Unhealthy political rivalry exercised in the veil of religion, its booming population, rampant corruption, and the Kashmir issue stand as the major impediments in India’s journey to a prosperous democracy.

The formal entry of Priyanka Gandhi Wadra in Indian politics makes three things clear. She has been appointed as one of the secretaries of Indian Congress and assigned the specific area of East Uttar Pradesh for political activities. With Rahul Gandhi as the President of the Indian Congress and his sister as secretary, the Gandhi family is going to tighten its grip over the Congress Party, a legacy of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

The second is the sharp and desperate contest between the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its oppositions, mainly the Congress Party in the forthcoming general elections to be held in March or April this year. The third indication from Priyanka’s joining the fray is the charm and charisma that femininity carries more than masculinity in Indian society. In one public interview, a veteran Congress leader admitted why they go in favor of Sonia Gandhi, despite her deficiency in Hindi language. It is because he said, there is a turnout of the people in millions when she is to speak whereas hardly few thousands attend when other Congress address a public gathering. Therefore, there is a natural proclivity on her side.

Notwithstanding the changes in leadership in Congress or other parties, India has fallen into a quadrilateral trap, which pulls it down from its legitimate height.

Notwithstanding the changes in leadership in Congress or other parties, India has fallen into a quadrilateral trap, which pulls it down from its legitimate height. The trap extends from a booming population, debilitating democracy to religious trauma and breeding terrorism. The legitimate height dates back to the early 17th century when it was the richest country on earth until the time of the British occupation. But today it stands as the 7th economy in the world.

The biggest asset and by far the greatest liability of India today is its population, which stands at 1.25 billion, the second largest in the world. However, given the trend of its population growth India on the heels of China is up for becoming the largest populated nation by 2030. After almost three decades of mandatory birth control, China has relaxed its stern policy at a time when the Chinese, basking on the fruits of economic development, are most unwilling to have a large family.

On the contrary in India, it is almost a taboo to speak out on family planning today, thanks to Sanjay Gandhi’s controversial program in the seventies, which involved the forcible sterilization of men with two or more children. No political leader or party, subsequently, touches the sensitive subject for the fear of antagonizing the people. Not that India is lagging behind in economic growth. But that its 7 to 8 percent annual growth is offset by the population boom. Increasing population is also creating an adverse impact on social balance. Census officials counted just 914 girls for every 1,000 boys.

There is a dichotomy to what is described as democracy in India with respect to fundamental human freedoms and human rights of the people. There is no doubt the system has accorded important platform to civil society actors to influence the government policies, to criticize the government and to protest in a peaceful manner for the resolution of any problems.

The Indian judiciary has acted strongly and effectively against any totalitarian tendency in favor of people’s rights.

But there is a dark side overshadowing the globally commended democracy gripping India over the last 70 years. Criminalization of politics, rampant corruption both at high and low levels, domineering bureaucracy, an invincible legacy of the British Raj, and maladministration at the grass-roots level have sapped the very spirit and elements of democracy. The government is not strong enough to bring the society in order. The Indian judiciary has acted strongly and effectively against any totalitarian tendency in favor of people’s rights. However, the Indian nation as such is left in quandary and short of achieving economic and social progress.

India is definitely rich in Vedic civilization with the flourishing and survival of multiple religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism amidst centuries of turbulence. But the history of foreign invasions has turned India into a multi-religious, multi-language, multi-cultural nation, which is hitherto facing a variety of traumas. Nowhere in the world, is Hindu-Muslim animosity, resulting in religious riots, noticed as intensely as in India. Despite living together for centuries as neighbors and compatriots, they fear each other in modern days. For a country with global aspirations, it is regrettable for example to observe caught up in a religious tug-of-war on Ram Mandir. How does it affect the living challenges and lifestyle of the common people by building or not building it? Ram Mandir issue is in the central limelight and is going to decide the outcome of the general elections scheduled in 2019. The BJP government under the leadership of Narendra Modi may anytime throw a gauntlet by going ahead of constructing it despite the case pending before India’s Supreme Court. It definitely is yet to take a toll of human lives and millions of votes.

By far the biggest trap India has sunk into is terrorism. It is certain to prevail until the Kashmir issue is resolved. No matter how one may describe it as a problem, in the words of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, as a dispute or as an issue, it stands as an irritant between India and Pakistan. It is challenging, if not impossible, to resolve it to the satisfaction of both India, Pakistan and, above all, the Kashmiris. It is due to this bequest that India, as former Indian home minister, P. Chidambaram said, is living in “most troubled neighborhood in the world.”

Even after 70 years of two wars and haggling over it, both countries have undergone heavy losses in security, economic benefits and political goodwill at the cost of the unresolved land issue. Territorial and political problems elsewhere in the world have the potential to get resolved sooner or later. But it appears that India is locked up eternally in Kashmir, a breeding ground for terrorism preying over all parts of the country. Sooner India gets rid of these traps; it can live in peace and climb to its rightful height.

(The author is a senior journalist)

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Khabarhub’s editorial stance