Relevance of gandhian values in modern Indian polity

Today majority of the countries across the world happens to be under democratic system of Government. Theoretically, this system is considered to be the best so far. It is the best because people are connected with it directly or indirectly at every level and it ensures popular participation horizontally and vertically. Also it provides maximum opportunities of public progress and development. People can themselves decide in this system the mode of their welfare. However, even though being theoretically the best system of government, if we peruse the democratic nations, we first of all find that there is non-equal development of the citizens and socio-economic and political disparity among individuals and nations. They are under clutches of regionalism, terrorism and communalism. There is degradation of moral and ethical values. There are other vivid problems akin to mentioned above and peace is far away so long as these problems exist. If these nations want to get rid of these problems in a holistic way, all citizens of them must have equal development and they should have communal harmony towards making all citizens collective and unified partners in progress. But, reality is far from these wishful ideals to be achieved.

Though, now people are more aware of their rights than ever before. They are essential so Indian polity theoretically recognizes the prime importance of the concept of human rights. However, from the practical aspect of our political system, the Indian society is known for its inequality, social hierarchy and the rich and poor divide. Here in this context Gandhiji's outlook towards human beings deserve great attention. He believed they must equally accept and respect each other without having any discrimination based on caste, colour, creed, tribe, sex.

Gandhian non-violence is immensely significant in system of today's governance, especially in a democratic system. Mahatma Gandhi said in this context, “If they are to be truly made democratic, they must be valiantly non-violent”. In case of absence of this attribute, democracy shall be there for namesake only and it would be better for it to clearly be supporter of dictatorship. Polity must be fearless, full of equality, providing protection to all eternal values and only then it can be pro-people. Man can contribute to world peace only in such a system of government along with gaining his goal.

Gandhism calls upon modern polities to march in this direction and to make them habitual to non-violence. This is really welfaristic. We cannot at all minimize significance of Gandhian non-violence in modern polity. Today the problem of falling standards of morality in public life accentuated by inequalities, violations of human rights, corruption, terrorism, communalism, regionalism need for “a new moral leadership ”guided by reassertion of “Gandhian values and ideals ”for rejuvenating the Indian Polity.