Lose the Venom, Keep the Bite
Like everyone else in our country I have gone through the process of fear, anxiety, sadness, frustration and rage. I wanted to throttle all those glib talking politicians. The urge to give our PM a good hard shake to get him to stop mouthing clichés was very strong I wanted to hear something different and new from someone in our political leadership.
Now that I am out of the rage phase and in a calmer contemplative mood, I am beginning to see the Mumbai failure as endemic of all that is wrong about us as a nation. It is not just about our inability to face terrorist attacks – it is our inability to function properly as a nation. When we sit down to discuss what needs to be done, we find that we have to address fundamental issues.
I am therefore beginning to see this as an opportunity really. If we can seize the moment and drive big changes, we will be able to tackle most of our other problems as well.
Nothing Short of an Overhaul will do
The list of things being spoken about that need to change is enormous. Here is a selected list gleaned from hours of TV, reams of print and years of living through it all.
- At one level it is about centre state relationships and the law -the creation of the Indian FBI has been held up by BJP states in India. The irony is that it was the BJP led NDA that had first proposed the idea and now that they are in opposition at the centre they see it as a turf war. By the way, it would probably have been the same if the roles had been switched.
- Evolving a national consensus on these issues and project one united face. Hmmm…we are already seeing signs that the current leaders of all political parties are completely incapable of even understanding what this means. We have seen the ads and posters appearing looking to make political gain. The leader of the opposition did not have the time to attend the all-party meet that was called.
- The police force reforms, autonomy from political interference…sounds like so much idealistic bullcrap because of our 60 years of experience.
- Expecting the media to do its job properly. Put out well-researched and meaningful pieces on the reality of this challenge and not look to push their own anchor’s point of view or talk irresponsibly. When you have a mix of only young untrained largely ‘shortcut’ driven journalists and a few experienced almost megalomaniac bunch what do you expect?
- Behave differently – not jump queues, be patient, be vigilant, not take shortcuts.
- Introduce more accountability and transparency in governance. Ya ya (yawn!). Haven’t we heard this before?
The point is, there is a huge programme of CHANGE required for us to effectively stand up as a nation that can take this and any other blow on the chin and hit back so hard that no one dares throw another punch at us. Such a massive programme requires a leader/leaders who will envision and drive this change.
The Legacy Effect
The first thing we have to sadly accept is that it cannot be one of the usual suspects. Even if they are well meaning, none of them are truly capable of fighting off the LEGACY effect.
This is the effect that conditions our beliefs and actions in such a way that we are capable of acting and behaving in only one particular paradigm. Here are some examples:
- L.K.Advani is a product of the partition and decades of raising his hand in a Hitler salute dressed in khaki knickers. Even when he wants to break away from this legacy (remember the Jinnah comments?), he cannot. Can you visualize him as a unifier, representing a view of plurality? How can one expect him to be a harbinger of change?
- Sonia Gandhi, by virtue of belonging to ‘The Family’ has no option but to believe that her children are the ones destined to be the leaders. Serious competitors will somehow never make their way to the top in that party. Change in that system will be a matter of luck, if one of the anointed ones turns out to be a truly great leader with vision.
- The Left is…well the left. All their attempts at taking a right turn have resulted in creating a new left. Mamata is the new land reformer and voice of the proletariat. The Left have, since then, quickly backtracked.
- The IAS mandarin has always wanted as little change as possible. His is the world of the status quo, by the design of the systems in which he operates.
- We, the ordinary citizens of India are looking to get a little ‘lift’ out of turn, to push ahead in the queue. That is the only way we know of getting ahead in this country of a billion pushing heaving souls. No one wants to follow the law, except the village idiot.
Guess you have got the point by now.
Is Change on this scale possible?
Within our system and within the pool that we have it is a definite possibility. There are a few examples for us to look at and learn from:
- At a time when the world was only speaking the language of war and aggression, one man in a half dhoti led us to our freedom without throwing a single stone. He took what was an elitist and fragmented movement and brought in the common man as part of the strategy to make it happen. Talk about change!
