India Poised for Revolution??? It's High Time ...

I was flying back to Delhi on 25^th evening and was looking out of window as the aircraft was on its descent. The approaching land of Delhi looked beautiful. It was a great relief from the feeling of suffocation I was experiencing as a result of having to sit in a ‘window’ seat sandwiched between the aircraft body on one side and a human’s body on the other side (in the middle seat)!

(It was the second time in a row that I couldn’t manage an aisle seat on my way back to the city. I can’t even remember the last time I had flown sitting at a window. I have to remember to Net check-in from next time onwards…)

My mind was engrossed in numerous thoughts which were taking me far and wide: from earth to moon and back to earth! I imagined myself as an alien about to touch down on the planet earth! And also about Neil Armstrong’s landing on the Moon! Humanity at large also crossed my mind. And the feeling I got was similar to what I get whenever I see a cute little child: what kind of a human he/she will grow to be? (Why do people behave the way they do???) Simultaneously I was trying to make out the popular landmarks on Delhi’s beautifully lit landmass. Suddenly I remembered and wondered how spectacular the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium would have looked from up above the sky so high on the day of the inauguration and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games. And then all those unearthed scams and scamsters came flooding to my mind! The city which looked so tranquil from thousands of miles in the sky suddenly seemed ugly. And I became aware of the presence of corrupt and cruel people – politicians and bureaucrats and police and mafias and criminals – walking the earth below.

I thought about India and the Indians. And also about the Republic Day the next day and the Padma awards and if Arnab Goswami had made to the final list (I had no time to abreast myself with the News throughout the day in Bombay). I was also very keen to know if Dr. Binayak Sen had been granted bail. Then my thoughts took me thousands of miles away to Tunisia. From Arnab to Media to Tunisia and back to India, my mind was racing fast! India’s struggle for independence and its leaders and freedom fighters came flashing. And then a thought solidified – being there on my mind since a few days, since the Tunisian revolution – that why is India not witnessing any revolution anymore? Because the prevailing state of affairs in India is immensely ugly and brutal for majority and which can be corrected only by a revolution. How long can India act deaf and dumb?

A “slap” saw Tunisia get into a revolutionary mode, ousting its dictator with sheer show of public anger and power. Tunisia’s uprising inspired similar protests in neighboring African and Middle-Eastern states. It could turn out to be a watershed moment – movement – when the world looks at it a few years from now.

India has a lot to learn from Tunisia. In spite of the so-called story about India being “poised”, our country needs major reforms in all walks of life. Democracy is often the most confused position; democracy is abused by many to manipulate systems to suit personal gains. In India, ordinary citizens – famously called as aam-aadmi - are put under illusory state of being powerful and free whereas the reality is mostly opposite. The “ballot power” is the most exaggerated form of public power.

2010 saw the Indian Media emerge as a strong crusader with its relentless and impactful activism. The Indian establishment, which is otherwise immune to public pressure or public anger, was forced to act in many cases relentlessly pursued by the Indian Media. India saw its Media acting as the “fourth” pillar in the real sense of the term. A Media in its “Change Agent” avatar could have easily started a mutiny if same level of reportage had happened in any other country. But not in India.

India kept its “poise” even in an environment intense with exposes about utter levels of corruption and blatant use of office and power - and public money! We did not see even a single protest by Indian public against the exposed scams and scamsters. Indians seemed to be least affected by billions of country’s money being looted by corrupt politicians and bureaucrats and officials. Rather we found many advocating against the Media for bringing to light monumental corruption in many areas. This was especially witnessed just before the start of the Common Wealth Games. “Corruption is nothing new; let the Games carry on!” was how majority reacted initially. Instead of feeling let down by the sheer scale of scam, Indians targeted the Media. It was crazy!

CWG scam led to strings of bigger scams but India kept sleeping. How long are we going to behave like ostriches and believe that “all is well”? Till the sting of corruption hurts us directly and individually? When will we come together and protest against the gross and grotesque manipulations by the Indian establishment – government and everybody else in power? When are we Indians going to start a revolt and free India from the corrupt tentacles of its hugely tainted politicians and bureaucrats and police? We see people – public – coming out in streets protesting trivial issues – again politically motivated suiting narrow gains – but never ever do we witness Indians coming out together and demonstrating for the right to a manipulation & corruption free life.

India is an incredible country – no doubt. But it has an equally incredible legacy of remaining under “foreign” rule for several centuries. If Mahatma Gandhi hadn’t happened to India, we would probably have remained under British rule for many more decades.

