I’ll complete the caption: THE NATION IS GREATER – NOT ANY INDIVIDUAL.
This is more true in a democratic country which guarantees all it’s citizens personal freedom, the highlight of which is freedom of expression – the freedom to agree, disagree or remain neutral. A true democracy does not thrive on yesmen or idol worshipers. Dissent is an essential ingredient inducing checks and balances to enable its healthy growth. The role of OPPOSITION is therefore the built-in mechanism to ensure that Democracy doesn’t degenerate into Autocracy. This reiterates the need for healthy debate before final decisions are taken on important policy matters impacting people’s lives. This is not possible in the absence of an active and alert Opposition. This is where the role of yesmen and idol worshippers cause damage to the smooth running of the democratic engine, eventually leading to disastrous consequences for all in the long run. They don’t realize what damage their extremely bigoted views and chauvinism and the irrational blind support for an individual is causing to the checks and balances system essential for good governance.
I am aware some of my friends belong to this category, who are loosely categorized as Modi-Bhakts. While I respect their individual right to hold any view they believe in, what I am unable to understand, is their extreme sensitivity and intolerance towards anything even remotely critical of Mr. Narendra Modi the PM. Personal admiration or love for an individual is understandable. But carrying it to extreme levels of idol worship is not. Despite Mr. Modi being human and therefore not infallible, how can they think he can do no wrong at all! Their vehemence at anything critical of Modi is incomprehensible and is simply incompatible with the very essence of democracy. The extremists from this group calls any one disagreeing with Modi or his government ‘anti-nationals! This is simply ridiculous. These vociferous brigade trying to suppress the voice of dissent is in fact the ones who will preside over the country’s eventual destruction as a true democracy – whether knowingly or unknowingly. They need to introspect on this count – the earlier the better. Blaming the past regimes for all the ills of today, despite being in power for over six years, will just not do.
I am sure none of my friends who may be Modi-Bhakts, fall in the above category. I don’t believe in extremism of any kind – political, social religious or philosophical. My ultimate objective is the well being of every citizen of this country and the world at large where, everyone, irrespective of race, faith, region or colour is able to lead a happy, healthy and peaceful life – nothing less, nothing more. And till the marginalized are not brought in to the mainstream, I will raise my voice for the underprivileged. Modi or XYZ is not the issue here. Good governance is. The politicians elected to serve the people and maintained at huge cost to the exchequer, are not obliging the people by serving them – they are duty bound to do so. If they deviate from the right path, they will be taken to task, irrespective of which party they belong to – or which leader is in power.
I hope I have made my position very clear to everyone including my Bhakt friends. Most of my stand on issues, I see, are also endorsed by many political and social analysts and media personalities and other opinion makers who believe in objectivity. The intent is only course correction in case of deviation - not accusation. But in case if some feathers get ruffled along the way, it’s merely coincidental and should be taken in that spirit and no witch-hunting should be allowed on that count. Those who uphold the spirit of true democratic values will never be a party to such witch-hunt , save for the bigoted and the chauvinistic among the lot.
I am reproducing here below excerpts from a recent column by one of the ex. Modi-Bhakts, the eminent journalist and poet and also ex MP, Mr. Pritish Nandi. Kindly read it. Compared to his analysis and comments of recent developments in the country, my Modi-Bhakt friends I am sure, will realize, I have been dealing with Modi and his govt. with kid gloves. Modi has erred seriously in dealing with the migrant worker issue. His diplomatic ineptitude is boomeranging on the country as it looks like we are left with no friends even in our immediate neighbourhood, despite all that high profile global diplomatic brouhaha of the past six years. Daily uncontrolled rise of Petrol/diesel prices when crude prices are down, is affecting even ordinary taxi and tempo drivers - not just Jaguar owners. I wonder what answer the Bhakts have on these ? Well, at least take a look at what Mr. Nandi had to say. Here are the excerpts from his column published recently :
OUR IMPERFECT DEMOCRACY By Pritish Nandi:
“The sick today are being openly abandoned. Their wives and children are not allowed to quarantine at home as per law. They are being ostracized, thrown out of their villages, chucked out of trains along with their kin. Burial grounds refuse to bury them when they die.
But who are the desperately poor today? No, not the farmers who have been committing suicides every year driven by penury. The desperately poor now are those who were till recently working in our factories and offices, in our homes as cooks and drivers, the small trader, the food vendor who kept alive our legend of street cuisine, the fisherwomen who sold the morning catch, the autorikshaw drivers, the truckers, the people who worked in small restaurants and grocery shops, the security guards in uniform who you saw outside malls and multiplexes. The virus and the lockdown have left them jobless, homeless, near destitute. And joining them now are 139 million middle class people across our cities who, says a recent research, will run out of their savings by June end. That’s 30% of India’s urban population. From next month they will have no money left.
A recent survey shows that 84% households have suffered severe loss of income since the lockdown. They are currently living off their savings. But these are drying up. By the end of this month, as the rains beat down on us, many among the middle class will slip into the ranks of the poor, unable to afford treatment if they fall sick, unable to pay for the basic sustenance of their families. They will have to move out from rented homes, sell off their belongings, and borrow money at rates they find impossible to pay back. Pensioners who lived off interest from their bank deposits are also in trouble since banks have dropped their rates. Those who relied on their children working overseas to take care of them are now stranded, as their children are as well – with job losses and sharp salary cuts. Meanwhile fuel prices which should have fallen sharply by now because of global trends have risen every day over the past nineteen days. This will increase prices of almost everything as will the rise in GST that the govt. is contemplating
In short more and more people will keep sinking as the pandemic shows no sign of easing and the govt. refuses to put cash into the hands of people – as some other countries are doing. These are the new untouchables. No one has any time for them. And the govt. is least bothered about their future. Instead , it continues making grandiose, extravagant schemes of lakhs of crores from which nothing ever reaches these people. The result? An incompetent government and a lazy Opposition have, between them, destroyed an economy that was so well poised for the future. Very soon, if the pandemic persists and the quality of governance does not change, we will all become untouchables
Meanwhile, a new political class with swag and braggadocio – and unlimited money at it’s disposal – is emerging as the new Brahmins. They want to run tomorrow’s India with the two-rupee trolls as their private Army”. Unquote.
An ex. Modi-Bhakt turned India-Bhakt now, you can see the widely read columnist has the guts to call a spade a spade. That’s the spirit of a true journalist dedicated to the cause of the country – not of a sycophant like many today, serving the cause of an individual leader – even to the extent of trying to cover up his follies affecting the nation! Nehrus and Modis are transitory – the nation alone is permanent and the one that matters. By the way, one question to the Bhakts – Is Pritish Nandi a national or antinational?
I wish to conclude with the following observations in this context:
Extremism whether in love, hate, attitude or thought , just doesn’t fit in a vibrant democracy like India.( May be ok with countries such as China, North Korea or even a kingdom such as Saudi Arabia – but we don’t want it here.)
Openness is the hallmark of true democracy. Nothing at all should be beyond the reach of RTI. Once elected to power, we don’t want any extra-popular ideology backseat –driving a duly elected govt. – whether in states or at the Centre. Trying to tame dissenting voices through intimidation such as tax raids will not succeed for long. Dialogues and consensus – not monologues and compulsion, is the way forward.
Bigots and Chauvinists have no place in a secular democracy. India and Indians must be the sole primary concern – everything else is secondary. Jai Hind. Here are some critical look at the recent events:
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The words Democracy, Secular and Republic only looks good in our history books. The ruling is a sham, the opposition is a joke and we the people are completely broke.