Shaping India of Our Dreams

By K C Agrawal

Authored by a committed and inquiring researcher, it analyses the factors responsible for the ramshackled state of affairs in the country today as a result of many a malaise- mis-governance, dwindling economy, corruption, industrial failure, to name a few Taking up various areas for focused study, like India's resources, political administration, economic growth, development programmes at various levels and impact of globalisation, it examines the mistakes made in the past partly because of Ignorance and partly because of selfish motives in approach, strategies adopted, execution of plans and programmes and evaluation.
Giving vital facts and figures garnered through intense research, the work points out how and why India lags behind in rural development, population control, reform of education, water management, disaster management, power generation, tourism, environmental issues and reform of police, judiciary and defence services and presents insightful and thought-provoking suggestions on how the situation can be remedied. It has also attempted to provide solutions to addressing problems in the NE states and the Kashmir issue.
Owing to the nature of the subject here discussed and the author's unique holistic approach and original perspectives in addressing issues, the book will interest a large range of readers keen to watch India progress. They will feel as if the author is talking about them and is concerned for their well-being. Its fluent style of writing makes it all the more appealing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: One Point Six Technologies Pvt Ltd
• Release date: Sep 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9789390266197

K C Agrawal

K.C. Agrawal, an electrical engineer and senior member of IEEE, USA, has over 33 years of experience in different capacities – in academics, PSUs and multinationals, and then running his own industries for 24 years, manufacturing switchgears. Some 20 years ago, greatly moved by the country’s highly deplorable condition and the sight of poverty-stricken people, he pledged to do something for the nation and steer the people out from their sombre plight to a glorious future. The present work is the next step in the furtherance of this cause.

Book preview

1

To Our Countrymen

1.1 Introduction

Do you know that 86.5% of our total population are those who live on or below the poverty line and about 68% are those who languish under stark poverty and deprivation, leading a life no better than animals. Many of them live on grass, plant roots and mango kernels or commit suicide. One may be aghast to know that 23% of our population is disabled and 10% destitute.

In the past 56 years our system of governance has not only failed utterly, rather it has established a deep rooted kleptocracy too. In this period while the nation has been dragged to rags, sorrows and deprivation, our leaders have emerged as the most authoritative, prosperous and powerful class of our country. We had not aspired for this kind of freedom where only a few would enjoy and the rest would suffer! It has belied our hopes and shattered our aspirations. We have discussed this issue with many people from different walks of life and all are of the firm belief that this system must be made to go, however difficult it may be to do so.

Noble laureate Dr. Hargobind Khurana could not get an opportunity in his own country but brought laurels home when he got an opportunity in the US which provided him an environment to do valuable work and excel in his field. When we go abroad we get a lot of opportunities, exposure and freedom to excel. It is unfortunate that what we don’t do for our people in our own country, others do that in their’s and even allow our people to excel in competition with their own people. What a sea difference in the two attitudes!

As individuals we have succeeded in other countries but have failed in our own.

This brings home the fact that human behaviour and approach as also his intellect depends largely upon the system and environment in which he lives, thinks and works. In the process, it is only the propriety of our system that needs to be doubted rather than the role of an individual who is just a part of it. A person’s attitude, actions, behaviour, deeds and thoughts are influenced by the system built for him. The criticism of a system is therefore no aspersion on an individual.

1.2 Our democracy

We gifted ourselves a democracy empowering ignorants to elect ignorants to run the country ignorantly. Before this massive ignorant majority, the educated class has become a dwarf and has for long been marginalised. Our polity is then supported by an equally ignorant and unprofessional bureaucracy. The result is a highly dilapidated state of the country and sorry condition of its masses. It is definitely a logical outcome of the stony system that we have created for ourselves. Our leaders and bureaucrats have often praised our democracy that has stood by `them’ for 56 years. But it has been praiseworthy only for them as they have been able to ramshackle the nation to their whims and drive the people to stark poverty and deprivation. Poverty, illiteracy and backwardness cannot be the success of our democracy, rather its failure. The legacy of our system bestowed on us by the constitution continues unscathed even today. The only solution to come out of it now is to change this system into a totally professional system through a prudent leadership as concluded at the end of the book.

