Though, criticizing democracy needs a preparation, dare and most importantly a better substitute of the governance for the system. But people dying for democracy in Arab world put various questions on fore regarding the cost they are paying for what.
Now, the gulf countries are in dire need of democracy which has put Arab dictatorships under fire. Viewing the mass mobilaisation and what happened in countries like Tunisia and Egypt, it could be said that Arabian people will get their dreams fulfilled, sooner or later.
It is hard to believe that a single death caused burning situation in Gulf countries. Notably, on December 17, when a 28-year-old, unemployed high school graduate, Mohamed Bouazizi, immolated himself after a policewoman had confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling on the street. The young man belonged from Tunisia. When he died on January 14, his hometown, Sidi Bouzid, erupted in revolt. A single life changed the whole gulf region and people started mobilising against ruler of the country and ultimately forced Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee away from the country.
Subsequent to the incident in Tunisia, other countries also faced similar volatile situation and now all rulers, who are ruling over the people for decades are in hot water.
As the news coming from petroleum rich countries, people are immolating themselves with the logic that if the immolation of a single man could change the system in Tunisia, their sacrifices could also do the same. Hope their sacrifice will not go in vein.
But in India, there are already such incidents happening but it is hard to see any united effort from the people in order to compel the government or politicians for taking any serious decision in their favour.
On last Sunday, Phooli Adivasi (49) resident of Tikamgarh district coming in Madhya Pradesh killed him subsequent to axing his wife and two children to death. The man apparently took the extreme step being tired of abject poverty. Reportedly, the family had not had meals for the last two days, which drove the man to take shocking act.
This horrifying incident hardly got single column space in newspapers and failed to receive any comment from leaders. This is not the unique case at all.
Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government has admitted in assembly that 89 farmers and 47 agriculture labourers committed suicide in 87 days from November 6, 2010 to January, 2011. The overall figures of farmer’s suicides in the state are quite horrifying. Vide, total 8,298 farmers committed suicide from 2007 to 2009, while on an average farmers ended life every day from 2007 to 2009 is 3.79.
According to a data published in ‘The Hindu’ in December the average number per year of farmers in India who committed suicide between the year 1997 and 2009 is 17,000 and percentage share of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh states in annual farmer suicide in India is 62.
On the ground of poverty and unemployment, though, Government of India has its own claim but various committees formulated to get exact figure of people living below poverty line including Arjun Sengupta, have presented horrifying figure regarding poverty. Sengupta committee claimed that more than 70 percent Indian, which counts around 90 crore people are struggling for meeting the two ends. The enormous population of free India is surviving on a mere expenditure of Rs 20 a day.
Even after such worst condition, why isn’t there any possibility of such scene in the near future, which will lead the people to congregate together and tame the ruling class.
If one can delve deeply, he would find the very similar reason for which Arab people are fighting for, is working against the people of India. The democracy (don’t know how much democracy it is) is being used to pacify the anger of people and working as the face-saving weapons for the ruling society in the country.
Whenever a common person comes on the road, opposing the government decision, many people among us started opposing vehemently our own friends. They just started using the logic that there is no place for violence or protest in democracy. This value has been imitated by the ruling class, who allowed such condition of Indians.
Dear Kundan, I am agree with your opinion, you are correct and have written a good article. I expect that next time when you will write any article on such issue you will surely come up with some suggestions for democrats to read and think some.
ReplyDeleteBest of Luck, go on with your great endeavors.....