India:a Nation In Turmoil

This book is a portrait of post-independence India - and it tells the story of a nation betrayed by its politicians, by its ruling class. The author presents new insights into Gandhiji, Panditji and other leaders and into the events that have shaped our recent history. Does swaraj mean anything to us, and does the government govern? Why is there so much violence as well as untruth in the land of the Mahatma and what are the causes of our moral and intellectual decline? These are among the questions the author seeks to answer. He also discusses a wide range of issues including the farcical nature of our democracy, poverty and development, decay of villages and cities, the language problem, culture and national unity. It is the story of a nation that makes and unmakes itself, a story of the turmoil in which it finds itself as a result of the failure of our rulers to come to grips with our basic problems, the unfulfilled aspirations of the people, and the breakdown of age-old institutions like caste. And will India be able to preserve its identity in the face of continuing European colonialism and the threat from its neighbors?