Where is the republic for the Aam Aadami ?

The preamble is the Identity card of our constitution as Nani palkhiwala said. The opening line of the Preamble says - "WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC". These five words denote the nature of the polity of ours.

Preamble uses two words "Democratic" and "Republic" in the one line. Though they are supplementary and complementary to each other in some time many times they are also contradictory in nature.  This is a debate for the academic level. Let me keep point within laymen term. Democracy simply means the rule by people that’s the rule by the majority. While word republic implies two things (1) Power lies to we the people of India (2) Equality among the citizen and there is no privileged class. Voting turnout reached the 70% mark which is a great mark of the success of democracy. Politicians make tireless efforts during the election campaign to seek votes which reflect the success of the democracy. But what about a republic? Does the Republic of the Aam aadmi (we the people) exist?

The word "Republic" is the antonym of the word "VIP". But the irony is that we have "VIP lounge" in the celebration of the "Republic day". Tough the VIPs removed the red beacons from their cars but don’t their car caravans still cause traffic jams in one or another part of the country every day? Isn't it the sign of the aristocracy and not a republic? Govt. don’t make public the names of the crorepati defaulters but forced the debt trap farmers to commit suicide for the Rs.50,000 borrowing. Where is the republic for the farmer?

Every one of us has to spend time in long queues at the toll plaza of the highways but there is separate lane exclusively reserved for the caravans of the VIP. Isn't a privilege treatment to one class which prohibited by the republican nature of the state? Aadhar card is mandatory to avail the PDS benefit for the poor labor but there is no need for the Aadhar card to avail food in parliament's canteen through both is subsidized food. Where is the republic for the labor?

Just a few days before the republic day celebration Oxfam released its report on economic inequality.  It says - India's 9 richest people hold wealth equal to that of bottom 50%. On a similar line, French economist Thomas Piketty wrote a paper titled 'Indian income inequality, 1922-2014: From British Raj to Billionaire Raj?'. When such grave economic inequality prevails in society, You can find republican spirit on in the graveyard and not in the air of the nation.

Another problem we are facing is the excess of the "Democracy" and Deficit of the "Republic". As I write in first Para that two are sometimes contradictory. Our Constitution engraved the rights for the both Community (Majority) and Individual. But overall the foundation of our republic is based on the rights of the Individual which is under threat today due to excess of the democracy.

As part of the vote bank politics, Political parties inclined to opt for the policy or the rules which woo the demand of the vocal section of society even though it suppresses the right of Individual belonging to minority and violate the spirit of the constitution. As part of this practice, None party dares to speak against the demands of the reservation by the Jat, Maratha, and Patidar through it goes against the spirit of the constitution. Though Supreme Court find the SC-ST atrocity act provisions as the impingement to article 21 of the right to life, Parliament undo the SC's judgment through passing amendment law. You may criticize the mob lynching by saying the Mobocracy but these act of our elected representatives are also the Mobocracy in disguise as they solely act on the basis of the demand of a vocal section of society without considering its impact of the  decision on the rights of the other individual.

In the end, I like to remind ourselves that - the opening line of the preamble talks about the "we the people of India". So it's solemn responsibility of ours to ensure right for ourselves by choosing MP/MLA on basis of merit, Raise voice against the suppression of rights of a citizen by governments, Making government accountable through the RTI etc. It's not the Nation wants to know responsibility but it's our own responsibility to make Republic sate for Aam aadami.