A roadmap for change
Revitalising Indian Democracy By Major- General Vinod Saighal. 
Gyan. Pages 267. Rs 590
Abhishek Joshi

major-General Vinod Saighal, rather than simply stating what ails Indian democracy, comes up with a workable model for stemming the rot. Called the Model for Restoration of Good Government (MRGG), the solution is at once striking in its applicability and sincerity of purpose. Saighal says the founders of the movement will keep away from political office. The MRGG will not enrol political parties on a permanent basis. It will, instead, provide a forum for like-minded people to ensure a check on elected representatives of the people. No politician, past or present, would be eligible for membership of the governing council. The funding of the movement will be entirely through voluntary donations and transparency of accounts will be maintained at all times. Saighal notes that religion was denied sufficient space in the political mainstream — due to the political philosophy and thinking of India's first PM Pandit Nehru.

As for the Gandhian philosophy, he reflects: “The destiny that awaited India at midnight of 15th August 1947 has still eluded the country....India has yet to produce the leaders who will take India to the pinnacle that the Mahatma and the sages before him dreamed of.”

Compassion for all beings, he says, must remain at the forefront of societal activity. All need to be reminded that the primary status of everyone in the country is first and foremost that of a citizen. In that respect, all are coequal. The author bats for democratisation of the UN, resumption of India's engagement with all those referred to as ‘third world’ countries and redefines the concept of the third world to embrace all deprived nations whose primary impulse is towards global stability. A general decline will remain the order of the day unless the government gives an overriding priority to population stabilisation, albeit in a non-coercive manner, the writer maintains. A clear roadmap for stemming the rot is here. Are we willing to take the plunge?

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