India Direly Needs Democracy And Democratic Governance

Conditions prevailing in contemporary India, particularly related to its political and socioeconomic situation are far from encouraging, if not outright depressing. Open horse trading of elected representatives of people for formation of governments, blatant misuse of governmental power for partisan politics and pervasive corruption in the government at all levels make one think what kind of governance India has even after more than seven decades of declaring itself to be a democratic republic after having suffered almost two centuries of colonialism and exploitative governance. Poverty is still a stark reality of India. It is particularly intriguing since Indias struggle for freedom was waged under the inspiring leadership of Mahatma Gandhi who was motivated to join and lead it on seeing poverty and wretchedness prevailing in its numerous villages. His prescription of nonviolent non-cooperation with the colonial British government in India proved effective in making it quit India and grant its independence. He always advocated for democracy as a way of life and governance for free India and autonomous village governance would be the core of democratic India. Instead, India adopted in its Constitution essentially colonial system of governance under the veneer of parliamentary democracy and thus fell into the delusion of having democracy. The book examines all these aspects in their historical perspective and concludes that Indias governance still suffers from the virus of colonialism, i.e. exploitativeness in governance. Only democracy and democratic governance can deliver India out of the present deplorable situation and bring in its rightful prosperity commensurate with its excellent resources - natural, human as well as cultural.