India as Leader of the World

Saturday January 1 2005 07:18 IST

By Karmayogi

In what can India lead the world is a question. She was a slave nation for a long time. How can she lead the world? Still, in winning freedom without armed uprising, she led 45 Asian and African nations.

We know of the Satyagraha of Gandhiji, but the world was not aware that in 1910 India became free in the subtle world by Spiritual Power. On Friday the Government of India has before it as an active proposal a scheme for Guaranteed Employment. It is more than a revolutionary proposal.

It is evolutionary in its significance. When Karl Marx called on the proletariat of the world to shed their fetters in 1848, everyone expected that Socialism would blossom in England first, as she was an industrialised nation. It was the turn of the USSR to spearhead that Revolution.

Today, the whole world is 'socialistic' in its practice even if it is not acknowledged. Should Guaranteed Employment become an Act of Parliament, India is least qualified for that.

Still she is at it. Historians record there were 87 individuals with jail records in the British government service in the 19th century. Indian politics is not free from the criminal flavour. As workers and students became intransigent in the sixties, the public in some states exhibits rude behaviour in demanding bank loans. They never repay them.

The uncollected amount exceeds Rs. 70,000 crores. The machinery of the government is too slow, unpardonably slow in routine matters, while it is extremely efficient when it sets its mind to accomplish something. Its cutting edge cuts with a vengeance.

Guaranteeing Employment will release all the unharnessed energies of the adults, especially the youth. Once unleashed, it is not easy to contain. In this respect, India has proven to be a leader. The government has the capacity to implement it successfully, but it cannot be accomplished by the methods used for its other programmes.

Guaranteeing Employment is not one more programme. It is a call to the dormant world to wake up to the Rights of the INDIVIDUAL. It is a magnificent measure. And for the same reason, it will prove to be explosive.

The government must arm itself with special powers of administration in this limited context of Employment for the scheme to succeed. Maybe an ordinance will be required for a short period.

Or the administration must be empowered to act expeditiously as in the periods of curfew, martial law, or emergencies. Perhaps an Administrative Emergency limited to this programme can be considered so that such a scheme will not meet with the proverbial doom at the hands of those who implement. India has taken a great step forward, on what inspiration is not known.

To make it a success, appropriate powers must be assumed. She does have the powers. Those who conceived of the scheme must counsel the government to take those powers.