Dream(s) for India…

After reading the newspaper in the afternoon, I went for a nap during which I imagined a conversation between the founding fathers of our country, which is as follows:

Pt. Nehru : Vallabhbhai, you must be, but all merry. The current ruling regime has a full-blown disposition for painting your glory. Your statue is the biggest in the world. I envy you.

Sardar Patel (Chuckles and speaks) : The statue honour is good. However, I am more pleased with the market-oriented economic vision of today’s leaders. It is the economic policies that affect the masses and bring in real change. I have always been a proponent of pro-agriculture, pro-industrialist policies. It was only since the 1980s that there were pro-business policies while it took another new decade for pro-market policies to show up. What I believe is to allow the wealth creators to create wealth and then redistribute that wealth.

Pt. Nehru : Oh, come on! You speak as if you had no say in policy-making at the time of independence, or as if I completely sidelined you. Did you forget that exemption from taxation to agriculture is your legacy?

Sardar Patel : I remember. But I also remember being an advocate of the right to private property. It was once a fundamental right. You finely bypassed it by introducing the ninth schedule in the constitution…

Pt. Nehru : But that was for expediting land reforms. It was meant to help farmers…

Sardar Patel : You might have had good intentions, but it resulted in opening Pandora’s box. Exempting certain laws from judicial scrutiny was a dangerous adventure. It’s better, courtesy — the Supreme Court, that newer laws do not enjoy the same protection.

Pt. Nehru : By the way, what do you mean by the right to property was “once” a fundamental right?

Sardar Patel : Oh Jawaharlal ! When did you stop reading newspapers to keep yourself abreast of later developments? Your daughter changed its status from a fundamental right to a constitutional right in 1971…….I contend that businesses need a liberal environment to flourish which in turn leads to employment. Harassing them in the name of socialism will do no good. Also, look to where communism has led the USSR. It’s disintegrated now.

Pt. Nehru : But we know the consequence of the Soviet communism only now. At the time of Indian Independence, communism was the zeitgeist. It was faring much better than the western capitalist economies. In fact, after the Great Depression, the US started moving towards a welfare state. Europe followed suit in the 1940s……Moreover, even the Indian industrialists wanted state-led industrialisation. Remember the Bombay plan of 1944? What India needed at independence was socialism, a commanding heights economy, protecting the domestic firms from foreign competition.

Sardar Patel : “Zeitgeist” — that’s a fancy word! By the way, Shashi Tharoor has filled the void of flair that was created when you came here. Like you, he too is very popular amongst the ladies!

Pt. Nehru (Laughs) : He is carrying forward a legacy!

Pt. Nehru (continues) : Anyways, continuing our discussion forward — today’s India is very different from India at the eve of independence. We are one of the largest five economies in the world. We are self-sufficient in meeting our food needs. Maybe your paradigm for a new India suits better than mine.

Sardar Patel : Although I feel glad that the government is opening the markets, even though still not at par with the western economies, I feel sad when I see the precarious conditions of the migrant workers. The pandemic threw a spotlight on it. It’s relieving to know that the planning commission …oh sorry, the NITI aayog has come up with a draft policy to address these issues.

Pt. Nehru : I think we should seek some advice from a wise person or, should I say, a wise sage.

The two leaders turn towards another stalwart sitting quietly, listening to their conversation.

Sardar Patel : Bapu! What do you say? What is the way forward for India? We have had socialism and are moving towards capitalism. But the poorest section remains the most vulnerable. Especially the migrant workers. Is there a growth model that would safeguard their interests? Guide us with your wisdom.

Mahatma Gandhi : Charkha.

Pt. Nehru : Kindly elaborate Bapu.

Mahatma Gandhi : The charkha symbolises self-reliance. Why do you have such plans where people travel far away to work for someone else’s vision, toil hard and earn a meagre wage? What I propose is — Small scale and locally oriented production, at the village level, using local resources to meet local needs. In this way, people are not only employed but also empowered.

Sardar Patel : Bapu your ideas are truly noble. But would that not mean returning to a subsistence economy. Given the current geopolitical order, to protect Indian society, we need a strong Indian Nation. And for a strong Indian Nation, a robust and strong Indian economy is essential. Today India enjoys respect, attention and chorus in the international diplomatic arena. The size of the economy and significant volumes of trade are major factors behind it. Don’t you think, whether we like it or not, that capitalism is essential for India?

Mahatma Gandhi : What is capital? It is simply a labour of the past transformed into another form. I have no problem with capital accumulation as long as it empowers people and does not lead to the exploitation of others. I have always held “Commerce without morality” and “Wealth without work” to be sins. You should read the book “Unto this last” by John Ruskins. It had a deep influence on my thought values. I even translated it into Gujarati under the title “Sarvodaya”….After all, I firmly believe that Sarvodaya, or Progress of all, should be the ultimate goal for any economic model.

Mahatma Gandhi (continues) : Your security concerns are valid Vallabh. We might need business houses to run the economy. But they need to understand that they are not the owners of the surplus wealth, above what is necessary to meet basic needs and investment, but merely its trustees. The wealth should be used for the welfare of people, especially the most vulnerable ones. It gets possible when people live up-to “Sada Jeevan Uchh Vichaar” (Simple living, High Thinking)

Pt. Nehru : You are too idealistic Bapu! Even I do not imagine such a utopian society. Nevertheless, I do see some social entrepreneurship in India. Some startups come up with a vision, driven towards problem-solving, albeit the problem being of a micro nature but scaling the businesses or target areas to macro levels. Some even dare to set ambitious targets of fighting climate change and finding “greener” ways of doing business. Maybe, these driven organizations pave the way to a sustainable model living up to Bapu’s vision.

My alarm rang. I woke up. And I woke up to newer ideas and perspectives, with some questions ringing in my head. I got some food for thought. Now its time to find fuel for action. Let me begin with penning down this experience.