Who Does Power Really Salute in India’s Democracy?
Constables salute Inspectors, Inspectors salute DSPs, DSPs salute the DGP, the DGP salutes the Chief Minister—and finally, the Chief Minister is expected to salute the people. This is the hierarchy many of us imagined when the Constitution of India came into force in 1950, placing “We, the People” at the very top. But fast forward to 2026—does this vision still truly hold? At the lower levels, the hierarchy seems to function more or less as expected. Authority flows downward, and discipline is maintained. However, the final link—between those who rule and the people—appears increasingly fragile. Are citizens really the supreme authority in our democracy today? Do those who govern us genuinely represent our aspirations and reflect what people actually feel and expect? And when we sense tyranny or deep systemic failure, do we truly have the power to change the regime? The answers vary from person to person. But to me, many of these democratic fundamentals have been compromised in the ...
