This is the noteworthy thing about India. Even when the government does not live up to its promise, individuals leave their mark, and the lustre is passed on to the collective. It is comforting to reflect on this today as we enter the 69th year of our Independence, for the spirit we recall speaks to our sense of enterprise, even our forbearance, and of course of our very ability to not be swayed by extremes. Taken together these make for optimism, which is essential to propel our young population forward.
Our farmers have worked in adverse weather conditions this past year and have still returned a surplus without serious new policy support. The industrial worker and the industrialist have partnered one another to keep their heads above water although official promises haven’t materialised and the working class is apprehensive of discriminations. Our armed forces operate in an adverse environment with two of our neighbours coordinating to keep us off balance. They are short of equipment and personnel.
And yet they have done us proud. Scientists have earned laurels, especially in space and related fields. In the area of technology and business, many who gained at least a part of their higher education in India before marking their contributions elsewhere have come to head giant international corporations and earned renown in the past year. Social equilibrium has been preserved, sometimes in trying circumstances, as religious fanatics have sought to press perceived favourable circumstances in the year gone by.
The minority communities have on occasion been disheartened as a result, but have kept their nerve and, above all, their faith in India’s democratic institutions, and have given short shrift to provocations. It is this feature of life in India that makes it stand out in the world as a populous, complex, and very diverse country that doesn’t let go of democracy. The PM’s high-profile foreign visits are yet to yield solid results. Neighbourhood relations are far from satisfactory. The security situation in Kashmir and other border areas has worsened. The time is for stabilising the domestic political arena, but a war has been called against the Opposition. We can do better. The Centre must regain its composure.
