– Dr. Udai Narain Sinha –
Gautama Buddha, the lover of democracy in the fifth century B.C. suggested his disciples to work for the welfare and happiness of the masses under the dictum Bahujana sukhaya bahujana hitaya cha, which Translates “for the happiness of the many, for the welfare Of the many”) is a dictum enunciated in the Rig-Veda. Which serves two goals namely, the liberation of the soul and prosperity in the universe. It is further extended to mean the welfare of the society as the public good and the self-promotion is subservient to the greatest good of all.
In the Mauryan period Vishnugupta, popularly known as Chanakya or Kautilya, the architect of the Empire in the Fourth century BC, theorized further, working on this basic dictum, and brought out a treatise called “Kautilya’s Arthashastra” meaning a treatise on Public Administration appreciably wrote in this issue, which is as relevant in the modern time as it was in the past.
Kautilya’s approach enshrined the “State as an institutional necessity for human advancement” and then prescribed in details all the actions to be taken by the ruler of the state. His elaboration of
the main dictum of the Indian philosophy “bahujan sukhaya bahujan hitaya” i.e. “public welfare lies in the happiness of the masses” was interpreted with the following theory. : Praja sukhe sukham rajyaha prajanamcha hitehitam,Natma priyyam hitam rajanaha prajana cha hitam priyam. “In the happiness of his public rests the king’s happiness, in theirwelfare his welfare He shall not consider as good only that which pleases him but treat as beneficial to him whatever pleases his public.
Whether in today’s perspective has it been followed by our political masters is a question which needs debate.It is curious to note that educational Institutions which are the key to born good students are under the sectarian and caste politics. The executive Councils of the Universities do only for the members of their own. As such, the appointments are of the teachers are only made what is suited to the Councils. Apart from it merit putting aside, Bhai Bhatija Vad is prevalent in choosing an appointment of a teacher in Universities.
Present time education has become only job hunting organization. Whereas in developed Nation it is not so. Their syllabus is designed for intellectual growth of the people. So they are enjoying the highest degree of democracy and its values. Some may ask is it the theory for which our leaders fought for independence? When we got independence, our leaders came for election for the public welfare. They had a vision to move India forward. They never thought for the salaries and allowances but now the position is changed.
Now Minister means king. Member of Parliament does not mean the person whose duty is to serve people. So is the case of legislatures. Meaning thereby the meaning of republic is changed. It also indicates that due to slackness of our political masters the meaning of education before the masses gone to different way. The unemployed daughters and sons of politicians are given place to be elected but public has no care because it is not educated and so intelligent to judge the situation. The Ministers, Chief Ministers and Governors receive salaries like the officers but they cannot be suspended by the president of India even if they do not discharge their obligatory duties. Is it not against the principles of our founding fathers of the Constitution? The reason is because we the people of India even today have not proved ourselves to lead a democratic society nor such education has emerged through the mechanism to transform intelligent masses to meet out this situation.
Is it not a mockery of election in India? It would be our effort to see through the curtains of the history and to examine what Dr. Rajendra prasad hoped for this country was true? “People have doubted the wisdom of adult franchise. Personally, although I look upon it as an experiment the result of which no one will be able to forecast today, I am not dismayed by it. I am a man of the village and although I have had to live in cities for a pretty long time, on account of my work, my roots are still there. I, therefore, know the village people who will constitute the bulk of this vast electorate.
In my opinion, our people possess intelligence and common sense. They also have a culture, which the sophisticated people of today may not appreciate, but which is solid. They are not literate and do not possess the mechanical skill of reading and writing. However, I have no doubt in my mind that they are able to take measure of their own interest and of the interests of the country at
large if things are explained to them. In fact, in some respects, I consider them even more intelligent than many a worker in a factory, who loses his individuality and becomes more or less a part of the machine, which he has to work. and I have, therefore, no misgivings about the future, on their account. I cannot say the same thing about the other people who may try to influence them by slogans and by placing before them beautiful pictures of impracticable programmes. Nevertheless, I think their sturdy common sense will enable them to see things in the right perspective.
