This national vision is hereby put into words to give us
all the inspiration to materialize our ambitions for a greater
India.
Our Nationhood:
The nationhood that our generation seeks to define will come
from dedicating ourselves to the people of India regardless
of religion, caste, language and gender. This will give rise
to a nationalism that celebrates our national endeavor to
create an India based on justice, freedom and opportunity.
Thereby creating a nation that dignifies every human life.
A nation where the sole concern of policymakers is to facilitate
the realization of every individual’s potential. A nation
whose patriotism is not defined by hatred towards anyone,
but by a fellowship of service to ensure lives of dignity
for all its citizens.
A nationhood that casts a shadow on the fundamental rights
of any of our fellow-citizens needs to be out rightly rejected
and one that celebrates us as one indivisible nation must
be emphatically endorsed!
Our National Endeavor:
Our vision must be broad to ensure that it let’s us
imagine without boundaries. At the same time our imagination
must have a fundamental goal. A goal that defines our national
existence. This national goal will give us the context for
our national thought and action.
Our national goal consists of the following themes that provide
the framework of action as we undertake this endeavor:
- Democracy focused on the individual:
Our democracy will empower its citizens. It will not treat
individuals as having group identities, instead it will
provide them with opportunities to explore and realize their
own potential. Our democracy will uphold the value of human
life as its paramount principle. To this effect, it will
enable every individual to aspire in social harmony.
- Fusion of governmental endeavor and citizens’
aspirations:
It is essential for the success of our democracy that it
be a partnership between the representatives and the citizens.
Each partner has to meet its obligations. Citizens have
to proactively contribute to the health of the democracy
beyond the electoral process. The government on its part
must be accessible to the people, be transparent in its
functioning and facilitate direct participation of the citizenry
through its policies.
- Increased public participation by decentralized
political power:
Our political destiny will be judged by the degree to which
our political system is responsive to us. Today that responsiveness
is lacking. Decisions affecting communities cannot be governed
alone by policy made a thousand kilometers away by people
disconnected from the realities on the ground. Every community
should play a pivotal role in the decision-making process.
The government must provide adequate power and resources for
the implementation of these indigenous ideas and schemes with
the view of locally sustaining these efforts. The communities
must also meet their solemn obligation. Accountability must
be their greatest priority. Only then will our investment
in democracy be truly vested.
- The Youth owe it to the Nation:
Every generation has a role to play in history. A century
ago one of the greatest generations of Indians dedicated their
lives to create a nation out of colonial ruin. The role we
play today will define the India of tomorrow. Today the Nation
demands the Youth to play their role in achieving the ideals
of our new nationhood through service and active political
engagement. The day each and every citizen has a sense of
participation in this process of nation-building we will have
served our role as a generation and made the founders of our
republic proud. Until that sense of common purpose pervades,
our job is not done.
- India’s Global Destiny:
India has had a historical role to play in world affairs.
India, having achieved independence through the first ever
non-violent mass movement for democracy, has an obligation
to further the ideals of non-violence and democracy to all
parts of the globe. Today our foreign policy capital is primarily
spent on making Pakistan look bad. That is diminishing our
abilities to lead on other issues of critical importance to
our people. We are inactive and disengaged from the great
global conversations of our times. As the world becomes more
integrated, India’s representation at global forums
acquires greater significance for its people. We have to regain
our leadership role to fulfill our commitment to our ideals
and to our people.
This is the vision we carry with us. Let it also be known
that in building this nation we reach out to the entire Indian
Diaspora. It does not matter where you are today, you still
carry with you the values that we wish to eternally enshrine
in this land of peace and greatness. The nation awaits.
