India should be less discontented, not superpower: Ramachandra Guha

New Delhi, July 13 : India should not aspire to be a dominant and powerful country, but should try to be a less 'discontented country', eminent author-historian-social analyst and teacher Ramachandra Guha said Monday, listing 10 reasons why 'India cannot and must not become a superpower'.

'The 10 political and social challenges that face the country are Left wing extremism, religious extremism, a corrupt centre, decline of public institutions, growing gap between the rich and the poor, environment degradation, apathy of the media, political fragmentation of the Indian electoral system, unreconciled borders and unstable neighbourhoods,' Guha told an elite gathering of bureacucrats, diplomats, policy makers, voluntary workers, think-tanks, foreign delegates and journalists.

He was addressing an analytical session on '10 Reasons Why India Cannot and Must Not Become a Superpower', hosted by the Aspen Institute.

Quoting the government, Guha said: 'Left wing extremism or Naxalism is the greatest internal security threat in the country as nearly 150 districts in the country are declared Naxal-affected'.

Guha attributed the rise of Maoism in India to geographical and social factors.

'In the last eight to nine years, extremism has strengthened and consolidated in the hills and the forest areas. It is easy to conduct guerrilla wars in hilly terrain. Beyond the geographical reasons, the social and political and social factors responsible for the growth of Naxalism are disadvantage and repression.

'Adivasis do not have an effective political voice, unlike the Dalits whose voices are represented in the public domain. Adivasis in the hills and the forests have lost their land and health and have been displaced by development projects,' Guha said, explaining the historical perspective of Maoism in India.

Add to this religious intolerance, dynastic politics where parties have become family furniture, coalition governments, eco-degradation and the growing gap between the rich and poor, he said.

'Tens of thousands of farmers are killing themselves in the country. They are caught in debt traps. The ground water has depleted and the soil has been contaminated by chemicals,' Guha said.

'The best thing is to be at peace with oneself and forge mechanisms to resolve conflicts and disputes. India should not be a dominant superpower, but should be a little less discontented,' he summed up.