We can, therefore, reasonably hope that we shall have legislatures composed of members who shall have their feet on the ground and who will take a realistic view of things.“, said Dr. Rajendra Prasad in his presidential speech of Constituent Assembly.
“There is an attempt made in the Constitution to make even the lower judiciary independent of any outside or extraneous influence. One of our articles makes it easy for the State Governments to introduce separation of Executive from judicial functions and placing the magistracy which deals with criminal cases on similar footing as Civil Courts. I can only express the hope that this long overdue reform will soon be introduced in the States.Our Constitution has devised certain independent agencies to deal with particular matters. Thus, it has provided for Public Service Commission both for the Union and for the States and placed such Commission on an independent footing so that they may discharge their duties without being influenced by the Executive.” He further remarked,
“.There is only two regrets which I must share with the honourable Members I would have liked to Have some qualifications laid down for members of the Legislatures.It is anomalous that we should insist upon high qualifications for those who administer or help in administering the law but none for those who made it except that they are elected. A lawgiver requires intellectual equipment but even more than that capacity to take a balanced view of things to act independently and above all to be true to those fundamental things of life – in one word – to have character (hear). It is not possible to devise any yardstick for measuring the moral qualities of a man and so long as that is not possible, our Constitution will remain defective. The other regret is that we have not been able to draw up our first Constitution of a free Bharat in an Indian language. We have prepared a democratic Constitution. However, successful working of democratic institutions requires in those who have to work them willingness to respect the viewpoints of others, capacity for compromise and accommodation. Many things, which cannot be written in a Constitution, are done by conventions. Let me hope that we shall show those capacities and develop those conventions.
After all, a Constitution like a machine is a lifeless thing. It acquires life because of the men who control it and operate it and India needs today nothing more than a set of honest men who will have the interest of the country before them. It requires men of strong character, men of vision, men who will not sacrifice the interests of the country at large for the sake of smaller groups and areas and who will rise over the prejudices, which are born of these differences.
We can only hope that the country will throw up such men in abundance. I can say this from the experience of the struggle that we have had during the period of the freedom movement that new occasions throw up new men; not once but almost on every occasion when all leading men in the Congress were clapped into prison”.This is needed to be evaluated in present Indian condition, when academic value is gone down to the extent that the recommendations of Universities are considered useless by the Governments, and where only those who are flatterer to politicians of India given due regards.
Should we hope that in this shivering condition of democracy in India Election Commission and the Prime Minister of India to stable the condition shall devise some yardstick? It is not our endeavour only to criticise for the sake of criticism. Actually through this presentation of our views we wish to open the wards of democracy lovers to think that initially we should evolve Education under an Indian Academic Services and selection committees of the teaching should be organized by three eminent academician one of whose member should be nominated by person of high judicial repute by High Courts. to select experts for the selection committee leaving aside the Heads of the Departments. We believe that if such a step could be taken there is no limits of sky when we can see Indian democracy blooming day by day for public interest.
_______________
About the Author
Dr. Udai Narain Sinha
Author and Reader in the Department of Ancient Indian History and Archaeology
Author Dr. Udai Narain Sinha,Living at Lucknow old city, uttar pradesh Indiaqualification: M.A. Ancient Indian History and Culture from Kanpur University, holding a degree of doctor of philosophy from ancient Indian History and Archaeology Department Lucknow University under title:”Yoga Vasishtha Maharamayana Ka Rachana Kaal” ]The date of the composition of the Yoga Vasishtha Maharamayana[ Holds a degree of “Sangeet Nipun” from Bhatkhande Music College Lucknow in vocal music.A blind person working as an associate professor in Ancient Indian History and Archaeology Department of Lucknow University, Lucknow.
Contact – :
R/o, 211/2, Pheelkhana Chhachhi Kuwan, Lucknow-226003Mob. 08127596095 – Email – : drunsinha@gmail.com
Disclaimer : The views expressed by the author in this feature are entirely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of INVC NEWS.
