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GOLDEN JUBILEE OF INDEPENDENCE

Golden Jubilee of Independence is a historic occasion and a memorable land-mark in the annals of India. Our 70 year old TRIVENI can not remain an indifferent spectator as the whole nation is celebrating the event with eclat and rejoicings. Our venerable cultural quarterly takes pride in the fact that two and half decades before attainment of Independence by India when the country began to wage its relentless war of non-violence against the British rule under the leadership of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopalakrishna Gokhale, Lala Lajpatrai and Mahatma Gandhi, who became the Father of the Nation, it was started in Madras by Sri Kolavennu Ramakotiswara Rau of hallowed memory. He himself was a veteran freedom fighter and an outstanding journalist who assisted Andhra Kesari Tanguturi Prakasam in running his journal ‘SWARAJYA�.

Apart from these credentials, the aims and objects of the ‘TRIVENI� are in consonance and happy synchronisation with the aspirations of the pioneers of our freedom struggle. Their scope covered not only political liberty and social change but also cultural emancipation. The chief aim of the journal was (and is) to promote and reflect the Indian Renaissance -the Revival of literature, art and history (the Triple Stream). Besides, it makes its humble efforts to foster inter-state harmony and national integration as a key to federation of cultures and literatures by creating a new consciousness of ‘unity in diversity� among the readers. Towards this end the journal reinterprets the creative writing in the different languages of India not only to each other but also to the outside world, through mutual understanding, reciprocal regard and cross fertilisation of ideas. A patriotic use is made of the English medium for this purpose.

We salute the freedom-fighters who helped in winning freedom for India, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and his trusted lieutenants Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel. We also remember on this occasion Netaji Subhas Chandra Base and the revolutionaries who “gave their yesterday for our tomorrow.�

However, this is not an occasion for jubilation. While evaluating our achievements and assessing the progress so far made, we have also to identify our strengths and failures and make note of our future requirements. We achieved a little social transformation and a civilisational leap but we could not move up the economic ladder to the extent necessary. Rapid changes have occured. We are changing with the changing times no doubt. We have taken U-turn from our old policy of socialistic pattern of society (the Nehru doctrine) and adopted a policy of liberalisation, deregulation and de-bureaticratisation. In other words, we have integrated our economy with international economy or market-oriented economy. Further developments have proved that it is a step in the right direction, provided we do not dilute it and make it a milk-and-water affair. We must stick to our guns. Double talk leads to double cross.

We must confess, we could not achieve the progress that we ought to have achieved, inspite of our possessing rich resources including man-power, natural resources, science and technology. During the last twenty years the country has witnessed a steep fall in values and debasement of ethical principles. Corruption in high places and bribery in public life have reached alarming proportions. Morality has never been a ground rule in politics but we witness a drastic dip in the graph. As drastic diseases require desperate remedies we find new phenomena like ‘investigative journalism� and ‘judicial activism�. The public begin to think that such restraints on arbitrary exercise of political and money power are gifts of God for an ailing democracy.

Work ethic is our worst failure. Germany and Japan have achieved phenomenal development and have emerged as leading industrial powers within ten to fifteen years, inspite of their war ravaged economies. Japan has captured the world watch market from Geneva, eclipsed the U.S.A., an industrial giant, in automobile manufacturing business and set a world record in electronic goods. Even small countries like South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore - not to speak of China - have set an example to us in hard work and dedication to work culture. China could successfully control its population growth through stringent measures. We, Indians have yet to demonstrate our capacity for hard work and our Government its political will. BUSINESS TODAY dated May 7, 1997 contains the following Index of Economic Freedom.: “India Inc. is still grounded. Six years into its post liberalisation life, the economy remains manacled, chained by the inability of the Government to purge it of policy restraints. Meanwhile the world’s economies are gathering pace on the road to freedom. And India is languishing in 118th place just 28 places from the bottom�. When shall we reach the take-offstage?

The grace period is still there. The point of no return has not yet been reached. Let us hope, the Golden Jubilee Year will lead to right decisions and proper action. Let us rededicate ourselves to the ideals of Mahatma Gcmdhi and those great leaders of the earlier generation.