1.3 Our message

In view of our enormous resource availability and inherent unbound potential as researched by the author and discussed in this book, our lone motto is to make optimum use of all these and construct our nation into one of the mightiest and most prosperous nations in the world.

When we see the fabulous buildings, shopping malls, roads and recreation avenues of the affluent world or their well dressed and satisfied people, school-going children, fun and frolic, we also feel that our people should also enjoy like them. We will like to assure the countrymen that one day we will also be like them. To achieve this we may only have to work hard. In the following pages we have tried to unfold how this can be done. The finer tuning will be done with the experts in the respective fields. These will then become our model plans. It is rare that such exhaustive research work has ever been conducted in the past or blueprints drawn to reconstruct a whole nation. Following these blueprints, we will eradicate the existing ills of our country, transform the villages, the rural poor, underprivileged, backward classes and also disabled and destitutes for all times and thus place our country amongst the mightiest and the most prosperous nations in the world. To accomplish all this we plan to proceed as below :

To start with, we will guarantee jobs to 100% workable hands within one year, not by way of charity or gratis but by doing actual developmental works (Section 12.4).

And in the next 5-7 years after we begin our operations we shall

Make optimum utilisation of our talent and expertise and the mammoth human resource available with us.

Make judicious use and conduct extensive R&D on our natural and non-renewable resources, keeping future generations in mind so that we consume only as much as is our legitimate share.

Improve the primary sector (agriculture) by about 7-10 times (Section 11.2).

Secondary sector (industries) by 3 to 4 times (Section 21.2).

Tertiary sector (specially foreign tourists) by about 100 times (ultimate target is 1000 times) (Chapter 19) and

Plough back bulk of the black money back into the economy (Section 9.6).

All this will raise our present GDP (Gross Domestic Product) by at least 6-8 times (Table 12.2) and so also the individual income. Everybody shall become prosperous and start leading a dignified life in just 5-7 years.

We will also improve the ecosystem and cleanse the environment (Section 18.7).

Put a stop to droughts and floods (Chapter 15).

Gradually make illiteracy, ignorance and backwardness, things of the past (Chapters 12 and 14).

Rehabilitate the old, the disabled and destitutes and gradually eradicate disabilities and destitution for all times.

Exercise population control and bring down the same to the level of about 60 cr (Chapter 13).

Make each of us breathe freedom and progress as we wish.

Make everybody work for the nation and care for the fellow- beings, family and parents more than before.

And then (after 5-7 years) we shall begin the construction of our nation through city centres (Chapter 12) that will, in another 7-10 years transform the villages, the villagers, rehabilitate disabled and destitutes and thus shall transform the whole nation like a dream come true.

Cities are already over built and sprawled haphazardly and awkwardly. Nothing much can be done for cities at present, but their living conditions will improve gradually and substantially as the rural migrants, industries and business centres will shift to city centres. We will then modernise the cities also as much as possible.

Our faulty system of governance has distorted our individuality and has made us meek and selfish. But we will discard our old habits and imbibe humility in our stride. We will build a nation that is humane in character and suffers no conflict of caste, creed, religion, language or race and is capable of taking care of every citizen until the last. We should not forget that together only we stand and can face all challenges while divided we become weak and vulnerable. Greatness is in togetherness not in separation. All religions teach us this. If we do not rise above our old deeds, liberation from deprivation and miseries of lives will always remain a distant dream.

We will build a system which besides being highly progressive will also be committed to taking care of each individual and will be sensitive to every incident of terrorism, extortionism, extremism, hatred or ill-will, suicide or even accident. Each such victim will be a matter of worry and concern for the new system. The government will own responsibility and take measures to tackle such menaces and overcome the same as far as feasible.

You may ask about the time required to bring about the above transformation! Well what has been plundered and destroyed for a thousand years no wand of magic can retrieve it overnight. We have to persevere and slog hard. To transform the whole nation and make it stand amongst the mightiest and the most prosperous nations in the world, may take 25-30 years, but we can begin a decent and comfortable life within 5-7 years as noted above. This is not day dreaming! All these will be achieved according to the philosophies and thoughts presented through this book. All plans have been made and all these shall be executed in letter and spirit. These proclamations are not mere words; they have a meaning and are backed-up with intense research and analysis. Each of us will become a part of nation building and contribute our might to achieve these goals.

