How we will lose our freedom

OLD Game and New Political Tricks

 

The current Indian political scenario is a replica of that prevailed during the era just preceded 1757, when the British colonialism got kick-started in India

 

We never fail to blame all those kings, chieftains, local satraps and their henchman who were ruling their microscopic empires during the 17^th and the 18^th centuries. We blame them with so much of indignation and with moving and poignant rhetoric. We pour out all our righteous anger on them for their role in bringing the rule of a foreign power over India.  We believe, very strongly and rightly too, that instead of ruling their fiefdoms for the benefits of their populace and ensuring the freedom of the future generations, they were indulging in petty squabbles with the neighbouring kings. Many of them, we quote the history books, were past masters of back stabbing those who were bold enough to fight the enemies. We state with ignominy that some of them, with their only interest was to keep their throne attached to their royal backs, were brazen enough to invite the enemy to overlord them just to keep their vested narrow interests intact.  We are right, right absolutely to blame those (who we think are) responsible for losing our freedom. It is our duty too, to learn from the history and be vigilant not to repeat the old mistakes.  We do the first part most of the time, at least when it suits us.

 

How about the second part, i.e. about not repeating the old mistakes that we learned from the history? Are we doing that? Let us find out. For that, it is necessary to comprehend the present scenario properly.

 

The modern equivalent of all those kings, chieftains, local satraps of the by gone era are our political masters. They are supposed to be committed to the unity, sovereignty and integrity of the country. But are they?

 

TRAGEDY OF APPALLING BICKERING

 

What do we see around?

 

We see squabbles galore; squabbles between Karnataka and Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Kerla, Kerala and Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh Punjab and Haryana an unending list! The issues of contention are border, water, languages, exploitation, job loss of the locals, again a list that never seems to be ending!

 

Every state seems to be fighting with every other state on ‘issues’ which are blown out of proportion by the political rabble rousers. Unfortunately, as a result of this, the psyche of the public is conditioned to accept these issues as vital for their very existence.

 

Excited by  the ‘inspiring’ speeches of our leaders, we fight against our neighbour states for those boundaries marked half a century back based on administrative convenience and political appeasement. We fight as if our very life depends on the boundary in question and our neighbour is an evil foreign country.

 

We fight against our neighbour states as we have become incapable of sharing river water a gift of nature, with our fellow citizens. We trust our leaders who play a game of vote bank politics and go out on their bidding to the street to punch the life out of our brothers of other states. 

 

We are Paranoid about our Mother Tongues too. Our Great Intellectuals, Honourable Litterateurs and of course the politicians who think only about our ‘well-being’, advise us that if people of other linguistic groups do not speak in our Tongue our language may be doomed.

 

Our local politicians tell us and of course, we readily concur with them, that we the sons of the soil lose job opportunities because of the ‘outsiders’ (meaning other Indian citizens). We always conveniently forget the other truth that we too go out of our home states for our livelihood.

 

Some of us are so shameless, and still declare that we are Indians and not Kannadigas, Tamilians or Punjabis.

 

We start hating people coming to our states from the ‘outside’ and our leaders start getting more votes for their chauvinism. We bash up, maim or even kill people from other states, if we are told that their government is against ours. We destroy human lives and public properties at the drop of a hat, when a leader is abducted by a dacoit, as if that is the best way to bring him back. Or we hold a whole metropolis on ransom for the natural old age death of a film star crowned as a mass leader. Or if the statue of a dead leader is (or, rumoured as) dishonoured, then many immolate themselves and many go out and kill innocent people living hundreds of miles away. Our leaders keep justifying such acts and keep their vote bank account intact. Remember that sadistic one-liner, “When a big tree falls, the small trees get crushed under” or something to that effect! Do not forget that this callous comment was justifying the massacre of 3000 innocent lives!

 

This is just one dangerous facet of the species we fondly refer to as our beloved leaders. Another, more treacherous one also is lurking there right in front of our unsuspecting eyes.

 

The jarring attitude discernable across the country is that India is a myth, only local, regional, caste, religious, and linguistic interests are real. We (yes, led by our leaders) unconsciously believe and accordingly behave that we are still living in the colonial era; that without dividing the citizens on the lines of language, caste, region, religion and party, we cannot be ruled! We seem to believe that even considering that we are ‘Indians first and last’ is a hazardous concept.

 

WIPE OUT INCOMPETENT LEADERS IN POWER FOR THE WRONG REASONS

 

We seem to be blind to the basic fact that this concerted efforts of minority appeasement by all the elected bodies, Hindu bashing by the leftist and the congress intelligentsia, intentional one-sided reporting and news-analysis by the media, and the acting ignorant towards the religious conversion activities of the foreign missionaries and of course rejecting our roots would soon lead to the balkanization and disintegration of this Great land of eternal civilization!!

 

I wish India could be devoid of the present type of government at the central or local levels.

 

I wish India were governed by a nation-loving, people-conscious, cultured fatherly figure capable of making proper decisions. He would be, any day better than the present bunch of multi-directional pulling, corrupt, selfish, criminal-supporting, uncultured, country damaging leaders.

 

Just look at them.

 

One fellow says that our border with China is negotiable!

 

Another says that only 15% of the people have the right for the national resources.

 

The third representative of this strange species is of the opinion that terrorists are our brothers and sisters. We must be compassionate to them. We should never punish them. The life of a terrorist-gang leader is more valuable than that of the ‘dime-a-dozen’ security guards who foolishly got them killed to protect the brick and mortar of the Parliament Building.

 

Another great personality and his leftist cheer leaders say that the Indian history taught us by the British colonialists was the only true depiction of our past and the Indian Heritage is a myth and charade spread by the Hindu fundamentalists (Thanks are due, for the small mercies as they haven’t called Hindus the terrorists).

 

The Guru of this host of blessed souls said in 1948, “Ours is a peace loving, ‘Pancha Seela’ following nation. So we do not require an Army. Let us dismantle it.” (Fortunately for India, Pakistan had decided to attack us at that time. Otherwise, China wouldn’t have waited till 1962 to attack us, in 1956 itself; they would have captured the whole of India.)

 

I wish for an upheaval across our Mother Land, or the enacting of a modern French Revolution.

 

I wish the guillotine is re-introduced now, specifically for these anti-Indian, Indian politicians.

 

 As I am feeling queasiness on thinking and writing about this vicious people collectively called Indian leadership, let me stop this unproductive exercise.

 

Since I am not living in J&K, I may be let off for signing off with:

 

“Bharat Mata ki Jai”

 

 Since I do not belong to Political outfits like Congress or Leftist potpourri of parties, I can be bold enough to praise my Mother, that is,

 

“Vande Mataram”

 

My articles and poems are available also at

 

http://kartha-pes.sulekha.com/default.htm?public  I would appreciate very much, your comments and criticisms.