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Population, Poverty, Illiteracy, Unemployment

Politics provokes, people protest

By Padma Bhargav, Gujarat, India, Freelance Journalist

Saturday, June 2, 2007

The vicious circle of population, poverty, illiteracy, unemployment seems to be running parallel with a second vicious circle of politics, police, protest and unrest. The 100 crores plus Indians are today living on the edge of violence, communal disharmony and provoked vengeance.

India is going to complete 60 years of freedom in less than 60 days, but our leaders have not been able to respect the selfless sacrifices of our ancestors to free our motherland. The freedom struggle has become the past and simply enveloped in the pages of history books with little or no remembrance. Probably we have not been able to accept freedom in its totality and still cherish slavery in some corner of the heart.

In the past six months or so, we have witnessed violent agitations at different places on account of bad governance or lack of police protection. Protests at Nithari village in Uttar Pradesh after the homicide of small children, Singrur in West Bengal against SEZ, attire of Dera chief in Punjab, and now fresh agitation over reservation in Rajasthan are a few examples of general unrest that is slowly bursting open like a volcano.

Every party boasts of growth, development, and feel-good factor, but the common man is still juggling between the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. The first estate of our country judiciary has suddenly awakened from sleep and is acting frantically to revive its fading image but the ineffectiveness cannot be concealed. Fast and quick decisions is the need of the hour and the judiciary has to first speed up its own functioning before directing other systems. Probably there is a need to frame some guidelines to control violent agitations like Rajasthan, Punjab etc also.

India proudly calls itself the largest democracy in the world where people elect their leaders with a hope that their needs and demands will be met. Unfortunately, the promises made at the time of elections are forgotten like a past night's dream and general problems and issues are overlooked unless a fresh threat warns them of losing power. Provoking people's groups and creating differences between communities has been an old style of governance. The common, less educated people are unable to understand the game plan of political parties and indulging in fights and losing precious lives.

Such internal disputes and fights have been the reason for foreign invasion and subsequent rule in the past. Today some chronic issues like terrorism, underworld, police-political nexus, and infiltration are increasing with each passing day and also threatening the integrity of the nation. The government measures to check these have practically proven to be unsuccessful. The elected leaders need to remember that this is the time to strengthen the economy and nation instead of individual power.