Thank you dear subscribers, we are overwhelmed with your response.
Your Turn is a unique section from ThePrint featuring points of view from its subscribers. If you are a subscriber, have a point of view, please send it to us. If not, do subscribe here: https://theprint.in/
I have strong views on the following topics but I prefer to keep my views to myself as many a times when I express them in public, I find myself in the minority and somehow my views are “against the popular tide”. So thank you for prodding me for my views.
On current affairs: I think as a nation we are all developing “56 inch” chests and are mastering the art of thumping them … learning very fast from you know who. The surprising thing is that this vast army of ultra-nationalists who keep their “logical thinking caps at home” before they step out and join the bandwagon with a herd mentality is from the well-educated, tax-paying, working middle class who have nothing to gain from the whole highly charged atmosphere that has been created. They work, slog, pay taxes through their noses and are at the receiving end of ill though out schemes by the government and yet they somehow fail to see that their opinions have been hijacked by well-disguised propaganda on social media and go all out to toe the line and justify the positions of the establishment. I could understand if they stand to gain anything from the entire exercise…. but they only stand to lose.
The next 15 years are clearly going to be painful for us all Indians. Major institutions like the press, universities, enforcement agencies like ED, CBI, Police, and even the judiciary will lose or have already lost most of their liberties. The parliament is being toyed with and we are effectively living in an undeclared emergency.
On Progress or Vikas : Since 1991 economic reforms, we have progressed with our economy at a relatively fast pace or so we are told. One is shown numbers when it suits the powers that be. International ratings are tom tommed when they are in our favour and trashed when they are not. And twitter and other Social media has put weapons in the hands of this army of educated and not so educated chest thumpers (actually I would have loved to use the B***T word but I dont dare to do so) to support the incumbents who seem to have a long term plan in place. Sadly, even if these Progress/Vikas claims are true, there is no percolation of wealth. That certain groups are enjoying the favours of the banks and the government instituions like the ports, airports and even the regulatory watchdogs is so obvious, but is conveniently pushed out of the limelight and even covered with a blanket of patriotism. Meanwhile the public is crushed under inflation, unemployment and hopelessness.
On what holds us back: After graduation in the early nineties, there was a lot of optimism and I really thought that our generation was the one which would bring about the change. Thirty years is enough to lift a nation out of its poverty and backwardness. There are several shining examples like Japan, South Korea and Singapore. India seems to have missed the bus. We did take a step or two forward but we seem to take more steps backward than forward. To keep it short, I think the most important reasons holding us back are Caste and Corruption. Caste is so deep rooted and cuts across all section of the society that I sometimes think that we are cursed. There is no hope whatsoever in overcoming this caste problem. Is reservation a good or a bad policy? Initially I used to think that it is the worst thing to happen to us. Later, I changed my mind when I observed that the those benefiting out of this policy could manage to lift themselves up. But then this creamy layer did nothing to help their bretheren.
The entire Indian populace seems to be corrupt. Corruption too cuts across all sections of society. It is there in the industry in the public as well as the private sector. Again there seems to be no nope.
Our Education system: The way Indians perceive education and the method in which education is imparted will hopefully see a sea change. Ideally, lower level education (upto 12th standard) should be so good that it should qualify most people for good jobs or starting their own businesses. Higher education may be expensive but has to have the value and students will weigh the added value they get from it against the costs involved. I believe, only then Indian society will start giving labour ‘dignity’ in the true sense of the work.
A revolution in the education space is the only way in which India will see some innovation and transformation in the social fabric.
Although my view may seem pessimistic, I see myself as an optimist, hoping against hope that India will soar and be great again.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.