India is poised to be the next super power. The world can't move ahead without taking India along and we are no longer the third world nation. We are a nation whose strength lies in its diversity and we take extreme pleasure to quote it to the world. Even our constitution provides us every right to practice our own religions. But are we really moving in the right direction?
A party voted into power on its promises of a corruption free nation. A party voted into power on its promises of providing a strong leadership. A party voted into power on its agenda of growth and development. And a party voted into power as a result of anti incumbency feeling against previous government running through the heart and mind of voters. But once voted, they make a U-turn from their agendas and stab a certain section of voters right in their chests!
They talk about Swachh India, Make In India and Digital India. They ask the different quarters of society to give up their subsidies. They talk about an all inclusive growth of society. They talk of India 25 years from now. But is this what's happening at the ground level? Venom being spewed and hatred being spread on the name of ghar-wapsi, love-jihaad and bahu lao beti bachao. Iconic universities being labeled as training ground of terrorists. People being told what to eat, what to wear, what to read, what to do and what not to do. Outlook of a handful of people being portrayed as outlook of the whole society. People voicing dissent against someone being advised to leave the country, which is against the secular fabric of the country that our constitution wove.
Places that have never witnessed any communal disharmony suddenly fire up in flares. 95% of my friends are Hindus and never did I feel a sense of hatred in their eyes towards me. And same is the case with every Hindu that I have spoken from urban to rural areas. Not only do they both live peacefully with each other, but they also help each other in every possible manner in the time of need. I also feel appalled by the temper-flaring, communal and irresponsible statements of my politicians.
All of a sudden, I have started feeling scared. I never have in last 25 years but now I do. I am paying my taxes to the government but still I am being treated as a refugee. If I agree to everything, its fine. But if I pinpoint to certain shortcomings, my patriotism is in question. My forefathers lived and died in this country, but I am still supposed to prove my patriotism! Why am I still a second grade citizen of this country? If there is a racial attack on an Indian national abroad, we unite together in condemnation. But what about the racial attacks being carried out within country and that too, by organizations and root level workers associated with political parties?
The recent mob lynching on 'assumption' of beef consumption in a village in Greater Noida is a shaming example of the ground reality of 'Achhe Din' promised by the incoming government. Out of fear, Muslims are moving to Muslim dominated regions, Hindus are moving to Hindu dominated regions, Christians are moving to Christian dominated regions and likewise. Once this transition phase is completed, what next? Just like quota pitches, we might start hearing sounds of separate states with dense population of one community. Areas will get divided on basis of communities and religions and no one would dare to cross into each other's regions. Elections would be fought on basic survival rather than development and growth. What will I have to do with growth when my life would be under threat if a certain regime assumes the helm!
Things have started growing beyond ignorance. Sense of fear is prevailing in the society. It's like certain people have a complete free hand and are above the ambit of law. They can do just anything and still get away from it. It appears polarization is the only way of election campaigning. Code of conducts are being tattered by words and the boundary of ethics is being pushed beyond limits. I just hope the good sense prevails and I am not forced out of my place. Being an educated youth I feel so. Then I just wonder what the feelings in rural areas would be like.
Forget about foreign investments, even our Indian companies will soon shift their base to some other country if things continue to be so. Amidst such mob lynchings, kangaroo justice and community specific political vendettas, our government may soon take us to the stage of a civil war, just like the one happening in middle east. And then what follows next after a civil war can be very well thought by anyone with even slightest of wisdom. Politics has stooped so low that they have no clue where they are taking this country too. And neither do we citizens who are continuous falling prey to political brain-washing and killing those with whom we have spent our childhood in great harmony!
RIP the constitution of India.
