‘NARA‘ : Roar of Lion or Groans of Poor?
By-Pamarty Venkataramana
‘India that is Bharat’ – begins the original text of the Constitution of India. This is the ‘National Ambition’ all the countrymen should strive towards. To help knit all regions and remote corners of the vast land into one wholesome Nation. But a country which has a federal structure of governance cannot expect to achieve this ambition unless the basic civil code is common for all its citizens. This is both fundamental as well as germane to attainment of such a laudable goal.
The ‘National Ambition’ of justice of all forms, be it political, social or economic can only be reached if the Constitution is utilised to weave the spirit of nationhood via uniform set of laws and rules equally applicable to all sections of the society even if their long dead and gone ancestors were ill treated and exploited by the rulers and administrators of those centuries.
The only identity ought to be of ‘being an Indian’ and no longer must parochial elements be encouraged in the guise of ‘unity in diversity’ or ‘Centre-State ties’. To this end, there appears a need to revisit the subject-matters listed under the ‘State List,’ Central List’ and the ‘Concurrent List’ of the Schedule to Constitution of India. Secondary laws can be accordingly amended in order to align with such an updated status of ‘good national governance’.
‘ Regional Aspirations ‘ is as hypocritical as the phrase ‘ National Ambition ‘. As contrarian as the populist phraseology seeming to lead the road-map for admittedly novice bandwagons of our times.
Why so? How come the gospel is being questioned?
The self-explanation details the valid reasons.
Regional satraps had ambitions of ruling the whole Nation. They aspired to gang up as one grand alliance and man the country. One of the key actors of that ambitious exercise in the just concluded festival of general elections aspired to become the Prime Minister and his surname matches this acronym of ‘NARA’ . Weird, isn’t it? No mere coincidence that though…!!
Slighting one another and castigating dead politicians has assumed a brand of campaigning in its own dubious right of late. But,that is besides the point in the topic of our discussion.
How can ‘regional aspirations’ be allowed to exist when you have the overwhelming objective of ‘National Ambition’ ?
You are only widening the gap and driving a wedge between policies as you tug these twin phrases along as the slogan to steer the ‘team work’ for the duration of next five long, uncertain years. This only results in ‘conflict of interest’ and further compounds both chaos as well as the multifarious complications encountered In adjusting the fault-lines of governance under an antiquated law-web, in hands of under qualified and often differently-equipped bureaucrat-class of servants of the Government.
The politicians and the Union Cabinet primarily are accountable jointly to the electorate. However, bureaucracy remains anonymous and non-accountable to General Public. Often times, the Ministers do not possess command over the subjects of their assigned departments and hence become subservient as oafs ought to (in hands of minions of the Constitution). This is the anomaly which exposes chinks in armour of every elected Government.
As such and having due regard also to the increased use of technology by giant lands as China (where army comprises more of older age group of soldiers and officers), it becomes paramount on part of Indian dispensation to design systems, formulate policies and through a wizardry of legal – engineering , to ensure that only the Nation remains as one wholesome, composite body of population and that citizens are no more sub-divided as belonging to a particular caste, religion or tribe. Instead, uniformity and equality of the law as well of all laws must become the binding force of all Indians. This ought to be the ‘National Ambition’ to include all ‘regional aspirations’. These cannot be and must not any more be segregated as being twin-agenda of the Nationalist Government. If the BJP does succumb to this shallow slogan, it shall but fall flat on all fours as did it’s predecessor in power-the Congress party.
In the end, it shall be wise to declare that only a two national parties system of electoral contests would help attain the respective regional aspirations of States comprising the Nation and successfully attain the aim of ‘National Ambition’ of peaceful coexistence with plentiful or equitable distribution of all resources/necessities of life to each and every one of the one and half billion strong Nation!
Ego of a leadership ought not to derail
the golden opportunity the People of India have given unto themselves for upliftment of lot of the needy,helpless and of the industrious populace.
It would also help spell out what constitutes the ‘National Ambition ‘ of India. Clear thinking and corrective actions alone will help translate grand Speeches or catchy slogans to fetch real
Dividends for all the ‘Peoples Aspirations ‘ and ‘Leaders Ambitions’.
Jai Hind 🇮🇳 🙏
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