Loss of faith in Democracy

Rumor by weight is a very light object to lift, fairly easy to pass around, but very difficult to put back again.

In a recent chain of events in Muzaffarnagar (a town situated 130 kms from Delhi) what started off as an episode of harassment of a Hindu girl, fed by retaliation from the girl's brothers culminated as a full fledged communal riot. An event  well orchestrated by the political parties to suit their vested interests in which, according to official records, 48 unfortunate people have died.

What was achieved? What purpose it served? Which side ‘won’? These are the questions which will never be answered. What we can be certain about is that all those who have died from both communities were poor people, too weak to defend themselves. People who lived in slums were easy targets for a maniac mob advancing with grievous steps towards them.

Whenever there is a brawl, even the strongest of oppressor looks for the weakest of adversary to prove his mettle .No David dares to fight Goliath, for they know the reality is more intimidating than fiction. Why would a crowd of thousands of people lynch the destitute in the most barbaric of manners with machetes and swords, weak women, children and elderly who could have done no wrong but to worship a different God than they do? 

The people who were killed were helpless, impoverished and poverty stricken, whom society only refers to in policy reports as numbers and percentages.

Usually people from different communities co-exist peacefully. They might not eat in each other's' home, advise their children not to make friends with each other, but definitely wouldn't go after them with obliterating intentions, unless....

It is very easy for political leaders to incite a crowd on religious grounds, assure them political security and make them commit heinous acts which otherwise they wouldn't have fathomed. Maya Kodnani, the infamous BJP MP is now serving a 28 year sentence for handling out swords to rioters in Naroda Patiya, killing 95 Muslims. Mahender Yadav, an ex-MLA of Congress Party used Voter list to identify Sikh men and incited a mob which resulted in the killings of 3000 innocent Sikhs. No political party is stain free, but ultimately the monsters who carry out the genocide are people. People who if educated and had jobs, would have been out doing what they do for a living, instead of killing the helpless.

There is no one size fits all kind of solution for this. Also, it’s not just a problem of our country.USA had its Klu Klux Klan, Germany had its Nazi party and Russia had its Stalin. Making your country a theocracy doesn't work either. Pakistan, christened as an Islamic state is the country where Muslims are killing Muslims in large numbers, everyday.

But the reason why USA, Germany and Russia have one of the best HDIs in the world and why we are still fighting over religion, is a lack of purpose and lack of education. A country where the population has lost confidence in institutions such as police and seeks support from the political leader of his community for justice is bound to suffer. An educated and a well to do victim avoids going to the Police to avert further problems. If the rich don't expect a solution, imagine the plight of the poor.

Police cites helplessness of not having autonomy and addressing their manual as subservient to political leaders, which is true. What other reason could there possibly be for those police officers, capable enough to stop a mob and protect the needy not doing so? It is when the law is not intimidating enough to hold one's feet and you are promised a sense of security, fused by religious bigotry and assurance that you will be monetary rewarded, a helpless kid who once joined an organization to feed himself is gradually transformed into an outlaw.

Educate your kids, feed your countrymen and make your institutions autonomous. People pay taxes for using the road, not having to watch a caravan of 10 Laal Batti cars following a Madamji from their money. People respect Election Commission, Supreme Court and the Defense forces for their honesty and functioning. They are all autonomous and led by educated people. The SPs and ADJs are educated enough to take a prudent call, without having to take orders from people who have chargesheets against their name. It doesn’t help when Supreme Court calls CBI a caged parrot, nor does it help when the ADG of Police pleads transfer from a state where he has worked for all his life.