Written By Riva Agarwal (Grade 9)
The power to ask questions is the basis of all human progress and the basis of democracy.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee once said that the Indian democracy’s greatest strength is that we have always put our nation ahead of politics. Democracy means the power of the people. It is not about politics; it is about the people. That’s how a country should be because a country should serve its people’s interests. And there is no country more powerful than one which has its people as its biggest asset. No country is more powerful than one which gives its weak the same chance as the strong.
The youth, who can potentially change India in the future elections, don’t value their vote. But the Indian democracy continues to be fair and gives a chance to every single person. Yes, every single person. One such story is of Guru Bharatdas Darshandas, the lone resident of Gir forest. The Election Commission of India really took “every vote counts” seriously, when they set up a polling booth only for him, 70 km inside a forest. This has been happening since 2007, and there was not a single occasion where he didn’t cast his vote. The Indian government did and continues to do its best to give voting rights to every single Indian, regardless of where they are situated, or how many people are going to vote. The extent to which India believes in its democracy is shocking, and inspirational, because who would think EC officials would travel for 300 miles over 4 days, in a lion-infested area with no network and harsh conditions, to get the vote of a lone resident? India gives its citizens the opportunity to speak their truth, and change it into power, and I believe that is India’s most commendable aspect.
The beauty of the Indian democracy is such, that there is a thing called “election tourism” wherein people from abroad come to India during elections and experience firsthand, the rallies, speeches, promises, and enthusiasm brewing in all 29 states. It is almost like a festival, on a much larger scale, but one that doesn’t celebrate gods; it celebrates voices.
Despite India being religiously diverse, every single Indian gets a fair and equal chance to vote. In a way, it could be said that democracy weaves our community together, and regardless of the religion, we all choose people we think will be able to take India to new heights. These stories set India as a benchmark for other democracies and make every Indian proud. After all, India is a nation, not only of Mahatma Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru, but also of APJ Abdul Kalam and Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad.
Featured Image Courtesy – Scroll.in
