India India has a great deal to celebrate its 73rd independence day commemorating thousands of stalwarts and freedom fighters who laid down lives for the vision of Independent India. It is important to remember, and a case in point where every major decision regarding the change of government since 1947 has been through the power of ballot boxes and not through any armed forces involvement. Interestingly countries like Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and even France with so much military power and strategic alliances could not succeed in achieving the way India did it.
With the ever evolving world, comes the temptation to compare everything and everyone. Even today, the Indian Union has to address challenges like poverty, casteism, corruption, unemployment, illiteracy, and now lynching. After more than seven decades of independence, India faces poor student-teacher ratio, crumbling infrastructure, corrupt officials, caste differentiation, lack of proper toilets and sanitation among other issues hampering nation's pride.
It is heartening to know that systemic corruption is worst in India. India continues to be among the most corrupt countries in the world. A free run of the parallel economy is currently underway in India; the corrupt practices raise difficult questions about morals and spiritual values, prejudice, tolerance and identity.
An estimated 300 million people are clearly under the poverty line and low per capita income is further aggravated by the estimated shortage of about 25 million jobs. If more people are educated, more new jobs are created, and poverty can be removed, as it is estimated at about 32.5 % of the population still lives below the poverty line. The Tribal people, Dalits, and casual workers remain the poorest class in India.
The widespread unemployment has implied broader skills gap, unfavourable labour policies, and inadequate training in the working class. Skills gap often refers to the massive pool of untapped talent which usually has severe consequences like economic under-performance, social unrest, fear, anguish and despair. To make the situation worse, a strong religious polarisation is currently underway in India.
Lynching and mob violence has started getting undue attention and response during recent times. Names such as Junaid, Mohammad Akhlaq, Pehlu Khan, Ayub Pandit are some of the unfortunate reminders of the mad, frantic, and frenzy mood of fear and communal violence gripping India. There are tough questions to be answered about prejudice, resentment, tolerance and identity. India, therefore, is turning into a breeding ground for anger, frustration and resentment. Regrettably, over the past few years, violence against women in India has risen. The data presents a grim reality of women being targeted and being the victims of horrific crimes like trafficking, prostitution, molestation, online harassment, and rape.
While the Government has taken several steps, more are needed for India to reach its true potential. It needs to work towards a larger purpose, understand its strengths and work on its weaknesses to actually walk into India Shining or Achche Dinn!
