Future of India as a Nation State

India is governed by an inefficient and corrupt to the core administration working at the behest of elite whose sole agenda is self-preservation and self-perpetuation. Rationale and ideological sustenance for this venal system is provided by a domesticated intelligentsia driven by a divisive agenda. Roots of this fatal system lie in the advent of Sultanate era which saw Indian state emphatically delinking from the society. The Sultans who occupied India from 11^th century to mid-16^th century and the Mughals who took over tenancy rights in mid-16^th century and the British who replaced them in mid-18^th century continued the practice. The top rung of these administrations was made up of foreigners, i.e., Turks, Persians and the Europeans who took great care and pride in maintaining their distinct identity and conducted their business in languages totally alien to the masses.  

Sultanate and Mughal administration had an openly exploitative relationship with the people.  One only has to look around at the ruins of those eras to see that whatever they left behind was built for their own use and they did not undertake any public works or welfare schemes. Only benchmark to assess the lower rungs of administration was timely and ruthless collection of exorbitant taxes (Mall Guzari).  The Turkic and Persian elite wanted minimum or no link with the teeming masses of Indians and hence spawned a class of intermediaries (Durbaries) known as Rajas of local stock and Nawabs of Afghan and Pathan stock.

The British did bring some change, albeit grudgingly and with a selfish motive. Since the times were changing and Europe itself was in throes of birth of democracy, its limited impact was felt in India too, where the administration did undertake some public works, like construction of canals and railways. However primary aim of these measures was increasing the state revenue.    The British while retaining old Durbaries also brought in career civil servant steeped in European culture and holding deep disdain for anything native. Between the three of them, the British Bosses, old school Durbaries and new wannabe civil servant, an overbearing and omnipotent government (Mai-Baap Sarkar) was created.

Nehru and his progenies, who lorded over India from 1947 to 1989 and 2004 to 2014 further strengthened the system of Mai-Baap Sarkar. This was a most successful change of optics ever done in the world. An inefficient and venal administration went to sleep on 14 August 1947 and woke up as a efficient and benign public service on 15 August 1947. To sustain this optic illusion a number of concurrent steps were taken which included divisive public discourse, keeping masses ignorant through opaque system of administration and control over delivery of services in the name of socialism. Ideological underpinnings were provided by an inherently biased education and information delivery system controlled by paid intelligentsia which has slowly replaced old Durbaries. This lot is called by many names like Libtards, Pseudo-seculars, Lutyens Mafia, Presstitutes  and Azadi Brigade are some of its manifestations. Simpler way of recognizing them is to trace the government-aided milk cow (Aided Institutions) these fellows are ensconced in!

The present government ought to recognize the fact that Indian society has historically recognized ability to self-govern and self-correct. What is needed is direction and time. Direction should come from truly self-motivated wise sons-of-soil who would create awareness and motivate society to correct evils which have infested us due to customs and usage. But at the same time strengthen our native culture through education, that is, make the youth aware of rich philosophical basis of our ancient culture and allow time for change to occur and grow. The government also do well to move quickly and decisively to break the stranglehold of bureaucracy over administration by decentralizing and implementing Panchayati Raj and stop funding dens of anti-national activities.