India Today Conclave 2013 on "Reinventing Democracy"

Paradigm shift in thinking If you do not talk differently, We shall not think differently. ... by Tony Judt

I am delighted to participate at the "India Today Conclave 2013 on Reinventing Democracy" organized by India today. My greetings to India Today, speakers, delegates, participants, invitees and distinguished guests. During the evolution of humanity from antiquity, several transformational changes have been brought about in many fields. One of the most important of them is democracy. I firmly believe that the fundamental principle of democracy is there to stay forever, with its aim of continuous empowerment of citizens for their betterment. As our father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi said, "Democracy, disciplined and enlightened, is the finest thing in the world". So when we say, reinventing democracy, the real thrust is a continuing effort to refine the processes and institutions of democracy and their networking to ensure the realization of the fundamental goal of democracy - of empowering citizens. As the world around us is changing fast and in formations, our nation needs urgently a paradigm shift in thinking and forum like India Today Conclave can be the launching platform for such a thought processes shift.

I appreciate the efforts of India Today in organizing today's Conclave on the theme, 'Reinventing Democracy'. My favourite author ,Tony Judt in his book "Ill fares the land" says

If you do not talk differently, We shall not think differently

I am sure, India Today Conclave 2013 will help all of us to think differently. Hence, the topic I am going to discuss with you is "Paradigm shift in thinking".

Nurturing the seeds Friends, when I see you all with cheering faces, I recall an incident in the year 2001, when I was teaching at Anna University, Chennai, a course on "Societal transformation using technology". I was invited by the Presidency College of Chennai to interact with students. When I reached the venue, I saw more than 1500 students overflowing the hall. It was very tough to reach the dais. After I finished my lecture "Vision elevates the nation", I received a number of questions from the students, which I answered. When I was leaving the hall, suddenly a young student pushed himself from the crowd and thrust a crumbled paper in my hand. I put the paper in my pocket and read it in the car, while I was returning to Anna University. My mind got elevated with the power of the message from T. Saravanan doing M. Phil. in Presidency College at that time. I would like to share the content of the letter with all of you, since it is relevant to the subject we are going to discuss. The letter went like this:

"Dear Sir, the full power of banyan tree is equal to the power in the seeds of the tree. In a way both of us, you and me are the same, but we exhibit our talents in different forms. A few of the seeds become banyan trees but many seeds die as saplings without ever becoming a tree. Due to certain circumstances and environmental conditions, many seeds even get damaged and become part of the soil as manure helping new seeds to become trees."

Sarvanan then asked, "You have worked for the country and helped many scientists, engineers, and knowledge workers, can you tell me, how you ensured that their abilities were not wasted or their growth was not stunted pre-maturely like seeds that never became trees? In your service, what is the percentage of success you can claim?" I suitably answered Saravanan and added that it was my great joy to see my team members excelling in knowledge and action. Since Saravanan wanted to know the percentage of success, I replied that it could have been 60%. But this 60% emerged out of the 100% who worked for the projects.

The message I would like to give is, the seeds of banyan tree are indeed something like the citizens of the nation. Democracy gives opportunity to every citizen to grow with capacity to perform. Every citizen indeed contributes to the success of the few. Let the success of Indian Nation be shared by all Indian citizens. Let every seed nurture. Nevertheless, seeds that become manure must not be treated lesser that the seeds that become trees.

Right to live with dignity Every citizen in the country has a right to live with dignity; every citizen has a right to aspire for distinction. Availability of opportunities, just and fair means, dignity and aspiration space to every citizen is what democracy is all about. This is the axis of our Constitution - to make life wholesome and worth living in a true and vibrant democracy for all citizens of the Nation.

In a vibrant democracy, empowered human being is indeed the prime mover. We need to bring people out of the suffocation and loss of human rights due to the backwardness induced economic status, caste differentiation, violence against women and children and the unjust domination of the helpless by those in power. People are getting restless. If the cancer of corruption and frustration generated by denial of timely justice at affordable cost are not dealt with soon, a revolution will start giving birth to empowered human beings. Therefore, the right approach is to strengthen democracy and take advance actions - short term and long term ? instead of precipitating the crisis and keep on reacting on a contingency basis. The road map for graduating our people into an empowered and enlightened citizenry will have to include:-

a) education with value system,  b) religions graduating into spirituality, c) removal of poverty and economically strong nation.

