The Leadership

GC 80 210417 The Leadership

‘Now let me share with you, my son, the 16 principles of Enlightened Governance’ the Baba began their next Guruvar Satsangh.

‘First of all let us understand the term ‘Enlightened Governance’. Enlightened Governance in simple terms is effective governance which will ensure justice, liberty, equality and fraternity for all citizens of the country. These are the Constitutional values enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. This is only possible through a value-based approach without any fear or favour. This will also demand that the nation should have enlightened leaders with strength of character and courage of conviction. That is why we also need to improve the quality and caliber of our MPs and MLAs…….

‘Enlightened Governance within ENP, according to me, will have to be based on the following principles. I will only enumerate them. You have to study them carefully later on. Use the library. There are many books on Good Governance, Effective Governance etc.’ the Baba said. 

He then enumerated the following 16 principles of Enlightened Governance: 

1. ‘Let the heavens fall, justice must be done’

2. ‘Surety of punishment is a greater deterrent of crimes than the severity of punishment’.

3. ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’.

4. ‘Corruption and rape are crimes against God and humanity and should carry severe punishments’.

5. ‘Smaller the state, better it can be administered, and more citizen-friendly it can become’.

6. ‘Good governance cannot be a substitute for self-governance’.

7. ‘Providing quality education to all youth and developing technically qualified human resources constitute the two most important tasks in a nation-building mission’.

8. ‘Ministers and Government officials are meant to serve the citizens, not to rule over them’.

9. ‘Duties, not rights, will make a nation great’.

10. ‘Farmers and school teachers are to be respected and rewarded as the most important nation-builders’.

11. ‘Government is not an employment agency, but a law enforcing authority’.

12. ‘In a democracy public servants and political parties are subject to the law and accountable to the public’.

13. ‘Mother India’s future is in the hands of mothers in India’.

14. ‘Youth are the hope and the most precious wealth of the nation’.

15. ‘Democracy does not imply collective responsibility, but individual responsibility based on collective decision-making by consensus or consent’.

16. ‘The character and caliber of the leader will influence the character and caliber of the cadre’.

After enumerating the 16 principles, the Baba said: ‘These 16 principles of Enlightened Governance are also only indicative. One can add more or delete some. Effective and corruption-free governance whereby the Constitutional values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity are upheld at all times and at all places should be our goal. This is also the most important function of the Government within ENP’.

The Baba looked at Atma Prakash questioningly.

‘Yes guruji. I will study them carefully.’ Atma Prakash replied.

‘Now let us come to the fourth pillar of ENP: the minimum parameters for our MPs and MLAs’, the Baba continued.

“Yatha Guru, Thatha Shisya; Yatha Raja, Tatha Praja; Yatha Neta, Thatha Chela” 

says an old Indian dictum . It means ‘the disciples will be like the guru; the subjects will be like the king; the followers will be like the leader’….

‘The leadership is the most important element in any nation-building mission. Enlightened leaders are required to build a great new India. The first thing for us to do if India is to have enlightened leadership is to improve the quality and caliber of our MPs and MLAs…..

Excerpts from ‘Integral Revolution