India, the largest concentration of humans on the only habitable planet of the Solar System, is passing through a grave crisis. Knives are out and daggers drawn. Political parties present a picture of worst motives and a dangerous lack of sincerity and love of the nation and its common citizens. In fact, selfish persons are at the helm of affairs of many of our political parties. Self interest and sticking to power by hook or by crook is the dominant trend in the corridors of power.
Laws are being made not with sincerity for common good but on the basis of narrow considerations and communal angles. Unemployment is widespread and inflation is increasing by hours and minutes.
Economic development and industrial growth is slowing down. Foreign debt is steadily increasing burdening us with unbearable amount of interest payment. Add to this the reckless and mad policies of US government which endanger our exports and enhance our expenditure on imports. The sweet dream of becoming $5 trillion economy is nowhere in sight. It looks like a ‘jumla’ in the crowd of such other sweet-sounding jumlas and promises which are raining on the gullible citizens.
Out of 145 crore population, more than 100 crore people are just hand to mouth. The gulf between the haves and the have-nots is steadily widening. Wealth and resources are concentrated in the hands of a handful people who control the levers of power and economy. Democracy has degraded to just elections which have become a farce in the hands of a pro-establishment election commission.
New problems are raising their heads which have endangered the unity and integrity of the nation. North-South estrangement is on the increase. The long-delayed delimitation of parliamentary constituencies is posing great danger. The fiveSouthern States have successfully implemented the family planning schemes. As a result, after delimitation they would face considerable reduction in their share in the Parliament and theirresultant share in the governance of the Indian federation will also be affected. Therefore, the Southern States have demanded continuation of number of their seats for the next 25 yearsfurther.
The Southern States are against the imposition of Hindi. It is imperative that English must be continued as an additional language for all India inter-State communications.
Southern States also raise their objection that from the central pool their share of revenue is continuously being reduced. This problem also should be amicably settled. The ruling party must avoid jumlabazi and give real stress to health, education and development. It should respect federalism and treat all states as equally important. This is not the time for correcting the real or assumed historical wrongs. Unfortunately, the hardcore communal and fascist elements are instigating Hindu-Muslim discord. Emperor Aurangzeb is being used as a bogey to rouse people as a strategy to control the levers of power.
Don’t they understand that the conflicts between Aurangzeb and Shivaji were the usual conflicts between rulers of the medieval India? It is a historical fact that Shahji, grandson of Shivaji, was under the tutelage of Aurangzeb. When he was released after the death of Aurangzeb and allowed to return to his state, he respectfully paid a visit to Aurangzeb’s grave at Khuldabad. This also should be remembered that the Aurangzeb’s daughter was the guardian of Shahji. Shahjiconstructed a mosque in his state as a mark of respect for the princess.
Communal and fascist conflicts don’t have any place in modern, secular and all-embracing India. All talks of digging graves are a disservice to society and pure nonsense. Such moves will complicate the things and do irreparable damage to the social fabric of the nation. Sane citizens must come forward and strive for reconciliation and harmony.