A parliamentary democracy is made of checks and balances. There is a government and there is opposition. We don’t elect Gods, nor do we elect people with absolute power.
The role of the Government is to ensure that they uphold the Constitution – and bring in policies that they think are in line with the Constitution. The role of the opposition is to make sure that they do.
While we are all agreed that the Government – the UPA – has fucked up beyond measure on internal security, the role of the opposition is ignored. The NDA in general & the BJP in particular has seen its role as opposing the Government on everything, and not ensuring that they perform their constitutional role.
As i watch the news and the announcement of Shivraj Patil’s resignation – i am left numb. Why was he allowed to continue when he was so bloody inept? I am left even colder by the BJP making political capital out of this. Did Advani resign when the Parliament was attacked ? Did Modi resign when 2000+ people died in terror attacks in his state? Did anyone take moral responsibility for Kandahar ? Why the hell did Modi come to this city to politicize our tragedy? Where was the Thackeray family? It is all very well to sit in AC TV studio’s and pontificate about what the Government would and could and should have done. But, what did you do on the ground. How many of them donated blood, or money or support the men who keep us safe ?
When honest officers, like Hemant Karkare go after terror, he is vilified by the Sangh family. When brave officers like Mohan Sharma die at Batla house, he is vilified by sections of the Congress, the SP and RJD. Stop politicizing law and order. Stop punishing people doing their jobs. stop making a mockery of our lives.
This is not the time for political grandstanding. It is the time to put this country and its citizens first. I would like to see the entire geriatric class in politics – those who have been used to selling themselves and their constituents to the highest bidders – to take vanaprastha. Go. Retire. and contemplate on your innumerable fuckups. God may forgive you. But, you cannot escape your karma. Hand over the country to the next generation. they cannot be worse than you.
I don’t get this.
Where is disconnect coming in? How does the Middle Class somehow suddenly think Democracy in India is a means of governing? Haven’t we resigned to the prospect of Democracy being an instrument that keeps a revolution away? Responsive governments cannot be a reality in a country of a billion slaves. And the reason you and I live a comfortable life is because this Democracy keeps them just one step behind that upheaval.
Now that the upper middle class has been hit directly, that class demands a responsive government of the first world?
is there a middleclass disconnect – possibly. the middle class not getting involved and suddenly wanting to because luxury hotels have been attacked – maybe.
but that doesn’t absolve the government of the responsibility to provide basic governance.
and the Indian government has provided that over the years. atleast in some states. – and i say this as some one who travels to the remote areas primary to film . it means schools. it means basic health care. it means basic security. not too much but the change is happening.
what revolution – the marxist or the religious ?
Harini, that is exactly my point.
The government of India and all state governments are weak and inept not by the design of politicians. They are weak because the society is as a whole is only that strong. We have about 60,000 people killed in Naxal related terror — and government can’t do jack about it.
Of course, there are Health Systems in rural India, especially in rural Tamil Nadu, which sometimes pleasantly surprise us. But they are what they are — surprises.
What baffles me is — why has the middle class suddenly forgotten what the government in this country is meant to do — be the largest organized mafia. So that some sort of equilibrium is maintained in the society. Not one that functions and cares. But one that avoids overt anarchy for a covert one. That caste and class is so entrenched in it makes the covert operation efficient.
This is not a cynical viewpoint because I stand to benefit from it. And, unfairly at that. I suspect, you do too.
Further, if the government acts and gets a first world police force for Bombay would that not mean an absolute affront to someone in Chhattisgarh who is under Naxal rule? Forget the Naxal hinterland, do you honestly believe an efficient police force that’s highly equipped is in Bombay’s interests? The present status-quo seems to have been achieved by their inefficiency, what’s at stake and levels of corruption. If such a force is suddenly made more powerful on an ad-hoc basis, I only think they will get more corrupt with a greater reach. Their inefficiency is what saves our cities from an as yet unexplored evil instinct.
So Nilu hypothetically you were given the option to have a good police force for Mumbai and you chose against it cos the Naxal hinterland didn’t get one. You are looking for everything to be awesome or you won’t take nothing. I boiled down everything you said to that much. Making a change in India is overwhelming. if you start considering one issue, suddenly you’ve got a 100 other related issues on your list. And it starts seeming impossible and small changes seem insignificant. But we need to take heart in small changes and cheer small victories. I’m glad RR Patil resigned today; it doesn’t make governance in Maharashtra awesome for the rest of time, but it’s perhaps sets some rules no one else will dare break next time. A small victory.
And about the opposition – I think our media could do a better job of reminding them their job. And question them till the edge. And perhaps even make them behave on TV – why do the opposition spokespeople yell on TV? how pedestrian is that?
To add to the bit about Media’s role in showing the opposition it’s job: sounds trivial: we could use technology for making some small changes – how often does our media show politicians their own old statements to make the point about them flip flopping? We need a Jon Stewart for India, and Shekhar Suman ain’t it.
Sriram, I do not say it’s a question of priorities. If it were, as you want me to assume, I am willing to wager this: the Nation State is threatened more by Naxals than it is by Islamic terrorists. This from any view point you can imagine — Naxals kill more people, explode more bombs and wreak more misery. Worst of all, they have eliminated the government presence from large swathes of land in India. Which is infinitely more dangerous than a bomb being hurled in a City or a Hotel being raided by gunmen. They subvert the administrative mechanism of the state and do not allow elections. In fact, revenue collections are non existent in these parts.
If as you want me to get pinned down, let’s assume I run this country and I prioritize. I have fixed resources and an unending list of woes. Tell me what I will try an fix first. If you have an Economic argument saying Bombay yields more revenue, I will have to say, the Naxals seem vindicated. If not, you’d already be in some place without Internet — which you aren’t.
PS: You have fundamentally misunderstood my previous argument — so, please do not assume I actually hold these positions.
@nilu – lets look at it piecemeal
Naxal activity – needs to be addressed. but it can’t be unless you address land ownership, caste and poverty. the naxal held areas cannot be bludgeoned back into the system .. it has to be cajoled back with ‘development’ . the roots of this arise from allowing a certain class and caste to prosper and make villages, districts their own.. and it needs to change.
on urban security – different issue. needs to be dealt with differently. no one is taking about absolute powers with no accountability or a system of checks and balances put into place. i would be very against a knee jerk reaction to this current attack. but, a simple start point would be better training, and better equipment for emergency services. it is sad that it has taken something like this to bring it to light.
the ruling class of India is an organised mafia — not all of them are terrible. it may be a good idea to look at good representatives and bad representatives. none of this is going to happen overnight — but all these need to be looked at.
@sriram – the sad part is that RR patil was a ‘good’ politician and a tough one… we were baying for blood and we got it, but part of me feels that we have lost someone half decent. he was insensitive – but that has more to do with the fact that he is better at speaking in Marathi than in Hindi ..