The masses learn only by bitter experience 👆
Justice Katju is telling how the masses learn |
By Justice Markandey Katju
A few intellectuals may know historical truths and social developments by their study and genuine understanding, but the masses, who are often gullible and can easily be befooled, learn only through their own bitter experience and suffering.
Thus, the Indian masses have learnt, after being befooled and being kicked around for over 75 years, that the 'Independence' of 1947 was sham, and no real independence and that real independence is independence from poverty, hunger, unemployment, lack of healthcare and good education, etc ( which are still far off ), and that a real freedom struggle from foreign rule could only have been an armed struggle, as pointed out by our real freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Surya Sen ( Masterda ), Bismil, Ashfaqulla, Rajguru, Khudiram Bose, etc and not the fake 'freedom struggle' which led to the phoney 'Independence' we got in 1947.
The 'democracy' we got under our Constitution was a fraud and bogus, to deceive the people that they have become the rulers of the country, though it is only vote bank politics, which is craftily manipulated by our crooked politicians, who seek only power and pelf for themselves, and take advantage of the low intellectual understanding of the masses and tremendous casteism and communalism prevailing in them, to polarise society and incite hatred among castes and communities, to win elections.
It is only now that the Indian masses through their bitter experience are gradually learning the truth, and are realizing that real freedom is freedom from poverty, hunger, unemployment, lack of healthcare, etc, and that the solutions to their huge problems lie outside the system, not within it, that is by waging a mighty united people's struggle to create a modern and just political and social order.
To wage this historical people's struggle successfully, the Indian masses will have to change their mindsets i.e. rise above casteism and communalism ( something very difficult and painful ), learn who are their real friends and real enemies, and make tremendous sacrifices. The vested interests, both internal and external, in the present order will not easily give up their hold, and will not allow allow great changes in the country, but will seek to retain the status quo, by polarising society, inciting hatred among the people, and putting up fierce resistance.
But our goal must be clear. We must attain our objective of creating a highly industrialised, highly modern India, with our people enjoying a high standard of living, whatever the cost, and however great the sacrifices needed to attain it. For this we have to establish a social and political order under which there is rapid industrialisation and modernisation, so that our people enjoy a high standard of living and decent lives, with employment, healthcare, good education, nutritious food, etc for all, and with no social discrimination against women, dalits, minorities, etc. And to create such a political and social order the Indian people will have to wage a mighty, protracted, united, people's struggle led by modern minded patriotic, selfless leaders, who are determined to transform India into a modern industrial giant, like another China.
For waging this historical people's struggle the enlightened sections of our people will have to use all their creativity, and devise the forms of struggle, as were devised in the great British, American, French, Russian and Chinese Revolutions, by the great modern minded, brave and self-sacrificing leaders of those countries. Only then can we get real independence and a prosperous India.
(Justice Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. These are his personal views.)