Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan today released a book in New Delhi, titled V.I.P. Culture in India: Power, Privilege and Distance from Democracy. Addressing the gathering, Mr Radhakrishnan said the book reflects on the distance that often exists between institutions of power and ordinary citizens and underscores the need to bridge this gap through people-centric governance. He said the publication highlights India’s identity as the world’s largest democracy, while reaffirming the constitutional ideals of justice, equality and liberty.

The Vice President noted that by linking contemporary democratic challenges with the country’s enduring democratic traditions, the book offers readers both historical perspective and moral insight. He said such reflections are important for strengthening democratic values and ensuring that governance remains closely connected with the people. 

 

Mr Radhakrishnan also cited an example set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who once delayed his departure from an airport by about 45 minutes to ensure that students appearing for the NEET examination were not inconvenienced by traffic restrictions. He said such actions reinforce the principle that public authority exists to serve citizens, and not the other way around.