Dear Mr. Politician.
Thank You.
Thank you, for opening my eyes, for showing me the stark truth, for releasing the pent-up emotions within my being. For telling me that Credibility, Liability, Responsibility and Accountability are mere terms that look good in the Constitution, and in newspaper-articles-and-columns. Sometimes on panel discussions on news channels too. For telling me that they don’t really exist in times of necessary action, when it comes to your kind. For telling me that the citizens of this nation have made a grave mistake by exercising their right to vote. For telling me that the very basis of this governance is not to serve the nation, but to earn and live a life king-size (or even bigger), for yourself. At our expense.
What happened in Mumbai, and not just Mumbai, is not something new for the people of this country anymore. Maybe it’s a little startling for all of us. At the same time, we are thankful to you for telling us that this just might be the tip of the iceberg, and many more such "puny incidents" might occur, anytime, anywhere.
I also thank you for telling me that in a moment as heart-wrenching as the one we witnessed on the 26th of Nov 2008, you will not have a united stand with other of your kind. ("Birds of the same feather DO NOT flock together", it seems).
It was exceedingly overwhelming to know that our policemen are armed with the latest defense-equipment, only that the time-lines seem to be a little mixed up. Lathis and WW-II era 303 rifles seem to be particularly appropriate. Had it been the prehistoric days, that is. Moreover, the coast-line was so protected. The fishermen are the most appropriate people to fulfill that job, highly trained, having immense expertise in that regard. At least this is what your attitude seems to tell me.
Although the list for "Thanksgiving" is endless, but I would like to thank you for one more important thing. The fact that Democracy, as we knew it, died on the same day. Thank you for telling me that too.
Yes. Democracy died. In fact, it got onto its death bed the day you decided to become a politician. The dream of a Democratic State, envisioned by our great leaders of the past, turned into a nightmare. But of course, we don’t blame you for that. On the contrary you are being thanked here. "Then who are the people to be blamed for this?", you might ask. Well, maybe it’s the people who put you there in that position. Who gave you power. Power to rule, and to destroy the very nation and its people who put you there.
It is very strange and absurd that those very people, who elect you and send you into that plush office of yours, amidst the tightest of security witnessed by mankind, leading the life you have been promising others for ages, find themselves crippled by this same "democracy". They find it difficult to have an audience with you, so that they can exercise their basic right to question you.
Thank you once again (and pray pardon me for adding one more thing to the list), for telling me that we, the people of this nation, do not deserve democracy.
I guess the list is almost over. So from here, this "letter" to you shall become a little more unpleasant.
Now comes the part where I'd like to put forward some demands. Do not tell me I can't, because I know I can.
We might not deserve democracy, but there are few things we do deserve.
To make it easier for you to comprehend, a list would be better. (Even in situations like these, we think of YOUR convenience).
- Who is accountable for this?
- When will the gaps in the system be filled?
- When will the taxes we pay be used for the betterment of the system, and not for your benefit?
Three basic questions we deserve answers to. Well, there was one more question in mind, but it would be futile to ask when would we see you and your kind united in trying times, and the answer obviously would be "Never". Hence, it shall pass.
Many people lost their lives there. Innocent ones. I lost someone too. He was just all of 21 years of age. And it disgusts me when the "system" decides to evaluate their lives and tries to compensate it with money.
Time for another demand, and this one might seem "not quite appropriate" to your calculative mind.
They send terrorists, who come and do the very job they have been sent to do. And we just sit and assess the situation, react not-so-promptly, and yet again sit back quiet, not willing to improve the situations. We "forgive" and move on, maintaining a "humanitarian" ground. The relevant question here is, for how long?
In view of this situation, and others preceding this one, I demand a war. They have given us nothing less than that, be it now, or in the past, including 1965 and 1971. Enough "humanitarianism". One can't expect to be "humanitarian" with "barbarians". If they want war, we should give them one they will never ever forget.
Of course, it seems absurd to you, for if this is done and the problem is eradicated from its roots, you shall have no more "agenda" for the next election campaign, and you won't be able to make promises which you have no intentions of fulfilling anyways.
Yet, for those of us we lost there, I demand it.
Democracy died, and now we deserve a dictatorship.
Hoping, against hope though, that you shall take some action now.
Also hoping, yet again against hope, that this letter doesn't come back to me with a "Return To Sender" stamp on it.
Yours "Sincerely"
A Proud and "not-so-sure-about-democratic" Indian Citizen.
As for the rest of you, please Think. And act.
© Prateek Sharma Dec 2008
Posts
