A friend of ours, Jayaram, asked us ( friends on a gruop web-site) to, rather than go 'Politician' hunting after the terror attacks, to suggest what we could do or what advice we could give the Home Minister to curb further attacks. Or to hypothetically take a few steps to 'get our country back' from the clutches of politics. THis mail below was my response -
"The Question Jayaram probably is asking is whether, I have it in me, to take the steps to do what I want done in our country, to make it the India that we want to live in? -
What’s written below is what I would call Hypocrisy within myself since I know that I wouldn’t be able to achieve 1% of this.
My hypothetical wish list is below (Not necessarily in the order of preference)
1. I would make President Kalam a President for a further term or more...
2. I would ban the use of Religion by any political party (and conversely the use of Politics as well by any Religious body)
3. I would BAN anyone with a Criminal record from any form of public appearance.( It would be important to define the nature of the criminal implication else we would become like the US where lawyers rule supreme and litigation takes precedence over everything else)
4. I would end Reservations - I would make Education free for the downtrodden at the Best Schools and Universities - But they would have to prove themselves. This can be introduced in a 10 Year plan to give those who have not had a chance - to uplift themselves.
5. I would support Green Energy Solutions in Rural India to commence with. Urban India will have to learn from Rural India.
6. Poverty eradication programmes - would have to take a priority - India cannot shine unless the poor have hope. You have to be a little socialist to make this work. This is probably India’s most complex problem but the MOST PERTINENT to solving our problems with Government. If the downtrodden have employment/work and income - there will be less poverty and thus less crime and more importantly less malleable to Political beck and calls. A permanent fund to support farmers who contribute to Food Security. Give them incentives even when there is no crisis.
7. I would make the Armed Forces the highest paying profession - BUT would raise the standard of entry and promotion. Lowering the standard in the forces would be catastrophic. They should be paid far higher than that of the Civil Services.
8. I would reduce our dependence on the US - They seem to need us more then us, them. And the manner in which the US have antagonised the Muslims and coloured people, it makes our foreign policy difficult when we are closely associated with them. Probably after a few years of Obama - may have a rethink on this one.
9. I would resolve Kashmir once and for all - a few bold referendums and decisions - if need be. Thereafter we can ignore Pakistan - while making sure that our borders are protected. A well remunerated and looked after Army is all we need. Pakistan needs us to survive. A Pakistan without Kashmir as an issue, will be no longer have a voice in the world
10. Our youth needs activity and Sporting activity is the best - we have a huge scope for development here and this will yield results. We have the manpower (and woman power too !!!) - Keep Politicians out of the sporting bodies and BAN life time Chairmanships of Federations. This is what is killing sport. Ex-Sportsmen and women should head Federations and this will give a huge boost to sports.
( Don’t I sound like any other politician here!!???)
NOW TO A MORE HYPOCRITICAL ANSWER ( or Questions?)
WHAT WOULD WE DO (from the position that WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW) TO IMPROVE OUR LOT AS INDIANS
This is the tough one (the line that Sulabha was taking) - I first have to think/reflect on -
1. Would I stop tipping/dashing the cop who’s stopped me ( whether or not he has the right to OR whether or not I did make a traffic infringement or not)
2. Would I make the effort and stand in a queue to Vote - *(Its easy to say that I wont vote for X or Y because they are all corrupt - but would you vote and if there’s no one to vote for would you push a candidate) -
3. Would I refuse to buy a flat or build a house on a plot that I’ve already paid a lot of money for, because it was on an illegally procured plot?
4. Would I pay a tip to get on a train even though I did not have a reservation?
5. Would I stop the train or bus if I saw someone at the receiving end of an injustice?
6. Would I give up my clothes/garments/shoes if I was aware that someone in the production line has been exploited.
7. Would I blow a whistle if I saw someone else being corrupt and it did not affect me directly?
8. Would I resign my job if I knew my company was not adhering to the law.
9. Would I go further after resigning - to prosecute or attempt to prosecute my company - or would I go on with my life elsewhere.
10. How far am I willing to go on Gandhian principles. How relevant are they today? One film about Gandhigiri ( Lagey Raho Munnabhai) did actually create a stir - and then once again we’ve forgotten it. My question is that if we can conscienciously try to become straight and honest citizens - will it be enough to correct the nation from bottom up?
PERSONALLY - This is what I am trying to do from where I live -
1. Stop throwing litter around
2. I teach my little daughter to do the same
3. Pick up litter even if someone else has dropped it
4. Refuse to Bribe someone for something that I need. ( I do sometimes convince myself and my conscience that giving a 'dash' in some parts of Africa does not surmount to bribery as it is a way of life here - they do not get paid salaries for many months - thus a police man here stops you and asks for money not because he is corrupt - but because he either has no other source of income or is just asking because 'you have' and 'he wants')
5. Use a bicycle whenever possible to move around or travel with a car pool if possible
6 Moving towards using Solar energy at home for water heating
7. Devote some of my time to Development work in an area that I can lend my experience.
8. Assist villagers in making sustainable incomes with my business
9. Encourage the youth in my neighbourhood to engage in fair play sports
10. Discourage the use of racist words in my circle
11. Encourage the importance of making Religion very private within my circle once again .........
I don’t know how much of an effect we can make individually in this manner - but it at least makes you feel good.....
However I do enjoy my Vodka and Whiskies and often wonder if I’m breaking an ethics code somewhere????
Cheers
Ram
PS I haven’t been able to count the words I’ve used and hope that I have not gone beyond the 1500 limit :-) .... guess I’m disqualified anyway!!
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