Saturday, November 8, 2008

Which Way Are We Going ?










SubVerse:





By Jug Suraiya in the Times of India; The writer has drawn an anomaly , albeit a paradoxical one between the World's Number 1 new man Obama of United States and our local new man Raj Thakeray, the protagonist of un- uniting (if this non-word can describe it better) India . While it makes very interesting reading, it makes one wonder where are we going as a country! It brings to mind a million such paradoxies that we are in the midst of. On the one hand we are poised on the brink of taking on the world with our intelligentia, tech wisdom and globalisation policies. On the other hand the crime rate, bomb blasts, and general unrest is shooting through the roof. Our techy manpower is touching new heights in the world job markets, but our poor still live a life of utter misery. We consume the highest number of mobile phones in the world, but our villages are still unlit and unconnected. The power shortage in our country is an issue of political warfare with no thought for the people of India. Infra Structure in rural India is still a miserable drop in the ocean. Farmers still commit suicides, and dowry deaths still prevail in many parts of India. We have had female Prime Ministers much before many big developed nations of the world, now even a President - occupying the highest office in the country; but our politics is somehow of the lowest order. For we have corruption ruling us in every form, be it elections, bureaucracy, government, licencing, judiciary or education. It has been killing us simultaneously, while we strive to achieve glories in the field of literature, technology, software, education, fashion and sports. And politics seems to be the one game we really play badly. It stinks of corruption, and fraud. Unfortunately, it is a phenomenon that the entire country is responsible for. The divide between the rich and the poor is so wide it crosses all barriers of religion, castes and culture. The rich are happy corrupting the poor to live a peaceful life, thus depriving the country from basic education and infra structure. One is forced to think that Bal and Raj Thakeray are in fact more a product of political ambition than any regional ideology. Regionalism is the facade of their ambition. They needed an election agenda to touch the hearts of poor. Once in power, they will endeavour to unite people in order to stay in power as was demonstrated by the senior Thakeray when he did come to power briefly. Its the general public/people that get instigated first and then used, then conveniently discarded by their godfathers. At one time mafia was a big game in India, and was funding political parties in a big way, now politics has merged with mafia. In the US and other law abiding countries electoral candidates actually serve the interest of every common man; whereas in India politicians make promises, but never deliver.

While the likes of Raj Thakeray are busy indulging in childish politics, there are also some serious individuals who think that they can make a difference. One hears of new political parties like Professionals Party of India and other individuals willing to get into constructive politics. Their agenda is quite similar to that of Barrack Obama..."Let's make the change at the top". The day may not be too far when we will have voters thronging to polling booths and electing an obama who will bring THE CHANGE.!