The Face of New India

“At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom”

-          Jawaharlal Nehru

The first Prime Minister of India and one of the most charismatic leaders of India spoke these words on the midnight of 14^th August 1947 to India’s constituent assembly. Our leaders of that time had dreamed of an India which would rise as a new star rises, as the star of freedom in the East. Our country had just started embracing ideas of democracy, economic growth, liberation, independence, equality and secularism.  India’s one billion people have descended from a variety of races which made the process of uniting the country a huge challenge.

Since time immemorial, the colourful mosaic culture which is deeply embedded in the rich historical elements of the country has defined India. This is the land where Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism were born, whose epics such as the ‘Ramayana’ and the ‘Mahabharata’ introduced the world to the concept of ‘Art of War’ and the concept of tolerance was given a new meaning through Gandhi’s principle of Ahimsa or Satyagraha.  This is probably the only country in the world where a Sikh is Prime Minister and a Catholic Italian woman is the head of the ruling party, where the President is a woman, succeeding a Muslim President.

However, in the last two decades, India has seen a plethora of change. If the women of this country had shed their purdah, broken the four walls of their homes to venture outside, enjoyed their lives and earned a livelihood for their families; a lot of crimes have also been justified in the name of ‘saving the culture and tradition of India’. Many parts of this country saw rising Hindu extremism and violent assaults by them on women who were out late at night, driving or dressed in a certain way. It seems like our country is gradually moving towards ‘talibanization of India’ with Hindu extremist groups targeting the very emblems of globalization. This phenomenon is not just seen in small towns and villages but even metropolitan cities like Bangalore which is home to an explosion of software companies, heavy metal rock music and various environmental as well as gay-rights movements-

“40 men wearing saffron-colored headbands -- barged into a pub called Amnesia in the southern city of Mangalore as television cameras rolled. They pulled down the skirts of several young female patrons in an effort to embarrass them and kicked others, accusing them of being prostitutes. Since the stunt, which was billed by the group as an effort to "preserve Indian culture," nearly a dozen cases of attacks on women have been reported in Bangalore.”

-          Chicago Tribune (May 2009)

The freedom struggle in India had also given birth to a number of ideologies and issues which were all accommodated under the umbrella of a vast and diverse political system.  Our political leaders have come a long way from the time of Rash Behari Ghosh, Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal to alter the political system in a way that caste and communal considerations rule over ideologies. A system ridden with corruption and crime, the dirty politics of India have pushed a number of young people to the edge, with a burning desire to make a difference and determine the course of the country in future.

Moreover, in a world economy as troubled as todays, a little dip in India’s growth rate to 5.3% is hardly important. The near double-digit pace of growth that India enjoyed in 2005-08, if sustained, would have pulled millions of Indians out of poverty. Jobs would have been created leading to a subsequent growth in all sectors. But, after the drying up of Gross Development Product (GDP) figures, private investments and a drop in the currency, this seems like a dream for the next century.

Raja Ram Mohun Roy had envisioned a modern India- both intellectually and spiritually. The ‘Father of Indian Renaissance’ had headed the movement which sought to re-establish the glory of the Indian culture. In the 1800s, he had condemned orthodox practices like sati as well as untouchability and supported the education and liberation of women.

However, today, in the backdrop of rapes, crimes, human rights violations, corruption, price rise, politics, poverty, and violence- this miracle seems like a mirage.