Today’s India Fails Mahatma Gandhi’s Test of Governance

Gandhi’s Words on the Vulnerable Still Demand Political Accountability

October 2, 2025

Gandhi, whose 156th birth anniversary we observe today, offered a moral compass for public life in one of his final written messages. If applied now, it exposes a persistent wrong at the heart of India’s politics and society. He wrote: “Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self [ego] becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny?”

Gandhi insisted that the state’s true purpose lies in securing dignity for those whose lives are least protected by wealth, caste, connection or power.

His idea, called the “Talisman,” aligns with major schools of political theory, especially those concerned with social justice and equality. His rule, that any political decision must first help “the poorest and the weakest man,” offers a practical version of John Rawls’ “Difference Principle.” The principle allows for inequality in income or power, but only if it results in real improvements for the poorest. For example, if a company owner earns much more than the workers, that is acceptable only if the business also provides good jobs, fair wages and training to its poorest employees. Or if a city invests in high-end tech parks, it must ensure that the resulting income and growth fund better schools, hospitals or housing in low-income areas.

Gandhi’s rule also acts as an ethical warning against “utilitarianism,” a way of judging right and wrong by measuring whether an action makes the most people happy. That logic accepts some people being left worse off if more people benefit. Gandhi’s test demands that the most vulnerable be considered first, so their needs are not sacrificed in favour of the majority.

The second part of the Talisman, which is asking whether a decision will “restore him to a control over his own life and destiny,” connects to deeper ideas about freedom and empowerment. It resonates with the “Capability Approach” developed by thinkers like Amartya Sen, which defines justice as ensuring people have the real freedom to choose their path. This includes access to education, decent work and participation in decisions, rather than just basic aid or cash transfers.

India today fails to meet these standards, especially in relation to Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, Christians and those living below the poverty line.

Manual scavenging has been illegal for over 30 years, yet dozens continue to die each year while cleaning sewers with their bare hands. There is no national outcry. A report by the United Nations and the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN), an advocacy body focused on caste-based discrimination, found that about one-third of Dalits live in multidimensional poverty. Social discrimination continues in daily life, from segregation in schools and tea shops to denial of entry into temples and public services. Analyses of National Crime Records Bureau data cited by IDSN show that crimes against Dalits increased by around 177 percent between 1991 and 2021.

In many tribal regions, ancestral land is taken over for commercial and infrastructure projects without proper consent or compensation. Between 2008–09 and 2022–23, the Indian government approved the diversion of over 305,000 hectares of forest land for non-forest use under the Forest (Conservation) Act. These approvals were mostly for mining, infrastructure, irrigation and industrial purposes.

Although official records do not always indicate whether the diverted areas include tribal settlements, many of these projects occur in forest regions inhabited by Adivasi communities. The resulting loss of land affects their access to food, water and livelihoods, while cutting them off from the forests that sustain their way of life.

Protests by tribal populations are often met with crackdowns and arrests.

India’s Muslim population faces discrimination in employment, education, housing and access to justice. Analysts point to long-standing barriers that prevent Muslims from securing decent jobs or building wealth.

The Sachar Committee Report (2006) documented the community’s socio-economic deprivation, showing that Muslims lag behind even Dalits and Adivasis on key indicators, including higher education enrolment and representation in government jobs. In the employment sector, Muslims are over-represented in self-employment and vulnerable, informal labour.

Vigilante violence, often triggered by rumours of cow slaughter or alleged interfaith relationships, referred to as “love jihad,” has resulted in numerous lynchings, with Muslims as the primary victims. Muslims also face institutionalised persecution, including state actions such as “punitive demolitions,” where authorities arbitrarily destroy homes and properties, mostly belonging to Muslims, as a form of collective punishment following protests or communal violence.

Christians face rising persecution. Reports from human rights organisations show a steep rise in attacks, over a 550 percent increase in documented incidents between 2014 and 2024. These include physical assaults, destruction of churches and disruption of worship. A key legal tool used in this persecution is the widespread adoption of “anti-conversion” laws by several states. These laws are frequently weaponised through allegedly false accusations of “forcible conversion,” leading to arrests and imprisonment of pastors and believers, often without consequence due to police inaction.

Urban governance reflects similar patterns. In cities like Delhi and Mumbai, slum demolitions are carried out without warning. Entire neighbourhoods are flattened to make way for development. Evictions often happen during school exams or extreme weather, leaving residents without shelter.

Gandhi’s question about whether the system protects those most likely to be hurt still waits for an honest answer, and it won’t be easy for those at the helm of India’s affairs to give one.

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