Unity of minds At this point, I would like to suggest that at social levels, it is necessary to work for Unity of Minds. Indian civilization is a multi-lingual, multi-faith, multi-racial system evolved over centuries. The increasing intolerance for views and life style of others and the expressions of these differences through lawless violence cannot be justified in any context. All of us have to work hard and do everything to make our behaviour civilized and respect the rights of every individual. That is the most fundamental of the democratic values, which I believe, is our civilizational heritage and the very soul of our nation.

Let us evolve ourselves into a society that respects differences and celebrate differences. Let our experts, leaders and institutions show in their words and deeds:

1. Tolerance for other people's opinion. 2. Tolerance for other people's culture. 3. Tolerance for other people's beliefs.  4. Tolerance for other people's styles and  5. Tolerance of other people's ideas.

In fact, such an attitude, at the individual and community level has been the hallmark of Indian civilization.

Now I would like to share with you certain thoughts based on my experience about the linkages of many disciplines which have to work in symphony for the development and growth of a democratic nation.

Rule of Law I have studied the development process of our nation. As you are aware, there are several interfaces that makes the total system. These are Political Leaders, Law makers, Administrators, Police, Scientists & Technologists, Doctors, Lawyers and Judges, Media, other professionals and Non-governmental organizations. Every interface has to work with a common vision of the development mandate for the country. Also itt has to be transparent and pure.

All of us, irrespective of the segment of the system to which we belong, have to regulate ourselves by a code of behaviour, ordained by the Constitution. Freedom available to a segment, seemingly unfettered by the mandate of the so-called majority, is for formulating wholesome legalistic stipulations within the framework of the Constitution for common good and not for imprudent enactments aimed at transient appeasement of one another section of people. Likewise, the virtue of discreetness must be cultivated among those who hold power. The pen, having writ, can certainly move on with telling effect, to say the least.

Friends, I am voicing this thought as a concerned citizen. The promise of the Rule of Law made in the Constitution of India has not been kept. Privileges cannot be used to make others suffer and certainly they are not meant to be flaunted. Rights are meant to be exercised for achieving the right thing; they are not to be brandished. Politeness and moderation are virtues of a good public life.

Self restraint by each of the social organs coupled with respect for the others should become a conditionality, consciously remembered and conscientiously followed with sincerity and honesty. The earlier the realization comes to each of the pillars of democracy, namely the legislature, executive and judiciary, the better for all of us. This is indeed the prescription for a healthy and resurgent democratic system.

Indian democracy has many challenges which have to be seen as great opportunities. The successful experiments done by us to improve the lot of one sixth of world population will have lessons for the entire humanity.

Political system in democracy Democracy works on the foundation of people's dreams and aspirations, which have to form the manifesto of the political system. It is not democracy that has to be re-invented; what is to be re-invented is our political system with its responsibilities and its boundary conditions.

When I see you all, in front of me, dear friends, I would like to recall my ten addresses in the Parliament and my address to the 15 State Legislative Assemblies on the missions for development of the states in a time bound manner. I gave an equation. What I said in Parliament:

"Political system is equal to: Political politics + Developmental politics." Any parliamentarian or legislator has to go through these two political components. Political politics is to focus on election and getting elected with the declared agenda. Development Politics is to focus on development of constituency as part of the mission for developed states thereby developed nation. This requires vision, measurable mission targets, feedback on progress, and even midcourse corrections whenever necessary. I believe that a member, once got elected, should spend only 30% of the time for political politics and the remaining 70% time must be devoted on development politics.

To illustrate developmental politics, one political party will declare and work for the nation to be transformed into economically developed within ten years. Another party will say, in 10 years, not only nation will achieve economic development, but also will be transformed into an economic power in the world. That means the goal of the parties will be same as for as development is concerned and the vision of the country is the driving force in taking decisions. Now, normally in our country, the Members work 70% of the time or more for political politics. In recent elections, there are indications in our country that citizens prefer to reelect multiple times such of those leaders or Chief Ministers who according to them bring in development results.  So the message is: the democracy with developmental politics, that is economic development agenda is indeed has to spring in the midst of our Parliamentary democracy. Nation is bigger than the political system. The 540 million youth of Indian Nation are the most powerful resource on our planet. I will conclude with sharing a glimpse of what Indian youth thinks about our democracy.

