Question

We talk about democracy but when it comes to any particular thing, we prefer a man belonging to our caste or community or religion. So long as we have this kind of temptation, it means that our democracy is a phony kind of democracy. We must be in a position to respect a man as a man and to extend opportunities for development to those who deserve them and not those people who happen to belong to our community or race. This fact of favoritism, nepotism, has been responsible for much discontent and ill-will in our country. If anyone asks us why we suffer, we need not point to the stars above, or say that God has punished us. We have to put it down to our inequalities, our disloyalties and our deviations from the ideals which we profess. We have the best ideals inscribed and embodied in our Constitution but how many of us are carrying them on properly? True democrats must not tolerate any kind of corruption, nepotism and communal prejudices and conflicts which are to be found so much all over our country, and which have brought down this country again and again to a state of degradation. We know the causes, we know the cure, and all that we have to do is to take the advice of our past seers, whatever religion they may belong to. They ask us to work for unity, for one family of our country. Democracy must be taken seriously.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?
2. What are the values of democracy that are written in our constitution?
3. Why does the author say “our democracy is a phony kind of democracy”?
4. What are the suggestions of the author to remedy the social and political evils of our society?