While introducing the Draft Constitution in the Constituent Assembly, Dr B. R. Ambedkar had observed, “Democracy in India is only a top-dressing on an Indian soil, which is essentially undemocratic.” The same continues to hold true sixty four years later. A few weeks ago the people of India participated in the largest-ever election of their representatives in a largely free and fair process. However, other events since then have revealed the shallowness of this democratic top-dressing along with the tyrannical side of our society and polity.
India’s leading democrats always linked their struggles on specific issues to a vision of a democratic society. We need to fashion such a vision for our times and make it a part of popular aspirations. While the rulers and dominant sections of India are content with and celebrate the thin democratic top dressing, the Indian people will be free of brutalities like those of Badaun and Pune only in a truly democratic society.
-As issued by: People’s Alliance of Democracy & Secularism (P.A.D.S.)