Speaking on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of Indian independence on 15th August, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on the people to stand firmly with him to build “an India of our dreams”. Behind the single word “our” stand two conflicting sides, two outlooks and two diametrically opposed dreams. 

The dream of the Tatas, Ambanis and other monopoly capitalist groups is the vision of India as an imperialist super-power. This dream is exciting all capitalists and is being marketed to small producers and even the working class in our country.  It is the vision of India as a mighty economic and military power, sitting at the high table of the biggest robbers and aggressors of the world.  And in order to get there, the bourgeoisie is willing to collaborate with foreign powers, intensify exploitation and plunder at home and expand its sphere of influence abroad, through whatever means at its disposal.

The dream of workers, peasants, women, youth and vast majority of our people is an India where prosperity and protection is guaranteed to all members of society.  It is an India that seeks friendly relations of cooperation and trade for mutual benefit with all other countries – an India that stands firmly against imperialist domination, plunder, aggression and military conquest, and all forms of denial of national rights, democratic and human rights.

The dream of the monopoly bourgeoisie is being presented as “our dream”.  The fact is that the pursuit of the imperialist vision spells more intense exploitation, uncertainty and misery for the vast majority of people.  It is also a threat to peace and security in this region.

Whose dream is pursued depends on who wields political power. The spectacle of the trust vote on 22nd July revealed, for all to see, that the Indian parliament is an instrument of the will of the big moneyed interests. Parliamentary democracy is a form of rule by the capitalist class, headed by the big monopoly groups.  It excludes the will and aspirations of the vast majority of people in the country.

Political power was transferred from London to Delhi in 1947; but it was not transferred to the people of India.  It was transferred into the hands of the wealthiest exploiters of that time – big capitalists and big landlords. From then until today, the parliament of independent India protects the power of the big capitalist corporations to dictate the course of society.  That is why the dream of a small exploiting minority becomes “our dream”.

The aspiration that drove lakhs of our forefathers to sacrifice their lives to rid India of the colonial yoke was for freedom from all forms of oppression.  The vision of a civilized India, where the people determine their collective destiny, inspired the heroes of 1857 and of numerous battles against colonialism.   An India that threatens and bullies neighbouring states, and oppresses peoples within its own borders, is the reality today.  Can a nation be free if it oppresses others?

The outlook of the bourgeoisie is that of an erstwhile victim of oppression who wants to become the oppressor. This imperialist outlook is clashing with the outlook and aspiration of the working class and peoples of this ancient land.  That aspiration is for a society and state that ensures prosperity and protection for all, and seeks friendly and mutually beneficial relations with other countries and peoples of the world.

Independence sounds empty to the majority of toiling people in our country because the imperialist drive of the bourgeoisie does not fulfil their aspirations.  On the contrary, it threatens them with dire consequences. To fulfil their aspirations, the toiling majority has to unite to defeat the bourgeois offensive, and take political power in their own hands, so as to break free of the imperialist capitalist system once and for all. 

The working class, peasantry and all working people need to organize to replace the existing parliamentary democracy with a modern system of direct democracy.  We need a system and political process where the electorate not only votes but also selects the candidates, has right to recall those elected at any time, and to actually participate in making decisions about the course of India. Only then can independence be translated into real freedom from want and from all forms of exploitation, oppression and discrimination.