Dissent In a Parrot Republic

Dissent breaks monotony. Dissent aids decision making. Dissent liberates societies from decay. Dissent revitalizes the mind. Dissent is democracy.

Yet, dissent is the most misunderstood term.

A close look around will not fail to reveal the sluggish air that runs thick through the country. We have been governing like we did 60 years ago. Our government is still caught in the dirt of caste and communal politics. Why have we been educating our children like we have been doing since over a hundred years? Turning education into a mindless system of rote learning, doing nothing more than killing creativity and innovation. Why is our industry still looking abroad for solutions? Reverse engineering is perhaps something that we have mastered in this entire process of looking-up to countries like the US, Russia and Germany for technological advancements and breakthroughs. Why don’t we have a thriving defense sector in our own backyard despite being one of the highest spenders on defense equipment the world over? Why is our farmer content reaping the benefits of the green revolution of the sixties? Why are we averse to change? Why do we love the status quo so much?

It is because we don’t tolerate dissent. We don’t like to question and be questioned. We have become a parrot republic where everyone is caught in a cycle of following a path laid long ago but which has failed to traveled with the times. The problem lies in our stiff belief in the set rituals and practices. This belief has got to change. We have to appreciate and encourage ideas. Dissent will propel our society to greater levels of enlightenment. Dissent brings to fore the ideas that are deep inside us but which we simply fail to express for fear of questioning the status quo.

Why is it that we are discovering the love for Politics of Development 60 years after independence? Because one man chose to disagree with his creed thus transforming the social, economic and political landscape of his state. Yes it is none other than Gujrat CM Narender Modi. Why do we feel proud about Reliance? Because Dhirubhai Ambani had the courage to dissent and he brought about a revolution in the way we see business today.

All it takes is to have an opinion and voraciously propagate it. Choice is ours to dissent or to become a parrot republic. As Thomas Jefferson said "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism"

P.S. Long time ago I had raised questions about the direction in which India is heading and the future of the nation, but had no answers. I now realize that no tolerance to dissent is part of the problems that hinder our growth and progress.