India is the world’s largest democracy in more than name. It has free elections, a multi-party parliamentary system, a diverse and outspoken free press, an independent judiciary and the country abounds with non-governmental organization’s that take pride in their independence and that help to make up a lively civil society.
Yet if the checks and balances of democracy are supposed to curb government lawlessness, something has gone wrong in India. Anyone unlucky enough to be arrested faces a far greater likelihood of torture, or worse, at the hands of the police than in many countries entirely lacking in the protections for civil liberties available in India.
Now as a Law school undergrad, one thing that I do know after extensive research on criminal laws and the Indian Judiciary’s views on death penalty, not to forget the view-points on a much sought out matter like the decriminalisation of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, and the like on a variety of debates which can not be covered under the wide umbrella of Criminal laws in India, I do realise among most other Undergrads that the issue goes down to the roots. When the following sections had been introduced in the Penal Code of India, the country was an undeveloped country, it was stagnant in it’s growth and probably it was a result of all the oppressions from the invaders. Now as we progress towards a brighter and fuller India, the idea of criminalising Section 377 seems only hardbound. One cannot expect a country to be fully developed unless it accepts it’s people in all their stride.
We, build up the country, we work for the country, we choose our democracy. What we do not choose is that the democracy outlives us. There have been numerous outcries for the need to change, the need to grow out of the bog. The principle question here however is.. how and where do we begin? well, change begins at home. How many of us today are candidly have a conversation about the change we need, may it be at work, or at home, or at one’s University at the least. There is always someone pulling us back, and why? Because we are formidable to change. I have written several articles enlightening the people of my country with regards: –
- Uniform Civil Code,
- Gender biased laws,
- Organised crime and several such mind-altering situations which we all as present citizens know and realise, but are not willing to go to the extend of being the change.
Hereby I am going to start a series of boggling blog posts, the change we need, the change we will have.
I will be posting every Monday, here’s me signing off.
The Ignited Mind ! 