Is this the India that people desired?

Is this the India that people desired?
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Highlights

\"Political Freedom, of any size, can’t satisfy the hungry masses.\"- said V.I. Lenin. In our country, political, social and financial freedoms are restricted to politicians, the wealthy and the mighty. The lives of the poor became appalling.

"Political Freedom, of any size, can’t satisfy the hungry masses."- said V.I. Lenin. In our country, political, social and financial freedoms are restricted to politicians, the wealthy and the mighty. The lives of the poor became appalling.


The Rulers’ Trait: Our country was first ruled by patriots and scholars who were revolutionary freedom fighters. National development, democracy, integrity, and unity among the people were their only mottoes. Later politicians with vested interests took over.

They stuck to their seats, yet they never pawned the interests of the people. They publicly criticized illicit activities though they were behind them. Rulers next to them silently mortgaged the nation to the American Multinational Corporations. The current rulers are vibrant verbose and chameleons.

They play fiddle according to the situation, consider self interest over common public interest. To stay in power, they corrupt the society and divide the nation religiously. They are bargaining to trade off an already-debt ridden nation. Their motto seems to be – Make hay while the sun shines, make money when in power and use it to perpetuate in power.

To protect their self-interests, they are silently committing heinous crimes. Those, who raise their voice in protest, are labelled as traitors and trouble-mongers.

They are charged with peace disruption and unlawful behaviour and put behind bars. As per a survey conducted in 2013 by the Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies that covered 22 states and 6,000 participants, only 46% respondents believed in Democracy. 11% of the respondents favoured an authoritarian rule despite curbs to individual’s freedom. People are now dissatisfied with democracy.

They prefer a one man-governance with strong decision-making capabilities. The intellectuals, the well-educated and those who made their fortune through democracy also support this idea.

People favour the governance of those who promote a platform to display their angst and opposition over those who strive to erase the disparity between the rich and the poor. However, they don’t support the war-crazy dictatorship. The survey results reflect the eroding democratic values.

Un-democratic government: The present government pretends to be a parliamentary democratic one.

1. It interferes with the judiciary. The government’s role is made prominent in the appointment of judges. It is mounting pressure on the judges to cause judgments in favour of their companions. Those who obey are rewarded while who oppose are suppressed.

2. The NGOs, that fund the institutions of the ruling party, are protected. The organisations, which are opposing and protesting the injustices done, are banned. The humanitarian social workers and activists are harassed.

3. The government is partial to the corporate and media giants who support them and vengeful against others such as SUN Network, APT, Aaj Tak and NDTV.

4. Powerful strategies are charted to saffronize the Educational, Medical, Research, Cultural and Historical Institutions. Key positions of these institutions are filled with the people their ideology and philosophy who lack the necessary qualifications and abilities. The course of the institutions is changed over difference of opinion and lame excuses. It is dangerous to feed fellow citizens with corrupt thought process that will have long-term repercussions.

5. Those who have not supported them in “Gujarat Massacre” were punished and others who favoured them were rewarded with higher ranks, positions and several other benefits.

6. Including the Prime minister, several Ministers of states and Members of parliament have defied the Republic and insulted the constitution on several occasions. They openly supported a particular religion and hated others.

7. “I will fulfil God’s will”, said Modi, yet he ignored the stalling of the parliament. He does not respect the opposition. Why can’t he learn from his own party’s predecessor, A.B. Vajpayee? One can win the support of an able yet stubborn opposition with the right attitude.

8. He chose to be the sole authority vested with all the powers. He removed all those who he felt would be an impediment in his path. Snehal Ambekar, Mumbai mayor and Shiv Sena leader compared Modi with Hitler.

9. The government removed the current Finance Secretary, Rajiv Mehrishi, a senior-most bureaucrat and appointed in his place, Ajay Tyagi, additional secretary (investment), department of economic affairs, ministry of finance, an officer lower in hierarchy. This goes against the RBI Act that requires the inclusion of senior-most officials in the central board of directors. In order to have their say in the RBI affairs, they set up a Monetary Policy Committee.

10.The “Make in India” logo is the one designed by Swiss designer, Nadine Geissbülher in July 2013 for the Cantonal Bank of Zurich in Switzerland. For reasons unknown, our government has signed a contract, to use the logo, with a US-based company, Wieden + Kennedy, for Rs.4,32,50,000 last August.

This information is received in reply to a question under Right to Information Act. 11. Delhi Ex-Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar, Maharashtra Education Minister, Vinod Tawde, BJP Ministers from Goa, Dilip Parulekar, Sudin Dhavalikar, ex-Minister Anastasio Monserratte , two assembly ministers, Minister of Human Resource Development, Smriti Irani provided false information regarding their educational qualification in the affidavit to the election commission.

Goa deputy-CM Francis D'Souza said, “Submission of wrong information is an offence. Non submission of an information is also an offence.” Our PM, Narendra Modi, in a few instances, hided his marital status and so he could be considered guilty. 12.

In Pune, the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan, and five others in the FTII became questionable. They lack the requisite job requirements. They are promoters of Hindutva. With the government-run institutions losing its sheen, people have to turn to profit-oriented private institutions that have utter disregard to arts. Is this the free democratic country that we wished for? Questioning the erratic ways of the government, fighting and opposing the flawed policies, is every citizen’s primary task.
S. Hanumantha Reddy
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