World over citizens await for the approach of a new dawn, a happy new year, champagne bottles ready to be popped up and splashed , fire-works, glittering dresses, moulding a colourful world, at least for a few hours. Passing of 2010 to 2011, that defining moment, that refining moment that citizens dreams about soar high like their spirit that too at least for a few hours.
While the eagerness as well as happiness reverberate across the world, each of us knows for well that we are sitting on a time-bomb likely to explode at any time. Such are the threats we are confronted with, from various corners, still we nurture happy moments and wish for happier days to prevail among humanity, their well-being in the coming days. This is not intended to travel around the world, this is just to concentrate on our lingering apprehensions that pose a threat to Indian democracy which is at crossroads since a few years, especially since 2009.
Talks of the sad, shocking, painful goings on across our nation started from the top echelons of power but don’t forget our bureaucracy got caught in the web of corruption since decades ago and as it is at the lower rung not much talked about and we took it for granted as the order of the day.
Now corruption has seeped into almost all spheres of life and it seems we have no escape from it. How is it possible to contain this menace while those who are entrusted with tackling it get entangled in it. That is the situation in India and that is the situation prevailing across the world barring few cases.
One thing which shocked our nation however was that our media world itself which is supposed to keep a close vigil on matters relating to corruption themselves get embroiled in the muddle. With the leaking out of taped conversations between a corporate lobbyist, one Niira Radia, and many media icons whom we always held in high esteem since years. We respected them, many journalist aspirants of the Gen X tried to emulate them not knowing their true colours, conferred awards on them for their valuable contributions to the field of journalism in the presence of revered intellectuals without being aware of the unholy nexus between the corporate lobbyist and these gentlemen and women. The news that one national news channel was being run by the corporate journalist was kind of a bomb explosion. If the income tax sleuths had not taped the conversations that transpired among them we would not have come to know of it even now. The whole matter would have been swept under the carpet and the game would have gone on as before reducing common men like us to fools.
The media world actually got caught in the swamp even before this nasty state of affairs. In the general elections 2009 a new affectation called ‘paid-news syndrome’ very much prevalent even in these times. ‘Paid-news syndrome’ enabled media tycoons stash their pockets with bundles of currencies by entering into shady deals with the political leaders, especially candidates – there are crorepatis, millionaires and billionaires among them – who greased the palms of the media tycoons to report in their favour which would make sure an easy victory for these candidates. Under such a situation, the ones with their hands empty bit the dust at the hustings as they didn’t have the wherewithal to lure the voters with money. As average Indian voter could easily be lured, throwing away all his/her principles such was his/her predicament.
A Minister who allegedly cost a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer. A government which vehemently oppose a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) probe to investigate the scam - the 2G Spectrum scam - which cost such a large loss.
A Congress leader who allegedly swindled Rs 70000 crore in Common Wealth Games -2010. A govt which is not much concerned with the issue the slow progress being made in investigating it.
The Adarsh Housing Scheme scam which cost a Chief Minister his job, the loss incurred still a matter of conjecture.
Still one by one scams and scandals baring out their ugly heads. The three loss makers still remain free birds.
At the same time a human rights activist known the world-over, a humanist, a saintly doctor Dr. Binayak Sen sentenced for life and incarcerated all in our India.
Still we, like a ritual, convey to each other a happy new year, a very very happy 2011.
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