I was speaking eloquently to some of my African friends, about the many merits of democracy over dictatorship. The setting was perfect. We were all relaxing in the air-conditioned comforts of my spacious office after a sumptuous meal of pounded yam and catfish. As usual the laptop was showing the rediff.com home page. I clicked on the title "The state of India's democracy" thinking that I would be able to read out something good about the success of democracy in India. Confidently I clicked on the title and what followed can be summed up in one word. I was silenced in SHAME. Cheer up my Leaders. Thank you for challenging the most loved method of governance. Thank You for telling us that we were better off when the white men ruled with an iron hand, beating us into slave submission. Thanks for telling Col. Gadaffi that all countries are not ready for democracy yet. Thanks for saying that if Bengal, the most cultured state of India can do it than why expect anything at all from Bihar? Thanks for making the Congolese and Sudanese war groups a little more bearable, a little less harsh. I don't know if India will survive democracy or the democracy will survive India.
