IT’S A SOCIAL ROT; WE APPEAR HELPLESS

(This article was published in the PIONEER of 27/11/2013)

A decline in our moral conduct and the understanding that the law takes a long time to reach the guilty, have encouraged people to be more defiant and brazen Two recent incidents have shown the mirror to our society as people who were looked upon as role models and crusaders have bit the dust.

Who could have ever dreamt that Tarun Tajpal of Tehelka fame would stoop so, in absolute variance with all that his paper claimed to stand for. Tehelka had been identified with exposé of acts of corruption and low conduct in high places. It was in the forefront when the people of this country felt defiled by the brutal rape of Nirbhaya last December. It highlighted gender issues, yet what its poster boy had the temerity to commit, in the confines of a lift, has left us all stupefied. The trust of the people, in what they perhaps recognised as the brave voice of sanity, stands betrayed, even as the victim has been violated. The relationship of trust and mutual respect that needs to exist between superiors and subordinates in organisations, especially ‘open’ ones like media houses, has also been put to shame. 

The exposé on the Aam Aadmi Party also shocked the nation beyond belief. People, more so in the city of Delhi, felt cheated and shattered by what they saw and read about the conduct of a few of the contestants. The tide of hope that recently rose in the people has apparently ebbed on witnessing the conduct of those who defiantly rode the steed of honesty. Perhaps good governance may still emerge, yet the public euphoria that had started enveloping the city has begun waning. 

This was meant to be. Understanding human nature is easily the most complex exercise known to mankind. Its complexity is identified by the ground check that while all of us know fairly well how we would like to be treated by others, we rarely use that same yardstick when treating others. The lesser the variation between the two treatments, the greater is the man and vice versa. The fact remains that the mandarins of Tehelka and the AAP hail from the same society that we are a part of; a society that has started producing scams and displaying human conduct of the lowest variety with amazing regularity in recent times.

Incidents like these and many others that we are ashamed of and forced to witness, arise because of two reasons: First, the general degradation in our social behaviour, and second, the lack of fear of retribution spurred by the abysmally slow pace of the judicial machinery of the country. While laws are in place, the process of justice delivery is so agonisingly slow that the thought of being able to get away is emerging stronger by the day — especially among those who regard themselves as the upper echelons of the society. And why not? There are examples galore of blatant travesty of justice in the everyday life of the people of India.     

There is absolutely no doubt that our social fabric needs a thorough cleansing. The emergence of a just, fair and prosperous social system is long awaited. Yet, the moot question remains as to how shall it be achieved in this otherwise hopeless scenario.

We, the constituent of the Indian nation, have perhaps never appreciated that organisation and nation-building require the toil of generations. Such achievements definitely do not come cheap. Even the examples of many nations in the developed world and some in our neighbourhood, have failed to arouse us from the slumber that we have been in, since the nation came on its own.

PM's call for sanity

The Prime Minister and the Finance Minister have echoed what the country's bureaucracy had long wanted to hear from the head of its government - that there is a need to differentiate between malafide and mistake. The leaders also said that unless this is done, the decision making process would continue in a state of paralysis. How true and how timely though ostensibly the reason may be different - to save those in power from the heat of the CBI. Yet the solace that these words have given especially to those who are honest and hence a miniscule minority in the bureaucratic fabric of the nation cannot be under estimated. 

Having worked directly under Jagmohan in his avatar as the Minister for Tourism and Culture, I admired his penchant for honesty as well as governance. His style was a far cry from the present times when we are almost always in a situation of honesty sans governance or governance sans honesty or the limbo ie neither governance nor honesty. Practicing effective governance not misdirected efforts at finding faults and crushing with an iron hand dishonest practices that come in the way of deliverance has been the style of Jagmohan who by far has been one of the most able administrators that the nation has sired.  

The working of governments is mired in bureaucratic red tape the world over. However the complex web of the tape is generally inversely proportional to the level of development of the nation. The more developed the nation, the simpler the web and vica-versa has evolved with the global realization that delivery is far more important than process. Yet India continues to be unique in that the web is getting more complex by the day with an absolute disregard for delivery.  

It is indeed unfortunate that even after over sixty six years as a free nation, the tantra and its components continue to lack clarity over what is supreme - process or delivery. Following the process appears to have gained a higher ground over deliverance and therefore we continue to be perpetually, almost at the bottom of the list of nations in all developmental indexes. It is this penchant for processes that has led to the current scenario where a genuine mistake or a deviation from the process even if carried out in the overall interest of the nation gets equated with malafide. A situation ripe enough for the vigilance setups and the CBI to merrily meddle in leading to the paralysis that the Prime Minister spoke about. 

The paralysis that the Prime Minister mentioned in his address had to happen. There is absolutely no doubt that the administration needs to be clean and dishonest practices curbed yet this cannot be the the sole talking point or focus of the establishment. The establishment is meant for delivery, more so in a nation that regards itself as developing and anything that helps delivery therefore needs a proactive support. There is also no doubt that corruption is presently the most severe of our national ailments and therefore needs to be fought tooth and nail. Yet we need to realize that surreptitious attempts to nail corruption as we are witness to in the present times cause more harm than good. Unless this issue is brought onto the table in all official forums, debated at length within the bureaucratic and political establishments and even placed as the most important issue plaguing the nation in the speeches of the prime minister and president delivered on the independence and republic day ceremonies, the battle would not be won.

The Prime Minister has touched a raw nerve in all of us. Yes there is a subtle undercurrent of fear that keeps many of us away from decision making of any kind. Procrastination has emerged as the order of the day. Yet I hope that the conscience keepers respond to the call made by the highest authority in the land to free the sarkari machinery from the fear of the unknown in taking decisions.

The dangerous mindset of being superior!

