In his PTI interview (February 14, 2026), Prime Minister Mr. Modi emphasised the need for simpler governance over the next ten years to enhance trust between citizens and the state. During our college days, political science teachers frequently taught us about the essence of the social contract between the state and the people. This contract was considered essential for humanity’s transition from disorder to an organised society. Simpler governance implies creating an ecosystem in which citizens trust the state. It also means undertaking actions that bring at least a smile to the faces of the neglected sections of society.

In moral philosophy, the social contract concerns the legitimacy of the state over the individual. The theory is foundational to constitutionalism. Citizens pay taxes and obey laws, while the state provides security for life, liberty, and property. In a post-colonial democracy, simpler governance means that justice must “walk the talk.”

Dr. Shashi Tharoor, in his keynote address at the 24th edition of “Reimagining Governance: Discourse for Excellence,” described governance as a moral contract between the state and its people. He urged public institutions to rethink governance as a moral responsibility anchored in dignity, trust, and courage”. Governance should not be confused with digitalisation which has indeed enhanced transparency and reduced distance between state and citizen. However, if policies and decision-making lack efficiency and systemic flaws persist, there is a danger that inefficiency may get digitalised. This is evident from the fact that citizens are frequently advised to visit offices with hard copies and ensure their physical presence.

In J&K, the expansion of online services from around 60 to more than 1,500 should have significantly improved governance. Recently, I had to visit a district hospital elevated to the status of a medical college. The hospital primarily caters to the poor. The chaotic situation inside prompted me to speak with many people to understand why attendants were acting as ancillary staff and running after doctors. There is acute shortage of senior doctors and paramedical staff and hence no patient care. The macadamisation of Alamdhar Colony road Rawalpora Srinagar was done in November,2025 and today there are potholes and road erosion on all sides without any major snowfall. The logic of simpler governance lies in simplifying procedures that exhaust ordinary citizens.

From a broader perspective, peace in our neighbourhood is equally imperative for ensuring simpler governance.

Several factors contributed to the electoral victory of Tarique Rahman in Bangladesh. Decades of political confrontation created fatigue among the electorate. The urban, digitally connected, and economically aspirational population now responds more to competence than to symbolism. Rahman adapted to this change and urged people to forget the past and focus on “Bangladesh First.”

Across the larger South Asian region, we have reached a point where we must move from the physical plane to the mental plane — from confusion to clarity — so that peace-building can occur at the grassroots level. This shift would make governance more human-centric and, therefore, simpler.

Today, more than the nuclear weapons in our armoury, we face a more dangerous threat — one that no machine can detect: hatred, loathing, and vengeance residing in the human mind.

In this context, a story about a hundred-year-old man becomes relevant. The head of a village was celebrating his 100th birthday. Many dignitaries and journalists attended the celebration. One reporter asked him, “What are you most proud of in your long life?” The old man replied, “I have lived 100 years without having a single enemy.” The reporter exclaimed, “That’s amazing! How is that possible?” The old man responded, “It is very simple. I made sure none of them remained alive.”

The Constitution of UNESCO aptly states: “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” Working on the human mind is delicate and requires patience. It cannot be achieved through preaching or propaganda. Nor should we underestimate the power of the human mind to distinguish truth from falsehood and love from hatred.

The principle declared in 1944 by the International Labour Organization — “Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere” — highlights the need for justice and dignity. In India, the Ministry of Minority Affairs was allocated ₹3,098 crore in 2023–24, but actual expenditure was only ₹154 crore. In 2024–25, it received ₹3,183 crore but spent only ₹715 crore. During Dr. Manmohan Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister, utilisation reportedly remained around 90 percent. One primary reason for the current underutilisation has been the non-approval of major scholarships, such as the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. Between (2018 – 2023) 19,256 students from ST, SC, and OBC categories reportedly dropped out of premier institutions due to scholarship issues and caste-based stigma. Minorities everywhere often find themselves at the receiving end of systemic injustice.

In this context, the letter of the fourth Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Ali, to Malik Ashtar, Governor of Egypt, deserves renewed attention as a guide to improving state–citizen relations. An excerpt from the letter reads:

“Be it known to you, O Malik, that I am sending you as Governor to a country which in the past has experienced both just and unjust rule. People will scrutinise your actions with a searching eye, just as you scrutinised the actions of those before you, and will speak of you as you speak of them. Do not behave like a tyrant, and do not appropriate for yourself that which belongs to the people. Remember that the citizens are of two kinds: either your brethren in religion or your brethren in humanity. They are liable to commit mistakes; forgive them as you would wish God to forgive you. The common people are the strength of the state and the ones who defend it. Therefore, live in close contact with them. Abstain from shedding blood without just cause, for unjust bloodshed shortens the life of a state. Do not reject an offer of peace made by your enemy; accept it, for it brings comfort to your army and pleases God. After concluding peace, remain vigilant. Meet the oppressed and the lowly periodically in open gatherings, and allow them to present their grievances without fear.”

In conclusion, while implementing these principles may not be easy under present circumstances, we must recognise that this remains the only strategy that truly works. It is also the ultimate test of leadership. As long as poverty, injustice, and inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.

Prof. Wani is a Kashmir-based Political Scientist.

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