Times of India | June 04, 2024

Winning and losing are common phenomena in politics. During the age of kingship, the man wearing the crown used to say, ‘I am here to rule the land,’ while in a democracy, the winner has to say: ‘I am here to serve the land.’ In a democracy, victory is a responsibility and not something to be arrogant about.

Democracy encompasses two distinct phases: the pre-election period and the post-election period. During the pre-election phase, political parties compete intensely to secure victory. However, once the election concludes, it becomes necessary for both sides to abandon rivalry and adopt a collaborative approach, prioritising coordination over continued conflict.

The losing party must accept defeat gracefully, without feeling humiliated, while the winning party should embrace victory humbly, without arrogance.

Just as sportspeople demonstrate the sporting spirit, leaders in democracy should demonstrate the democratic spirit. Without the sporting spirit, sports would seriously lose value. Similarly, if the democratic spirit is absent from a democracy, it becomes difficult to avail of the benefits of the democratic system. All parties must adopt the philosophy of adjustment to and respect for each other rather than resort to political fighting or confrontation. All parties should focus on a single goal: national development.

Leaders elected in a democratic system are masters of national affairs for only a limited period. They can do a good job only if they concentrate on the present. If they change their focus and devote all their efforts to ensuring success in the next election, they will lose out in the present and future.

Democracy is a political boon for a nation, but to turn this potential into actuality, we need leaders who can fulfil their responsibilities with complete sincerity and honesty.

The ruling party's role is to ensure the country's good governance. Governance includes fulfilling several responsibilities, such as providing a corruption-free administration, developing good infrastructure, maintaining high education standards, boosting the economy, and utilising the country's potential in the best possible manner. The winning team will be judged by its deeds, not its words.

We proudly say that India is the largest democracy in the world, but this statement refers only to the quantitative aspect of our democracy. We need to add another dimension to this statement: the qualitative aspect. The time has come to show the world that Indian democracy is value-based rather than power-based.

Everyone talks about Bharatiya parampara, the Indian tradition. What is the Indian tradition? There are two essential aspects of the Indian tradition—peace and spirituality. These make up the real identity of our country, and India can thus emerge as the harbinger of these two values.

India, under Gandhiji's leadership, adopted the peaceful method for its freedom struggle. His vision for a free India was to make it an international lighthouse. India is potentially a lighthouse for other nations. It has the potential to become a global spiritual superpower. This potential is grounded in India's rich and diverse spiritual heritage. Peace and spirituality must be integrated to shape the nation's future.