the 72nd anniversary of Indian independence and the first full majority government of BJP has entered into the second five years in power, many are debating today on whether India should reinvent its idea in economy and socio-politics in totality or merely rediscover itself or go for restructuring. The context now with abrogation of Article 370 on one hand, and looming economic recession on the other, the discussion has multiple dimensions today.
The Right Wing 'Reinvent, Recreate' Lobby:
The Reinvent Lobby believes that the great ancient Indian culture "has been shackled for 250 years now, 180 years by colonialism and 70 years by agents of colonialism." Hence, recreating is reclaiming. Indian economy which was 27% of the global economy in the 18th century became 3% in 1950s. Though today it is even lesser.
The Macaulay's education policy of 1835 imposed English education and permanently infused inferiority among common Indians with regards to English language, taken forward in the Nehruvian era after 1947. This has led to subservience to the West, rise of a poverty-mongering Idea of India, and an inward looking socialism today, which has produced more poor rather than solving poverty, is the Right Wing stand.
The Reinvent Recreate Lobby also believes that Indians do not look at themselves as they should. Universal Spiritualism and Brotherhood were embodied in Indian philosophy through Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (Whole World is My Family). Kalidasa is comparable to Shakespeare, but not recognized. The Indian civilization ideas are even reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations today but we are neither aware nor proud of the same.
Foreign recognition was important for getting some stature after the independence, not anymore. By 2050, even Price Water Coopers predicts that India will be the second largest economy with $46 trillion, ahead of USA, and behind China. So why live in denial? Though this looks far-fetched with the Indian economy currently less than even $3 trillion.
The reinvent & recreate lobby also opines that for everything that is true in India, the opposite is also true. "Why should there be one Idea of India? Why singular? Constitution is a rule book about how we conduct our lives, and it can change with change of time. Did India begin in 1947? And did the idea of India start only then, run by one family, written in one book, and fathered by Gandhi?" they ask.
The pro Nehruvian 'Rediscover' Lobby:
The Rediscover Lobby, decidedly of the Nehruvian apologists, are in turn questioning the much-touted New India paradigm of the Right Wing, noting that it has seen heightening of social disharmony, majoritarian dominance, cow vigilantism, fall of scientific temper, and worsening of the position of women. This lobby wants a return to Nehruvian idealism, protection of Ambedkar's Constitution, and a rainbow coalition of many castes and communities (and, perhaps political parties too) to rule India.
India with the vision of the founding fathers of Indian constitution, is still surviving, while Pakistan is virtually falling apart. Even after 101 amendments, the Indian Constitution is still the beacon of Indian polity since it has handled diverse social contradictions, and ensured the rule of law, separation of power, independence of judiciary, a socialistic republic and a strong Union in a federal polity: all of which, according to this lobby, are under threat in the right wing vision of New India.
They say that the constitution survived sub-national aspirations and regional demands. And Nehru's Discovery of India is deeply spiritual, and he got our culture married to modern governance through the constitution, and ensured growth of science and scientific temper, which is now under threat as seen by Central ministers questioning Darwin's theory and saying that Internet existed in Vedic age or that Ganesha went through a plastic surgery for his trunk.
A section of the rediscovery lobby also says that the Western thinking is linear, ours is cyclical, not straight, with multiple views converging. And, hence reinforcing the idea of India is not necessarily the same of the past. Invasions in India, by whoever in last 800 years, have led to a cultural mix and assimilation to make India diverse and richer. It is this cultural parallelism that exists at the core of the existing Idea of India, and a centralized rightist narrative cannot be imposed on it.
Historians among the rediscovery lobby points out that in 1923, the Hindutva focused idea of India presented by Savarkar was rejected for a syncretic vision of Nehru. Savarkar's ideas of Pitrabhoomi and Punyabhoomi, in effect accepting the two nation theory of Jinnah, put forth later in 1942, had also been rejected by the people in favour of multi-cultural Hindustan. Founding fathers of India of today called for opening of windows and doors of our houses, but not to be blown off our feet.
The Third Path: Re-structuring & Evolving Idea of India:
India, with the second largest Muslim population of the world, cannot be a Hindu Rashtra for sure. Also, India, with a high GDP growth, though reduced in the last two years, cannot also play second fiddle to the Western economies. India, with 56% of population below 25 years of age and 67% below 35 years, is surely a major work force of the future talent pool of the world.
Hence, evolution of the Idea of India to the next pro-poor phase is needed surely, taking development to the grassroots, building upon self-reliance, national role models, strengthening the conversation with our tradition, and honouring diversity in every walk of life. The re-structured or evolved Idea of India needs to ensure strict secularism where the State has no role to play in religious matters (which are best left to individuals), and all religious conflicts should be seen only as law and order problems. Further, even any form of appeasement to a minority or a majority is also to be avoided in the new Idea of India.
This re-structured Idea of India ahead must ensure better economic life of the marginalized people, through Minimum Support Prices for farm produce as per the MS Swaminathan Report, executing forest and tribal protection acts, and executing women's protection through implementation of the Nirbhaya Act in letter and spirt, minimum wages and days of work protection, and rural health protection acts, et al. The new India cannot be at the cost of the poor as seen in recent dispossession of the lands of a million tribal Indians, nor at the cost of the Navratnas and other government initiatives as seen in declining fortunes of Air India, BSNL, LIC, Indian Railways, HAL, government banks, etc. It cannot be built on the misery of one-third of Indians who live in extreme penury and joblessness. Today we face worst job-situation in almost half a century as per government's original recent data.
While abrogation of Article 370 has the argument of one nation, one flag, one law, but no law can be changed without any involvement of people for whom it is altered and at a gunpoint. And more so, if a state like Kashmir is brought down to a lowly Union Territory status from a special state, while different levels of special status exist for 9 other states in India on the borders. Changes have to be uniform and evolutionary to be accepted without violence.
Neither ultra-nationalism of the Hindutva variety, nor eulogy of rule by one family through appeasement: the Idea of India needs an evolution to a re-structured identity which blends aspiration of the privileged with dignified life of the under-privileged, irrespective of community, caste or gender. Whether under one party rule or multi-party coalition, India needs a programme of progress and sustainability, neither a powerful arrogant leader nor a group squabbling regional leaders. It can only come from a left of the centre India, sensitive to the destitute, indifferent to personal religious or food or marital practices, and progressive enough to focus on health, education, jobs, housing and infra-structure.
The author is a noted media academic and columnist, and is currently the Pro Vice Chancellor of Kolkata based Adamas University.