Is the idea of democracy shrinking? What are the major challenges to democracy in india? How can democracy be reformed and deepened? What role can an ordinary citizen play in deepening democracy?
Answers
The major challenges to democracy in India are:
1. Poverty: Poverty is one of the most serious challenges faced by Indian democracy. Majority of the population in India lives below the poverty line. The Government has launched many poverty eradication programmes over the years to counter this challenge.
2. Economic inequality: The distribution of economic opportunities in India is grossly uneven and the wealth is unequally distributed.
3. Casteism: Caste-based discrimination is still existent in India although the Constitution prohibits it in all its forms. Also, casteism has penetrated the arena of electoral activity resulting in the politics of vote banks.
4. Illiteracy: A large part of the population of India is illiterate.
5. Communalism: Although communal politics resulted in the partition of India, many political parties still indulge in communal poliitcs