Guest Author:Justice Markandey Katju (Retd.)
A People’s Revolution – the Real Path to a Developed India
Indian Prime Minister Modi, in his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, Delhi on 15th August 2026, said that in 2047 India will be a viksit ( developed ) country.(https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-modi-independence-day-speech-will-achieve-viksit-bharat-pm-modis-dream-big-pitch-from-red-fort-11912672)
I entirely agree with him, though not in the manner he probably contemplated.
As I have often said, the creation of a viksit India can only be by a mighty people’s struggle ( jan sangharsh), in which Indians of all castes, religions, languages and races will unite, lasting perhaps 15-20 years, led by selfless, patriotic, and modern minded leaders, having many twists and turns, and in which tremendous sacrifices will have to be made.
This protracted people’s struggle will culminate in a historical people’s revolution, after which a political and social order will be created under which there will be rapid industrialization of India and steady rise in the standard of living of the people.
What will be the features of the viksit India of 2047 ? To my mind they will be these :
(1) The Indian people will enjoy a high standard of living, having abolished the curses which have plagued us for centuries–massive poverty, massive unemployment, appalling level of child malnutrition ( presently every second Indian child is malnourished, according to Global Hunger Index ), almost total lack of proper healthcare and good education for the masses, casteism, communalism, etc
(2) All Indian citizens, of all religions and communities, will be treated by the state and society with equal respect, and those who incite caste and communal hatred will be severely punished.
(3) Women, who constitute half the population, will be given equality with men ( presently while under the Indian Constitution women have legal equality with men vide Article 15 and 16, in practice they are often treated as inferiors and are discriminated against ).
(4) The caste system, and discrimination against dalits who are regarded by so called upper castes as inferior, will be abolished. This will be achieved by industrialization, inter caste marriages, and by patiently educating the people by the enlightened section of our society, so that the people change their mindsets and develop modern minds
(5) While there will be religious freedom, the state will encourage science and scientific thinking, since science is the only way for economic and social progress
(http://justicekatju.blogspot.com/2016/07/religion-and-science-are-diametrically.html)
(6) The political leaders will be genuine selfless, patriots, with modern, secular minds, determined to rapidly modernize and industrialize the country, and give the people good lives
About the Author :Justice Markandey Katju is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India and former Chairman of the Press Council of India, known for his outspoken views on social, political, and legal issues. He writes and speaks extensively on justice, secularism, and the socio-economic transformation of India.
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