The Transformation (full article)

<<  This Article was a part of an old series called 'Kartavya Dharmadhikari' which is now discontinued  >>

A first hand account by Kartavya Dharmadhikari...

       This morning when I was having breakfast with two of my colleagues, on the table next to us were a few students, discussing on the hottest topic - whom to vote this general elections. They had the most intense of the discussions. Though such discussions are extremely enlightening, we hardly tend to reach at a conclusion. Most of us are bored of hearing and reading about what's the obvious, yet we know we cannot not think about it.

        I did not get my voter ID for two years after I had applied for one. When I inquired, they told me that I must apply again as something in my application must have gone wrong. Being a lawyer and the son of a martyr, it made me furious that in the two years I wasn't even notified about it. Nonetheless, they made it up to me by sending me two voter IDs together !

        Anyway, there are 3 prime ideas that I wanted to share with everyone.

The Great Indian Joke :-

        " Democracy is like a swimming pool. If you don't change the water periodically, it becomes a stinking pool. "- Ram Jethmalani.

        India got independence in 1947. We are a country of almost 1.25 billion people, which makes us the largest democracy in the world. In our 67 year old history, only on 4 occasions we have had a non-congress government ( I've considered only those occasions where the government lasted for at least 6 months ).

1) 1977- 1979 , Janta Party ( Morarji Desai ).

2) 1979- 1980 , Janta Party ( Charan Singh ).

3) 1989- 1990 , Janta Dal ( V P Singh).

4) 1998- 2004 , NDA ( Atal Bihari Vajpayee ).

        So effectively we have had only 10 years of non-congress rule in the 67 years. When I say congress, it includes Indian National Congress ( INC ), United Progressive Alliance ( UPA ),etc. Being the largest democracy, I am not sure whether we are setting the right kind of example for the rest of the democracies. In fact I am not even sure whether we are fit to being called a democracy at all. The essence of democracy itself lies in difference of opinion and change. So either we have had tyranny all these years and not democracy, or I believe India has accepted that only one family in a nation of 1.25 billion people has got the DNA to produce supremely intelligent, deeply patriotic and highly motivated children who can carry the ' legacy ' on their brave shoulders.

        We are still very proud of our ancient culture, our saints, our scientists, our tolerance, and our value system. We are proud that we gave the world the first 'zero', while we are almost about to give them the second one, you know, just to carry on the legacy.

The AK-45 Assault Riffle :-

        A leader is not only the one who can take decisions, but is also the one who can rationally overrule somebody else's decision. But the concept of 'a strong leader' is alien to us. In India we have a prime minister who hates to be called decisive. And if ever he takes a decision, there is a high probability that his decisions will be overruled by someone having half his age and a quarter of his IQ.

        So then the 45 year old 'made in India' assault riffle - both literally and figuratively - transcended the Delhi throne. The AK-45, did something that somebody should have done long ago - ask questions. But now that we have arrived at the above-mentioned fact, people failed to realise what he really intends to do. Ours, I believe, is the only nation which has not witnessed a truly massive civil movement after independence. Most of the superior countries, after having achieved independence, have had some major people movements, which initially bring in the chaos only to bring in order one day. Our nation is going through this phase at the moment. Sadly, I fear, the longer it takes, the more violent it gets. AK-45 is simply trying to bring in this chaos, so that the guardians of the legacy should know that winter is coming and that it's time for everyone to wear a muffler around your head - again both literally and figuratively.

        

But what happens when there is no scope of effective discussion? 

        " Democracy when assessed in terms of public reasoning, leads to an understanding of democracy as 'government by discussion' "- Amartya Sen.

But what happens when there is no scope of peaceful discussion?

        " Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable "- John F. Kennedy.

But what happens when there is no scope of sensible discussion altogether?

        " You are not getting my question. Let me re-iterate it for you "- Arnab Goswami.

The Generator :-

        I will state this in a very short and simple manner. We need to give that man the charge of our nation who is a living example himself. We need to give that person the power who has already proved his credibility, someone who looks ahead, someone who believes in 'no none-sense'. After all, it all goes by this good old saying - ' If it has taken you 12 years, then you are not an overnight wonder, but a well deserved one ! '

The summary :-

1) Being a democracy, we first feel the need for change, 2) Then follows the much needed and much justified chaos and 3) Then comes the action.

p.s. :-

Dedicated to my those 2 colleagues- Prahalad Prabhakar and Rahanik Vora... :)