Speaking to a vast gathering of elites, Prof Ram Puniyani cast light on the conspiracy of British to divide India on the basis of religion and got successful also. And that too is going on now also.
Prof Puniyani was speaking on “Indian Democracy at 75: Challenges and Possibilities” orgnised by the Sambalpur LIC Division Karmachari Sangha where senior journalist Siba Nanda presided.
"The British established communal politics in India by dividing Muslim and Hindu Rajas (kings) and achieved success in their cruel mission. And we are nurturing it now," he said.
Due to such religious fundamentalism, countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and even the USA have paid great prices. And this is going to happen in India now, he said.
"But India is the only country where secular values are the strongest," he observed.
Narrating the nine years of “misrule”, Prof Puniyani said that 40-50% of the wealth of India has gone to 1% people only. "In democracy, leaders should listen to the people. But presently, people are made to listen to the leaders," said Puniyani citing the example of the Prime Minister’s Mann ki Baat.
Referring to the early Independence era, he said Nehru said that construction of temple, church, masjid is not work of government. So, he made IITs, AIIMS, BARC, RECs, ISRO, DRDO and many others. But the present government is constructing Ram Mandir taking advantage of religious sentiments of people. Matter has reached such a stage that the present government sold the entire Air India at a price less than the cost of Air India's Mumbai building only.
He also narrated the sorry state of affairs of the Constitutional institutions citing example of the Election Commission of India. "Notebandi to sudden lockdown during corona were the arbitrary decision of the PM and it is people of the country who remained at the suffering end in both the cases," the Professor said.
He also sarcastically told on ‘double-engine Government’ citing the example of present crisis in Manipur.
"At 75 years of Independence when we need to concentrate more on scientific research and development and strengthen our democratic values, we are concentrating on Ram Mandir and Hindu-Muslim-Christian population, " he lamented.
Finally, he suggested people to bring a government in power in 2024 election that believes in Democracy but not with a Wide Chest.