The hallmark of a true democracy

 The hallmark of a true democracy is the reach of law and ethical principles followed by the leadership that enable either the law or a leader's conscience to step down in case of infringement of duties or any other inappropriate behaviour. A lockdown-time little private party cost Boris Johnson primeministership. Can you imagine anything like this in India? Here grossest transgressions of duties and misuse of power by the politicians are treated as routine affairs. When there is no fear of the card castle falling apart in case of the slighted mischief with cards, those in power will take their positions for granted. There a lockdown time party can see a prime minister bowing out, here even serious allegations of sexual harassment won't budge a parliamentarian from his powerful seat. We have a lot of work to accomplish to be a real, strong democracy. Yes, we are a constitutional democracy on paper in every sense of the term. But in practice we are missing a lot from the great principles in our brilliant constitution. It will take some time to get a leadership that follows ethical principles and listens to conscience, and institutions and authorities independent enough to penalise even the strongest. I would say we are a work in progress as a democracy which is a good thing and far better than autocracies and pseudo democracies like Pakistan where there is a shadowy deep state pulling the strings. I firmly believe that there will be a day when we will be world's strongest democracy as well, not just the largest. The strongest democracy is the benchmark where the most powerful is under the same chance of penalisation as the weakest in case of falling off the lawful limits.