Contemporary India: Problems and Threats

Abstract

India has, over the past few decades, been witnessing a variety of problems, drastically different from those of the past, that potentially destabilise the nation's unity, peace and governance. The scale and intensity of cross-border terrorism have increased such that there is no single day without a casualty. The western border is turbulent with the neighbouring country equipping the infiltrators, preparing and training them, funding them, arming them, and helping them to clandestinely cross over to Indian territory and cause devastation for militia and citizens alike. This has been the fallout ever since the partition and the subsequent wars between the two nations, and the perpetual strife over the recognition of disputed territories. Inside the country, we find the indigenous rebels, namely Maoists, fighting against the state, hiding under cover, and striking with heavy weaponry. They fight for a wrong ideology of engaging in armed conflict to overthrow the Government. Of late, radicalism driven by religion has spread its wings at a much faster pace in the subcontinent as much as in many countries around the world. They dream of a Religious state uncompromisingly in a pluralist society. There are calls for separatism, within states, between states, or the peninsula as such. The Dalit card is a far more active vote bank. The illegal migrants have mixed with the masses and are very difficult to trace. The parliamentary democracy is witnessing ruckus with unproductive sessions of mud-slinging. These and many such problems threaten to destabilise the nation and redraw a vehemently chaotic rhetoric for the future. The attempt here is to examine such issues and their likely consequences.