India at crossroad

India’s 79th Independence Day should be both a celebration of our achievements and a moment of sober reflection on the health of our democracy. Economic milestones and military modernization rightly feature in our national narrative, yet the growing reliance on nationalistic rhetoric risks drowning out the very dissent that keeps democracy alive. When every critique of policy or leadership is branded unpatriotic, we erode the space for honest debate and weaken the checks that hold power to account. In recent years, Parliament has too often become a forum where robust criticism is met not with reasoned rebuttal, but with rhetorical attacks accusing opponents of being anti-Indian or aligned with foreign adversaries. This trend undermines the spirit of free speech enshrined in our Constitution. At the same time, much of the electronic media has shifted from watchdog to mouthpiece, prioritizing access over accountability. A press that bows to the party in power cannot fulfill its duty to inform citizens or to shine light on government excesses. A democratic government must serve every citizen, not just its own supporters. Impartiality and justice are the bedrock of the system, and they depend on preserving the right to speak out without fear of slander or reprisal. As Indians mark another year of freedom, the citizens should recommit to the principle that true patriotism welcomes criticism, strengthens institutions, and ensures that the promise of independence belongs to all. On the 79th Independence Day, India finds itself at a crossroads where the very process meant to renew its democracy-elections-is under a cloud of controversy. What should be a celebration of India’s hard-won right to choose leaders has instead become a battleground of allegations, institutional bias, and political brinkmanship. As citizens pause to honor the sacrifices of 1947, they cannot ignore the troubling reality that the instruments designed to protect free and fair elections are themselves losing public confidence. In theory, the Election Commission of India stands apart from political pressures-vested with the power and mandate to administer polls impartially and to withstand any attempt at coercion. Yet in recent years, its pronouncements and interventions have increasingly mirrored the concerns of the ruling party rather than the call for evenhanded enforcement of electoral norms. High-profile investigations stall, code-of-conduct breaches go unpunished, and the legal frameworks meant to check money power and disinformation are applied erratically. Most striking is the shift from fact-finding to finger-pointing. When credible allegations surface-whether about misuse of government machinery, illicit campaign funding, or inflammatory hate speech-the Commission often pivots to demand public apologies from the opposition, rather than launch rigorous probes. This posture risks transforming election management into an echo chamber where only one narrative is permitted, and any challenge to the status quo is rebuffed as malicious or unpatriotic. What India needs now are leaders of genuine strength-those who recognize that national greatness cannot rest solely on GDP growth or defense modernization. True leadership must encompass social wellbeing: universal quality education, accessible healthcare, secure livelihoods, and respect for diversity. It demands guardians of public institutions who act transparently, enforce rules without fear or favor, and welcome scrutiny as a source of renewal rather than a threat.