Reading the comparison between India and the US especially when it comes to democracy is quite familiar. This comparison is more intense now as the US and India are cozing up as far as defence cooperation goes. Well I have always held the US to be the most successful democracy in the world, but that notion will crumble when facts are examined.

India got its independence in 1947 and US in 1776. India has 1.1 billion population and the US has 300 million. So it is statistically easy to brand India as the largest democracy and the US to be the oldest democracy. But I believe India is largest democracy but the US is NOT the oldest democracy. India as a democratic country is older than the US as a democratic country. My reasoning is very simple and it is as follows.

Democracy is all about right of people. And in a country ‘right of people’ means people having the freedom and choice to choose a leader. Let’s flash back on the history of the US. Technically it is a democracy since 1776. But only white and male citizens were allowed to vote. Then slowly at the beginning of twentieth century white women were allowed to cast vote. And not until 1960s African Americans were allowed to vote. But in India since Jan 26, 1950 all citizens are treated equal. Male, female, white, dark, upper caste and lower caste all have same right in India long before the US gives its citizens the same right. Thus India as a democratic country is older than the US. In India we don’t say Punjabi Indian or Tamil Indian. But in the US the term ‘African American’ and ‘Asian American’ are quite common even today. So a person whose parents came to the US 200 years back from Africa is not an ‘American’ but an ‘African American’.

Let’s look at the type of leader the US citizens are choosing over past two centuries. Till now, the US does not have a non-white, non-Christian president. All presidents in the US are male. Does it mean that women and non-white are so intellectually deprived that they can’t lead the most successful country in the world? Contrast it to India. We have a Sikh Prime Minister (PM) now. Those of you who don’t know what ‘Sikh’ is, it is a religion. Don’t confuse ‘Sikhism’ to ‘Hinduism’. They are different. India had a woman as PM. We had PM who could not speak our national language. We have Presidents from minority communities. India seems to be a better democracy than the US.

Well I’m not justifying anything. I’m just convincing myself that despite all our problems we can come out victorious. If the US is most prosperous and successful nation in the world with all its defects, why can’t we? We have a better system in 60 years. We can always match and surpass the US. Democracy and freedom is our strength. Let’s transform the land of million mutinies to the land of million opportunities. From chaos will come ideas. All we need is an able leader who can unite the country under a common goal.

The other day I read in newspaper that due to the protest called by a political party India came to stand still. A person died because his ambulance was not allowed by the mob to move on. This is a deep concern for me. Do we really have democracy? Where is the justice system? This man might be the sole bread owner of a large family. Who is going to take care of that family? There might be small kids. Who is going to take care of those kids?

Justice delayed is justice denied. Who is responsible for this man’s death? Is it the mobs on the road? No. These mobs are bought over by few hundred rupees, a bottle of liquor and probably a prostitute. Is Indian police responsible for it? No. They are overwhelmed. If we trace the root then the real culprit would be the head of the political party. Let’s say he is Mr. X. X is playing his game. If X is playing his game, then X should be responsible for the ramifications as well. So if we register a case against Mr. X, how long will it take to get justice? Probably justice won’t see the light of the day. So where do we go next? If we trace the modern day justice system, it is the next step in the evolution from the ‘tribal’ justice system. Tribal justice is all about ‘eye for an eye’. But tribal justice is barbaric and not just in the true sense as powerful could always win the game. But any system of justice is better than nothing at all. So in the prevailing situation when there is no justice for common man in India what should citizens do? I don’t think the politician should go free. What if the deceased man’s son or his family contacts a hired gun to kill the politician or the child of the politician? Certainly it will be against the law of the land. But where is the law in the first place. Is not it against the law of the land to obstruct an ambulance?

If I were a judge then my profession will force me to sentence the family of the deceased man. But my heart will always be with them. If the justice system is unable to provide justice to the common men then people will take matters into their hands. It is quite simple. Law should either be applicable to all or not be applicable to anybody.

I’m not asking anybody to kill the politician X. But I just want the law of the land to be supreme. I want a just society. I want a society where strong and powerful should be accountable for their misadventures. Otherwise it is not a civilised society but a tribal one. Thus Indian society is a tribal society.

I’ll never criticise any

·         country other than India

·         religion other than Hinduism

·         race other than Indian

As an Indian citizen, as a Hindu and as an Indian by race, I’ve all the rights to criticise India, Hinduism and Indians.