Prime Minister Modi instead of dropping jokers reshuffled the pack and added more cards! He now has a jumbo cabinet instead of minimum government promised. There is increasing of departments and gargantuan government employees with high and increasing salaries, not commensurate with their output. With increasing debt and inflation the public are forced to carry an increasingly heavy millstone around their necks and tighten their belts further to keep them in comparative luxury with VIP privileges intact!
The Supreme Court has in no uncertain terms told the BJP that toppling elected governments with the help of pliant governors is not acceptable. We have too many VIPs entitled to red beacons and special protection commandoes. Reportedly fifteen new people were added to the existing list. The BJP President, RSS Chief has each been given Z+ security and Swami Ramdev Z security! Citizens have less and less security. The bureaucrats and government employees with parasitical support staff want parity with corporate employees unrelated to working hours, accompanying responsibility, transparency and accountability. They see no conflict of interest in increasing own salaries, promoting own welfare and blatantly state they are not public employees and therefore do not come under RTI!
How many times do people suffer VIP convoys responsible for disrupting traffic and ambulances/ emergency cases, flooding with slightest rains, potholed roads resulting in dire consequences? No one is punished or held responsible. Horrific rapes and children falling into open man/bore holes continue!
The Goa police reforms bill was introduced in the Assembly in the year 2000 and immediately referred to a select committee. The bill has lapsed. In 2014 the present government decided to introduce it but wisely backed out due pressure from civil society organizations and citizens who demanded public consultation before finalizing the bill. There is no sign of the bill being introduced in this monsoon session! Public will have to force the elected representatives to unshackle the police and enforcement agencies from being in the words of the Supreme Court “caged parrots”. Politicizing caste, religion and reservations is dangerous!
The adherents of Hindutva in our secular democratic nation appear to have a vision of re-establishing pre-eminence of Hindus worldwide starting in India where they see conditions ripe with the BJP in power for a Hindu Rashtra. How is this different from theory of Islamic fundamentalism or Talibanisation? The tolerance of the government towards home grown militant fringe groups/ vigilantes and preachers of hate and violence towards minorities is apparent. There is one law for them and another for the citizen. Politicians are well advised to note the prejudicial injustice and boiling resentments they are creating. The PM in the course of speeches abroad admits “Indeed we live in a world where preachers of hate and violence are threatening the fabric of our society”.
Many other statements in similar vein, apart from receiving thunderous applause hardly translate into committed action at home! A good democracy requires a credible Opposition and a principled Ruling party that always upholds the law and the Constitution. The Courts should not be forced to come to the rescue of the citizens or instruct the Executive how to do their job and act fairly with justice for all! Despite warnings and exhortations, there is still no sign of police or public oriented administrative reforms, wrong use of public funds and denial of intolerance to criticism and artistic freedom. Hindutva ideologues being given control of government bodies to impose their restrictive philosophy is a hazardous precedent! Hurting some favoured group’s sentiments is another malaise. These politically sponsored actions are termed as spontaneous people’s reactions or elected government prerogatives.
Allowing ‘goondagiri’ is very poor governance. Power corrupts and civilized democracy is the best system we have to keep the government in check. If we tolerate what we should not, and are intolerant towards each other selfishly thinking only about ourselves, conditions are ideal for unlawful acts to overpower democracy. Denying and crushing dissent in modern times that is driven by progressive reasoning, science, art or technology will be counter productive and stunt our Constitutional growth.
Government has become a compulsive litigant; responsibility seldom fixed on any official, no financial pain involved as the taxpayer’s money is being squandered. The PM recognizing this has ordered departments not to litigate against each other and minimize litigation in general. India still has the largest poor, uneducated, vulnerable people in the world. For them justice is a mirage what with prejudices, long distances, predatory lawyers, corruption and inefficiency in the expensive judicial process. Gaurakshaks have become a law unto themselves. People have been accepting the unacceptable for far too long and it is time we noticed history being created by the spontaneous action of the citizens of Turkey who stymied the coup by the army and vested interests by coming out together unarmed to stop the tanks and to assert that undemocratic actions are just not acceptable. Democracy is not perfect, but it is the best we have to ensure rule of law that constrains the rich and powerful in public interest. When individually weak people come together they become powerful. Only “we the people” with unity in diversity, and replacing “Ego with We go” can save democracy and also what is left of our once comparatively peaceful and beautiful Goa whilst resolutely reminding our elected representatives just who is the VIP!
(The author is a retired naval officer.)
