There are four major challenges in front of the country right now:
1. Agricultural. During the last two decades, more than three lakh farmers have committed suicide. Why? Everyone knows that agriculture and industry are the backbones of any society’s development. Independent India has given great importance to both, but during the last two decades, due to the Opening Up policy of the government, agriculture has been pushed into the background in favour of the industrial tycoons to build up their private empires. Meanwhile, farmers have sunk deeper and deeper into debt. While both the central and state governments have given lip-service for relieving the farmers from their debt traps, in practice very little has been done. So, the only option for the affected people is suicide. This challenge needs urgent attention.
2. Democratic: These days two simple questions are being asked by thinking people everywhere: a) Do we really have a democracy? b) If so, who benefits from our democracy?
Responding to these questions, it can be said : Our democracy has become a Functioning Anarchy. Maximum benefits from this democracy have been harvested by notorious tycoons like Vijay Mallaya, Nirav Modi, the Adanis and Ambanis etc. Who will make them more responsible for the country? Among our newly elected law-makers in the Parliament 43 % are criminals!! What kind of law will they make and for whom? Such questions will remain ‘blowing in the wind’ for ever, if our new generation of people, under the age of 30, are not prepared to Rebel Against the Existing System. “Educate, organise, agitate” is the answer already at our disposal.
3. Cultural: Our competitive traders of spirituality, religiosity, karma and moksha etc. are never tired of trumpeting about our Great Cultural Heritage. But no one questions seriously about the fact: Why Are We Indians Perpetually Living In Mental Slavery? Like for example our slavery to the English language.
4. Technological: Of course, science and technology are most important necessity for the advance of human culture and civilization, if we are prepared and capable of utilizing them in the interest of all, rationally and humanistically. This is not happening in India. Instead of promoting and allowing our own inherent youthful talent to the maximum, we are allowing foreign high-tech empires to establish their shops and capture the enormous market available to them. When our Prime Minister called for “Make in India”, and a few days later the then Governor of RBI added to the slogan by saying: “Make for India”, why did not a single leader or thinker come forward to add: “Make by Indians”?
While we are waiting for another Gandhi to appear on the scene, global manufacturers of Mobile Phones are enjoying their maximum harvest from the vast human market called India. Yet, we will continue to chant on the 15th of August : “Mera Bharat Mahan”.
(E.P. Menon is an eminent Gandhian activist.)
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