Today, India is supposed to be “poised” - for bigger things on the global stage. It is an emerging economy and has created wealth for many. There is a sense of overall prosperity all around – but restricted to cities only. In addition, as more than 70% of Indians are under the age of 35, thus, India can claim to be a “young nation”. But where is exuberance and enthusiasm of a typical youth? Where is confidence and rebellion so characteristic of youth? Why our youths do not revolt against wrongs and injustices and discriminations witnessed so often in our country and which have the potential to wreck havoc with life? Why is our youth comfortable with corruption gnawing at the country’s foundation? Why do Indians – fortunate ones in cities – have this “I-don’t-care-as-long-as-it-doesn’t-affect-me-directly”??? … Or, is our youth busy enjoying bliss by playing with amazing “apps” available on a cell phone?

Tunisia started the fire which has spread to its neighbouring countries and where the mantle of revolution has been taken up by their youths. Indian youth needs to wake up to shake up the corrupt Indian establishment and bring about radical political and social upheaval and reclaim our India of yesteryears when it was hailed as “Sone ki Chidiya” and where Ram-Rajya prevailed! …

Are we too waiting to be “slapped” out of our slumber??? … It is high time India saw a revolution … Remember, we have a fundamental right to revolt!

……………………………….

The aircraft landed with a slight jerk and I landed in my real India. …

Happy Republic Day J , belatedly!

In support of Dr. Binayak Sen

I hate Maoists sympathizers but I strongly support Dr. Binayak Sen who has been unfairly – grossly - sentenced to life imprisonment by the Chhattisgarh District court for alleged “sedition”.

Because, if we simply take a look at his life as a physician and as a human rights activist, then we get a clear portrait of him as being an intellectual man of impeccable integrity with life devoted to the welfare of underprivileged and poor people; his territory of work being rural-tribal Maoist infested areas of Chhattisgarh. Dr. Binayak Sen has been deeply involved with healthcare reforms however in his role as a human rights activist he has strongly criticized government’s atrocities and human rights abuses in the name of its fight against terror. Nevertheless, he has always been a strong proponent of peaceful means of protest and has always condemned Maoists’ violent ways.

Therefore, to think of Dr. Binayak Sen as a “seditionist” is preposterous.

Because, even by the “legal” and “dictionary” definitions of “sedition”, Dr. Binayak Sen has never made a speech or had his behaviour – subversive act - directed against the peace of a state or has committed an offence to undermine the authority of the State or has acted to incite public disorder or revolt. Thus, how can he be labeled as a seditionist and prosecuted under the “law” on baseless charges? (Archaic laws need to be amended immediately in India for ensuring speedy trials and fair justice.)

The State prosecutor’s version is curious enough: Dr. Sen had acted as a “courier” between the Maoists and its sympathizers and the State had “produced” the said letter as an evidence to substantiate its claims; the State claims to have found the letter in Dr. Sen’s belongings upon arrest. Of course, Dr. Sen vehemently denies these charges and accuses the State machinery of having “planted” the said letter on him. Frankly, I fully believe in Dr. Sen’s account.

We all know how government apparatus work in various areas in India and how “easy” it is to frame charges against anybody – absolutely anyone, for that matter – without even a single piece of evidence as proof. We all have knowledge of numerous instances of evidences being “planted” against targeted persons with an ulterior motive to “punish”.

If George W. Bush – ‘W’ could be for ‘war’ as his middle name – were an Indian President/Prime minister, he would have got the WMDs “planted” in Saddam Hussain’s backyard and would have “proved” to the world that the Iraqi president was indeed engaged in employing weapons of mass destruction and was therefore a massive threat to global security! …

Since Dr. Sen’s arrest in 2007 there has been enormous national and international outrage and outcry which have of course fell on deaf ears of the “motivated” judiciary and the “meek” Indian establishment. He has been kept in illegal confinement – solitary often – and now most unreasonably has been awarded life imprisonment for no crime committed.

Unfortunately we live in a country where seasoned scamsters – political heavyweights – having guzzled and gobbled billions - are roaming free in India - in spite of intense Media and public pressure - but the State is putting all its might behind “punishing” a human rights activist and a devoted doctor whose only ‘fault’ has been to have opposed oppressive methods of the government in its fight against terror.

Nevertheless, I am hopeful that enraged public and Media’s response will force the Indian judiciary and the government to act justly and release Dr. Binayak Sen from illegal incarceration. (Arnab, please debate Dr. Sen’s case on your News Hour.)

Dr. Binayak Sen, hope to see you out of prison soon. Happy belated Birthday J