Good governance: Citizens must assert our Scriptures and Constitution!

The economic development in post-colonial India has hardly been all-inclusive. No doubt, India has made a lot of progress but it has done little substantial to promote the well-being of the common people in the country.

One of the most striking features of Indian society is that the theme of 'good governance' - an administration for the multi-faceted development of each and every individual - has been part of its quintessential political tradition since time immemorial. It is well documented that the legendary King Rama practised simplicity in life and worked for the welfare of all his subjects. His consort Sita described him as the support of the poor and the oppressed (दीन दयाल बिरिदु संभारी).

A famous Rama commandment goes: "No one should be sad, no one should remain poor... All people, both men & women, should be equally happy." Lord Rama advised the future rulers to "think and act according to time, place and circumstances" (देश काल अवसर अनुहारी, बोले बचन बिनित बिचारी).

Lord Rama's commandments to the rulers' duties towards their citizens have continued to inspire the conscientious in India throughout history. The finer versions of almost all our ancient scriptures command rulers to work for people's welfare. In 'Shantiparva', the dying Bhishma tells Yudhisthir that in the protection of the people lies the justification of the State. He warns that the hunger of even one person in a kingdom renders the life of the king meaningless.

The Mahabharata emphasizes that non-violence is our highest dharma - 'ahimsa paramo dharmah, ahimsa paramo tapah'. At the same time, the State must protect the weak, the exploited, the helpless and the oppressed from the strong.

Kautilya says, "In the happiness of the people lies his (the king's) happiness and in their welfare, his welfare." He says that the total salary bill of the State should be capped at about one fourth of the revenue collected. Kautilya pitches for a legal system capable of protecting the poor from the tyranny of the powerful, including the State. (See: Murli Manohar Joshi, "Good Governance, Rajdharma", Power Politics, New Delhi, February 2018, pp 11-18).

In modern times, the Constitution of India preserves all the pro-people values of the Scriptures. It directs the government to ensure that there is an equitable distribution of national wealth and it fosters all-inclusive development. Our Constitution directs the government to see to it that there is no concentration of wealth in select hands.

One, however, finds the economic development in post-colonial India has hardly been all-inclusive. No doubt, India has made a lot of progress since former Prime Minister P.V. Narsimha Rao introduced major economic reforms. In a recent media interview, International Monetary Fund's Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva predicted that India was likely to retain a high growth rate of 6.8 percent in the current year and contribute around 15 percent of the global growth. But this progress has done little substantial to promote the well-being of the common people in the country.

Authentic studies reveal that certain groups - within the government as well as the private sector - have over the years come to manipulate the system and amass disproportionate assets. Our national scene is still one of massive poverty, illiteracy and squalor. Income inequality has risen astronomically across the country. Just one percent of earners garners as much as 73 percent of the total wealth generated in the country. Over 833 million Indians are living in rural areas in the country. Opportunities for their proper education, health care, environment and employment are woefully inadequate.

Over 45 percent of our child mortality is due to hunger or under-nutrition. Over 600 million people in the country face high to extreme water stress today. Over 2,00,000 people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water. In the 2022 Global Hunger Index, India ranked 107th. In the 2022 Global Gender Gap Report, India ranked 135 out of 146.

Observers say that one of the main reasons for this state of affairs in our country is that too many corrupt, criminal, casteist and communal elements have penetrated into almost all political parties in the country. They have had the least commitment to our scriptural and constitutional values. Most of them just sell some big dreams to the people at the time of election. In practice, they have remained undemocratic and feudal. To them, their own economic prosperity comes first. As a result of the presence of such elements in our politics and governance, our State has found it hard to adequately advance in the spirit of India's ideal version of democracy for all-inclusive human development and happiness.

This predicament demands that our citizens come forward and assert the finer values of our Scriptures and Constitution. They must take steps to get rid of the corrupt and criminal elements present in our system. The citizens could exercise their right to franchise in accordance with our constitutional values. They could elect only such persons to power as would make the law to checkmate the corrupt from entering politics and government. Under the present law, a convicted politician is disqualified for contesting elections only for six years after their release from prison. This must change to purge the convicted out of the system for ever.

The observers recall what architect of our Constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had warned us against, long time back. Ambedkar said, "The Constitution can provide only the organs of State such as the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. The factors on which the working of those organs of the State depends are the people and the political parties they will set up as their instruments to carry out their wishes and their politics."

The observers warn against expecting much from our current legal system in this regard. They say it has, by and large, been elitist in its functioning. A few years ago, our Supreme Court asked the Centre to establish special courts to try politicians facing criminal cases. The court directed that all cases against allegedly criminal politicians be disposed of within one year. But it has hardly cared to monitor the compliance of its directive.

(Jagdish N. Singh is a senior journalist based in New Delhi. He is also Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, New York)

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