- Prelims: Freedom struggle, role of Gandhi during freedom struggle etc
- Mains GS Paper I & II: Freedom struggle(significant events), Gandhian phase, unity(communal harmony) etc
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- The world’s largest democracy is soon to become the most populous country on earth.
- Therefore, the celebration of 75 years of Independence brings a special responsibility to set global standards in the protection and the promotion of individual and collective freedoms.
- On this historic occasion, we must resolve to never let our freedoms be robbed by authoritarian arrogance or allow fomented hatred to undermine the unity of the Indian people.
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
Mountbatten Plan (1947)
- The legislature representatives of the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League, and the Sikh community came to an agreement with Lord Mountbatten on what has come to be known as the 3 June Plan or Mountbatten Plan. This plan was the last plan for independence.
- The plan announced by the Viceroy Mountbatten on 3 June 1947 included these principles:
- The principle of the partition of British India was accepted by the British Government.
- Successor governments would be given dominion status.
- Autonomy and sovereignty to both countries.
- The successor governments could make their own constitution
- The Princely States were given the right to join either Pakistan or India, based on two major factors: Geographical contiguity and the people’s wishes.
- The Mountbatten plan led to the enactment of the India Independence Act of 1947.
India Independence Act (1947):
- The Indian Independence Act 1947 passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom divided British India into two new independent dominions
- The Dominion of India (later to become the Republic of India)
- Dominion of Pakistan (later to become the Islamic Republic of Pakistan).
- This Act received Royal Assent on 18 July 1947.
- India and Pakistan became independent on August 15th, 1947.
- India continues to celebrate August 15th as her Independence day, while Pakistan chose to celebrate August 14th as her Independence day as per their cabinet decisions.
Unity is precious:
- Colonial rule: India emerged from the chokehold of colonial rule to build a nation from a wide scatter of British-ruled territories and princely States.
- Freedom struggle: This unity did not magically materialize overnight. It was the freedom struggle, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and led by the Indian National Congress, which united Indians across the land to seek an end to foreign rule.
- Unity: This movement united Indians across multiple identities of language, religion, caste, gender and social status.
- Preventing Indian identity: Unity is precious to India and should not be frittered away through communally divisive, linguistically chauvinist, callously casteist and gender insensitive campaigns that will fragment the Indian identity.
Flag divisive politics:
- Jobless growth: Jobless growth is not a safe bet for any economy.
- Unemployment not only does not permit the optimal use of our human resources but also creates the breeding ground for social discord and divisive politics.
- Utilize the demographic dividend: As we move ahead towards the next 25 years of independent India, we must aim to optimally utilize the demographic dividend of a young population through:
- Education
- Skilling
- Suitable employment and support to young entrepreneurs and innovators.
- Mobility for education and employment: Easing mobility across the country for education and employment.
- Communal and linguistic barriers will hinder such mobility and adversely impact growth.
- Responsibilities of Indian Industries: Captains of Indian industry must recognise this danger and raise their voice for national unity, not remain mute spectators when divisive politics are posing a threat to the economy.
Uphold scientific tradition:
- Excellence in science: India adopted excellence in science as a path to progress since the early years of Independence.
- National Science Policy: The national science policy was forward looking.
- Great institutions of scientific learning and research were established.
- World renowned institutes: India’s various institutes of technology have won world renown, with many of their graduates leading global enterprises of repute.
- Space, oceanography and nuclear programmes: They have placed us in a select group of nations whose scientific prowess and technological excellence are respectfully acknowledged by the whole world.
Well-being of the young:
- Health, education and skilling of young persons: India must focus on enhancing the health, education and skilling of young persons.
- National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5): The recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reminds us that stunting, under-nourishment and anemia continue to afflict a large percentage of our children and women in the reproductive age group.
- We need to ensure that the nutrition-specific programmes deliver, even as we advance nutrition-sensitive policies in other sectors, especially water and sanitation.
- Strengthen the capacity of health services: COVID-19 revealed several weaknesses in our health system. From disease surveillance to provision of health care, we need to strengthen the capacity of health services.
- Differences in capacity and performance across states: There are marked differences in the capacity and performance of health systems across different States.
- It is essential that States invest more in health and also that centrally sponsored programmes aim to provide greater support to States whose health indicators are lagging.
Way Forward
- Maintaining positions: We need to maintain our positions, even as the world witnesses new conflicts and alliances.
- It is essential for us to be regarded as a reliable and respected friend in most countries of the world, but especially in South Asia.
- Clear-headed initiatives: We should not let our foreign policy wobble through dependence on personalized gestures for the camera but follow clear-headed initiatives through wise leadership supported by able diplomats.
- Weakening of democratic institutions: Alongside, there is also a weakening of institutions which must safeguard democratic freedoms, uphold norms of good governance and shield electoral politics from the onslaught of money power and co-opted state agencies.
- It is for the citizens of India to protect and preserve the hard won gains of our freedom.
- Strive Towards Universalisation of Education: There is a need for the creation of ‘inclusion funds’ to help socially and educationally disadvantaged children pursue education.
- Need For Cooperative Federalism: Since education is a concurrent subject (both the Center and the state governments can make laws on it), the reforms proposed can only be implemented collaboratively by the Center and the states.
- Universal health coverage: Providing needed health services to all persons, with adequate financial protection, must be the goal of universal health coverage.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
- Many voices had strengthened and enriched the nationalist movement during the Gandhian phase. Elaborate.(UPSC 2019)
(200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
- How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it.(UPSC 2021)
(200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
