The New India

The BJP's stunning performance is being written about in articles, blogs and social media posts by millions of people in India and abroad. The purpose of this post is to think about what needs to be done if we are to truly recognize 16th May 2014 as a real turning point. The dawn of a new India.

What does the new Government need to do? They must have thought about it but sometimes in the euphoria of victory one can tend to deviate from the chosen path. In the quest for development which is the cornerstone of the new Government's agenda we should not forget critical changes in the way we think and do things. Processes are as important as outcomes as they determine what the soul of the nation really is.

Inclusiveness

• Many people in India whether Muslims, people from the North East, migrants from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Nepal are treated as outsiders in their own country. This is equally true of migrant labour (Biharis and UPites in Mumbai and Punjab for example). This needs to change. 
• India does not treat it's women folk as part of itself. They are treated as sexual objects or as an inferior race. Perhaps this is the single biggest biggest failure of Indian society.
• Growth cannot be for the elite alone. It has been proven time and again that growth per se can actually increase disparity. I'm not a great believer in the dole or handouts but we do need to be mindful of the poorest of the poor as the whole country progresses.

Systems and Processes - Simplification, Transparency and Empowerment

• India has a plethora of laws. Some of them are possibly the longest and most  complex pieces of legislation in the world. Complexity breeds opacity which in turn breeds corruption. We need to undertake a massive exercise to simplify our processes and systems. 
• Government bureaucracy is not empowered or at least they don't feel that they are. It is far easier for them to say no or to ask a question than to say yes.

The Role of the Bureaucracy

• Since colonial times, the role of the bureaucracy has been to subdue, control and exploit the native population. Unfortunately for us, independent India's leaders have done nothing to change this. It suits them to perpetuate this role. If Narendra Modi's vision of development is to be realized, the role of the bureaucracy needs to be reoriented to achieve this.
• Non-independence of the police, CBI and judiciary is part of this problem. The current structure does not allow for independent action (with some honourable exceptions amongst the judiciary)

Corruption

• The all pervasive presence of corruption in India has been too well documented to reiterate here. There are two types of corruption - transactional and organisational.
• Transactional corruption is the problem that the common man faces everyday. The AAP had the right idea when they started to tackle this. It is a grass roots issue and needs to be addressed from the bottom upwards. Organisational corruption is at a higher level - whether it is Bofors or crony capitalism or the 2G scam, these are bigger issues. This is equally difficult to handle as the vested interests at this level include the political class.

Enforcement

• Whether it is wrong parking, speeding or drunk driving, India has not been able to enforce it's own laws. These are, of course, very simple and even trivial examples but they are symptomatic of the malaise we are in today.
• Enforcement at a higher level is equally important. Many large businessmen feel that they can bend the rules as it's all a question of money. Obviously the bureaucracy and the politicians play along with it as they all make money.

Millions of dollars will be spent on development projects. There will be a quickening of the pulse of the nation as it shakes off the lethargy of the last few years. My fervent hope is that along with all the activity we stop and introspect about what we have become as opposed to what we would like to be. Let us not lose the nation's soul in our quest for progress.