[MTC Global] Some thoughts on sustainable growth and progress of our nation!

I would like to share some of my thoughts with this august group to trigger meaningful debate and discussion on this topic of national importance.

First, the background. Last 12 years have been a kind of period of reckoning for me, in view of the following opportunities which came my way :

- Meetings and discussions with many people all over India including one to one with President, PM, Governors of some states, CMs of some states and such others.

- Spending a day or two with people like His Holiness The Dalai Lama, late Dr. I. G. Patel, Dr. C. Rangarajan, Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Mr. Rahul Bajaj, Mr. Tejendra Khanna (Lt. Governor of Delhi), Mr. T. K. A. Nair (earlier Principal Secy to PM and now Advisor to PM), Dr. Yashwant Thorat (ex-NABARD Chairman), Mrs. Usha Thorat (ex-Deputy Governor of RBI), late Dr. Abid Hussain, Prof. V. S. Vyas and many others during their visits to Aravali at Jodhpur.

- Travelling extensively in the villages and interiors of Rajasthan with people like Magsaysay awardee waterman Mr. Rajendra Singh.

- Interacting closely with people like Bunker Roy, Aruna Roy, Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, Mr. Y. C. Nanda (ex-NABARD Chairman), Dr. Subbarao (85 year young person, who managed to have around 600 Chambal dacoits to surrender before him around 20 years back and who now organises hugely successful Youth Camps all over India) and such others.

- Visiting a large number of schools, higher educational institutions and universities all over India to speak to and interact with the students and faculty there.

- Visiting several corporates and interacting with their CEOs all over India.

Based on the above, my take is that to have sustainable growth and progress of our nation, the following are the six essentials :

1. Peace & Harmony (law & order)

2. Synergistic Partnerships (amongst people and organisations)

3. Spirit of Enterprise (amongst people)

4. Ethics & Values (from top down)

5. Leadership & Team Building (everywhere)

6. Government system which is accountable, responsive and transparent

Of course, the reality is far from the above. The silver lining is that there are people and organisations, though in extreme minority and that too is dwindling in numbers, who meet the most or all of the above yardsticks.

Having said the above, the following are some of the actual extremely worrisome realities :

- There is rampant corruption at all levels, in all sectors of economy - government, industry, institutions, judiciary, agricultural sector, etc. It is driven from top down.

- The system and the people in the system who should be facilitating the development are in fact the biggest hindrance in it. Most of them are only bothered about themselves and their bosses (including the High Command).

- Priorities of the people are misplaced. Cricket, Saas-Bahu serials, Entertainment Idols, Facebook, endless chatting on internet and talking over mobiles and easy life mean much more than the family, neighbourhood, city, society and the nation.

- There are falsehoods galore everywhere. In a survey done at Delhi amongst the leading citizens (where I was also invited and present), CBI was rated as the most corrupt organisation within the government (whereas it is supposed to be the apex organisation to fight corruption) and media was rated as the most corrupt organisation outside the government (whereas it is supposed to mirror of people's aspirations and nation's development).

- Family and relationships are losing meaning and purpose or getting a different meaning and purpose. There are molestations and rapes within the family (first episode of Satymev Jayate by Aamir Khan gave a shockingly high figure of 75% households) which are suppressed and never reported because of stigma attached to it and so called "family reputation" or LKK (Log Kiiya Kahenge) factor. It is difficult to even imagine what the victims would be going through their entire lives with facing the perpetrators everyday living respectfully.

- Almost everyone looks for a short-cut to comfort, prosperity, results and success. Ends are important, irrespective of the means.

- Caste, Community and Religion are more important than merit, quality and the nation.
 
To illustrate the above, I am aware from the authentic sources or myself witnessed the following :

- A person who is really poor cannot get even the BPL (Below Poverty Line) card from the government unless he pays the bribe. This is the height of corruption since the guy is penniless to give any bribe.
 
- Scheduled Caste grooms in many villages of Rajasthan still cannot ride a horse during their marriage even today. They are forced to get down, face painted black and taken around the village on a donkey.

- It is next to impossible to file FIRs against the rich and powerful persons, despite the gravity of crime. If you somehow manage to file the FIR then immediately a counter-FIR is filed against you. The police ignores the real FIR and pursues with vigour the counter-FIR, diverting your attention to save yourself from the insult and punishment.

- All the approving and regulatory agencies in India (AICTE, MCI, CBSE, NCTE and others), without exception, are collectors and regulators of bribes with no sensitiveness to their legislative mandates as written in the Preamble to the respective Acts.

- There is brazen violations of laws and judgements everywhere. For example, I have visited Sariska many times and talked to the local population there. The total depletion of tiger population in Sariska has been entirely due to extensive mining (despite Supreme Court judgements) and poaching by the vested interests in connivance with the forest officials, bureaucrats and politicians.

- In Rajasthan, advocates belonging primarily to certain communities only become the judges of High Court and thereafter go to the Supreme Court, despite many persons of other communities being equally or more meritorious.

I can go on and on. However, I must stop here. I really do not know what is the answer or solution, since as of now answer or solution appears to be utopian. Perhaps only a revolution relevant to the context may alone be the real panacea. Time will tell the truth - perhaps not in my life-time!

Thanks and best regards

Varun Arya