His latest book, Revitalising Indian Democracy, published by Gyan Publishing House New Delhi is perhaps the need of the hour. While believing in Mahatma Gandhi's ideals Vinod Saighal also accepts that a blind reversal to the Mahatma's economic ideals would push India to an economic abyss from which there would be no coming back to the modern world. Many of the chapters in the book are based on talks or papers prepared on different occasions over the last fifteen years and more; the fact that they are still relevant only confirms that we have not adequately or seriously attempted to solve these problems. In fact as the book explains and as we all know, our problems have only compounded with time.
The chapter on corruption - Fountainhead of Corruption - highlights how bent the administrative machinery and the political system with its criminal connections had become by 2009, that despite a strong mandate to UPAII, things began to fall apart rapidly. Vinod Saighal urges reforms of the Representation of Peoples Act, police reforms, strengthening of the CBI, CVC and other investigative agencies. Sadly this has not happened nor has the National Judicial Commission been set up or the reforms recommended by the Moily Committee carried out. This lethargy or ineptitude has begun to cost the nation.
This is happening at a time when the entire world is in a flux, there is political uncertainty in the neighbourhood and political paralysis at home. Vital economic decisions are mired in indecision and political ineptitude. The country's Human Development Indicators remain abysmal while our political leaders and the executive remain engrossed in their own worlds. This is happening at a time when there is economic slow down along with exploding expectations. The next decade will be vital and determine the country's future. As China continues its rise which it terms harmonious but this is unlikely to be so throughout, the Islamic world is in ferment, and the US ability to have its way is getting circumscribed. If we do not get our house in order efficiently and urgently we will have missed our opportunity this century and remain a nation that might have been great but preferred to remain in the lower rungs of the global order of things - a country with tremendous potential but never really able to play to its strengths and flattered to deceive.
Generally the discussion then evolves into the civil society that should be doing something. What exactly or who exactly do we imply when we use this mysterious term 'civil society' ? Those who speak English, live in elegant homes in gated communities, drink single malts and talk of poverty and disease about 'them' or other peoples' corruption while getting ready to pay a tidy sum of money or an expensive gift to evade the law ? Our problems will not get solved through sophisticated discussions in air conditioned studios.
All of us must have a stake in the system and be prepared to work for it and claim it not merely as an entitlement by caste or privilege; the politician will have to stop playing this and he should be aware that he cannot succeed on promises. our first struggle has to be re establishing our institutions that we have systematically allowed to be destroyed over the years. Governance in all its aspects is the main cause for al that is wrong with our system.The state must be made to deliver or whither away. This is what Maj Gen Saighal argues in his book.
So must the society. As an anonymous writer said "When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work, because the other half is going to take care of them and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work, because somebody else os going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of the nation." Strong words but we need to be careful of where we are headed.
Book Reviewed by Vikram Sood , 1st May 2013
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