- We lost our socialism and license raj through the late 80’s and 90’s. We are reading this on our desktops and laptops and our mobile phones because of that change!
- Outside of our country, the whole world changed when the Berlin Wall came down.
- China has affected what is one of the most profound changes that have significantly changed the lot of its countrymen and the dynamics of the world in the 21st century.
The Change Programme
- While we wait for the ‘Great Leader’ to emerge, we can make the best of what we have. It is not about high falutin ideals only but also clear actions on specific items. By using media we have to keep our current bunch honest, committed and accountable to this.Let the media decide, as a cartel, that they will not give any footage to any politician speaking the language of divisiveness and will also create forums for those with a change agenda.
- The best we can hope for is that the current bunch will transition to a newer lot soon. We need to look at the younger lot within the larger parties to find the future leaders. Personally speaking, the only politician who came off looking and sounding good in the last few days was Milind Deora. He was there in the middle being useful and responsible. Also seemed to say the right things and looked believable. There must be others like him elsewhere too.
- Create 2/3 programmes that will have the maximum change impact and put these young turks in charge. Give them responsibility and make them accountable. Programmes could be around – “homeland security”, “electoral reforms”, “speedier justice”. Remember Sam Pitroda and the Missions? It worked. You have to look at your cell phone to realize that. The list can be different but the method is the point.
- These need to be parliament empowered and time bound programmes with defined milestones and objectives.
Add to this list. Debate and tear it apart, please. Pass the thought along if you like it. The passing along of this and other thoughts, in the current environment is what is building up the pressure for the powers that be to recognize that Change is upon them and if they are not part of it, the garbage heap of anonymity is where they will be thrown into.
Some very interesting opinions below that you should read.
Talk is cheap, lives are not
Time to listen to people, Mr PM
We Cannot Handle This
Dear Mr. Terrorist,
D5 Creation
changes we need to practice as citizens.
1.Don’t jump red light
2.Wait for your turn
3.Do not bribe
4.Do not expect instant gratification
5.Do not employ illegal migrants to our country either for domestic or low value office work.
Some examples during this tragedy that came to light.
1. There are 800 illegal trawlers in Gujarat of which 150 are apparently being operated by illegal migrants from Bangladesh
Neatly put.
I wish we had a ban on religion in politics. 95% of our nation’s current problems will be solved, the rest of the bastards can be taken care of by our Cops.
cheers
In this exhaustively presented point-counter point – two things stuck to me:
1. As you have correctly demanded – change is needed in the individual, societal, administrative and political level. In essence – everywhere. Change is needed in one key dimension : commitment to our responsibilities in all these levels – as citizens, family members, organization members, bureaucrats etc..
However – such change is gigantic and needs something more monumental for it to happen. The Mumbai terror atrocity may be a spark but can it sustain the fire? We have always talked about change being driven top-down and change bubbling up bottoms up. The former can be quick, is often painful, and almost always earns its detractors – sometimes a bevy of them. The latter, slow, painfully slow. Which brings me to the second point that stuck to me:
2. This change can and probably will be ushered in by the young energetic liberal young politicians..but they will probably need to be given a power framework of authority that will enable them to act swiftly and decisively. The current structure of federated states, the checks and balances between administrative, judiciary and elected representatives have over time been twisted to create more barriers than solutions. Admitted, managing a gigantic 1 billion mass is impossible without an elaborate framework, but the current one obviously needs an radical overhaul. Cut down the authority of the states in matters related to security and national commerce. Give more autonomy to the bureaucrats and protect them from political fallouts of unpopular – but necessary decisions. And overall, restore the dignity of public service – in pay, in service conditions, in growth and opportunities.
Counterpoint – can India ring in these changes in the current state of its citizens and administrators? Or, do we, do we really need more explosive change? May be a popular uprising? May the next Netaji step forward please?
Well thought and well written !
