On the Ideological Revolution which India is going through

By Justice Katju

I have said that India’s huge economic problems of massive poverty, unemployment, malnutrition etc can only be solved by a historical united people’s struggle and a people’s Revolution, not by parliamentary democracy.

I have also said that historical experience shows that before any actual revolution there is an ideological revolution, without which the actual revolution cannot take place, e.g. the ideological revolution led by Voltaire and Rousseau before the French Revolution of 1789.

https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2024/05/13/opinion-features-of-indias-ideological-revolution.html

https://justicekatju.com/features-of-indias-ideological-revolution-826fecbdb651

htthttps://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ideological-struggle-launched-by-voltaire-rousseau-needed-markandey-katju-2112351ps://justicekatju.com/features-of-indias-ideological-revolution-826fecbdb651

https://www.punjabtodaytv.com/english/ideological/

In this period of ideological revolution eveything becomes topsy turvy. As Shakespeare said in Macbeth ” Fair is foul and foul is fair ”. In other words, old values are challenged e.g. caste system, which was regarded good earlier, but is regarded bad today by the enlightened section of society, or arranged marriages.

India is presently passing through its period of ideological revolution. Most people are confused, bewildered and confounded in this period, not knowing what is happening and where the country is heading.

But I have no confusion, and with the advantage of over 60 years intense study and discussions with first class minds and self reflection, I can accurately describe the correct path which our people, particularly our intellectuals, must follow in the ideological revolution..

There are certain issues on which no two opinions will be entertained. Too much democracy and freedom is also bad, and on the following issues there is either my way or the highway :

1. Our national aim must be to transform India into a modern industrial giant, for only then can we abolish poverty unemployment malnutrition etc, the great social evils which have plagued us for centuries

2 For this historical transformation a mighty united people’s struggle is required led by modern minded patriotic leaders determined to set up a political order under which our people enjoy a high standard of living and lead decent lives.

https://indicanews.com/the-mighty-historical-struggle-ahead-for-the-indian-subcontinent/

3. While freedom of religion must be supported, and all religions given equal respect, religious bigotry and extremism, and attempts to incite religious or caste hatred must be crushed with an iron hand

4, The biggest problem in this ideological struggle in India will be to change the feudal mindsets of our people, which is full of casteism and communalism. This will require great patience and may even carry personal danger of physical attacks by these backward feudal minded people who don’t want to change their views.

https://indicanews.com/justice-markandey-katju-a-call-to-indian-patriots/

We need our Voltaires, Rousseaus, and Thomas Paines now, not the shallow, superficial self styled ‘intellectuals’ with little deep understanding of anything, but who strut around like plumed peacocks on the national stage, with the gullble public hailng their every word as if it was a pearl of wisdom.

Markandey Katju is an Indian jurist and former judge of Supreme Court of India who served as chairman for the Press Council of India from 2011 to 2014.

He regularly writes blog at https://justicekatju.blogspot.com/