Syeda Mazhar
Since 1950, the Republic day in India has been celebrated every year with great enthusiasm on 26th of January, to honor the Constitution of India as it came into force on the same day. Replacing the Government of India Act, 1935 to the governing document of the India- the new Indian constitution was sketched and approved by the Indian Constituent Assembly, making India a republic state. This day is declared a national holiday by the Indian Government.
The celebration commemorating the coming of its own constitution into force, multiple events and celebrations are organized with great effort by the Government of India already to celebrate the Republic Day in the Capital. A huge and grand military parade is held in the New Delhi at Rajpath as well as the state capitals and participants from the Indian Army, Air Force, Navy and traditional dance group takes part in the parades.
Prior to its commencement, the Prime Minister lays a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, a memorial to unknown soldiers at the India Gate at one end of Rajpath, which is followed by two minutes silence in the memory of unknown soldiers. It is a solemn reminder of the sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the country in the freedom movement and the succeeding wars for the defence of sovereignty of their country.
The military salute is taken by the President of India during the parade in the Capital whereas military salute is taken by the state governors in the state capitals. Customarily, a foreign head of the state becomes the chief guest of the president and this year Prime Minister Modi has “chosen” the crowned prince of Abu Dhabi, Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
As expected, the Indian government rejoiced thinking they have taken a step further enforcing their importance in the International community by ‘apparently weakening’ Pakistan’s position in the Islamic world. Claims that the acceptance of Sheikh Zayed points towards the deteriorating relations between Pakistan and the Arab Emirates hit the headlines. The think tanks argued out various theories including; the vague stance from Pakistan on the Iran Shia issue and the subtle threat towards Pakistan for not siding with the Arab world would result in Pakistan paying a ‘heavy price’. Modi was repeatedly praised and patted on the back for sailing smoothly into the Arab waters, adopting the west Asian approach and making it tangible.
Another aspect of India’s relationship with the Persian Gulf states was almost a state of dependency on the part of New Delhi. India needs the Sunni Emirates for oil and gas, it seeks to ensure there was an open door for millions of Indian workers in the Gulf and their remittances and, tellingly, it was therefore forced to set aside its differences that existed between some of these governments about their close relationship, both military and ideological, with Pakistan.
Notably, at a time when sovereign wealth funds are reducing their emerging markets exposure, the Gulf ones are increasing theirs to India. However, it should be highlighted that Modi needs to be extremely careful. This is supposed to a region marked by some of the deepest, most staunch religious and ethnic grammar in the world especially the ones India openly disagrees with. Indian development of a new West Asian outlook should be censored through Indian interests rather than religious emotions, a strategy the government of India is notoriously known for adopting in the wake of conflict.
India is a democratic country where public is authorized to elect its leaders to lead the country. Even today, the Indian government which is said to be run in the confines of the constitution is still dominated by the religious extremist parties. Narendra Modi affiliation with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh also indicates the pledged support of the RSS for this movement. Modi with his record in Gujrat and is various statements, but since he has been in power, confirms the lack of implementation of the constitution that promised equal rights to every individual. The nightmare India witnesses daily in the form of religious and sectorial intolerance, intimidation, lynching, rapes, attacks on Muslims, Christains and on Dalits. The accompanied change in the economic structure and the crushing of the trade unions, labour laws being swept aside and corporates given a free hand to destroy the environment and indulge in massive human rights abuses has caused to further depreciate the situation.
Lord Hussain said: “It has been widely reported throughout the past many years that Hindu extremism in India is growing. India claims all the time that people from every religion come to live in peace in India and enjoy themselves. However, you only have to be either a Christian, a Muslim, a Sikh or a Dalit to find that out for yourself.”
