India needs to send a message of oneness, democracy, and inclusiveness to the world — the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — especially in today’s turbulent times, says Seshadri Chari, a Journalist and Foreign Policy Analyst. He emphasises that the tradition of discussion and debate is the very essence of democracy for Indians.
Addressing a gathering at Delhi’s India International Centre on Thursday evening, he spoke about how Indian democracy serves as a beacon of hope in an unstable neighbourhood.
Delivering the III Memorial Lecture on the birth anniversary of GVG Krishnamurthy, former Election Commissioner of India, Chari said, ” India has never faced a conflict between nationalism and internationalism because its civilisational thinking did not rest on geographical or political boundaries. “We had no boundaries,” he noted.
Chari recalled the ideals taught by luminaries such as GVG Krishnamurthy, Murli Manohar Joshi, and others. “Democracy has no boundaries, with our roots emanating from dharma.”In today’s increasingly intolerant world, he felt compelled to clarify that dharma refers to “a set of laws,” not religion.
Acknowledging that India is surrounded by countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, that are grappling with conflict, he linked the region’s tensions to a drift away from dharma.
He noted that, unlike many neighbouring countries governed by the Western concept of theocracy, rule in the name of God or religion, India “never had a religion.” A state, he argued, cannot and should not have one. “We had what we call darshan, shastra — ideas, philosophies, and non-conflicting traditions,” he said. “No two philosophers ever agreed on the same thing. That is why we have Dwaita, Advaita, and Vishishta Advaita.”
Chari added that Indians even revered Charvaka, who held a worldview directly opposing the Vedas, as a great thinker. “Discuss, debate, and arrive at a conclusion,” he said. “Your point may not be right; my point may not be wrong, or it could be the other way around. But the willingness to come together and talk is the essence of democracy. Vade vade jayate tattva bodha — through debate, truth emerges. Keep discussing. Keep debating.”
Calling this tradition of discussion and debate the very essence of democracy for Indians, he said this mindset has been ingrained in people for ages and represents the highest form of secularism. “For us, the king or ruler is not a representative of God. He is not meant to implement God’s orders. No. Even the gods are not above the rashtra. Gods are not above democracy in this concept.”
“This,” Chari said, “is the origin of our democratic ethos, and the reason it survives today.” Anyone who believes India’s democratic institutions are strong should look to history, he argued. “You will see that whenever someone has stepped outside the bounds of dharma, which is unchangeable, conflict has followed.”
Circling back to the roots of Indian democracy, he noted that when people speak of democratic strength, they often say, “We have a Constitution that protects our democracy.” But, he argued, “the Constitution alone does not protect democracy.” He quoted B.R. Ambedkar’s address to the Constituent Assembly: “It is not the Constitution which is going to save democracy. It is the people who have to put that Constitution into practice.”
Expanding on Ambedkar’s point, Chari said the Constitution is effective only as long as the people responsible for upholding it are themselves responsible. “If the people are bad, however good the Constitution may be, democracy will not survive. If the people are good, however bad the Constitution may be, democracy will survive.”
Democracy’s survival, he said, rests on society, on each individual. He argued that India’s long tradition of democratic and inclusive thinking has endured largely because of the ethos of the Hindu society, which he described as inherently secular and inclusive.
According to Chari, neither the king nor the state holds society together. “The king does not control the state or the people. The king does not make the law. The king does not keep society united or protect it. Governments don’t protect society. Law-enforcing agencies, the police, the courts, don’t protect society.”
“It is the people who protect one another,” he said. “And not on the basis of politics, fear of punishment, or law and justice, but on the basis of dharma.” Citing the Sanskrit saying na rājā na rājasi na daṇḍena cha ghātanā—dharmaṇeiva prajāḥ sarvāḥ rakṣanti sma parasparam (“Not the king, not the state, not punishment, it is dharma through which people protect one another”), he stressed that the duty of every individual is to safeguard dharma. “Dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ, if you protect dharma, dharma will protect you,” he concluded.