R.S. Gill
Tall promises and proud pronouncements on I-Day fetes, even if made by the head of Government have little meaning when the country is on the verge of economic, social and political disaster – may be due to the arrogant style disconnect by the BJPians in power, whimsical bureaucrats on steering to smash whatever comes their way that has been so far surviving or sustaining somehow. And Corona pandemic finally hit the last nail in the head! And coming as it does on the eve of the most eventful day in Indian History, their words evoke little passion amidst a much-fatigued nation. Babudom has overshadowed the public affairs choking off all that was already suffocating! These Babus have been making policies for youth to make them jobless; for Industries to lock them down; for Media to choke and shut it; for businesses to turn them unviable; for Agriculture to render it unproductive; and so forth. The Nation is left to babus to drive as per their whims.
Sure, we are patriotic, but we are humans too, with skins not as thick as the politicians and Babus. Whither Independence, when we are prisoners in our land where the mind is full of fear and the head is bowed in disgrace, not to speak of the narrow domestic walls that divide us?
Corruption and casteism are just two of the knives that are cutting the nation into pieces. There is a plethora of other maladies, mostly the handiwork of our political masters and their crony bureaucrats that are eating into the vitals of the polity and society and the fruits of freedom can be truly savored only if the politicians and Babus are made to shed their shenanigans and see reason.
A free nation, eager to celebrate should also feel free to contemplate such lapses that can make freedom a farce for huge multitudes.
And in these trying times-blame it on Kalyug-when even god has taken a sabbatical, where can we ordinary mortals turn to? It is not a question of if we are free, but how free we are.
