This is the first article in a series. We start by looking honestly at the foundational structures of our nation. It’s time to ask: Where does an ordinary Indian citizen go when the system feels broken?
Where is Our Safety Net?
Ask yourself today: Where should a citizen of Bharat look for support? Under which pillar of our democracy can we still find real strength, stability, and hope for better days?
Democracy is supposed to protect us through its institutions—the government, the judiciary, the media, and our moral core. But what happens when those institutions start to drift, when they bend towards power, or simply get lost in ideology?
Millions of us feel it every day. The pillars of our republic are still standing, but their foundation feels shaky.
One Quick Note: We use the term Bharat here. It emphasizes the deep, continuous history of our civilization. We do this without forgetting our modern constitutional identity.
We can’t talk about solutions until we admit where we are. Our pillars are cracked, weakened, or quietly compromised. Ignoring this only makes the problem worse. This isn’t an attack on our country; it’s a necessary conversation because Bharat matters.
Pillar 1: The Government — Strong Vision, Weak Support System
The government isn’t weak just because elections allow change—that flexibility is democracy’s best feature! The real problem is deeper: nation-building is being shouldered by only one political force.
The current government has a clear vision: seeing Bharat as a proud, living civilization with historical memory and confidence. This is more than politics; it’s an attempt to reconstruct the nation.
But a democracy needs more than one party to carry a burden this large.
The Structural Problem: Governance struggles when the opposition mainly focuses on negating the existing government. It also struggles if the focus is on opposing the country’s civil roots or engaging in short-term identity politics.
When this happens:
- Real debate vanishes.
- Accountability becomes a political tool.
- The national interest takes a backseat.
Example and Perspective: Many veteran public servants and non-partisan policy experts are expressing frustration. Long-term goals—like legal reform or cultural policy—are continually threatened. This is because there is no consensus on the fundamental idea of India. Until nation-building is a shared goal, the government will always be constrained.
Pillar 2: Media & Cinema — Truth Swapped for Narratives
The media’s job is simple: show us reality and question whoever is in power. Today, much of our media fails at both. It’s no longer journalism; it’s narrative enforcement.
Look at the selective focus:
- Silence on State Violence: When serious violence or political barbarism occurs in certain non-ruling states (e.g., recent post-poll incidents in West Bengal), it often gets minimal national attention.
- Amplified Outrage: Conversely, a single comment from one woman referencing a minority holy book can lead to a nationwide uproar. This uproar can overshadow critical national issues.
This distortion is amplified by foreign entities pushing hostile stories under the guise of reporting.
The Cultural Front: Bollywood and mass media show an even deeper crisis. Films increasingly seem positioned against the country’s civil core.
Take the portrayal of our tribal communities, for instance. Recent narratives sometimes dismiss the historical truth. These communities were the fiercest resistors against invaders and colonizers. Yet, they are sometimes recast as villains. This selective memory distorts history in the service of ideology.
When the media stops asking hard, uncomfortable questions, it stops being a democratic pillar. Art driven by ideology hostile to its own country also ceases to serve this role.
Pillar 3: The Judiciary — Independent on Paper, Out of Reach in Reality
The courts are supposed to be the common person’s final shelter. Yet, for many Indians, justice feels endlessly delayed, selective, or just too difficult to access.
- Case Backlogs: Cases commonly drag on for decades. (The sheer volume of pending cases is staggering).
- Uneven Accountability: When powerful groups are involved, outcomes often feel predictable, leading to the perception of uneven accountability.
Whether this perception is always true matters less than the fact that it exists. Democracy runs on trust, not technicalities. Justice that arrives too late, or seems hesitant in critical national moments, eats away at public confidence.
Perspective: Several retired judges and legal reformers argue that the true crisis is often found in the lower courts. Poor infrastructure and massive case volumes make the legal system functionally inaccessible for the average citizen. The judiciary must be visibly courageous and accessible.
Pillar 4: Religion (Our Moral Core) — Unity Without a Leader
The weakness of the majority faith in Bharat lies not in its belief or numbers. It lies in the absence of a strong, unified civil leadership.
Hinduism views Bharat as one continuous entity. However, today there is no single figure who speaks for this unity with clarity. There is also no credible body that represents it with strength.
The Problem is Structural:
- State Control of Temples: Unlike most minority religious institutions, Hindu temples in many states remain under government control. This control strips them of funds, autonomy, and strategic direction.
- Fragmentation: There is no well-resourced, central body to protect Hindu interests. No representative body is there to lead the necessary social reform. Additionally, there’s no central authority to respond decisively to civil challenges.
Perspective: This lack of coordination allows external forces to exploit divisions easily. Strength isn’t about domination; it requires organization, moral clarity, and leadership. Until Hinduism develops credible, accountable institutions that reflect its scale, this foundational pillar will remain unnecessarily vulnerable.
Looking Ahead: The Citizen’s Blueprint for Progress
The aim of this series is to move beyond simply observing the cracks. We have diagnosed the reality. Now, we must understand that the power to reinforce these pillars rests not with the government, but with us—the citizens.
In the next installment, we will detail actions we can take as citizens. These actions will give strength to each of the four pillars. They will also ensure progress. We will explore empowering local leaders and funding ethical media. We will also discuss demanding judicial transparency and organizing our civil institutions.
Stay tuned for Part 2: The Bharat Citizens’ Imperative for Progress.
हिन्दू विचार 