The fact I underline here is that India’s is the truest democracy despite of so many of its grave flaws. And it is so because of the values the Indic civilization inheres. The Indianness is the belief in the essential unity of the existential, and more importantly, it is the celebration of the diversity as the manifestations of the One. This is the belief which translates into India’s commitment to democracy. The difference between India and other democracies is that democracy in India represents its spirit whereas at other places this has been the product of historical circumstances. It is true that India adopted the methods of democracy from elsewhere but the way it has advanced transcends the legacy of all such foreign sourcing.
However, the present problem is that democracies are facing crises and freedoms are under threat worldwide. The main reason for this is that democracies are facing competition from ruthless autocracies or treacherous fake democracies as well as non-democratic ideas and traditions. Such regimes or the adherents of such ideas work with total impunity whereas the democratic regimes have to follow some norms of accountability. This puts democracies at a disadvantageous position vis-à-vis non-democracies.
Democracy needs to be defended and expanded. It is a question of our dignity and so of others. India and we Indians must do this globally. The spirit of India, which could be resurrected out of the deep abyss after the lapse of so many centuries and rather recently, needs to be reinforced. However, such an endeavour does not need dramatic things like alliances, missions, movements, wars, sanctions, persuasions, so on and so forth. India can devise levers for lifting democracy without challenging anyone. These are simple things like promoting internationalism in all walks of life and supporting free and fair trade. If India sets the standards, these would be the global standards. The humanity needs a reliable pivot.
Niraj Kumar Jha
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