Face of India

Some people are so dumb they never learn. Our decision-makers in the Union Government are a good example of this. Time after time, the government has been caught on the wrong foot. Most Indians will remember how, earlier this year, our leaders tried to prevent the public from assembling and demonstrating—first time during the incident involving Baba Ramdev, and second time involving the protest march of Anna Hazare soon thereafter. Both times the government underestimated the extent of public support in favor of the two protests, and resultantly had to bite the bullet. But did they learn anything?

This time around, the public anger against the government had grown many times greater compared to earlier in the year, what with the unending rise in prices and the ever-increasing number of scams by government ministers. One can go on and on, but the fact is that we suffer from a “governance deficit”. It seems everybody, from police to politicians to judges, is busy making money. So, when demonstrators began to assemble in central Delhi nobody understood the gravity of the situation. Nobody from government came to talk, pacify, or placate the protestors. Instead, they were warned not to assemble.

Having seen the tremendous public anger and outrage on the streets, the same decision-makers are now paying their respects to the gang rape victim, whose body came back from Singapore yesterday. They are talking about doing something for the protection of women. But talk is cheap and is almost always intended to score political points and to save one’s skin. Similar assurances were given earlier this year, in similar circumstances, in connection with the passage of the Lokpal Bill. In India rules are enacted to allow exceptions, and promises are made to be broken.

Shame on India

A 23-year old medical student who was repeatedly raped and severely beaten by a gang of six men 2 weeks ago has finally succumbed to her injuries in a hospital in Singapore where she had been brought for treatment. This heinous crime was committed in a moving bus on New Delhi roads in broad daylight.

Criminal behavior is not a trait exclusive to a particular ethnic group, society, or country. We all have the animal in us which is kept in check either by good upbringing, self-control, or fear of punishment. As it is difficult to ensure that everyone is brought up to a certain minimum common standard of moral and ethical behavior, the fear and rule of law is required to ensure compliance with social norms and conduct. In India, we have plenty of laws to cover almost every situation, but no rule of law; we have the law maintenance authority i.e., the police whose members believe they are the law; and we have a supposedly independent judiciary but no delivery of justice for even 15 to 20 years after a case comes to court. Moreover, we have our politicians who are not accountable to us who elected them, not accountable to anyone else, and not even accountable to God because they are themselves God. They cannot do any wrong because they never do anything except lining their pockets, and grabbing every opportunity to enrich themselves at the expense of the people. They never quit, resign, or retire from office--and if they do, they make sure that their offspring inherit their position and power. They are the new Indian maharajas, only worse. Even when a scam is discovered and exposed by the media, the politicians involved are neither convicted nor sentenced. This is the strongest encouragement to the criminally-inclined person to go ahead with the planned illegal activity since the chance of being discovered, arrested, and convicted is slim. If our leaders can do anything and get away unscathed, why can't I?

It is not only the six rapists, the ineffective police and judiciary, nor the despicable Indian politicians who are to blame for this unspeakable crime against humanity. All of us Indians should peep inside ourselves and ask what we could have done, but did not do, to avoid this fate that has befallen upon us. If Pakistan is known around the world as a country that gives a free reign to terrorists, India is in danger of being identified as a country of rapists, scamsters, and corrupt politicians. This despite the fact that at an individual level many Indians have earned a solid reputation universally in the academia, entrepreneurship, information technology, and other areas.

The son of our newly-installed president, and a member of Indian parliament due to his father's position,  called the women demonstators "dented and painted" women who have nothing better to do. The police or the government, instead of listening to the demonstrators and ensuring them of immediate remedial action, tried to stop them from assembling and when that did not work, used lathi-charge (violence) to disperse them. Our prime minister, the puppet, remained silent as usual. The Italian puppeteer, a woman herself, seems too busy grooming her son to take the position of the puppet next year after democratic-looking elections. The remaining members of the government are all sycophants and hangars-on who owe their positions to, and hang from threads held by, the great puppeteer. Was she imposed on us by Italy? No, we ourselves gave this mantle to 'Our Fair Lady'. Did you expect anything better?

If you agree with my reasoning, please forward this to people who might wish to know the truth behind the sorry state of affairs in India.