After Elections what should be the demand of India - Strong Leader or Strong Institutions?

Irrespective of Election Outcome 

What is more crucial for Indian Democracy? - Strong Leader or Strong Institutions

By:

Vijay Sardana

We always talk to strong government is required in the country, why we don’t say we need strong institutions in the country.

In the last 70 years, we have destroyed the institutions and glorified the individuals. History is full of such examples when individuals become more powerful than the institutions, the society and the country suffered and suffered badly.

Are we learning from history or not, if not we are in the process of repeating it?

What happens when institutions are undermined or destroyed?

This is what constitution expects from all political parties.

What our political parties have delivered by destroying institutions?

Voice of common man is suppressed and ignored and parliament and multiparty democracy is ignored. This is dangerous for highly diversified country like India.

What is expected from the New Government?

People in democracy live in Hope. The common man is looking for the following things:

1. Jobs to ensure social security

2. Cost effective, prompt and quality healthcare

3. Cost effective quality education

4. Safety and dignity of life and religion

5. Safe, hygienic and affordable food security

6. Effective justice and complaint redressal system

7. The safe and efficient public transport system

8. Basic utilities like water, electricity and waste disposal system

9. Opportunity to explore entrepreneurship zeal without red tape

10.               The efficient and fair marketing system for Producers of goods and services.

Incidentally Constitution of India also prescribed these things for citizens of India. To ensure these there is the proper framework provided by the constitution.

That is why it was clearly mentioned that there is a need to have the independence of the legislature, executive and judiciary to ensure checks and balances in the national interest and sustainable growth.

So, after 70 years what we have achieved.

·     Strong GDP with a high rate of unemployment.

·     Border security with a high rate of crime in the country

·     The high rate of investment with a high rate of poverty

·     Subsidy for exports but no fair price for farmers

·     Ease of doing business with growing hardships in the country for the common man

·     Entrepreneurship is promoted with a stronger red tape.

·     Corruption is hurting common man because load waiver is for investors.

·     Individuals are glorified by destroying institutions.

After 70 years, what society is debating:

1. There is a lot of debate in various forums, why India is not able to live up to its growth potential?

2. Why Indians do very well outside India and fail to deliver within India?

3. Why in America, business leaders, artists and common people can stand against the administration and continue their business without fear of accusation and harassment?

4. Why in India, our institutions are tools in the hands of power centres?

5. Why people in India fear that they will not get justice if they stand against the administration?

6. Why common man hesitates in approaching any of the government department with hope of justice?

7. Why people including administrators’ queue-up in front of political leaders soon after elections – to gain what, beyond conveying good wishes?

8. Why any seminar or event in India is incomplete without political leaders or minister this is not the case in other mature democracies?

9. Why political parties ignore their own political manifestos when they sit in the office and change the course of direction when they are on driving seats.

10.               Why citizens don’t feel safe when they send their daughters out for studies and jobs. Why they are always tensed.

What is the future of India?

What is more crucial for strong democracy in India – strong political leaders or strong institutions?

Individuals will come and go. They are immaterial in the scheme of things and in the life of the nation. In my view, what is important is institutions because they are the reservoirs of experience, knowledge and skill sets.

When any institution is replaced by the individual, that system is bound to fail, because individuals do not have the desire to build success planning and they don’t like second in command should be known, because this dilutes their own existence and glory.

In a highly diversified country like India without strong institutions imaging, balanced and sensible growth is difficult not because the leaders don’t have the desire, but they are also human beings and they have their own limitations. They cannot be the substitute for the instructions.

For a better future, India must demand strong institutions.

Can the new government strengthen the institutions? As citizens, we must demand strong, transparent and accountable institutions. No administrator political or otherwise must get any immunity when it comes to transparency and accountability which are responsible for public service.