With our joint efforts we can turn the tide and check the deteriorating conditions of the country. Let’s gird up our loins rather than resign like caged lions to the false dictates imposed on us. Now is the opportunity when we can demolish this cage and liberate ourselves from these self-inflicted boundaries. We therefore appeal to all our countrymen to give these ideas a serious thought. Let us not ignore the sad realities of our present lives. Unless we act quickly conditions will worsen more rapidly and become more harsh and unbearable in the times ahead.

Note: There are many NGOs (Non Governmental Organisations) and individuals working relentlessly to bring about some reforms in the present system of governance, but cosmetic changes are not enough. Let us hit at the root cause responsible for what we have become. We are not for any reform or cosmetic treatment in the present system, for nothing shall work other than a total change of the system itself. We therefore earnestly request all NGOs and individuals engaged in the upliftment of the nation to join `Crusade-India’ and strengthen our hands so that together we may bring about the desired change.

The present book is an attempt to analyse reasons and causes for such a dismal progress of our country and the miserable condition of its people, even when all, that was essential for making a nation prosperous was and is still available with us. We have tried to analyse the evils from different angles that have besieged us, and the remedies to demolish the same. If we can hear this loud, there is no reason why we should not become what we have dreamt. Consequently, we have done the analysis of our country and the people in four parts viz,

What we are

Why we are

What can be done and

How it can be done

A discussion on the problems in J&K and the North Eastern states and their possible solutions is also given. We have also touched upon nuclear explosions, their relevance, utility and repercussions in the changed world scenario besides giving an overview of CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty), WTO (World Trade Organisation), open market conditions and their influence on our industries, trade and economy.

The tackling of burning issues and their simple and logical solutions will make one wonder why such simple matters could not be addressed in the last 56 years. Well what has been lost cannot be retrieved, but we should have the wisdom and determination to save what is left as analysed in this book. We assure you that we can still transform our nation to stand amongst the mightiest and most prosperous nations in the world. Let’s convert this dream into reality.

This analysis should ignite in us the fire that has long lost its fury, to determine our self-being and the purpose of our existence. Should we let our existence melt away with every moment we live and watch it happen helplessly before our eyes or should we rise to the challenges and thwart away these self-inflicted miseries and sorrows from our lives. It is unfortunate that the system we built for ourselves after independence had short-sighted and ill-conceived philosophies which with time have proved disastrous and have pushed the whole nation to such a disarray.

Past is dead but let’s pledge not to allow our present slip out of our hands and thus at least make our tomorrow better. Nothing is impossible if we have determination and a will to conquer all hurdles. Napoleon said, ßdifficulties disappear before an unswerving resolution.û This book is just a step for a leap tomorrow. Let us all dedicate and resolve to realise our dreams. We have enormous latent strength. Let us awaken this strength from self-inflicted long hibernation, to turn the tide towards that glorious tomorrow where beyond the horizon we can see the new dawn of a bright day and rays of hope and prosperity for all. Remember, we have one of the largest human resource on earth and we must prove its worth, not by its quantum but by its achievements. Arise dear lions of this mother soil, arise to this occasion which may not come again and let us construct a tomorrow of our dreams.

Read through the book unto the end and surely you will also be convinced as we are that we can do it. It will infuse in you a zeal, fresh vigour and a rejuvenated energy to dedicate yourself to this cause. This work is more an analysis to argue why most things are in shambles or happening in a particular way. Once we are able to diagnose the causes, the effects will be easy to address. We have tried to maintain brevity yet derived the conclusions clear and distinct enough to decide the next course of action. We are sure you will know your country better and much more than ever before.

