Justice Katju's Critique of Parliamentary Democracy.
We must now decide whether to continue on the path of parliamentary Democracy
Justice Markandey Katju reflects on India's political landscape, urging a critical choice between continuing parliamentary democracy and embracing a revolutionary path to address casteism, communalism, and socio-economic disparities. Explore Justice Katju’s insights on the need for a united people's struggle for modernization and progress.
Standing at the crossroads
By Justice Markandey Katju
After the shameful Munich Conference in 1938, Winston Churchill, who later became Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1940, said in the House of Commons '' You were given a choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war ''.
Similarly, in the early 20th century the Indian people were given a choice between following the honourable path shown by our great revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Surya Sen (Masterda), Chandrashekhar Azad, Bismil, Ashfaqullah, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Khudiram Bose, etc---the path of armed struggle against our oppressive British rulers---or the path of objective collaboration with the Britishers (while appearing to be confronting them) called euphemistically 'satyagrah', shown by that hypocrite, deceiver and reactionary British agent Gandhi.
The Indian people chose the latter, thinking that thereby they will avoid the huge amount of bloodshed which the path of armed struggle necessarily entails. But as a consequence, they condemned several succeeding generations of their descendants to continuing massive poverty, record and rising unemployment, appalling levels of child malnutrition ( every second child in India is malnourished, and the situation is getting worse, according to Global Hunger Index ), lack of proper healthcare, good education, and proper housing for the masses, etc.
This suffering was maybe a hundred times more than the suffering of people who would have been caused by a revolution led by Bhagat Singh, Masterda, etc.
A lot of lies have been spread by politicians that India now has the fastest growing economy, rising GDP, etc but here is the truth :
Today we are again standing at a crossroads in our nation's long history. We must now decide whether to continue on the path of parliamentary democracy, which in India largely means perpetuating casteism and communalism ( because in India parliamentary democracy largely runs on the basis of caste and communal vote banks ), or begin a mighty, historical, protracted, united, people's struggle, led by modern-minded, patriotic, selfless leaders determined to create a political and social order under which India can rapidly industrialise and modernise, culminating in a mighty people's revolution, which results in giving a high standard of living and decent lives to the Indian people.
Casteism and communalism are feudal forces which must be destroyed if India is to progress, but parliamentary democracy further entrenches them ( because in India it largely runs on their basis ). So a people's struggle and people's revolution is the only way out of our miserable plight.
But a revolution is no joke. It is a terrible period and requires tremendous, heroic sacrifices.
To give an example, after the success of the Chinese Revolution in 1949 ( which had begun a quarter of a century earlier ) the Chinese authorities made a study and calculation of how many Chinese people perished in the Revolution. It was found that about 10% of the then Chinese population of about 500 million ( today of course it is 1400 million ), including women and children, had perished, i.e. about 50 million.
Similarly in the Vietnam war ( first against the French, and then against the Americans ), from 1945 to 1975, about 10% of the then Vietnamese population of 40 million ( today it is over 100 million ) i.e. about 4 million, perished.
I am not trying to scare anyone, but only explaining how history works. Either the people make these colossal sacrifices, or remain condemned to horrible poverty, unemployment, hunger, lack of healthcare etc, for themselves, as well as for their descendants
So Indian people, make your choice.
(Justice Katju।s a retired judge of the Supreme Court of।ndia. These are his personal views.)
