The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : FREEDOM FROM WANT

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Friday, Aug 13, 2004

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FREEDOM FROM WANT

SUCH IS THE ordinariness of the 58th year in the life of a nation that it will rarely be treated as more than a fleeting calendar event. In the Indian context, the occasion captures neither the tingling immediacy of the 25th anniversary nor the awe-inspiring magnificence of the golden jubilee. As for the sheer emotion of the first year, that was of course left behind eons ago. Yet, for all that this Independence Day seems devoid of significance, it surely comes at a moment of introspection for the country, not least because of the extraordinary circumstances in which a new government has taken office. When last August, Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort, he spoke with the self-assurance and poise of a Prime Minister expecting to win a historic third term for his coalition government. Mr. Vajpayee enumerated a long list of successes, among them Pakistan and Kashmir. However, the stress was on the fruits of economic reforms that the National Democratic Alliance carried out — ranging from India's `new-found' standing as an "emerging economic power" through superabundance of foreign exchange to the quantum increase in mobile and highway connectivity.

The watershed 2004 general election not merely administered a shock defeat to the NDA but in doing so left an unambiguous message for the country: India's deserving claim to an honoured place in the comity of nations cannot be at the cost of its duty towards the millions of poor and needy people on its own soil. Indeed, as the backlash from Andhra Pradesh illustrated, any reform agenda that was overly concerned with urban industrial revival ran the risk of appearing as uncaring towards the less privileged. Growth must go hand-in-hand with welfare. It is this backdrop that imbues the coming Independence Day anniversary with special meaning, that makes Manmohan Singh's address to the nation an occasion to watch out for. Not that Dr. Singh's pronouncements will be a complete revelation; the Common Minimum Programme adopted by the United Progressive Alliance and Dr. Singh's earlier televised address to the nation give a fair indication of the changed direction of economic and political priorities under the UPA Government — a change undoubtedly born of the realisation that Verdict 2004 represents the frustrations of a deeper social coalition made up of the neglected and the disadvantaged.

Prime Minister Singh's earlier address marked a welcome return to principles long held to be the foundational cornerstone of India. Pluralism, social justice and equity are not just lofty ideals enshrined in the Constitution, they are living values that make the `idea of India' viable and vibrant. Independence Day has long since become a token event, the speeches made from Red Fort much more so. Dr. Singh needs to go beyond the rhetoric and unveil a vision for the future that is humane, just and practicable. Much has been said about `reforms with a human face.' Not long ago, Amartya Sen objected to the term on the plea that `human face' carried connotations of a cosmetic uplift. He argued that economic planning had necessarily to be "about improving the lives and freedoms of the people." Perhaps it is time once again to turn to the immortal `tryst with destiny' speech of India's first Prime Minister. Jawaharlal Nehru's India embodied certain universal values that globalised India must reassert today: "The service of India means the service of millions who suffer... [Our] dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together for any one of them to imagine that they can live apart."

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