Totally agree , that you need more educated young bloods like Milinds, Sachins, Omars & Rahuls!!! They think , act , move and decide faster and have the ability to think laterally.
Also, it is necessary that at all levels of elections , be it be MLAs, MPs , candidates who we vote of whichever party , should have to have minimum qualification process :A] Graduate
B] No criminal background C] a thorough investigation on financial background to eliminate corruption
To utilize tax payers money better :
Penalise any party who disrupts parliament and let the paty foot the bill .
Government should appoint posts of CEO /COO and all the post should have long term 5 years objective clearly defined and goals every year , with half yearly reviews , open to public as we are the share holders.
Like wise agree with Gautam’s points …..as citizens we also need to start owning up our responsibilities!!!
Here’s another breathtaking view of the Mumbai tragedy: http://www.hotklix.com/?ref=content/152704
Will possibly leave you more infuriated.
Lovely article, has summed the entire required poa very well.
We out here have been worrying about what we can really do about things in India. A lot of us youngsters have taken up habits like avoiding the use of plastics, not discarding waste on the road, actively stopping people from damaging our heritage sites with their own scribbles, planting trees and yes even getting into fights to prevent people from cutting large trees, etc.
I only wish that we could form a formal unit / group of some sort and do something towards bettering our own civic sense and therefore the environment around us.
Am sure, that we can do a little something, each one of us in our own small way, to make a small change take place, somewhere
Sanjeev, Very well-put. I really hope this sparks some action which to my mind would be the best tribute to the ones who have lost their lives or loved ones.
Had written a not-as-eloquent piece myself at http://chordsoflife.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/bombay-dreams-shattered/
I also feel this change CANNOT be affected by any politician. To my mind it will have to be industry/other youngsters (karmayogis) who will need to lead this.
I further feel it is very important that this desire, fire, bite is quickly spread amongst the less privileged masses, and they are kept as involved. This cannot be a movement of only the intelligentsia.
Some friends and I are meeting to discuss possible action points and hope to have more to report on that.
I agree with what you said about Milind Doera. He spoke well. In general, I feel that it is our tendency to make a tamasha out of everything and not do any follow up. How many channels or people follow up what the government is actually doing to prevent a recurrence. Coincidentally, I had published an article on the importance of monitoring execution(on the links above for those interested). Though it is on Obama, it applies equally well here.
I have just been watching on TV the 4 city solidarity meets. I was pleasantly surprised, had thought it would be a largely ‘elitist’ lot but there was quite a cross section.
I guess this is a situation that is waiting for someone to grab the leadership because without it, unfortunately it will lose steam.
@Dipan, I am of the belief that we have to believe that change is possible and lets hope withut the explosive changes all of us are dreading.
@Debraj and @Goutam and @Bubbly, it is reassuring to see other people believing that that the first steps have to be from within.
I am a little worried about the way we are ratcheting up the anti Pakistan rhetoric. It will defeat the purpose. This is not the way. We have to solidly establish our grounds, use the FBI, MOSSAD, British Intelligence…whoever to corroborate and then make it impossible to the government there not to commit to some action. In the current state the West is happy to come and say ‘now now children dont fight’. This is terrible.
What happened in Mumbai affects me as some one who has loved and hated mumbai over the years and me as an Indian.
Me…i lost some of my friends….but then i have lost some of them to drugs, stress and bad relationships…atleast i was not embarassed at these prayer meetings. There was a hope that they did something heroic for atleast for a nano second before they took the bullet…atleast some i know would have atleast said &#*$ you! Ofcourse i lost two of my favourite restaurants in the country to fire…but hey, i will live!
Me Indian…i felt humiliation! I have voted every time since i was 18…i have stood everytime for my national anthem…since i can remember. I felt humiliation…that a country so large that we can send stuff to moon, cannot protect our own. Or atleast not as fast as we should. It takes 9 hours for special forces to get into the act….while our poorly equipped police force takes bullets on their necks!
