During the 70th anniversary of the European Parliament in 2022, Professor Ryszard Legutko, a Polish philosopher, politician, and Co-Chair of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, observed that the European Parliament is merely a quasi-parliament, alienating millions of voters. In his brief address, he stated: “Madam President, Prime Ministers. Two minutes of truth, of bitter truth. And the bitter truth is that the European Parliament has done a lot of damage in Europe……..

The Parliament has abandoned the basic function of representing people. Instead, it has become a machine to implement the so-called European project, thus alienating millions of voters.” Professor Legutko concluded his speech with a powerful statement: “Call it what you will. But democracy, it is not. To sum up, the Parliament represents the demos that does not exist, works for a project that ignores reality and law, shuns accountability, turns its back on millions of people, and serves the interest of one political orientation. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Having said that, ladies and gentlemen, I rest my case.” In essence, this critique echoes Mahatma Gandhi’s long-standing assertion about ‘Politics Without Principle.’ The situation of the world’s largest democracy is no less concerning, if not worse. Following the 2024 general elections for the 18th Lok Sabha, the first session of the Lok Sabha and the 264th session of the Rajya Sabha were convened on June 24 and June 27, respectively. The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on 2 July, and the Rajya Sabha followed suit the next day. The sessions were marked by fiery political speeches, passionate debates, and occasional insightful comments, though they rarely rose above petty politics.

Amidst the intense debates, chaos, sloganeering, and caricatures, both the lower and upper houses were rife with allegations, counter-allegations, and even counter-counter-allegations. The spectacle of Indian democracy was on full display, with some eloquent and poetic speeches, but visionary and substantive discussions were few and far between. Since all sides accused each other of wrecking the country, there was hardly any fleeting sense of solidarity to address shared concerns that transcend political borders. While some observers hailed these parliamentary sessions as a new dawn, the reality is that the challenges for the government have only just begun.

It’s not only limited to the electoral outcome of the NDA’s 292 vs the INDIA bloc’s 232. It’s also about a government marked by self-aggrandizing pomposity versus a fiercely motivated opposition. The government must now address the country’s massive problems with consideration, compelling action, and credibility – an enormous task given the political constraints. According to the 2024 UNICEF Child Nutrition Report, 40 per cent of children in India suffer from malnutrition. The nation also faces a crisis with two-thirds of its unemployed youth being educated, compounded by inflation, the situation in Manipur, and the NEET examination. Additionally, India grapples with economic disparity, corruption, intolerance, bigotry, and normalized violence. Our uncritical embrace of politics in many shades of grey often pushes us dangerously apart, truncates conversations, and unravels mutual understanding, despite the potential to accomplish the opposite.

This leads to growing inequalities, subversion of trust, demonization of the ‘other,’ and reluctance to cooperate in addressing India’s challenges. In a country where grabbing power is increasingly the only virtue, and political systems lag behind in credibility, politicians offer politics built around populism, opportunism, and unethical means. The political landscape, rife with opportunism, is not divided between progressive and clean versus corrupt and regressive; instead, it is a matter of more corrupt versus less corrupt and more regressive versus less regressive. The politics of optics is pervasive. Political speeches and actions often prioritize appearance over substance, seeking attention rather than solutions. Galactic issues get lost in the black hole of politicians’ self-image. In our country, visionaries are rare, and visionary ideas even rarer.

Countries that progress are guided by the foresight of each generation’s leaders. Despite this, the country has seen impressive speeches from leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mahua Moitra, John Brittas, Sudhanshu Trivedi, and Nishikant Dubey. I found Milind Murli Deora’s speech in the Rajya Sabha particularly fascinating. In nearly 18 minutes, he delivered a rich blend of facts and rational arguments, presenting his ideas concisely and coherently. His speech resonated with aspects of Gita Irawan Wirjawan’s address at Harvard University Asia Center. Gita, an Indonesian entrepreneur and educator, is a former Minister of Trade, a visiting scholar at Stanford University, and a fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center. Deora, in his speech, highlighted the “Four C factors”: China, Cities, Commuting, and Climate Change, as crucial concerns for India, viewing each as an opportunity.

He noted China’s trade and trust deficits and urged India to capitalize on the “China +1 policy.” Deora advocated for competitive federalism and upskilling the female workforce for sustained growth. He stressed effective city planning to manage urbanization and highlighted the importance of computing, especially AI and data consumption, for India’s future. On Climate Change, he saw it as an opportunity for India to lead in green technologies like offshore wind energy and seaweedbased organic fertilizers. Both Gita and Deora emphasized the importance of developing countries increasing renewable energy production. They discussed strategies that Singapore employed to become a leading economy. Gita pointed out that electrification is a key measure of a nation’s development. Many developing countries, like India and Indonesia, have electrification rates of around 1,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) per capita or less.

In contrast, developed countries typically exceed 6,000 kWh per capita, with Singapore and the USA ranging from 8,845 to 12,994 kWh per capita (World Bank, 2019). Our parliament must engage in robust debates and discussions on critical issues to enhance the nation’s wellbeing and effectively serve its citizens. Addressing the challenges our country faces requires progressive action and innovative governance methods through extensive dialogue. Progressive leaders prioritize both current needs and the interests of future generations. Governments reliant on vote-bank strategies often fail to deliver progressive policies. Implementing good policies is challenging because powerful individuals or groups benefiting from the status quo resist necessary reforms, maintaining political equilibrium. Our country has witnessed a hopeful electoral outcome in the dynamic realm of politics, marking one of India’s most optimistic moments in recent history.

However, electoral dynamics often prioritize candidates’ “win-ability,” sidelining well-educated and talented individuals capable of significant contributions. This trend persists because voters continue to support uneducated and unscrupulous candidates chosen for their “political expediency.” Consequently, these MPs often engage more in theatrics like shouting and deskthumping than in meaningful parliamentary discourse, unlike leaders such as Milind. This reflects a widespread perception in Indian politics that major parties hesitate to nominate candidates who could challenge their internal power dynamics. Instances such as Shashi Tharoor losing the Congress presidential poll, BJP not fielding sitting MP Varun Gandhi, and AAP expelling Yogendra Yadav are examples of qualified candidates being overlooked despite their suitability.

In a democracy, it’s said that politics is the quickest way to transform a country. In Frank Herbert’s words: “Good governance never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery. The most important element of government, therefore, is the method of choosing leaders.” India urgently needs to establish improved governance, combating inflated claims, political aggression, and pretense. The BJP-led NDA government must prioritize building trust, fostering collaboration, and achieving development goals. This demands a strategic approach tailored to India’s specific context, focusing on decisive action.

Meanwhile, the opposition faces the formidable task of holding the government accountable for its promises of a robust economy, improved employment and education, and societal progress. They must be prepared to escalate efforts to democratically replace the government if it fails to navigate the country out of crisis. Finally, the stark reality is clear: both the government and the opposition no longer have the luxury of time; they must act now. Abuse of power, regardless of politics, policy, or party, must be vigilantly guarded against. The Indian people should remain vigilant as they steadfastly pursue their longawaited aspirations for a decent life. The outcome of this year’s parliamentary election offers a glimmer of hope.

(The writer, a former General Manager of the International Centre, Goa, is the author of ‘Whispers of an ordinary journey’.)