Republic Day

It is the 26th of January. On this day India celebrates "Republic Day", marking the adoption of the constitution and the transition of India from a British Dominion to a republic. It is a day of great national pride. It is a national holiday and the country is awash in flags and all that symbolizes nationalism in the most overt way. Growing up as a boy in India in the 80's, what I remember most is waking up in the morning and turning on my Dyanora black and white TV (one of two brands sold in India in the 80's) to watch the live broadcast of the parade from Rajpath in Delhi. The muddy gray images of the crowds gathering on the bleachers in the cold Delhi winter waiting for the parade to begin are vivid in my mind. Then the presidential horse carriage gently drives down the majestic colonial road. The president descends and shakes hands with all the dignitaries and the celebrations begin. The whole event lasts for half the day with endless army, navy and air force battalions marching in unison and floats displaying India's vast cultural colorful diversity forming an impressive pageant.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the Indian republic.The economic down turn and the terrorist attacks on Mumbai have not deterred the government from putting on an impressive show. Republic day is also the day the country shows off its military hardware. The tanks, the missiles, war planes and a plethora of killing machines are on grand display. This year the nuclear weapon carrying missile "Agni" was on display. The chief guest at this years celebration was the Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaye. A controversial leader who has been in power since 1990 and has constantly undermined democracy in his nation. A dictator hiding behind a suit.

As a child the images on television always instilled a sense of pride. I always dreamt of being on those bleachers one day taking in the foggy Delhi morning. Much like dreaming of attending the Olympic games or the Wimbledon. But now as an adult I find those dreams misplaced. Even though America is the largest supplier of weapons to the world, the public display of military hardware is always shunned. A double standard, effectively managed for the world and the nation. The last time a presidential candidate was seen wearing a helmet in a tank, it ended his career. I do not understand why India, which is a democratic secular nation feels the need to present itself in this manner. It seems like a vestige from the time when it was aligned with the Soviets. I always associate military parades with repressive regimes. India feels the need to show its neighbors once a year that it has the fire power, so shoot at your own risk. The age old deterrent theory.

The most ironic aspect of the Republic Day parade is that the majestic road that it marches down is flanked by a statue of Mahatma Gandhi on one end. In fact from where he stands, he gets a clear unobstructed view of all the weaponry. I wonder what he must be thinking as he sees a nuclear warhead pointed at him. It is what it is.