Someone remind me what EXACTLY did the Chandrayan achieve, how much did it cost, how much does the Haj and Khubmh mela subsidies cost?! And those are more important than protecting our own lives?
I will still vote and i do hope you do too….if not for someone you believe in then atleast to tell all that you dont believe in anyone. By not turning up…all you say is that ‘i dont care’ ! That is exactly what got us here in the first place!
The home minister didnot care enough to send in the army within an hour…some demi god did not care that the NSG took 9 hours to get to the scene…Manmohan Singh did not care to lose the dead pan …his speech writer did not care to reassure me/ us….Mr Patil in Maharashtra did not think twice through before saying this is a ‘small incident’…Mr Desmukh did not care to think if its ok to take a film director along…the list goes on.
We need to turn up and vote and then we need to demand to know whats going on. When was the last time you let your maid get away with a lunch served 2 hours late….your driver bashing the car and saying it is a ‘small incident’ ?
We , I as Indians need to demand accountability and need to take a little time out of another beer, another 20-20 match , yet another box office hit to do this.Use the RTI…it on the net, to demand accountability…or use the media( they seem to be more than willing).
After feeling humiliation and anger i attended prayer meetings, commented on sanjeev’s blog and got the process of transferring my Voters Id card to the city i live in now going…far from enough…please tell me you did more!
When I read Sanjeev’s piece, it occurred to me that we, the so called educated middle class, do this very well. You know, express our anger, happiness,helplessness,pride,shame…… through articles, discussions (adda, as we say it in Bengali)over chai,coffee,drinks or dinner, and now thru’ blogging. “Pen is Mightier Than Sword….” remember my English teacher citing the revolutionary effects of this phrase ! Well its time we wielded the sword (relax! i don’t mean literally)! The swell has started. We have to get out of our ivory towers and join in. This time let us not just write, talk and analyse, let us make it happen. Some of us have already started in their small way (Gautam,Radha,Bubbly……)but what about the rest of us…?
Assuming that there are others who are already doing or have just started doing meaningful things that will accelerate the process of change, I still feel that if we want our children to live in a world where their lives are not suspended watching hours of real life terrorist activities unfolding……..we need to do something concrete hard hitting and the time is now !!
I don’t have all the answers. I am looking for a leader to show us the way.
Why can’t I; for all my qualifications, experience and outlook combined with my experience, expertise and verve – and above all fired by my fervor – seek to be a career politician?
I wish there was a system in place – where beyond proving one’s nuisance value, thundering with one’s financial prowess or asserting one’s dynastic legacy – there was a a way for academicians, executives, media men, social activists et al to get into politics.
If by cadre application or say through ideology workshops one could take up polity (not politics!) as a career option – I would. Educated people need to get into politics and all that humbug, I’ve heard.
Tell me how and where? And if not – make way at least now. Suhel Seth, Karan Thapar and such other walkathon champions – what say! Do suggest it to your Lutyen’s Delhi friends over free booze.
Please do find out how an Oxford chemist (Margaret Thatcher) and a Harvard lawyer (Barack Obama) made it. That’s how. To begin with – they both filled forms! CHANGE followed.
World’s Largest Democracy – my foot. The beautiful Sea Lounge is where I gave my first job interview. And 1900s was the first disc I went too! La Patisserie – the cake shop and Wasabi – the Japanese delight became my favourites, thanks to my last boss. All burnt down and bombed. And is that why the f**k I came back as a returning Chevening scholar?! That too just about when UK had launched the HSMP Visas.
When I saw the movie, I boasted that I am the first Swades story ever told – at least in my immediate environment. But looks like many of us only have to go away from here. And then be branded off shore – like Raghuram Rajan and Fareed Zakaria – and then have other governments ready to overlook our immigration trivialities and include us into their governments, for pure capability sake.
Out there somewhere, Alyque Padamsee and Milind Deora are going to look into actionable suggestions for Mumbai over candlelight. God alone knows what more is in store for us!