BENGALURU: We all know that Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on January 26, 1950, replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India. Today, in 2020, what does Republic Day mean to me? What are my dreams for my country?
The protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens have entered a critical moment. What has struck me the most is that we are currently in the largest social movement since Independence (some are even calling it the second freedom struggle). The ongoing protests have forced millions who have been politically apathetic to confront unresolved questions relating to identity, citizenship, group rights; especially of marginalised communities, including women, the LGBTQ community, and their role in the largest democracy in the world.
What has been encouraging for me to see, is that the recent protests are challenging Indian society’s collective prejudices that divide people in terms of religion, caste, language and region. Additionally, challenging apolitical and political Indians to think about their stand and their values. The current social movement has bought issues such as the right to speech, dissent, religious identities, violence into mainstream public discourse. I would argue that we are currently witnessing an evolving social movement that will cover multiple issues, from citizenship, internet shutdowns, police brutality to those of GDP, unemployment and climate action.
What is my vision for India? That we truly embody the integrity of our Constitution; in our words and actions towards our fellow citizens. May the elected representatives of this socialist, democratic, republic exercise justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.
May we celebrate unity in diversity, may we treat each with respect, may we focus on issues that are truly important such as climate action. The past decade has been the warmest in recorded history. Deadly wildfires including those affecting Australia, devastating floods across India, extreme weather events, and climate-influenced migration. Ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising, and the very survival of island nations is being threatened. Our entire ecosystem is at risk: 1 million animal and plant species may be extinct within years, the largest-scale ecological loss humans have seen, according to IPBES. Indeed, climate change is and will continue to affect us all regardless of our religion, nationality and ethnicity.
According to IPCC, we have a decade to significantly curb carbon emissions and avoid catastrophe. Because of years of delayed action, we face an even more pressing mandate. We need to halve global emissions by 2030 but the emissions gap between what is needed and our current commitments is significant. Starting this year, we need to cut emissions by 7.6% every year for the next 10 years to limit warming to 1.5 degrees.
We must decarbonise our economies, shift financial flows, protect ecosystems, and adapt for the future, we must strive to achieve sustainable development goals, we must work towards conflict resolution and peacekeeping as UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres reported “Geopolitical tensions are at their highest level this century”.
India could set an example in the adoption of low carbon pathways towards the twin goals of development and climate change adaptation. India can incorporate decentralised renewable energy solutions that are specifically targeted towards the under-served population into the government’s development policies across all sectors of energy, infrastructure, health and education; foster enabling conditions and ecosystem development for livelihood generation and greater standard of living.
This is a time for us to come together to protect and preserve the earth that sustains us all, instead we stand divided on citizenship issues. May we work together to fight global issues that matter. May we
put aside our differences and bring people together to work on something bigger than
all of us.
This January 26, 2020 I think we must pledge to leave this world a better place than we found it in.