The people of this country struggled for freedom for 350 long years (East India Co. came here around 1601 AD). We won the struggle but our ignorance and illiteracy dragged us from one rut to the other. We were timid and miserable then, we are timid and miserable now. In terms of living conditions it makes little difference to most of our populace as to the slavery of then or to the freedom of now. We must therefore liberate ourselves from this debilitating bondage and loyalty to the present system that is fattening and swaggering on the sweat and sufferings of its people. The true battle for liberation from poverty, illiteracy, ignorance and backwardness must begin now. Even today most of us toil for our bare survival. For that matter even a stray dog is able to survive. Let us not live like animals. God has made us human beings, let us not yield to unmanliness (referring to our living conditions and watching destitute children and grownups feeding on the same garbage with the dogs, pigs and stray cattle of the locality). Think of those who are forced to commit suicides under great compulsions of deprivation and destitution. Those who have seen our villages, towns and cities closely where poor people live and also those 23% disabled and 10% destitutes, can understand this description with regret and remorse. Let us put up a brave fight, this time to uproot those who were supposed to be ours and care for our well being but have turned fratricidal and marginalised our populace leaving them to live on their own sweat and miseries. Let us prove worthy of the freedom realised for us by our fathers and forefathers so dearly. Dear countrymen, we are hardworking and sincere but opportunities have eluded us and we will have failed to build a nation of our dreams. Here is a chance to do this. Let this not slip out of our hands. There is nothing great in living it for ourselves. Live it for others and yea, we will have lived our lives. Tomorrow when people talk of us and our sacrifice for this struggle, we will feel proud in heaven and our hearts will burst out of joy for this honour. Let us therefore dedicate ourselves to this cause whole-heartedly. Remember every one lives his life only once. Derive pleasure by working for the fellow countrymen than living for our ownselves.

Let us unite and stand together. You will soon see the effects of our joint efforts. We are committed to bring back that smile and happiness on our faces and the lost dignity of life that has long vanished. Today most of us go to bed worried with uncertainties of tomorrow and wake up worried with difficulties of today. `A poor life this if, full of cares, we have no time to stand and stare’ (W.H. Davies).And so we languish our precious lives and watch it melt away hopelessly before our eyes and relinquish it one day in distress. Let us work together to make these worthless lives little more worthy and fill the encircling gloom with some fragrance of hope and happiness. Let us rejuvenate our depleted morales and lowly spirits to attain the goals we are setting for ourselves.

1.4 Nothing is impossible

Behold! Ahead the light of tomorrow – a reincarnation of our souls long dead and an era of rejuvenated beginning to reconstruct our shattered dreams. History will be rewritten in golden letters that the people of this land fought yet another brave battle this time for their true liberation and emancipation from long drawn poverty, illiteracy, backwardness, wants and never ending miseries of life and they emerged victorious. The approach is not theoretical. I am not producing a textbook for the students to study and prepare for exams. The purpose now is true emancipation from long drawn sufferings, miseries and woes of life.

To some it may look impossible, lofty, imaginary and unachievable. May be your first reaction is `it can’t be done’! All new ideas that are revolutionary in nature meet such reactions. But what I have said is all logical and together we can make it happen. Therefore consider this as a mandate to build a nation of our dreams. I have no doubt that we can solve our problems in entirety and emerge as one of the mightiest and most prosperous nations in the world.

Amen!

2

About Myself

A few residential quarters of a princely estate named Balarampur in Lucknow were rented out to a few baboos (mostly) of UP Government. Every morning I would sit down on a small rug in the veranda of our one-room tenement to do the home work allotted to me by my mother and watch school children pass through our lane. DAV college was close by and ours was the connecting lane passing through the colony constructed on both sides of the road. Much of it has now changed but a few houses still stand out reminding me of the reminiscent of a melting past.

My father was a small employee in UP Government. Behind our one-room tenement where we lived with a family of seven, was a huge open garbage compound. Around this compound dwelt hundreds of families comprising scavengers, sweepers, shoe shiners, rickshaw pullers, milkmen, daily wagers, domestics and kind. I watched them and often played with their children. My childhood has therefore witnessed poverty closely. I had a question in my young mind even then – `Is our country not very poor?’ I had an inkling even then that something was wrong, and whatever was happening was not good. We could surely be better. And now when I look back it indeed was the truth.

