RUDRANI CHATTORAJ
rudranichattoraj@yahoo.com

DOWN WITH HEROES

LONG LIVE STATUES!

Not far from where once stood Nalanda and Taxilla, a woman was paraded naked! A great civilization that was the magnet of knowledge seekers of the ancient world has fallen as if from Mount Everest to the gutter. Not a day passes without someone somewhere being gang-raped in this country, someone somewhere being kidnapped and murdered, someone somewhere being acquitted of murder because the police were sloppy in presenting evidence, tacitly support the criminals. Not a single session of Parliament passes without ugly scenes and brawny displays, brains being a liability; and Kashmir, UP and Bihar MLAs could put the whole world to shame! While Kargil heroes are languish living on a measly Rs 5000 a month, millions are spent on statues to placate the towering egos of some. Brand new bridges develop cracks even before they are inaugurated, illustrating the principle of greed that rules our culture.
Where are the conscience-keepers of the nation gone? When one sees injustice all around, what shall one do? Be the perfect ostrich, be the martyr, be the leader who creates awareness and mass following before plunging into action? Any popular movement should begin with the right to recall MPs and MLAs who become a law unto themselves once elected for a five-year term. Another agenda should be to make the police accountable by forming citizens’ committees in every town and village and locality. Those cops who destroy evidence or fail to furnish them to shield murderers with political connection should be awarded life imprisonment. Bureaucrats notorious for corruption should be first exposed through the internet and later complained against if no action is taken by government. Internet journalism can be a mighty missile in fighting corruption and safeguarding the right of the citizen. Let a thousand blogs and websites bloom that democracy may flourish in this ancient land that was once a great civilization!