Becoming of a Hopeless Nation

I was standing in the queue for speedpost delivery at a non-descript post office in the National Capital Region. There was a long queue for registered and speedpost delivery, while other windows for stamp sale, passbooks and railway reservation were relatively free. Being an Indian one can’t afford to dislike queues. I stood patiently waiting for my turn. Suddenly some people in the queue starting ‘protesting’ and asked the post master to start another window for registered and speedpost service. He first ignored but when the ‘protest’ turned loud he rudely starting counting his own problems like inadequate manpower, lack of facilities and unplanned rush on Saturdays. The verbal duel continued for some time but led to no solution. Post master went back to his seat and we in queue kept waiting for our turn in front of the single window for registered and speedpost services. Then happened another incident, a girl standing suspiciously near the front of the window, kept trying to enter the queue. Others in queue ‘protested’ again. Another tussle erupted, but neither the girl moved nor did our turn came quickly. This experience was different to what I had experienced in my childhood in government offices. Such incidents did happen in those days as well, but we seldom protested. Standing in queue that day, there came the realization that India had finally found its voice.

2012 has been a year of protests in India. We protested against corruption for the larger part of the year. Ramlila Ground to India Gate to Bandra Kurla in Mumbai to smaller towns and villages, we protested against corruption! After a gap, we protested again in end of Dec’12. This time the protests were against the crime against women when the gang rape of a medical student in Delhi became the ‘tipping point’. We, meanwhile, protested against some ministers in the central cabinet, we protested against opposition leader, we protested against black money…and we protested strongly…yes, it is evident, we have found our collective voice. This voice in collaboration with 24*7 media becomes a heavy cocktail. Media gets its story and we romance with the idea of serving to the call of the nation. In this heavy cocktail, we, media and us, have both lost the plot. And add to it the arrogance of those in seats of power, like the post master and ministers, who cushion their arrogance in disguise to save democratic principles and institutions. So finally all of us need to ask ourselves what have we achieved of these protests? Has there been any reduction in corruption or crime against women, which were the main aims of these protests? 

The ruling class also needs to introspect. What’s wrong if people ask for control on corruption and crime against women? Are these unjustified demands or against the constitution? These were the issues over which all political parties could have come together. This could have enhanced the stakes of politicians in eyes of people.  But they failed. They failed miserably. The ruling class off their cocky ignorance saw the public demand and protest as intrusion on their right. Directionless opposition kept shuffling from one side to another for want of immediate gain. Where political class failed, the so called civil society also went into different ways leaving the whole movement into lurch. So as we stand today…people protest, aspiring to live in India of 2050…..politician sleep, still in dreams about India of 1990s………and the civil society, confused and collapsed, needs urgent oxygen.

A solution is reached when both sides reach to a common point. But where is the middle way here? Where is the solution to these problems? In this hoo hoo gulla of protests, arguments, discussions and mud sledging….the whole plot is lost. The basic issues for which we protested are lost. As we hold our heads down in frustration, the elusive light fades somewhere away at horizon. Where is the hope? This is becoming of a hopeless nation.