INDIA RISES AGAIN

Building A New India

OVER the past several centuries, India has played an epochmaking role, and now, in the twenty-first century, history is repeating itself with India reviving its role once again. Nature itself, by locating the world’s highest mountain in India, has symbolically indicated that this land is destined to play a supreme role in human history. Now, it has become abundantly clear that India has proved competent to play such a role.

A historical example which highlights this fact is that of Indian numerals. Brahmagupta (598-670 CE), who was born in Multan, formerly a part of India, was the first person to develop a numerical method using the power of zero, which he presented in his Sanskrit treatise, Brahmasphutasiddhanta (The Extensive Treatise of Brahma). This treatise was translated into Arabic between 796 and 806 CE. Thus, the Indian numeric system first entered Baghdad, then spread to Spain, Italy, France, England and Germany.


No emotional speech can serve as a substitute for wise guidance.
No mere talk of activism can be an alternative to realistic planning.


A Western scholar Wilfrid Blunt writes: “Nothing so delayed the advance of science in the West as the clumsiness of the Roman numerals. Had the Indian numerals, which had reached Baghdad from India towards the end of the eighth century, been soon afterwards introduced into and adopted by Western Europe as a whole, much of the scientific progress which we associate with the Renaissance in Italy might have been achieved several centuries earlier.” As early as the seventh century an Indian mind was able to make a contribution to history that paved the way for the further advancement of science.

European colonialism—begun in the sixteenth century—culminated in the twentieth century in an empire, with India as its jewel. After the British colonialists had ruled India for about two hundred years, the Indian freedom struggle passed through various stages until 1920. Then its leadership was assumed by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who declared that India’s struggle would be purely non-violent. Many doubted the feasibility of gaining freedom through peaceful or non-violent methods. Mahatma Gandhi who had studied modern advancements in human civilization, developed his own philosophy No emotional speech can serve as a substitute for wise guidance. No mere talk of activism can be an alternative to realistic planning. 32 Spirit of Islam Issue 32 August 2015 and used unconventional methods. He made full use of modern means—the printing press, modern communications and techniques of organization, and most importantly the concept of self-determination. These developments made it possible to organize an effective movement on a national scale without using arms. India proved to be a land of fertile soil for this kind of leadership and Mahatma Gandhi showed that it was entirely possible to achieve a great goal like national freedom without taking recourse to violence. In 1947, the world witnessed how India—without bloodshed—successfully won its independence.


It is human nature that deterrent punishment is
essential for the maintenance of law and order. 


India’s freedom in 1947 remains one of the most remarkable phenomena of modern history. It successfully showed that it was possible to achieve any goal through peaceful activism, which meant eschewing the use of guns or bombs. This achievement taught a lesson to the entire world. In 1947, India not only won its freedom but also provided a lead to all nations that any goal could be attained without using arms.

Another significant contribution made by India is the example of a person from humble backgrounds winning the general elections and becoming India’s Prime Minister. Narendra Modi was appointed as the 15th Prime Minister of India in May 2014. On September 27, 2014, he represented India on the global stage of the United Nations, from which he addressed the world. This was not just a personal achievement, but showed that the modern age has opened up opportunities so great in their scope that every kind of success can be attained, regardless of one’s background.

The present age is considered to be an age of freedom, democracy, secularism and industrialization. In a single word, all these developments can be termed de-monopolization. In previous centuries, only the privileged few had a monopoly over opportunities; the common man had no share whatsoever in them. The modern age has broken the hold over these opportunities and has opened them up for everyone.

Through its current Prime Minister, India has demonstrated the fact that we are living in a new age. Now, everything is for everyone. The only condition is that of competency. Although there will always be challenges and competition, if a person proves capable of meeting challenges, no obstacle can hinder his progress. 

Building A New India

After independence in 1947, our leaders began to build a new India. Sixty eight years on, India has yet to attain the desired status of a world-class nation, while other nations such as the USA, China and Singapore have forged ahead. Now the time has come to reassess the whole matter.

Here is one example which gives us a pointer on how the planning of our national policies could be made effective. On the eve of India’s independence, Mahatma Gandhi gave a call to the nation to bring about a ‘Clean India’, but to no avail. On the eve of its independence (1965), Singapore’s founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, also gave a call for a ‘Clean Singapore’, and his call was successful.

Why was there this difference? Mahatma Gandhi’s call was an appeal without compulsion, while Lee Kuan Yew’s call involved compulsion. His call was effective because Singapore adopted deterrent punishment, while in India there is no punishment, only appeals for right conduct. In October 2014, the Prime Minister of India launched a new ‘Clean India Mission’ known as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, but once again without deterrent punishment, there has not been much progress.

It is human nature that deterrent punishment is essential for the maintenance of law and order. Appeals will not get any positive results unless there is an element of compulsion. Developed nations have adopted some form of compulsive system.

 


The weakness of the Indian system is that no
one fears punishment.  


At present, there are three working models, and if India wants its scheme to work, it must choose from any of these three. The American model is based on competition; their credo being, ‘compete or perish’ making it imperative for citizens to be law-abiding. The Chinese model adopted by Premier Deng Xiaoping is based on two principles: controlled politics and a decontrolled economy. This model has, again, created compulsion due to which it is working successfully. The Singaporean model is based on strict imposition of laws which includes caning. This system has created a compulsion making people cautious about following it, otherwise they may face severe punishment. 

The weakness of the Indian system is that no one fears punishment. Every day, news of crimes is reported, but we seldom read about their punishment. The element of compulsion has been removed, weakening the Indian system.

India has the greatest number of laws, but these laws are not implemented. This has caused the element of fear to be disassociated from the laws. In the 200 years of British rule over India, very few laws were made as compared to the laws made in free India. Law and order was much better in British India because people knew that they would surely face punishment if found guilty. Today there is no such fear of punishment. Where there is no fear, there is no law-abidingness. And there is no other factor that can serve the same purpose as fear.

No emotional speech can serve as a substitute for wise guidance. No mere talk of activism can be an alternative to realistic planning. Fictitious stories cannot produce factual results. We have to adopt a system in which the violation of law should involve deterrent punishment. Without this there can be no hope of building a new India.