Depravity knows no bounds!

The recent verdict of the apex court that a public representative convicted of any criminal offence attracting a punishment of two years and above by any court shall immediately lose his seat has come as a ray of hope for many in this otherwise depraved scenario. The court has also ruled that contesting elections while lodged within the confines of a jail shall not be permitted. Yet the fact that such verdicts were necessitated speaks volumes about the torrid state of affairs in the country.

Newspaper reports state that over 30% of our public representatives in the state and the centre are facing criminal cases. These are the persons who are expected to be the torchbearers of our democratic system and also the lawmakers. Yet law breakers many of them have been, but perhaps no more after this historic verdict that has the potential of triggering a major operation clean up.   

That the verdict has come barely a few days after the revolting incident involving a top politician of a central Indian state is gratifying indeed, as many had starting losing hope from the system. Prompt and appropriate action by the state government without bias or fervor also acted as a balm. It appears that   considerable goodness and fairness still exists in the system despite the widely prevalent rot and sloth.

Some time back a spokesman of a national party was found with his pants down in his own lawyers chambers seeking physical gratification in lieu of favors. While this spokesman was also shown the door like the recent entrant, he soon made a reentry in the political arena thereby confirming that character has no place whatsoever in the murky national political scenario. A plethora of similar incidents cutting across states and political outfits goes to show the real depth to which the national character has plummeted, the political classes being only the most visible representatives of the society.

It is tragic that the debauch conduct is supplemented by rampant indulgence in corrupt practices. The series of scams involving public money witnessed in recent times has left many with gaping mouths. This indulgence cuts across states and political shades and almost everyone with the exception of a few have lost no time whatsoever in looting the till. The glaring example of the sale of the public silver in the past, the open loot indulged into by successive bosses of a hill state and also what transpired south of the vindhyas till the recent change of guard led many of us to lose whatever little hope that existed despite the ongoing rot and sloth. Coupled with the rank inability of the masses to move matters within the sarkari machinery without the customary greasing of palms, the overall scenario has indeed been grim for a considerable time now.    

That the bureaucratic arena is no better has been made amply clear by the recent post for bribe incident. The penchant for self gratification of the bureaucratic clan coupled with their bloated ego’s has indeed made a mockery of governance in this nation. Jostling for key positions & junkets overseas, ego flaring up on inconsequential matters, milching the system and all its associates and constituents and a total lack of concern for the organization or the nation are visible traits of the majority of babu’s, not an encouraging scenario either.

What are the choices left with the aam aadmi? Perhaps he can march on the streets or camp on the Vijay Chowk on the lines of the Tianamen or the Tehrir else he can suffer in silence or worse still, extract his pound of flesh from the system. The last may perhaps be the preferred one as the aam aadmi of this nation being a microcosm of the society regards the need to maintain high standards in human values and conduct as passé.

Salvation is not in sight and neither is doom, yet the verdict gives hope that some efforts at stemming the rot are indeed underway. 

India's Tianamen

The Tianamen square of India, the sprawling Vijay Chowk was today erupting with people, people who were anguished and angry at the same time over the ghastly rape incident that has shocked the nation. The ordinary citizens of India who identified themselves with the victim were shouting slogans against the high and mighty of this nation, the so called leaders who have distanced themselves from the ground realities and the men they ostensibly represent.

Standing at the Vijay Chowk, I wondered whether a governance machinery that does not feel the pulse of the nation that it governs, has a right to exist. Continue it shall as in banana republics, for want of a leadership that can make it efficient responsive, accountable and also sensitive to public opinion. Yet it is indeed sad that peaceful and spontaneous protests by ordinary citizens have been met by water cannons and lathi charge by the same police, whose inept conduct has led to such shameful incidents of lawlessness.

I am shocked at the inability of the leaders of this nation to face their own constituents at moments like these. Is interaction with the masses reserved only for the election time? Avoiding even the idiot box to allay the genuine concerns of their own constituents is a reality beyond comprehension for a civilized society. And that leads me to wonder as to whether we can indeed be classified as civilized. Even the president of the united states comes forward and faces the nation whenever catastrophes afflict the collective conscience of the nation, but our leaders are yet to display symptoms of such exemplary conduct.

Perhaps and I may be wrong in my assessment that while the delhi police is blameworthy for its inefficiency, insensitivity and callousness, but holding them fully accountable for this ghastly incident may not pass the test of fairness. It is indeed true that almost the entire sarkari tantra is inefficient, unresponsive and insensitive and therefore needs to be collectively held responsible for the mess. With many having their hand in the till, the common man has hardly any options. 

While the government may or may not draft and implement laws that deter such incidents, the only course left for all of us is take a pledge that whenever we see a lady in distress on the road or in the organization we work for, we shall without fear of violence, harm, harassment or inconvenience come forward to help and shall not later offer, excuses for inaction.

With hope we live!