INDIA began 2013 in the grip of a policy paralysis. A sordid drama of gang rape in Delhi unleashed a spell of anxiety neurosis among women. But what pushed things forward was the activism of the common citizen. Citizen activism brought in severe anti-rape legislation. Women were persuaded to come out with complaints of sexual harassment even against powerful superiors. It was a year of rape and sexual harassment juxtaposed with the raising of the exploited women’s protesting voice. The victory of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) in Delhi proved that politics was no longer the game of big money. Identity politics has cast aside the factors of caste and religion. The power of the common man may be said to have found cinematic expression in the rise of the lungi dance. The two political giants-the Congress and the BJP-are trying to open new windows as familiar doors close.
Take the basic need of literacy. India’s primary enrollment ratio is merely 100%, fulfilling P.V. Narasimha Rao’s dream of education for all. The gap between male and female literacy has narrowed significantly. India is now the third largest internet user in the world, marking a remarkable step forward in communication. The country still lives in its villages but the socio-economic contours of villages are changing dramatically. Voter turnouts in recent elections indicate that the electors take their political obligation seriously. What is needed is employment generating economic growth and not temporary sops. One hopes that election 2014 in India will be a road map for political progress. Misguided judicial activism is receiving a blow. The Supreme Court has run into great opposition over its decision to make homosexuality illegal. Old school politics is on the retreat. The citizen is supreme as in the French Revolution of 1789. Good governance is the new article of faith.