Dynamics of the youth mind On 19 Jan 2011, I visited Amravati to attend the programme organized by Satpuda Shikshan Prasarak Mandal to address one lakh youth. I gave a talk on the subject "I am unique", in the presence of many political and societal development leaders, teachers and educationists. After I finished my lecture, among other questions, which I answered, one interesting question came from a rural boy. He introduced himself as from Harali village, studying 10th class. He asked a question, "Sir, can you please tell me, our media and my friends always say China is economically progressing well and faster compared to India, tell me sir, why India cannot go faster in development and tell us what we youth should do?" There was a full ovation for this boy's question, with the message that the crowd of one lakh youth needed an answer from me.

Dear friends, do you have an answer for the boy's question? Of course you may have. But, in Amravati, I had to answer. My friends on the dais too were looking at me for an answer. Reflecting for a brief moment, I asked the boy what is his name? His name was Vineet. I said, Vineet, "you have a powerful mind and also love your nation. My answer for you is, it is true that the economic progress between China and India is quite different. Out of both nations, India is following democracy based on the Parliamentary system elected by people. Democracy is accompanied by lifts and drags, and we must keep flying. The associated delays have to be removed by the leadership qualities. But I want to ask all the youth assembled here, dear young friends, suppose, I give two systems one with full democracy with high pace of development, and the other, the political system like China, which one would you like to choose."

When I asked them to lift their hands, 99% youth lifted their hands and said, we want democracy with faster rate of growth. Here the message is: "Youth definitely want democracy to be re-invented with faster growth". Friends, in this context, I wish to share my recent experience while I was addressing at the Beijing Forum 2012 in November 2012 at Beijing. I met a large number of Chinese youth and may political and academic leaders. I came to know that all prospective political leaders for governance, have to attend a course at the China Executive Leadership Academy, with multiple branches on Chinese political philosophy and the role of the politicians for the development of China. After that, the officials graduate to assume political responsibilities.

The message here is that the young mind is indeed turbulent and looking for the vision for the nation, and its fast accomplishment. It is very important to engage the young minds with an inspiring vision for thinking and action. The ignited minds of the youth of India are the most powerful resources on the earth, above the earth and under the earth.

Friends, so far I discussed, Nurturing the seeds, Right to live with dignity, Unity of minds, Interconnected societal system, Governance, Necessity of code of conduct for citizens, Political system in democracy, Dynamics of the youth mind. Now I would like to present how important for the nation to have a vision. Many a civilization disappeared in the world because of the absence of the Vision. It is time for India to have a creative leadership in every branches of our life to articulate the vision, to transform the vision into missions and capacity to make the mission into reality in agriculture, industry and service sectors.

Conclusion: Qualities of Leadership Friends, I have seen three dreams which have taken shape as vision, mission and realization. Space Program of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), AGNI program of DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization) and PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) becoming a National Mission. Of course these three programmes succeeded in the midst of many challenges and problems. I have worked in all these three areas. I would like to convey to you, what I have learnt on leadership from these three programmes.

1. Leader must have a vision.  2. Leader must have a passion to accomplish the mission. 3. Leader must be able to travel into an unexplored path.  4. Leader must know how to manage a success and failure.  5. Leader must have courage to take decision.  6. Leader should have Nobility in management. 7. Every action of the leader should be transparent. 8. Leader should work with integrity and succeed with integrity.

I have been discussing these essential traits of creative leaders with people of eminence in different areas and students from India and abroad. Let us move on with the spirit of "I can do it, we can do it and the nation can do it." This quality of leadership will certainly empower the billion people of India with sustainable development as its focus and evolving a Nation of Renaissance. My best wishes to all of you. May God Bless you.                                                                                                                                                                      Source:     By, Dr. APJ Abdulkalam www.abdulkalam.com