I am one of those who didn’t go to school in early childhood. I started my schooling from class six. Thanks to my school dropout mother who taught me at home. She also imbibed in me a rich culture, a sense of understanding and respect and consideration for others. It was her teaching at home that got me admission in a primary school in class six. I was an ordinary student all through my schooling. But an unfortunate incident proved a blessing in disguise and changed my life’s course. I was debarred for two years in class XII by the UP Education Board, for helping another child in copying, which I confessed before the enquiry commission. Two years later this incident proved to be a blessing and since I was still too young it didn’t matter. I continued going to school and studied the same subjects for three consecutive years. This helped me memorise most of my books by heart. After three years I knew my subjects so well that I stood meritorious in the Board exams. This got me direct admission into the engineering college at BHU, Varanasi in the second year.

My analysis of what we are and why we are in such a condition has its roots in my childhood. And then I have first hand experience of working with various government and semi- government organisations, academies, multinationals. I have observed others working and then I ran my own industries for 24 years, employing more than 400 persons. All this has given me tremendous exposure and an analytical bent of mind towards finding solutions to varied problems.

I started my career as an Assistant Engineer at UP State Electricity Board (UPSEB), Lucknow and watched the depletion and degeneration of our power sector (also see Section 8.6). Today most of the power stations in the country under government control are sick, under high debts, operate at low to very low PLFs (Plant Load Factors) and are a picture of despondency and despair and we want our villages electrified and a strong industrial base flourish, while at homes in cities we look desperately when the power comes and stays for a while.

I left the Board after a year and joined Government Polytechnic, Lucknow (UP Government Technical Institute) as a lecturer, where I had a first-hand experience of the erosion and dishonour of our educational system. This too I left after two years. When I left the Polytechnic, I was so frustrated with the education system that I sent a 35 page typed note to the Director of Technical Education, Minister of Education and Chief Minister of UP. What happened to my note I have never known, for I left Lucknow and came to Delhi and never followed up with them. It was in the year 1968/69. Then I worked for NGEF, a Government of Mysore undertaking in collaboration with AEG (West Germany) that manufactured excellent products (motors, transformers, generators and switchgears). I shall always remember having marketed their products. At that time the Technical Directors and the Production Incharges were all Germans but the Chairman was a bureaucrat who would change every one or two years. Even today, as was then, it is the same strange practice of our government to run its establishments in this manner. This is how they make sure that none of the bureaucrats is ever responsible for the well-being and profitable functioning of such establishments. It is not surprising that with time all such public sector undertakings (PSUs) gradually became sick and gave rise to perennial inflation, unabated corruption, lethargy, unaccountability and arrogance. Even engineers and managers relented and this style of government’s working became order of the day. This culture permeated to the entire workforce. The Government units that were supposed to support the industrial and economic base of the country soon required financial support to meet their expenses. Like others NGEF too has become sick and is now up for sale.

After leaving NGEF, I set up my own industry and I ran it for 24 years against many odds and uncertainties. Today it seems to be a nightmare. I had to slog for long hours just to keep the factory going. Due to meagre finances I had to fight with my bankers who would always despise me. Visiting them every day had become a routine, as if I were a culprit on parole required to report at the police station every day. Besides this, I had to also encounter with dozens of inspectors and their regular policing and fleecing like hungry wolves and also regular unrest and abuse by labour besides the market adversities. It was a great frustration, not possible to narrate in words (see also Chapter 10). Thus I have direct experience of degeneration of power sector, deterioration of education system, destruction of PSUs and an overall destruction of our industrial base.

I am therefore not simply an author but also a victim of the system just as everyone else is. What I have analysed and expressed is not only my experience but the experience and suffering of most of us over the years, at the hands of a system that is barbaric, insensitive, callous and incompetent and has assumed enormous powers and authority in its stride. It has trampled the people of this nation like we trample insects and ants. My studies and research on the problems afflicting our country and its people have shown me ways as to how we can come out of our sombre past and build a nation of our dreams. Dear Countrymen, please give me your whole hearted support and let us together construct our tomorrow with fragrance of prosperity and happiness for all.

