In my Column of 7 December 2008 I had forcefully projected the need for India to have a “Second Republic” as India’s ‘First Republic has failed miserably. The political picture and India’s political environment was dismal in end 2008. Nearly four years down the line India politically seems to be a ‘failed state’. Political corruption has sky-rocketed and political governance is marked by utter drift and trust deficit. India’s imperatives for a “Second Republic” now stand redoubled in terms of imperatives.

In the December 2008 Column it was highlighted in fair detail (readers may kindly peruse the detailed reasons) that the First Republic failed not because the Founding Fathers gave an imperfect Constitution but because recent political generations have failed to uphold its majestic provisions and instead of playing along with the Constitution as enshrined, these political generations have tinkered and amended the Constitution to suit their narrow selfish political ends. In effect the recent political generations have on the contrary played with the Constitution rather than politically playing along the guidelines enshrined in the Constitution.

The most recent manifestation of the loss of public trust in India’s political class and its disgust with their corruption was the large scale turnout of thousands of Indian citizens which flooded Anna Hazare’s rallies crusading against political corruption and letting go scot free people like the notorious Italian wheeler-dealer Quattrochhi who shot into prominence in the Bofors Scam and is alleged to have been close to the dynasty. 

Would any Indian political party across India’s political spectrum have the political guts to propose in Parliament that India needs a “Second Republic”? Would any prominent political leader cutting across political party lines have the courage of conviction to make the cause of a “Second Republic” a political crusade?

It seems unlikely as all of them have a vested interest in perpetuating the present system and would find a high ‘discomfort level’ in charting into more challenging political waters. In such a scenario the only answer may lie in a public upsurge spearheaded by the likes of Anna Hazare and like-minded social activists to galvanize the masses to demand a “Second Republic”.