India is a country with the largest democracy in the world. Democracy means government by the people. They do this by electing their representative to the government. All those citizens of the country who have attained their adulthood have the Right to vote in a democracy. This is perhaps one of the most important rights because it determines the kind of government that comes in power.
Obviously the role of the citizens is of great importance in a democracy. They have to be conscious of both rights and duties. They have to know what they should expect from their elected representatives. The citizens should be aware of the problems of their region as well as of the whole country. Only then can they understand whether the government is taking the right steps for their welfare or not. It is possible only when we give importance to our education and acquire knowledge about current events and policy making through newspapers, magazines, televisions, public meetings etc.
As democracy allows its citizens to express their opinion in public, therefore the citizens have full right to freely criticize the government, if they feel that it is not discharging its duties properly. But their way of opposing the government must be decent. They should not take violent steps for this purpose. The government on the other hand should give due respect to ; the views of the people speaking out against it.
Sometimes, it has been seen that people neglect voting in the elections. They feel that their vote will not make any difference to the outcome. If they do not involve themselves in the electoral process, dishonest and self-seeking candidates are likely to get elected. Hence the citizens must exercise their right to vote in a proper way.
As good citizens, they must take interest in the welfare of their country. They must always remain ready to help for good causes. Democracy can be strengthened if its citizens , have a clear view of their own rights and the rights of others. A democratic state particularly depends on the quality of its citizens. If citizens do not take interest in politics, a democratic state might also become undemocratic day by day. Hence, all the citizens must be loyal to their country in the best possible way.
Good citizens always respect the laws of their country. They keep an eye on the enemies who break these laws. They are, therefore always ready to put down crime and help the guardians of law in arresting criminals. Not only this, they
should respect other religions too. They must keep in their mind that India is a secular country and they have to maintain its essence. In nutshell the citizens must be honest, trustworthy, dutiful and vigilant. A democratic nation can flourish only then.
