‘You can gouge my one eye out, if you take both from the other,’ has become the stand of the day between the two largest parties of India, the BJP and the Indian National Congress.
There seems no stop for the trolls on the social media, with armies from each one positioning themselves, burning midnight oil to take on the other on any acts of omission or commission. Human gaffes or inadvertent errors get blown up and ridiculed until newer fodder is available to munch. Nothing escapes the troll brigade, be it an innocuous Rahul Gandhi’s attempted entry into a ladies’ toilet, or over the customary hugs of the PM during his meets with heads of other countries.
Networking groups have named themselves, Nationalists, Republican, Indian Patriots, Official and Unofficial Subramaniam Swamy to drag down the levels of civility and perseverance, a very few acting as well-meaning watchdogs. Media is pitting in with glee, cashing on the boorish skirmishes on the web and out of it. TV channels are engaging in vitriolic accusations, much of it reflecting the country in the bad light.
The line dividing anti-national activities and freedom of expression of speech and expression is being breached in alarming regularity, percolating its impact to colleges and university and dragging in the youth who should be building their careers. The protests in the campuses have become increasingly violent and militant, with more and more influence from the crafty and outside, to merely fulfil the hidden agenda of the unseen puppeteers.
Even in the worst of circumstances, when the nation was recently on the brink of a war at Doklam, the role of the opposition was immature, accusing blatantly the government and sipping tea with the representatives of the country, who had perpetrated the standoff. Unity is diversity, the foundation on which India stands glued is rubbished, as linguistic, religious or casteist parochialism is lifting its ugly head more often than ever.
Attacks on cultural, educational and religious institutions grow unabated and legislature increasingly are digressing from their obligations to uphold values of true democracy, the recent happenings in Tamil Nadu being a shining example.
If accountability is missing from politicians and governments, memory is short-lived in the minds of citizens, as revelations of newer disorders and shocks seem unending to keep everyone occupied. A clean government is what is touted by the government as a point in its favour, which should be the fundamental of any democracy. Quality education, jobs, hunger, health, sanitation and above all safety of women should get as much importance as the country, which is arguably sinking in global rankings, with an ever-burgeoning population.
Will the leaders rise to the occasion, is the question!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide voix