29 Nov 2020  |   05:25am IST

Humanity and civilised existence

Humanity and civilised existence

John Eric Gomes

Things changed for our ancestors because of the mavericks, adventurous and foolish ones, who braved the wild animals, got eaten by crocodiles when trying to cross the rivers etc. The men were hunters and providers and women by virtue of their gender the bearers of children and nurturers. The increasing population felt the need and started forming a government, for social cohesion, orderly control, enforcing laws so arguments and fights could be adjudicated. The seeds of human nature, democracy and gender discrimination kept evolving. Keeping women without education/knowledge as possessions/slaves proliferated. This attitude is prevalent in many nations today! The caste system was born where Brahmins were priests and men of learning, Kshatriyas warriors etc and barter system replaced by money. 

To cut a long story short, human nature is buried in our genes and it is today emulated in our concrete jungles! Government power, religion and money were invariably used to control/ exploit the majority of people. History warns us that absolute power corrupts absolutely and not to repeat our legacy of slavery, inhuman torture in concentration camps by idolizing charismatic dynamic leaders like Hitler with fanatic Nazism leading to an Auschwitz, and that all wars are inhuman and cannot be holy. With awesome destructive power, knowledge and technology giving mankind Godlike powers, we are at the crossroads where a tiny virus has brought the whole feuding world equally to its knees! What use all our information acquired, our technology and powerful weapon systems if we all cannot live together in peaceful harmony with the earth and each other? 

Our existence is now endangered by unsustainable development, uncontrolled technological advances, economic competition, fundamentalism and loss of humanity. The presidential elections mayhem and endorsement of Trumpism in the most powerful advanced democratic nation in the world is a glaring example. At least in America the Institutions are not destroyed and freedom of media has held! The propaganda and lies by the government are quickly exposed by fact check and government is unable to silence dissent.The judiciary by and large dispenses justice quickly. However there does exist discrimination and the country is deeply divided. That 72 million Americans would re-elect Trump merely because the economy is doing well says a lot for the values of humanity and civilized existence. Money is indeed the new God!

If justice delayed is justice denied, we in India have no justice! What use if after wasting life unfairly behind bars finally may get justice? All our institutions have been compromised, democracy is in doldrums. The dominant party with iconic Prime Minister who can do no wrong is propounding sab ke saath etc and doing just the opposite to impose his and Sangh Parrivar’s vision with a Hindutva narrative on the nation where there is no unity in diversity anymore! What is worse is our freedom and privacy is slowly being snatched away by brute force using all institutions, media and Parliament to polarize India with prejudice to minorities and in particular to Muslims. Despite our Constitution guaranteeing the right to marry anyone of one’s choice, BJP-ruled states regardless legislate “Dharma Swatantrya” (religious freedom) stringent legislation criminalizing inter religious marriages by making it a cognizable, non bailable offence, rigorous imprisonment for 5 years, making families co accused, giving DM one month notice about the couple’s decision and provision to declare marriage null and void!  The government takes the courts for granted these days.

Using the national interest card the executive is running roughshod imposing what is decided at the Centre without consulting the Opposition or people in the States and using the enforcement agencies and police to silence any dissent! Our CM says he cannot stop central backed schemes and it is reported railway officials resumed work at Davorlim threatening peaceful agitators to whip them into submission getting police personnel from Bihar! Our DGP states that Goa is a beautiful country side, relatively clean air and atmosphere of a peaceful state, but it does not strike him that he will use his police to destroy that beauty and peace when students, reputed NGOs, residents are protesting in loud voices and great numbers schemes that "must have" been through all the required procedures in national interest. The question to be asked is development for whom and by what fair democratic means!

Why are we all being fooled and fooling ourselves by permitting all the bad in our past to prevail by allowing our ego, prejudices with blind religion and caste prejudices flowing from them to thrive? Isn’t it sensible to honestly shut up the hate mongers, let police speak the language they understand on them and not the victims? Only the police and no one else must be authorized to use force as per law. Fanatics want to impose their will by every means possible! Nations are polarized living internally and externally in war zones with such a lot of waste of finances and emotions, violence, pain and destruction with starving millions of fellow beings in dire straits destroying nature in more ways than one and killing each other. There is no empathy, sharing the bounty of our beautiful world but turning it into intolerance, violence and turmoil. Unfortunately Corona and climate change have not taught powerful politicians what matters most nor brought in the needed enlightenment. Evil multiplies when good people don’t champion what is right!

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar