Lessons after Independence

Dr. Satyavan Saurabh *

The most important lesson after independence is that to make India develop, we need to work with full honesty and dedication in five major areas. These include agriculture and food processing, education and health security, information and communication technology, reliable electronic power, and self-reliance in critical technology. These five areas are not only interconnected but also impact each other. Therefore, there should be better coordination among them. This is also very important for the country's economic and national security. Along with this, we should also have a positive thinking that we can bring good change in our country only by inventing something new because only science and technology can bring human welfare, peace, and prosperity.

India took small steps to become one of the largest democracies in the world, overcoming many challenges to achieve global recognition. India has come a long way since independence, avoiding many right and wrong decisions, and leaving behind many landmarks that define its journey from the agony of Partition to a strong, powerful, and developing nation.

In recent decades, India has been gradually rising in the international space and its global influence as a major world power has also started to be seen. India has also reached great heights in its emergence as a formidable power in the last four decades. This has led to a shift in the center of global economic power from Europe and North America to Asia.

Despite being an emerging power, India is often mired in ideological confusion. This is the reason why there is a gap between the country's bright future and reality. Though India has met the key points in the process of becoming a superpower, it is hampered by domestic issues in the broader international context.

However, many of India's leaders failed to carry forward the momentum and avoid socio-political crises, this too was a matter of a lack of political will and commitment. Because of the diversity in India, it is difficult to come by somewhere. However, attempts to impose a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) i.e. a uniform civil code in Article 44 faced resistance from conservative sections who claimed that it would lead to communal disharmony.

Language changes in India every kilometer like water. Hence, bringing in Hindi as the only official language was difficult and witnessed violence and heated debates such as the Tamil Nadu anti-Hindi agitation in 1965. Population Control Bill of 2019, which was withdrawn in 2022. The two-child policy has been introduced in the Parliament 35 times since Independence. These drafts were heavily criticized by the general public.

Agricultural economists and other stakeholders have been advocating agricultural market reforms for decades. This made the government hesitant about pushing the three major agricultural reform laws that were repealed again in stealth mode to avoid a crisis. Rules on the Labour Code have been deferred to date. The code will result in lower take-home pay and easier layoffs. Undoubtedly, the government will have to tread the path of reform very carefully.

The first step in the success of democracy is to make voting compulsory, as has been done in at least 30 democracies, which has increased the voter turnout to over 90 percent. Currently, India has a low voter turnout. The blatant misuse of Section 124A of the IPC is a travesty but most political parties do not want this provision of law to be removed.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act should be used to mobilize state armed police and central paramilitary police. There is a strong case for removing the Act to move armed forces from civilian areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast near the international border to deal with infiltration, mercenaries, terrorists, and militants.

Given political interference and inadequacy in the police investigation, the time has come for India to make a structural change from the accusatory system prevalent in Europe since colonial times to the inquisitorial system. Justice V.S. Malimath has also suggested this in his report on the Reform of the Criminal Justice System.

India is still undecided on genetically engineered or genetically modified organism (GM) crops for GM food crops. Political will is lacking to adopt and implement a modern agricultural policy framework including biotechnology to address the food security concerns of the country. The political establishment has shielded itself from the political activist movement.

Despite socio-political unrest in India, many tough decisions were taken by the leaders such as the political will of the leaders during the 1991 reforms must be remembered. We appreciate the leadership that saved India from “falling off the cliff” and managed the reforms under the compulsion of the fund and bank with an imminent balance of payments crisis.

The Green Revolution in India in the 1960s saw an increase in food grain production with the development of high-yielding varieties of wheat and pulses. The 1976 mass sterilization campaign was launched by Sanjay Gandhi and about 6.2 million men were sterilized in a year, with about 2000 dying due to the surgery. 1990 The whole country went into a state of protest against the VP Singh government's decision to give reservations in government jobs to some castes based on birth.

The Green Revolution in India in the 1960s saw an increase in food grain production with the development of high-yielding varieties of wheat and pulses. 1976 Mass sterilization campaign was launched by Sanjay Gandhi and about 6.2 million men were sterilized in a year, with about 2000 dying due to the surgery.

1990 The entire country was in the grip of protests against the VP Singh government's decision to give government jobs based on birth reservation to certain castes, despite which the decision continued. India conducted nuclear bomb tests in Pokhran in 1998, taking a tough decision under global pressure to disarmament with the codename "Operation Shakti". This made India a full-fledged nuclear nation.

In 2016, the government announced the demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Many farmers, traders, and youth were all agitating but it was pushed through as a move against black money Goods and Services Tax: It was a consequential tax after subsuming major central and state taxes. Solving the Kashmir puzzle Abrogation of Article 370 for full integration of the state was long overdue and should have been done years ago to set the record straight on the status of Jammu and Kashmir.

The most important lesson after independence is that the process of reforms has to be more consultative, more transparent, and better communicated to the potential beneficiaries. It is this inclusiveness that is at the heart of India's democratic functioning. Given the argumentative nature of our society, reforms take time and humility to implement. But doing so ensures that everyone wins.

To make India develop, we need to work with full honesty and dedication in five key areas. These include agriculture and food processing, education and health security, information and communication technology, reliable electronic power, and self-reliance in critical technology. These five areas are not only interconnected but also impact each other. Therefore, there should be better harmony among them.

This is also very important for the country's economic and national security. Along with this, we should also have this positive thinking that we can bring good change in our country only by inventing something new because only science and technology can bring human welfare, peace, and prosperity.

Even the smallest corruption has a direct impact on the public. India has started talking about realizing the dream of a corruption-free India. India, which was once interested in films and sports, now wants to become a corruption-free country. Even today, there are many places in India where girls are not allowed to study just because they are girls.

It would not be wrong to say that every citizen of this country is not independent. If the country has to move forward, then gender discrimination will have to be eliminated. Today's India is troubled by big crimes like murder, rape as well as many small crimes. Somewhere unemployment is also a big reason behind these crimes, but by changing the thinking and providing employment, crime can be controlled.

The country is not as Hindu-Muslim as it appears on social media. Today's India is not going to be influenced by anyone. In the changing India, people have made decisions based on their discretion and given priority to the country.

No country can progress without literacy. In such a situation, only when everyone is educated, can we get freedom from all problems. Along with literacy, the growing unemployment in the country gives the youth a feeling of slavery, when will they be free from this? We have to think.