(This article was published in the PIONEER of 8/11/2013)

While exhibiting a total lack of concern for the task of nation-building, society has brought in a system of distinction and discrimination. That of the master and the servant, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the common man. The privileged consider heaping atrocities on others their right

The case of the death of a maid servant at the hands of the wife of a Member of Parliament, is shocking. That this incident comes close on the heels of a number of similar atrocities — a doctor couple torturing and locking a 13-year-old maid, a corporate executive inflicting extreme torture on her maid, and a retired Army doctor torturing his domestic helps in Bhubaneshwar — does not come as a surprise.

It is reflective of the perverted mindsets that have taken root in this nation which boasts of a proud history and rich culture. These incidents, that made national headlines, are a small part of what is happening in the confines of homes across the country.

Mahatma Gandhi once said a man should be judged by how he treats people from the lower strata of society. Only few who roll in wealth and power in India will pass this test. The total disregard for human values while treating not just domestic servants but also other blue-collared workers such as rickshaw drivers and coolies, is conspicuous by its universal presence in our societal system. Indeed, the Mahatma must be turning in his grave at the sorry state of affairs in the nation.

The varna system that divided Hindu society into four broad categories — Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras — was aimed at efficient management with all day-to-day activities being taken care of. Unfortunately, with the passage of time, varna emerged as the major criterion to determine status within the social hierarchy. It has now evolved into a ground on which political battles are fought and favours dispensed. This was not how it was meant to be.

While exhibiting a total lack of concern for nation-building, society has brought in a system of distinction and discrimination. The master and the servant, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the common man — these are the major categories with various levels of gradation.

Ultimately, the measure of a person in our society is assessed on the informal system of these gradations and the more formal varna system. In the process, value systems have been given a convenient go-by.

The recent cases of abuse of domestic workers at the hands of those we regard as the cream of society are exceptional ones that got highlighted. They had sufficiently out-of-the-ordinary stuff to qualify for prominent space in national dailies and television. But the malaise runs much deeper if we look below the surface. The fact remains that in the total absence of dignity of labour, a man whose physical labour earns him a living, is regarded inferior to those who have other callings in life.

This is a far cry from the developed world where every human being is treated with basic respect and given the dignity due to him. The false feeling of superiority that is enshrined in the masters makes them regard torturing their inferiors as something that is normal.

It is a problem of mindset. Almost every person who, in his own opinion, has ‘arrived’ in society, treats those whom he considers inferior to him with utter contempt. The same high-profile woman who killed her maid may just be treating her own family with love and affection.

Perhaps the solution lies in issues relating to governance. The absence of role models in society is only catalysing the rot. A complete lack of effort to create a value-based society is leading us to this dangerous situation. It is time that those who are in Government and, therefore, have the potential to emerge as role models, show us the way.

When men in white do black deeds

This article was published in the Pioneer of 13/11/2013

Is this Kalyug at its worst? If so, is Satyug round the corner? After all, Time always goes round in circles. How much more do we have to suffer?

That Caesar's wife must be above suspicion, is an ancient saying. Julius Caesar said this when asked why he divorced his wife Pompeia. She was suspected of wrongdoing, and Caesar, therefore, could not associate with her anymore.

The essence of this pearl of wisdom is that the needle of suspicion, of wrongdoing, should not point at even the associates of men in power. Yet today, even distant associates consider it their birthright to steal from the till when a relation or a close acquaintance is temporarily placed on the pedestal of service, unfortunately regarded by many as the pedestal of power.

In ancient times, the power of the kings was considered to be absolute. Yet the welfare of the masses remained at the core of almost all their actions, with only rare exceptions. The kings of the present times, the politicos and bureaucrats alike, despite being temporary and chosen adornments of the state machinery, flaunt and blatantly misuse power for self-perpetuation. This is an act that we are witness to, with amazing regularity. In recent times, the ‘holy’ Tihar has been witness to many such kings landing in its lap, as retribution for the crimes that they committed, crimes that were often treacherous and amounted to a blatant betrayal of the trust that society imposed upon the perpetrators. This reminds one of another ancient saying: Vinaash kale viprit buddhi. Perhaps vinashkal or bad times is upon us, and rightly so. The sins of the society and the keepers of its conscience have perhaps exceeded what Bharat Mata can bear.

This leads one to another thought. Why do men in power in this country wear starched white clothes? Is it because it gives the false impression that the person is as clean as his clothes? White is cleanliness personified, and the ultimate depiction of purity, and, therefore, perhaps it is supposed to provide a convenient cloak to hide one’s dark deeds. The cloak of white has become so acceptable that it is flaunted with impunity almost everywhere. That white offers an opportunity for inner cleansing and purification of thoughts and emotions and, ultimately, of the spirit, while at the same time, refreshing and strengthening the entire energy system, is lost on this breed of people. The men in power present themselves in a cloak of white, attempting to fool the masses — an act in which they have generally been fairly successful. The naïve public, that generally accepts things at face value, is taken for a ride. In India, this ride is still continuing even after over six decades of existence as a free nation.

It pains one when the conduct of even apex-level functionaries in society is unbecoming of the high positions they hold in trust. Watching the incessant march of men in power into the precincts of Tihar jail, and other such places of atonement, is as satisfying as it is painful. The tremendous penchant for accumulation of wealth and power that one witnesses in society, pains — and so does the total lack of concern for justice and equality. The scams that surface with amazing regularity makes one feel like one has been duped by people for whom duplicity is a settled way of life. Men-in-white committing acts in black remind us of the story of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde. 

Is this Kalyug at its worst? If so, is Satyug round the corner? After all, Time always goes round in circles. Perhaps the ensuing ‘Mahabharat’ may provide the answers that the nation is seeking — for what now appears to be an eternity. Only time shall tell. Till then, keeping our fingers crossed is the sole option.