Imagining India

Conflicting political ideologies

The shadow boxing between the Left and the Right, each of who comes from a different world view, is causing a gridlock in India’s policy-making - on the one hand are those who hanker for the village republic and on the other are those preaching globalization. The left also wants a rights-based approach (right to information, right to food, right to work, right to education, etc). While a ‘Rights’ approach can help put the onus on the state, there is more to social change than passing laws. However there is no fundamental difference on both sides in the desire to eliminate poverty, provide more equity, provide basic public services like health and education, and so on. It is largely a matter of approach, and resolving this gridlock is imperative to making intelligent policy decisions.