India belongs to all who live in it

Share autos are a great deal in Chennai city on the east coast of India. These are 3-wheeled auto rickshaws carrying multiple people from point A to point B. They stop for anyone who puts a hand out at any point on the main street and cost just 20 rupees (16 pence). People use them similarly to a moving walkway going from place to place. I took a ride in one of these during my recent visit to the city, as it took me directly from my home to the major bus stop nearby.

The driver invited me to sit next to him, explaining that he kept the rear seats for women, children, and the elderly. I had to grab hold of the driver's shoulder for balance to sit with him. I could see firsthand how driving through crowded roads in hot and humid weather is no easy task. This makes it challenging to work for longer hours. The driver kept stopping the vehicle, looking from side to side for any possible customers on the main road. I asked him how his business was doing nowadays, given the cost-of-living crisis caused by the Iran conflict. He told me the cost of fuel has made his life difficult and he barely makes any money. But he says he has nothing to worry about if he goes home empty-handed, as he always has 'Kanji' to drink (fermented cooked rice in water) before going to bed. He reminded me of the importance of the state subsidizing rice and other staples for every family in India.

Unorganized labor in India, like the driver of the share auto, is one of the most hardworking and innovative workforces. People who work as YouTube creators, gig workers for delivery apps, and flower tyers make up 90% of the total workforce in the country. Most of them are working to sustain their lives day to day. Many work to pay down debts taken to help with family responsibilities and emergencies like hospitalization, medicine, or other needs. Household debt to GDP is increasing significantly and is at 48%—an all-time high. Unsecured debt for consumption makes up 58% of all household borrowing according to the Central Bank of India. This indicates the difficulties people are going through to survive the current cost-of-living crisis. This conversation with the share auto driver made me understand that in the 79 years since independence from the British, Indian governments have not been able to provide the basic needs for safety or security for their people.

Unity in Diversity is Equal to Divide and Rule

Indian politics is dominated by the concept of social justice, or state aid for certain caste, religion, creed, sex, or regional groups. This is a derived ideology of the British divide-and-rule policy. It has always turned political conversations into debates over who or which of these sections/groups deserves help from the state. This politics has blocked those in dire need of the state's help by citing historical inequalities. These policies have, in turn, created a few privileged groups or elites who have become influential and hold power over the state apparatus. The recent CJP (or Cockroach Janata Party) protests demanding the resignation of the education  minister came from one of those groups. This led to the BJP government heeding their demands.

‘Only Hindus Allowed Beyond This Point’

When you enter any major temple in India, you will see a board stating that 'only Hindus are allowed past a certain point'. But walking a bit further, you will then see a ticket counter offering special viewing for money. This route takes you in faster to pray to God. A correct translation of this situation would be that only those privileged or able to afford the price are allowed into the temple. The people in India crowd, push, and hurry to fulfill their basic rights to freedom of religion. The politics of the Indian National Congress and its offshoots, like the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or other regional parties, are degrading the quality of people's lives that they promised to protect.

India's demographics are changing drastically. Southern developed Indian states like Tamil Nadu host millions of registered migrant workers from other states and countries. The local people do not understand their culture, language, or traditions, and vice versa, due to the divisive politics of the nationalist parties of India. This is creating inherent conflicts within social life, impacting security. India needs coherence and harmony among these varied groups. A form of politics that recognizes every human being as equal is needed for this change to happen. From the Japanese engineers who build the metro rails to the Chinese factory workers who are training the Indian population for its industrial future, or the technology industry supported by European migrants—India needs all of them together to bring about a better future for its people. India belongs to all those who live in it.