• Home
• /
• Letters

Indeed, a day of shame for India’s democracy

The noisy scenes were the travesty of a film packed with violence and obscene language. Parliamentarians seem to be competing with one another to get the best ham actor’s award.

Citizens who voted these members to power are ashamed of having done so.

Mannath Pillai, by email

The title itself tells the tale of this great nation. India is always in the news for the wrong reasons. Look at the recent happenings. Though a country culturally diverse, resource-rich and colourful, India is like an elephant that does not know its own strength.

Since independence from British rule, India’s growth has not been phenomenal, perhaps because it was ruled by an amalgamation of political parties. The main political party in most cases is at the mercy of a regional party. There is no consensus on the majority of development projects.

The hooliganism in the Indian parliament speaks volumes about our inept politicians. India’s current standing in the international community is pathetic. Endemic corruption, crime against women, illiteracy, miserable hygiene standards, poor infrastructure, abject poverty, homelessness, lack of clean drinking water, these are all big challenges. The grand old party, the Congress that ruled India for many decades, did many things to alleviate poverty, but corruption, nepotism and non-governance ruined the country.

India is at the crossroads, politically and economically. Whosoever wins this election has a massive job to do, and time will not be on his or her side.

Joseph Kurisinkal, Dubai