PART I

WHAT WE ARE

3

Our Cowardice

3.1 Our history

Our country has always been known as a golden peacock as we had enormous riches in gold and precious stones such as diamond, pearl, ruby and other gems. But they were all plundered* by the time we got independence. This and our rich art and culture should have induced in us the courage, the strength and the ability to protect our riches from the onslaughts of invaders and plunderers. But this was not to be and what remains is a weak and a tragic past of our country. The earlier invaders (other than British) came, killed and looted only a particular area. While their loots were enormous, their operations were localised. The British did the same but they were spread all over the country and therefore slowly and gradually they looted the most – and for nearly 200 years. Their plundering must be the most devastating of all. But the country still possessed enough to become prosperous once again. It had wealth of rich art and culture, natural and primary resources, massive manpower and strategic geographical location as discussed later. Unfortunately, during post-independence era too, the country has been ransacked and plundered. This time by our own guardians and custodians. They have been ransacking us now for the last 56 years.

It must be interesting to investigate, why were we so averse to only British who were educated, more organised, resourceful, constructive and were ruling most parts of the world at that time and would have proved better rulers than the previous ones in view of their progressive outlook (see Section 8.3), while we had accepted all alien rulers in the earlier 800 years. One conspicuous reason why Indians didn’t like British and struggled for freedom appears to be their fair skin and language. Until then all aliens who ruled us could easily mix up with us, because of their skin and language that was not much different from ours. It was natural adaptability for those who came from Afghanistan, Mongolia, Turkey or Iran. But to understand English language was a hard nut to crack. Its dialect was totally different from Hindi, Urdu or Persian spoken by other rulers. For us to learn English language is not easy even in the 21st century when due to globalisation it is imperative for each one to know this language. Moreover their overwhelming personality and aristocratic style of living was absolutely averse to Indians who were accustomed to simple living.

The Englishmen thus looked more foreigners than others. For a ruler whose personality was so towering that belittled us before them, a language so foreign and a life-style so rich and aristocratic, a feeling of dislike and contempt for them was obvious. They were not wanted, because they were not like us. Another aspect of our aversion to British may be that they never settled in India unlike other rulers and ruled us only from afar. Had they also been from Iran, Mongolia, Turkey or Afghanistan or had they also settled in India, it was quite possible that we would have accepted them too and would have continued living under their rule till today, like we did in the earlier 800 years.

3.2 Reasons of our cowardice

For long I have been searching for a logical answer to the deep rooted cowardice of our masses who perpetually bears all brunts of life as wish of God but never revolts. From the behaviour and attitude of our populace, most of them illiterate and timid, I have inferred the following,

There have been infightings amongst the rulers in the ancient and the medieval period. It was like their pastime, resulting possibly from a feeling of insecurity and lack of communication with the neighbouring rulers that led to suspicion and such kind of attitude. These infights proved fatal and rendered us vulnerable and weak, besides exposing us in the eyes of the external world.

We have been suppressed for many centuries. From the 10th century particularly, our country was a centre of continuous invasions, lootings and killings and rules by the aliens.

Everybody in the world realised that we were an enormously wealthy country but highly vulnerable, weak and meek and therefore an easy prey. That is how came the Portuguese, the East India Co. and then the British who plundered and ruled us. The populace of this country remained timid and didn’t retaliate at any stage. All these events have induced in our people a mindset of fragility and timidity. We thus internalised our subservience and have developed slavish mentality.

There was a profound separation between communities due to casteism. The scheduled castes and backward classes particularly (constituting the bulk of population), were never a part of the mainstream. They were not supposed to study or participate in wars, but stay ghettoised and stick to activities assigned to them by convention. Victory of one king over the other did not matter them. They remained slaves no matter whoever was the king. It led them to submissiveness, and cowardice. They were unable to see far and lost all initiatives and self-being.

Those in the main stream also suffered, for they were the warriors and made up the fighting force or did other respectable jobs. Barring a few they too remained subjugated. Most of their children grew up as orphans as their fathers would die in wars leaving behind their families. These families too grew weak, fragile and destitutes.

