Ever so often, one picks up a book based on the promise of what it claims to offer, only to be disappointed after reading it. The analytical nature with which this exciting book is written ensures that it goes beyond what it promises to deliver. Harsh Gupta and Rajeev Mantri write a compelling book providing a comprehensive view of India’s trajectory from a political, economic, social, and civilizational perspective. Being economists themselves, the authors explore India’s various facets since independence and chart the way forward for the country with a unique combination of civilizational attitude and global outlook.

As the title suggests, the book primarily focuses on the importance of individual rights of the citizen as opposed to “group” based rights. Instead of doling out rights to citizens, the state’s nature should presume the existence of rights and only be a protector of the same.

The authors define the Nehruvian worldview and how it embodies a confusion between the state and society. They elaborate on how India is not just a nation-state manufactured in 1947 but is an ancient civilization with remarkable continuity over the ages. We are exposed to the nature of the left-leaning and socialist character of the country’s intellectual elite. This cabal prevented development on various fronts - be it education, liberties to citizens, religious practices of Hindus, judiciary, and media, to name a few. This aspect has been brought out lucidly.

The nature of secularism in India, or its lack, is another topic explored in depth. For example, minority educational institutions have large religious quotas and massive government subsidies that help them achieve a premier position. This, in turn, incentivizes conversion to minority faiths to reap these benefits, effectively resulting in state-sponsored evangelism. RTE (Right to Education Act) passed by the Congress government was the final nail in the coffin. It fundamentally goes against the right to equality and poses a high cost on small private schools just because they’re not minority-run.

The control of Hindu religious institutions by the government is another glaring example of this. While temples suffer mismanagement, minority religious institutions are free to control their institutions, giving them a significant advantage to influence society in various ways.

A data-based comparison of the policies enacted by the various congress governments and the BJP governments and their actual impact helps bust many myths. One such myth is the telecommunication boom, which is usually attributed to Rajiv Gandhi and Sam Pitroda. However, as the authors explain, mobile telephony and the internet’s growth trajectory indicates that the real boost to the sector came from enacting the New Telecom Policy in ‘99 by the Vajpayee government. This enforced separation of responsibilities and gave rise to the birth of VSNL and other service providers.

The book also touches upon the judiciary and the steady degeneration of the supreme court. The court infringes upon the separation of powers by pronouncing verdicts on subjects beyond its scope. It is also flawed in its interpretation of the basic structure enshrined in the constitution. As a result, the appointments to the judiciary are nepotistic in nature. It also attempts to homogenize Hinduism’s inherent diversity by trying to be a judge of what constitutes an essential practice.

Finally, the book ends on an optimistic note. We are on the cusp of imminent change in India under Modi’s new administration. The policy changes and implementations under the new regime, notably GST, agricultural reforms, opening up of FDI, barring of Triple Talaq, removal of article 370, etc., are indicators of a new India breaking free from its socialist past. India continues to emerge as a powerful force with greater influence in world affairs.

This book is essential for a variety of reasons. We must understand India’s story for what it actually is and not what has been taught to us. The fresh perspective helps us re-think and question many assumptions we have about India. Granting social liberties to one group and religious protections to others only leads to further fissures in society. Individual rights should take prevalence over group rights, and only this will ensure a more prosperous and united India. And it is this detail that is the biggest takeaway from this excellent book.

Originally published here.