New Delhi: To present India as an ancient land with a modern outlook, the Center on Tuesday released a set of two booklets: “India, the Mother of Democracy” and “Elections in India”. These booklets trace the history of India from 6,000 BC and will be handed over to the dignitaries visiting the national capital for the G20 summit.
According to a booklet included in the documents of the G20 summit, the Modi government is highlighting how India has been the mother of democracy since historical times.
The booklet “India, the Mother of Democracy”, which has 26 pages, explains that India is the official name of the country, as mentioned in the Constitution and in the discussions of 1946–48. It houses a bronze statue known as the “Dancing Girl”, believed to be from the Indus Valley Civilization, which existed about 5,000 years ago. The statue has been described as a symbol of self-confidence, with the girl “confident and looking at the world eye to eye, free and independent.”
The booklet discusses the oldest scriptures, the four Vedas, and highlights the civilizational value system, encompassing political, social and educational principles. It also describes the democratic elements found in the epics.
The booklet explains that in India, which is India, seeking people’s consent in governance has been a part of life since the earliest recorded history. According to the Indian ethos, democracy includes values like harmony, freedom of choice, freedom to hold multiple views, acceptability, equality, governance for the welfare of the people and inclusivity in society.
The booklet also cites democratic elements in the times of Ramayana and Mahabharata, and emphasizes that governance for the welfare of the people has been a central feature of thought in India since ancient times. In Ramayana, it is mentioned that Lord Rama was chosen as the king by his father after taking approval from the council of ministers.
Similarly, in the Mahabharata, the grandfather Bhishma, on his death bed, taught Yudhishthir about good governance.
The booklet also explores the principles of Buddhism which influenced the democratic ethos of India through the rule of many kings including Ashoka, Chandragupta Maurya and Chhatrapati Shivaji. It also mentions Krishna teaching the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
The booklet provides context of historical events and rulers who followed democratic values. It states that Akbar was a “wise emperor”, Chhatrapati Shivaji left a “legacy of democracy”, and Emperor Ashoka held elections for ministers every five years.
Furthermore, it discusses how Shivaji promoted governance with representatives who were conscious of their duties, ensuring equal rights for the people. Shivaji’s “legacy of democracy” was continued by his successors, and the booklet describes how he appointed eight ministers who represented governance through decentralization. It says that even the king could not reject his advice.
The booklet also highlights Emperor Akbar as a wise king who introduced the principle of “Sulh-e-Kul” (universal peace) as a tool against religious discrimination.
The exhibition on India’s democratic traditions will showcase the history “from the Vedic period to the modern era”. Text content with audio will be presented in “16 global languages”, including English, French, Mandarin, Italian, Korean and Japanese.
The history of India’s democratic ethos will be summarized and recounted through 26 interactive screens arranged across multiple kiosks.
“Upon their arrival at the exhibition area, heads of state, delegates and other guests will be welcomed by an AI-generated ‘avatar’ who will provide them with a brief overview of the exhibition,” the source said.
The exhibition area will feature a replica statue of a Harappan girl placed on a revolving raised platform in the center of the hall. The actual height of the object is 10.5 cm, but the replica was made in bronze 5 feet in height and 120 kg in weight.