Old habits die hard, and we are a weak and meek race even today and suffer silently the sorrows of life and excesses by others as a wish of God. We are incapable of raising our voice or revolt. We are habitual of getting kicked and be ruled by others. Deprived and subjugated for centuries we are left with no courage to fight against the excesses. Today also we suffer indignities day in and day out, but do not raise our voice or revolt. The political system has taken full advantage of this situation and has made us grossly over-dependent on them by alluring us with false promises or by doling out incongruous concessions. Despite these crumbs their (community) illiteracy and ignorance remains as before. The political class has surely succeeded in its sinister intrigues. Different communities would support different leaders and/or parties who they consider would care for them. Hence, began the competition between communities of the same society and resulted into a feeling of hatred and contempt for each other. Every community became a follower of some leader or party. Our guardians have played with us the same shameful and sinister game as did the British when they ruled us `by divide and rule’ policy for 200 years. The utterly non-performing and highly destructive system of our governance thus reigned over us without any deterrence or fear. With time it became callous and insensitive to the sufferings of the same people who voted them to power.

Our society has now fragmented into umpteen sections. To earn a livelihood somehow has become the basic purpose of most people. The common man does not try to learn the significance of society, neighbourhood or the nation. His basic aim is to arrange for his livelihood. The day to day problems are so unsurmountable that these leave little strength in people to think of anything else. It has led them to timidity and rendered them fragile. They accept sufferings as the wish of God. Reliefs, subsidies, gratis and reservations please them more than anything else. It is enough for them if they are getting reliefs. Most people do not bother to know who causes them these sufferings. They have grown accustomed to these for centuries. In many ways they still live a life like they lived in the medieval past.

It is sad that people of our country are incapable to raise their voice. We hear some noises in the cities for some demands by the employees and labour of government or private business houses and industries or by the people of some locality shouting for water, electricity or other civic services, and that is the end of our courage. We have hardly heard the voice of our rural populace. They live almost in hibernation and suffer the miseries of life silently, except for attending ridiculous rallies organised by political parties such as Dhikkar rally, Thu thu rally, Black day rally, Pada Yatras and Rath yatras etc to name a few. We are accustomed to be misruled and can bear all brunts of life because we lack the courage to revolt against our own system. It is indeed easy to rule us without caring for us. The sole cause of this timidness is our illiteracy, ignorance and lack of self-respect and pride. It is a pity, that we are unable to realise the fact that it is our own guardians who keep us illiterate and weak for their own interest.

3.3 Our illiteracy and backwardness

There were hardly any rulers during the medieval period (from about 1000 AD till about 1800 AD) who voiced for education or put up any effort in this direction. We do have a mention of great universities of Nalanda (ruins in Patliputra now Patna) and Takshshila in Sind (now in Paskistan) but that was in about 7th century that basically preached Buddhism. Except for this not much seems to have been done to educate the populace, until at least the British rule. British dwelt on education and opened colleges and universities in the 19th century. (This good act of theirs, however, later proved fatal for their own survival as our educated class began the struggle for freedom and compelled the British to leave us free by 1947.) Even this was too little and only the affluent could reap the benefits of their education system. Nevertheless, it was during this period that education spread and the educated class grew in numbers.

Note

The British system of education produced a class that was Indian by blood but English by culture and life style. Surely they imparted education for their own good. Nevertheless they founded the education system that our country lacked.

Ironically, our post-independence rulers too have not been assertive in providing education to the masses in real sense because of their selfish motives, although there has been enough noise by them in this regard. Education, grooming and inculcating habits of good citizenship in the people should have been the first and foremost task of our guardians. But they have failed grossly to perform this basic duty. No concerted effort was ever made to provide quality education to the masses, and make them worthy citizens of the nation except for lip service and false propaganda. Instead they were provided alms, gratis and some kinds of subsidies. Rather than making them capable citizens to earn their livelihood themselves in a dignified manner they are made to remain illiterate, backward, poor and timid and dependent on handouts. This is the story of our country after independence and reasons of our cowardice and backwardness.

* Some major plunderers of our riches in the last one thousand years,

4

Our Basic Resources

We have compiled some data on our demography and resources which are self revealing. This will give us a glimpse of what we have and what we can achieve with this.

4.1 Our topography

Statistical data

* Source : Statistical Abstracts 1999

Usable land area = 31.66 lac km² (details available for