Dr.Rajendra Prasad India's Philosopher Statesman

Lalit Sethi*

India has been fortunate in having scholar and philosopher statesmen as its Presidents who, time after time, reminded the nation of the values of truth and non-violence in keeping with Mahatma Gandhi’s prime creed. This started with the first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and the trend continued with his successors. India’s second President, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, was in the line of philosopher kings visualised by a Greek thinker in his scheme of an ideal state.

Dr. Radhakrishnan was the first Vice-President of India from 1950 to 1962 and on the eve of the 14th Republic Day in 1963 he told the nation: "Mahatma Gandhi’s insistence on truth and non-violence has been the governing principle of our Constitution which is directed to the achievement of the objectives of democratic freedom, social justice and fellowship naming nations". He said: "Gandhiji’s message rings in our minds and hearts, though many of us have not the strength to carry it out in our lives". In the light of this he said that the State in a parliamentary democracy "is a means for the purpose of binding men together in a justly ordered social life. Strong public opinion should set itself against attempts to bring democratic processes into disrepute".
This was at the core of India’s utmost striving to raise living standards. Yet he recalled that an ancient text says that men and women of India belong to different communities, worship different gods and practice different rites ad quoted a Sanskrit shloka which points out "Among the devotees there is no distinction of caste, learning, beauty, birth, wealth, profession and the like". In
spite of occasional deviations and setbacks, "our people have held to this ideal".

While India’s policy was one of peaceful settlement of disputes, "our faith in ahimsa does not mean cowardly submission to aggression" nor "surrender to evil". The Chinese aggression of late 1962 "opened our eyes to the realities" and made us aware of inadequacies and needs of the present and the future". "The difficulties will cleanse us". In early 1964, he spoke of the unrest in some parts of the country that was traceable to the feeling that democratic and administrative processes were not as clean as they should be. But democracy was as much a privilege as a discipline: disorder is its anthithesis even as it did not believe in the infallibility of any individual.

Before retiring as President Dr. Radhakrishnan told the people: "All those who live within the limits of India are Indians whatever may be their race, caste or community" as "our country consists of the whole area bounded by the Himalayas in the north and the sea in the south and quoting from the Atharva Veda he said : "This spirit is divine". Intelligence was divine and supported the "sanctity of the human individual"

He was unhappy over the unruly behaviour of some members in legislatures, the factions, caste disputes and political rivalries that had disrupted many a state. Sectional differences and regional pressures were increasing and crippling democracy. Charges of corruption at all levels of Government deserved immediate disposal. The last year, 1966, "has been the worst since Independence, full of natural calamities and human failures". He added, "we cannot forgive widespread incompetence and gross mismanagement of our resources".

When the Indian Republic completed 18 years, Dr. Zakir Hussain, was the President. This was "a moment for calm reflection and introspection on where we stand" and his was a "feeling of thankfulness" as with aid from friends and due to our own effort India was able to "avoid the worst consequences of famine", especially in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The country had also
experienced economic recession because of industrial slowdown. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was due in Delhi within weeks of the 1968 Republic Day and was expected to open up avenues of trade for developing countries.

The President was unhappy over political indiscipline spreading to legislative wings and noticeable in educational institutions. Democracy allowed full freedom of discussion but after a consensus or majority decision, it had to be cheerfully implemented. A year later Dr. Zakir Hussain deplored labour unrest, student agitations, communal and linguistic conflicts and reminded the
people of Mahatma Gandhi’s passionate belief in equal reverence for all religions and his fight against all forms of social evil alongside self-discipline.

While noting that there was new hope about agriculture and industrial production looking up after two years of stagnation, he spoke of the "core of our problem: the sole remedy lies in the utmost utilisation of human material". Human resources indeed are the key to a nation’s progress as has been proved time and again by nation after nation and today Indians are rediscovering their
human potential as being among the best brains in the world in science and technology, arts, finance, management, industry and farming. Indians are striving as never before. They are leaving their footprints on the sands of time, even as brain drain continues to be a cause for concern. Yet replenishment of this resource within the country is substantial and being tapped.

In 1970, the then President, V V Giri, paid homage to the memory of millions of known and unknown soldiers- men and women who gave their all, even their lives at the altar of freedom under the inspiring leadership of Gandhiji. It was a matter of shame that in the Gandhi Centenary Year communal violence should break out in the very region "hallowed by association with Bapu".

The year marked one more milestone-the 21st Republic Day. Subsequently in the 22nd year of the Republic 275 million voters were called upon to vote and India’s electoral machinery earned a reputation for the observance of the highest standards of impartiality and integrity. Later the country emerged from a conflict with Pakistan, forced on India by a ruthless military dictatorship and from its hold emerged the sovereign State of Bangladesh. The conflict proved the strength and vitality of India’s democratic and parliamentary system of Government. On January 26, 1974 began the 25th year of India’s Republican status.

But in the middle of 1975 India came under Emergency and the freedom of expression and liberty was restrained for nearly two years. The then President, Shri N. Sanjeeva Reddy, who had been a member of the Constituent Assembly, noted in his Republic Day message: "Freedom may yet be in peril. Let us defend it with all the might at our disposal. The post-Emergency
climate has been congenial for reconciling fundamental freedoms and open society with egalitarianism and social justice".

The nation also expressed its gratitude to Jayaprakash Narayan who led it to the assertion of freedom. The people had reaffirmed their belief in democratic values and restored India’s distinction as the largest living democracy in the parliamentary election in 1977. For the first time since 1947 India’s political life "is not dominated by one monolithic political party". India was also pledged to the federal concept. India’s contribution to the American pool of technical talent also started becoming visible.

The 30th Republic Day in 1979 revealed that India had become self -sufficient in grain with an output of 125 million tons, rising from 55 million tons in 1950. This had been possible in spite of prophets of doom overseas and in the face of natural calamities, including floods and drought. Indian farmers were adopting new technology and producing more or less land.

In 1980 another round of elections was completed and brought Indira Gandhi back to power. The President noted that India is a young republic with one of the truly ancient civilizations. Yet the 1980s had begun with "greater ferment and renewed tensions in our region".The President noted that more than Rs. 90,000 crore had been invested in five year plans which works out to two rupees per person per year.

*Senior Freelance Journalist