Every year, we celebrate our nation’s attainment of political freedom from British imperialism and reiterate our loyalty to the ideals that our founding fathers fought for. In that sense, August 15 stands as a strong reminder of the long journey that shaped our nation: a heroic struggle that united millions from diverse social, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds for a set of values and principles, including democracy, secularism, harmony and social progress. Celebrating Independence Day thus entails an introspection of how we, as a nation, have evolved over the years, and how the essential ideals of this constitutional republic have fared.
Essence of nationalism, its manipulations
Such contemplation should begin by recalling the roots of the nationalist struggle. Our leaders had a clear understanding of liberation; that it was not just replacing one flag with another but envisaging a clear path to realise a prosperous nation in which everyone had equal stature before the law and equal access to all resources. Such a notion emphasised cementing the self-dignity of people for thriving here and for standing up before the world. A true nationalist, in that sense, strives to improve the living standards of the least counted in the nation.
So, the question then is: have we, as a nation, realised the dreams of our founders in achieving prosperity, and in improving the lives of the deprived? Yes, we fared better in many economic and social indicators. But, has the living standard of the people at the bottom improved?
The answer is not that bright. Studies show that the wealth produced is increasingly accumulated in the coffers of a super minority who wield influence over policymakers and policymaking bodies.
The larger minority is reeling under distress due to skyrocketing inflation, unemployment, deprivation and malnourishment as a result of policies only favouring the aforementioned ultra-rich. A new socio-economic order has come about in which individual competition enabled by a market-driven economy rules the roost. People and classes not equipped with crucial competitive skills get driven out of this exploitative order. Farmers, whom the father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, had called the ‘soul of the nation’, are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain agricultural activities, and ending their lives in frustration. The economy is facing crippling stagnation caused by neoliberal policies. Such a depressing picture of our nation calls for immediate action by all to reverse the trend and follow the path set by leaders of the nationalist movement.
Raising issues affecting the commoners in public is with the intent of informing policymakers of their lapses by marking dissent. Mobilising public opinion around such pressing concerns of the people can never be incendiary or insurrectionary, but an extension of the valid apprehensions of any dutiful citizen. But, there have been concerted efforts to frame such valid criticism as detrimental to national integrity.
Regressive forces twist the notions of nationalism and denounce those who raise voices of dissent as ‘anti-nationals’, endangering the nation. They divert the frustrations of the toiling public to the vortex of hate and bigotry by concocting a majoritarian communal identity and proclaiming it as the basis of our nation. Such a divisive ideology exacerbates polarisation in our society, leading to the emergence of assertions from minorities. In fact, the rise of this divisive politics runs counter to the legacy of our nationalist movement, which fought for a thriving, inclusive, constitutional republic. The current Indian scenario, in which majoritarian communal politics rules the roost, is something our nationalist leaders would not have dreamt of. People are subjected to brutalities for their lifestyles, eating habits and identity, minorities are framed as terrorists, and dissenting figures are silenced through intimidation or by the use of brute force. This Independence Day serves as a stark reminder of the state we are in, and how we should, unitedly, resist any moves to undermine the constitutional principles.
Constitutional framework, federalism
An important aspect of the Constitution is the federal division of duties in policymaking for both the Centre and States. The architects of the Constitution envisaged the discharge of roles as cooperative federalism in which both the Centre and States strengthen each other through constructive exchanges. While the Union has overarching authority in areas such as defence and foreign affairs, the States enjoy significant autonomy in public order, agriculture, education and health. Mechanisms such as State legislatures, the Governor’s role, and fiscal sharing were conceived not to subordinate States but to ensure cooperative governance.
As B.R. Ambedkar famously stated, the Union is not simply a league of States — it has its sovereignty; but States are not mere appendages. The sanctity of that balance is what underpinned our democracy. In recent years, however, we have witnessed a systematic and unprecedented shift away from that constitutional equilibrium. The central government has advanced measures to diminish State autonomy — from pushing the ‘One Nation, One Election’ agenda to expanding the scope of central agencies in State governance.
This is not merely an electoral reform. It proposes aligning State Assembly terms with the Lok Sabha, and possibly truncating popular mandates. Critics rightly warn that this amounts to curtailing the right of State electorates to choose their representatives for a full five-year term. Such a move risks reducing States to mere administrative implements of the central executive, rather than equal partners in the federal Union.
At the same time, investigative bodies and central administrative mechanisms are increasingly being weaponised to influence politics in non-aligned State governments. The independence of institutions such as the Election Commission of India, the Directorate of Enforcement, and even the Governor’s role faces serious challenges.
Manipulating Governor’s powers
One of the most visible and damaging trends in this new phase of centralisation is the partisan misuse of the office of the Governor. Governors, who are constitutionally expected to act on the aid and the advice of the elected State government, are instead being deployed as political agents of the Union to block, delay, and obstruct governance in Opposition-ruled States.
In Kerala and several other States, the Governor has withheld assent to Bills duly passed by the State legislature, sometimes for months on end, without offering constitutional reasons. This effectively nullifies the legislative will of the people and disrupts policy implementation.
The interference has been especially acute in the higher education sector. Universities in Kerala, long respected for their academic autonomy, have faced an unprecedented freeze in appointments because the Governor — acting as Chancellor — has stalled or cancelled recruitment processes, and refused to approve names recommended by statutory bodies. This has paralysed key academic institutions, delayed crucial reforms, and left thousands of students and teachers facing uncertainty.
By turning the Governor’s office into an instrument of political veto rather than a constitutional safeguard, the Centre undermines both the functioning of State governments and the vibrancy of India’s education system. What should be a bridge between the Union and the State has been transformed into a roadblock.
This Independence Day, let us honour our national heritage by recommitting to a constitutional order that cherishes federalism, democratic pluralism, and popular constitutionalism. Let us resist trends that undermine State autonomy, misuse constitutional offices, and weaken the secular psyche of the polity.
Our struggle was never just to gain freedom from colonial rule. It was to build a union of free peoples, each with dignity and voice, held together not by coercion but by the shared ideals of constitutional democracy. That is the legacy we must defend today — with clarity, courage, and conviction.
Let us live by that pledge, so that the Republic we inherited remains vibrant and resilient for generations.
Pinarayi Vijayan is the Chief Minister of Kerala