POLITICAL DIARY

New Delhi, 3 October 2008

Anarchic India

TIME TO GOVERN OR GET OUT  

By Poonam I Kaushish

Anybody remember the land of milk and honey? The synonym India was known by once upon a time. Today, it resembles a battle ground. Of eerie stillness filling the senses with the smell of death, mayhem, brutal carnage and held hostage by terrorists, vagabonds and a frustrated workforce. Caught in this maelstrom are a pulverized people with nowhere to go.

If Operation BAD (Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Delhi blasts) spelt bad news and the torching of churches in Orissa and Karnataka turned religion into burning embers of hatred, what should we make of the brutal lynching of a CEO of an Italian firm in broad daylight by none other than his own workers? Ordinary people, with no political affiliations. Their action leaving an entire nation stunned. Was this really happening in 21 Century Mera Bharat Mahan that aspires to join the top league? Tragically yes.

Worse, the catastrophic tale didn’t end there. Our Labour Minister, Oscar Fernandes reacted: "This should serve as a warning for the managements. It is my appeal to them that the workers should be dealt with compassion. The workers should not be pushed so hard that they resort to whatever that had happened in Noida." Wasn’t the politician not only condoning the brutal murder but willy-nilly abetting it? Notwithstanding, his apology the next day, Fernandes’s outburst has put paid to India Inc efforts to rope in more MNCs to invest in India Shining. It sent a message loud and clear: There is no rule of law.  

Expectedly, the Minister earned a sharp rebuke from India Inc. "If we go by his argument then he should be lynched in his constituency if he does not perform,” was the angry response of the Chairman of the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce. Clearly, the violence is a sure give away of free India out of control. Of simmering embers of internal turmoil while social schism splashes gore onto newspaper headlines, but only the most gruesome violence shocks. Law is disorder in many parts. A dysfunctional legal system has turned law breakers into law makers. Moral and ethical values have been replaced by naked force.

Sadly, violence is now the rhetoric of the period. From Bihar, which has become a battleground of caste senas, armed brigades and ideological lumpens, to Bombay in the vice-like grip of mafia dons, to New Delhi’s road rage and intolerant frenzy. In far-flung Kerala too, there is incredible political subversion of the rule of law. The probability of a political killer, rioter or failed assassin being brought to book is an unbelievable 0.32 per cent, according to a report of the Intelligence Branch of the Kerala State Police.

Not just that. The manner in which gun licences have been issued all over the country is a pointer to the growing culture of violence. Take UP, the State Government reportedly sanctioned as many as 190 new arms retail shops, on the recommendations of various Ministers and MLAs recently. Another 100-odd applications are presently pending consideration. Today, nearly 9.5 lakh people are licensed to carry arms and nearly three lakh applicants are pending clearance from the district magistrate. Interestingly most of the applicants have a political mai baap. Imagine, out of 404 legislators in the State, over 165 MLAs have a criminal record. All followers of the dictum ‘an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.’ So what if it makes the whole world blind.

Let’s take another sample. In Punjab, at least, 50,000 fake arms licenses had been issued by the local authorities. (Read political big-wigs). In Naxal-hit States like Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh over 3,90,000 arms have been issued and reissued. These include 0.32 pistols, 0.32 revolvers, 0.315 rifles, 0.22 rifles, 0.12 double barrel guns and 0.12 guns. Shockingly, it takes only Rs 5 to make a crude bomb. So loudly brought to the fore in Bihar, UP, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi recently.

Moreover, in Bihar it is common to chain domestics, drivers and cleaners as prisoners in their homes in Patna, tortured and starved. Worse, pull out their nails and later make to drink urine. Reportedly because a Minister’s truck was stolen. In Lucknow too, a Minister meted out a similar treatment to another driver of an oil tanker. The cause?  He had allegedly damaged his car. Following a heated exchange, the driver and his cleaner were forcibly dragged and kept in confinement. While the driver went missing the cleaner managed to be rescued.

We are in an era where the society is terror stricken of its rulers. Who shall be pulverized when and where for daring to speak up. Of a people who delude their benumbed minds that the rot is somebody else’s problem. When these hallucinations turn into reality, anarchy occurs. It rarely, if ever, conquers a healthy, vigorous, creative and morally strong society. Instead, it conquers governments and groups largely debilitated and demoralized through their own sins and misdeeds.

Today, the States are becoming a battleground of caste senas, armed brigades and ideologically indoctrinated lumpens. And, in the absence of gainful employment (as we saw in Noida case) and goaded by senseless courage and caste vendetta, a large number of people are bound to be attracted to the senas.

Needless to say the main culprits are none other than our so-called netas. Little men who need gunmen to protect them from their own voters. The torch bearers of the brutalization and dehumanization of the polity. Reeking of an overpowering stench of our decaying political culture. Where criminalization of politics has given way to politicization of crime and political criminals. We have come full circle.

If politicians can do it, why not the man in the street. What to say of law enforcers. Recall an incident in South Delhi when a policeman punished a lady driver by running her over because she had refused to give way to the police van on a crowded road. Taking a leaf from this, on a balmy Sunday night, a skating instructor meted out the same punishment to a businessman out for a pizza outing with his family in West Delhi. The man had dared to take the instructor to task for grazing his car.

And what should one say of hot young blood. Kill for a drink. Remember, Jessica Lal, the bartender who was shot dead for denying liquor to a rich teenager after the bar was closed. In the presence of Delhi’s 100-odd glitterati. In this milieu can criminalized mafia dons be far behind? Who take recourse to “out of court settlements” and extortions. In Tis Hazari, a witness shot at an under trial minutes before the Court hearing.  

The sad truth is that over the years, the face of India has changed. It has turned ruthless and deadly. All in the grip of the gun culture and violence. Either one is a friend or an enemy, such is the rigidity. With the unscrupulous manipulators emerging as rulers.

Unfortunately, the main concerns of our netagan have less to do with the welfare of people and more to do with their own quest for power and wealth through multiplication and division of caste and creed and encouraging of violence. Which is posing to be the biggest challenge-- easy to identify but difficult to address.

Time and the quality of life are of the essence. Time to ensure rule of law. Time to overhaul the complete system on the strength of values of decency, honesty, sincerity, selflessness and dedication. The cause can differ, but the trend is established. Our leaders better pay heed. They had better change. Govern or get out! ---INFA

 
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)