‘Limited’ Dictatorship Need of Hour

BY: RANBIR MANHAS PUBLISHED ON FEBRUARY 01, 2019

In olden days people became Kings through decadence. After King’s death his eldest son would become King was the accepted practice believing that it was the decision of the God hence no opposition.

However, with change of time new practice of ‘selecting’ the king was evolved wherein instead of God people had the power to elect their ‘kings’ and the process was called as Democracy. The principal was, “Government by the people, of the people and for the people”. May be it is true in other democratic countries, but in Indian sub-continent democracy is a different thing. Here although it is formed by the people by their vote but then it becomes sole property of the king and for the families of the king and strangely in this type of governance there are thousands of kings in the form of MLAs, MLCs, MPs, Ministers, Chief Ministers and a Prime Minister who loot public exchequer meant for public development with the result that whereas the ‘kingmaker’ becomes poorer the ‘kings’ become richer and richer. Attachment of immoveable assets worth 238 crores belonging to TMC MP yesterday and over 30 % population of India still living below poverty line after 70 years of rule of democracy is a bold proof of that.

But poverty of many and richness of few is not the only curse of our democratic system, division of society in the name of religion, region; caste and creed for using them as vote bank is the biggest curse of our democracy. It is because of our democracy that sensitive and divisive issues like ‘Temple-Mosque’ remain unresolved because it serves as a big vote fetching machine.

In Kashmir, Security Forces cannot take strong action against terrorists because it hurts somebody’s vote bank. Same is the case with NE where certain parties create hurdles while tackling Naxals. If any government decides to go for any reform eye brows are raised. Even defense deals are opposed in the name of democracy no matter if the security of the country is compromised. There is freedom of raising slogans like ‘Bharat Teray Tukday Hongay Insa Allah Insha Allah’ and if punitive action is initiated political parties come out in support of culprits believing that this might give them some votes. And there are hundreds of other examples where democracy is misused for votes. A UK Minister has aptly described Indian democracy, “India is the only country where people vote for those parties which promise to settle Rohangyas and Bangladeshis thrown out of their respective countries for their anti-national activities unmindful of the fact that they could prove dangerous for them and their country also”. Needless to say democracy in India is like as a bomb in the hands of a child playing around bone fire. So when such is the condition of political parties and voters today imagine what could be their behavior seventy years ago when concept of a ‘ government by the people, of the people and for the people was added in our constitution seven decades ago when the king maker did not know even ABC of the VOTE ? And why people at the helm of affairs then discarded Neta Ji’s idea of dictatorship for initial twenty years till people became educated enough to understand the value of vote?

Excess of everything is bad is an old proverb. Honey is considered as Amrit (Elixir). However, if used in excess honey can enhance chances of diabetes- the mother of all diseases. Similarly, milk is another source of energy, but if taken in excess it also disturbs stomach and causes diarrhea. Even eating excess meals can prove dangerous for health. Likewise, excess of democracy is also a bad thing.

In this backdrop it becomes imperative to curtail the wings of democracy which has assumed dangerous dimensions. To save the country from further deterioration let all the nation loving opinion makers unite and work together to push forward the idea of Emergency in this country for at least ten years until diseases caused due to misuse of democracy are fully cured. If Indira Gandhi could do it to save her chair then why can’t Modi do it for saving the nation?