Indian Affairs: A Sorry State
Well, after long topsy turvy days I am penning down something. Hope this post doesn't hurt anybody's sentiments. Please bear with my uncharacteristic sentences, if there'd be any.
There wasn't any topic worthy of consideration other than the sorry state of affairs in India. Not that writing about it or humming the same over social media gives me immense pleasure, but the apathy of the rulers, coupled with no surge of genuine efforts from the commoners at large - leaves the nation at unfathomable pity.
On the West and North-west, a politician with good oratory skills moves lakhs of Indians, convincing them of some sort of a change. The political party in charge, before hours of the event, distributes free skull caps and burqas to the Muslim community which attends the rally. Travel expenses were also paid. A good marketing tactic, many would think, but at the same time in North-east, at Muzaffarnagar, the same party is also accused of kick-starting a riot. Riots are contained in our history, rich of bloody events between elections. Thus, development or communal harmony is the least of their concerns and the opposition is only interested in polarization of the community and votes.
Secondly, because universal franchise was instituted at the lower income threshold and the less educated and the poor have started voting more than the rich, India's democracy is at constant pressure to develop a welfare state even before reaching a standard income level. Moreover, since most of India's low-income population comes from four social categories - the scheduled tribes, the scheduled castes, lower OBCs and Muslims - the politics and decision-making has moved quite decisively towards their concerns. Given the continuing tale of mass deprivation, it may not look that way on the urban streets and rural pathways, but India's policy and voting space has an unmistakable biasness today, both economically and socially.
But where the ruling party erred big time, besides the magnanimous amounts lost in corruption, is this. Revenues to fund welfare programs for the nation depend heavily on economic growth, which in turn is substantially dependent on investment. Therefore, regardless of what the masses want, democracies must also please investors. Which the government rarely does. But can only pleasing one class(through pre-election policies like the food security bill and allowing foreign universities on Indian soil) suit the economy? No. Growth and Investment can't be forgotten in any situation or crisis.
The result? What was being promoted by local policymakers a few years ago as India's ''demographic dividend'' - the fact that more than half of its population of 1.2 billion is younger than 25 - is not delivering the sort of bounty that had been anticipated. As a result businessmen, frustrated at being unable to get skilled workers, turn increasingly to automation - a disaster for a country that needs jobs for the unemployed youth flooding the market. Until recently, the government had long neglected vocational training. Millions of Indians leave school without having undergone any practical, hands-on training. Similarly, no company now likes to take up government projects due to delay in funding.
Meanwhile, up North, the sentencing of the 4 accused in the harrowing gang rape of a young girl in December 2012 awaits amidst hordes of news channels and crores more in this nation. The trial of the four men, which took about seven months, was astonishingly fast by Indian standards. Everybody wants death penalty for them. I too want the same, but will that change the people's mentality that leads to such heinous acts? Will few weeks of aggression and execution change the ills, deep-rooted in this culture since ages? The family of the young girl has been given lakhs of rupees, a well-maintained house to live in, and government jobs for her brothers - lot more than what her father had ever thought of. But all said and done, even today the average grocery-seller says to the lady purchasing the next day's greens, "Ab subha hi aaya karo bibiji, yahaan raat ka kuch bharosa nahi" (Come during the day-time, it might not be safe for you during the night.)
There wasn't any topic worthy of consideration other than the sorry state of affairs in India. Not that writing about it or humming the same over social media gives me immense pleasure, but the apathy of the rulers, coupled with no surge of genuine efforts from the commoners at large - leaves the nation at unfathomable pity.
On the West and North-west, a politician with good oratory skills moves lakhs of Indians, convincing them of some sort of a change. The political party in charge, before hours of the event, distributes free skull caps and burqas to the Muslim community which attends the rally. Travel expenses were also paid. A good marketing tactic, many would think, but at the same time in North-east, at Muzaffarnagar, the same party is also accused of kick-starting a riot. Riots are contained in our history, rich of bloody events between elections. Thus, development or communal harmony is the least of their concerns and the opposition is only interested in polarization of the community and votes.
Secondly, because universal franchise was instituted at the lower income threshold and the less educated and the poor have started voting more than the rich, India's democracy is at constant pressure to develop a welfare state even before reaching a standard income level. Moreover, since most of India's low-income population comes from four social categories - the scheduled tribes, the scheduled castes, lower OBCs and Muslims - the politics and decision-making has moved quite decisively towards their concerns. Given the continuing tale of mass deprivation, it may not look that way on the urban streets and rural pathways, but India's policy and voting space has an unmistakable biasness today, both economically and socially.
But where the ruling party erred big time, besides the magnanimous amounts lost in corruption, is this. Revenues to fund welfare programs for the nation depend heavily on economic growth, which in turn is substantially dependent on investment. Therefore, regardless of what the masses want, democracies must also please investors. Which the government rarely does. But can only pleasing one class(through pre-election policies like the food security bill and allowing foreign universities on Indian soil) suit the economy? No. Growth and Investment can't be forgotten in any situation or crisis.
The result? What was being promoted by local policymakers a few years ago as India's ''demographic dividend'' - the fact that more than half of its population of 1.2 billion is younger than 25 - is not delivering the sort of bounty that had been anticipated. As a result businessmen, frustrated at being unable to get skilled workers, turn increasingly to automation - a disaster for a country that needs jobs for the unemployed youth flooding the market. Until recently, the government had long neglected vocational training. Millions of Indians leave school without having undergone any practical, hands-on training. Similarly, no company now likes to take up government projects due to delay in funding.
Meanwhile, up North, the sentencing of the 4 accused in the harrowing gang rape of a young girl in December 2012 awaits amidst hordes of news channels and crores more in this nation. The trial of the four men, which took about seven months, was astonishingly fast by Indian standards. Everybody wants death penalty for them. I too want the same, but will that change the people's mentality that leads to such heinous acts? Will few weeks of aggression and execution change the ills, deep-rooted in this culture since ages? The family of the young girl has been given lakhs of rupees, a well-maintained house to live in, and government jobs for her brothers - lot more than what her father had ever thought of. But all said and done, even today the average grocery-seller says to the lady purchasing the next day's greens, "Ab subha hi aaya karo bibiji, yahaan raat ka kuch bharosa nahi" (Come during the day-time, it might not be safe for you during the night.)
Have we changed still? And the media, it just needs some spice to mint money. Come another news of rape, they show a tortured lady in shadows and write moving words, trying to incite the people. Come a condom scam, they show a sensuous condom ad and blame the ruling party. Politicians are just there to gobble up finances worth crores, and for that they'd anything. When facing any public insurgency, they'd just divert their attention to another scandal of some small-time priest through paid media. At a country where Money rules the roost, all this is no surprise. But will killing the golden goose revive this nation? Isn't all this disturbing your lives? Should we seat another ruler, only to see him falter after a period, or step up ourselves and bring down corruption from the roots. And oppose any wrong doing with a strong will? Nothing is impossible, they say, when there's unity.
Im not a huge fan of indian politics (but then none of the sane country men are) and yes its a sorry affair but somewhere theres always a silver lining..and though im not a fan of capital punishment yet this gives a hope that the common man is not silent.
ReplyDeleteWhat you have written in second paragraph is the reason for sorry state. We can only change when our morals are good. When I see a cop here, he is agitated if a crime happens in his city. He talks as if someone has disturbed the peace of his own house. Laws are strict and more important, laws are implemented.
ReplyDeleteIn our country's case, everybody is responsible for what is happening, as you rightly said.
Good to read you after a long gap.