Prime Minister Modi called for Panch Pran (oath/pledge) from the Red Fort on Independence Day.
These pledges are: Taking pride in our civilizational roots, Removing traces of colonial mindest, a developed India by 2047, Duties and responsibilities of citizens, and unity among workers.
Not to be outdone, the chief of AAP who is discredited with the removal of donor lists from his party’s website soon jumped out with 5 Kaam (tasks). Flushed with unaccounted money, he is threatening to take a nationwide tour in the name of Make India Number 1 and exhorting Indians to join the National Mission, he is trying to set his own agenda. Misleadingly enough, he is coming to the same rhetoric that this project has nothing to do with party politics.
The political parties are desperate to outsmart each other because the very survival depends upon showing each other down or in poor light. Whereas, politics demands that the elected representatives work with the spirit of working together for nation-building.
The fact remains that the aspirations of the country can not be met without sudhaars (reforms). Mere incremental changes will not help, we need reforms to galvanize our country. There are many reforms that we need, but Panch Sudhar (5 Reforms) that we need immediately are:
- Ban electoral Bonds- the symbols of black money in politics
- Bring political parties under RTI
- Right to Recall and Right to Initiative
- Ban big currency notes immediately
- Give 7 % of the national budget in form of untied funds to Gram Panchayats to empower them in a realistic manner.
The country needs real reforms to bring an overhaul. So, Panch Pran is good, no one is stopping them to do Panch Kaam, but we really need Panch Sudhaar in order to upgrade our democracy.
