Our leaders seem to be taking us down an erroneous path and us existing in a system which has us behaving like Lemmings, which are known to permit themselves to be helplessly led en masse down the wrong path and over the cliff to their doom! This Whatsapp forward is worth pondering “A cyclist does not buy a car, need a loan, require much servicing or expensive repairs or maintenance, fuel, insurance, does not need paid parking or become obese. Healthy people are not needed for the economy. They do not go to doctors and hospitals or need any medicines. This adds nothing to the country’s GDP! On the contrary every junk food outlet does, for the bigger they are create many jobs, need for cardiologists, dentists and nutritionist, weight loss experts besides ancillary industries!” I might also add an economy based on consumption and rising prices where the government keeps increasing salaries and dearness allowance so prices and wages consequently rise and keep going up which is a different type of cycle that has no end. We are caught up in this crazy entrenched System.
The Delhi elections show what sab ka vishwas means! How to handle brain washing, a gamut of emotions, lies, fake news, violence, protests, communalisation, derogatory dialogue, false accusations and beliefs, blatant use of power and the law. All the big guns of the BJP campaigned in Delhi against the AAP with a hyper religious nationalism, propaganda, hatred and cunning, misusing official channels, media and Shaheen Baugh. The partially blocked roads were fully barricaded by the subservient police force and illegality highlighted, no attempt made for interlocution like the Supreme Court did, or clearing the area! Even after being trounced by the AAP, 62 versus 8, instead of learning lessons, welcoming feedback from the people, the Sang Parrivar will continue with their rigid stance (decisive?) and Goa CM reportedly saying Delhi victory was due to freebies and without much thinking people voted! This is an insult to the electorate. Isn’t it the job of the government, as against cash and freebies purely as bribes, to ensure people get their basics of welfare (not freebies) electricity, water, transport at minimum rates or free.
Seven days clearance notice to residents of still existing illegal slums near Motera stadium for “Namaste Trump” is not a common man government!
Section 144 prohibits assembly of 3 or 4 persons and cannot be imposed without very good and credible reasons nor for long periods, but it has been used by BJP government to generally deny the right to peaceful protest. This prevents lawful protests, the sine qua non of a democracy and takes away our freedom. With the government showing no grace, people’s cries of Azadi are not “from India but in India” for enabling everyone to fearlessly propound any opinion or dissent in complete democratic freedom as enshrined in the Constitution! There is now a trust deficit with government promises and intentions.
The Goa AAP cannot emulate the Delhi example easily. The perception is that AAP are nowhere near working hard at every level and are not proactive but reactive. They have a difficult job of gaining the people’s trust and confidence but have a credible leader and can be the alternative! With a CM appearing to be sensitive to public reaction and ground realities and a comparative disciplined BJP cadre and entrenched Congress, dislodging them will require better campaigning. The framers of our Constitution were Hindus, the main architect Ambedkar leaving Hinduism in disgust with his followers to embrace Buddhism. Today our Constitution is under stress like every institution used to impose the will of the majoritarian government at the Centre, and it appears that we are ruled by a government and police that do not believe in the Constitution and Courts also appear shaky on strictly implementing it in the face of an overriding executive! Where is the question of any dialogue if it’s no matter what, my way or the highway?
