C Pradeep Kumar
We often boast that we have the world’s lengthiest Constitution. But what is the worth of a voluminous document that demands constant correction? It brings to mind an old adage: “The more you write, the more mistakes you make.” Our Constitution has been amended over a hundred times — and yet it still calls for further fixes. This isn’t a sign of dynamic evolution but of chronic imbalance between vision and execution.
At the heart of our democracy lies a painful irony: a nation of 140 crore people governed by leaders elected through a process routinely hijacked by poverty, illiteracy, and desperation. When a voter trades their vote for a meal or a bottle of liquor, they don’t just compromise their own future — they mortgage the nation’s destiny. A vast section of the electorate, struggling to survive, ends up empowering those who exploit rather than serve.
Public servants, ironically, have forgotten the very essence of that term. Many behave like colonial-era monarchs — arrogant, inaccessible, and unaccountable. They conveniently ignore democracy’s core principle: the people are the masters, and the government their instrument. Yet today, most bureaucrats operate with disdain, shielding themselves with red tape and evading responsibility.
The judiciary, once the final hope of the common man, is neither timely nor effective. Justice delayed has become justice destroyed. Judges expect the highest regard and protocol, forgetting that respect must be earned, not demanded. Lakhs of cases lie pending, families break down, lives wither in waiting — and still, we glorify a system that’s collapsing under its own weight.
And then there are our elected representatives — many of whom spend crores to win a seat, not to serve, but to multiply their wealth a hundredfold. The idea of public service has been replaced with the craft of public exploitation. Laws are no longer made for the people — but for the powerful.
The media, once the watchdog of democracy, has been reduced to a megaphone for corporate lobbies, political syndicates, and foreign interests. Instead of truth, many media houses peddle sensationalism, extortion, and scripted narratives. Facts are buried deep, while noise and manipulation dominate prime time.
In such a decaying system, do we still have the luxury to remain passive?
It’s time we confront a bitter truth: this democracy no longer functions in its true spirit. The people must start thinking beyond worn-out frameworks. The real conflict is not between left and right, rich and poor, but between dharma and adharma — between those who want to preserve the nation’s integrity and those who profit from its disintegration.
If legal paths fail us, should we not explore alternative routes — grounded still in public good, collective awakening, and righteous action?
This is not a call for rebellion. It is a call for restoration — of values, systems, and accountability. If the system refuses to correct itself, then the people must rise to correct the system — with wisdom, courage, and unshakable commitment to justice.
The Republic is bleeding. It’s time its true owners — the people — stopped being spectators and reclaimed their power.
