(from P. Ramesh Rao)

Mangalore : It is 63 years since we Indians secured freedom from the British colonial rulers. We agreed to partition in a Shimla meeting called by Mountbatten of Burma, who ruled last, in June 1947. The Muslims led by M. A. Jinnah were present, so also Sikhs. It was Congress led by Nehru that sought partition of India. 550 states joined the Indian Union. The Nizami Hyderabad and Portuguese Army were subjugated later under Vallabh bhai Patel and Indian Army. East Pakistan became Bangladesh in 1971. Jammu-Kashmir- Ladakh (Hindu – Muslim – Buddhist) joined India, but Pakistan occupied 40% of Kashmir in 1948. Gandhi died on 30th January 1948. Congress Party ruled till 1996 from 1947 in New Delhi, with 2 years (1977-79) rule of Janata Party under Lokanayak JP Narayan.
Life has never been easy in India except for the 5% creamy layers of filthy rich. These have risen to 15% now, with over a crore of crorepathis (multi-millionaires) in industries and services (IT,Telecom, politics etc,). The country is ruled by these multi millionaires elected on party basis by the common people who have a vote and who exercise that from GP to Lok Sabha.
But people are not happy. 40% are below poverty levels and 20% above it. Another 20 to 25% are in lower and upper middle class. A welfare govt, in states is careless of the poor and working classes. Women hunger for freedom and goes astray in sexual harassment and marriage matters. Education and daily needs are costly, so also housing. Large mansions and individual families are few and far in between. The unitary families of 4 persons live in flats (one room) and rented houses liable to be thrown out in cities.
Our 5 year plans (10 of them) have not addressed their tasks to the poor, farming people and workers. The rules and conditions made are used only to obstruct common human rights. Democracy has become a democracy. In China, it is communist dictatorship with financial heaps from outside, and defence capacity in air, land and sea. India has no such strength. The people are patriotic, but politicians are selfish. They (rulers) are responsible for inadequate growth.