With Droupudi Murmu as President, would India facilitate equity and justice?

By Harasankar Adhikari
India is a welfare and democratic nation. But people have no equality and justice, even after 75 years of independence. They have only one equal right – the right to vote. It is very much a constitutional matter. In practice, all have no free right to vote because of several political parties’ influences and so-called scientific rigging. In spite of this, all have an equal share in the democratic government. At the same time, people have to struggle for equity and justice. But the government works for the rich to make them richer and the majority of its population is deprived of their democratic demand for survival at their own feet. The government of India is celebrating the "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsab". Are the people of India really "Azad"?
The governments (central and states) have formed so-called several organisations, i.e., National and States Human Rights Commission, Women’s Right Commission, Organisations for SCs/STs/OBCs, etc., with the object of ensuring equal rights and justice. But all is under the control of the ruling political party in the government. These organisations have failed to bridge the gap between rich and poor, higher and lower classes, and so forth. The reasons behind it are hide and seek political politics and the fulfilment of leaders and their parties' greed.
Social services and relief are prioritised measures for the disadvantages of their presence in this country. Unfortunately, these measures are also politicalized in their distribution to the ultimate beneficiaries. That’s why about 38.4% of the population is hungry. Different government and non-government organisations, corporate and individuals are greatly involved in serving the underprivileged. But change among them is invisible. It reminds us that social services and relief work are impressive image-building factors in society. It's a show-off deal, as if we're all for everyone and everyone's for everyone else, because whatever progress the service takers have made is insignificant to the service providers. They rarely consider the dignity of the underprivileged. Is it not an effort to make them dependent? Is it not discrimination against human beings by human beings? Is it their inherited stigma to be born as poor so that they have to die in poverty?
Are social services and relief efforts being used to glorify political parties, corporate, and some individuals? The government states in its long list on August 15th or January 26th every year how much it is concerned about serving the majority (poor). Each and every political party declares its manifesto during the election, which is an assurance of some social service measures or relief works, There is no effort taken for people’s sustainable living.
For example, the government makes no serious effort to create jobs for educated or non-degree holders. No new employment venue has been created. But the government is very strict about privatising the public sectors. Is the younger generation social waste in this nation? They have huge potential at the time of the election? Is job guarantee under MGNEGRA a long-term policy to reduce unemployment and hunger among India's democratic people? Is it not a policy of begging for 100 days of work with lower than minimum wages? It is an irresponsible policy to keep the poor in poverty. It will never be a supplement or complement to "Atmanirvar Bharat.".
Further, the appointment of Mrs. Droupudi Murmu as honourable President of India has glorified the nation. But would it facilitate equity and justice? The deprived community represented by Mrs. Murmu is still in the darkness of development.
We see that, at an individual level, various social services or relief work are undertaken, where old clothes, excess food, and so forth are being gloriously distributed among the poor. Is it a noble work? Why would they face this discrimination? When do they have the same dignity in this nation?
Last of all, infrastructural development, no subsidy, collection of taxes, and other are, we see, for an aristocratic life of the elected representatives. On the other hand, the majority of people may only expect some social service or relief for their vote. Equality, justice, and sustainable self-dependent living are a dream for the common people of India.

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