My Hippocampal Vehemence!!!!

I write this letter after I settle down from my routine journey back to home from office...only that today I was reading your op-ed in The Hindu (http://indianvanguard.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/id-rather-not-be-anna-arundhati-roy/), as i was greeted by IAC(India Against Corruption) workers who were hopping from one bus to another guiding people on Lokpal bill.

To start with let's go back by a few months- that was when Ms Roy you had pitied the nation..the same nation that you are so concerned about now.

Nevertheless having read through your entire article which perhaps is very typical of how some spotlight craving scoffer should put to pen her hurt sentiments...u seem to have written as if Anna stole your thunder.

Now as the entire nation talks about lokpal, what stands out in this entire episode is not a freshly minted saint leading the campaign but the fact that entire nation seeks a debate, a freshness to bring to closure the flaws that we are all so mindful.

The outcome of the protest even the usefulness of lokpal is debatable but certainly not the intentions.

Continuing to spew hatred, you draw an analogy of the protests with India's world cup victory, success of nuclear tests. I for sure would be extremely proud if the flags for these protests are borrowed from the world cup victory parade or nuclear test celebration ...for each of these represent a victory of nationalism ..each of these events united the Indian in all of us ...they gave common man a moment to cheer about, to raise his head with pride and to celebrate an achievement which was not his but of a fellow Indian.

I am but awestruck by your investigative disclosure on source of IAC's protests. It would be great if you could make us more knowledgeable on the source of maoists' and naxalites' funding --those that you so rightfully cherish.

While u r so concerned for Anna's silence on farmer's suicides, nandigram, lalgarh. Ms Roy when you stood and raised your new found concern for Kashmiri nationalism didn't you too forget about the kashmiri pandits who were chased out from their own homeland by the sympathizers and proponents of the same movement of “Azadi” that you so choice fully support. I am waiting for you to speak up for kashmiri pandits,to voice your opinion for one of the greatest planned ethnic cleansing of minorities in recent times (just that these minorities happened to be on the wrong side of fence where secularists like thyself seldom tread)

Then, it’s overwhelming to see the skepticism towards western world and free economy .Especially from someone who had no qualms accepting a booker from a body represented mainly by westerners and for a book with thick anti-communist undertones.

Your entire article is ripe with contempt for the urban elite getting together...let me remind you Ms. Roy the same elite has time and again been criticized by people of your flock to remain quiet and be too self involved, once they come together for a cause skeptics like you are quick to brand the protests as elitist and detached from reality.

In this my cause is bigger than yours argument of yours, you perhaps forgot that The same people you so often embrace for the glamour (or lack of it)..the naxals, the bodos- have directly or indirectly resulted from the institution of corruption.

Let me tell you Ma'am there are many like me who have reservation against Lokpal bill but who definitely are unanimous in their protest against corruption.

Yes Ms Roy you'd rather not be Anna...sine we are convinced the nation cannot rally behind a cynic like you...this country needs hope and not cynicism...it needs people who enthuse it with their positivity and not conspiracy theorists. After years people have risen for a cause that affects the future of our nation, let not skepticism infused by an unworthy scoffer dampen the spirits.

I agree largely with one part of your article..You’d rather not be Anna. And thankfully for our nation you are not and cannot be an Anna!!

It’s not the violence of few but the silence of many that scares me….Martin Luther King
The elections are round the corner and we see election manifestos being released every other day. If you are wondering how elections are related to what Martin Luther King. Read on… if we’ve just cared to pass a glance onto the manifestos of our nationalist parties they are anything but a manifesto instead these are a collection of populist promises which are reflective of the pertinent myopia that our politicians have been nurturing for ages. We claim ourselves to be moving on a path of development but these things are a poor reflection of our current democratic set up and not even a fraction of the maturity or intelligence expected from a would be superpower.
A look at the congress manifesto and it doles out reservations as if it’s a joke. There definitely is a lot that has to be done for the emancipation of rural people and the underdeveloped class but just wiping out your hands by giving reservations is no answer, its infact the easiest way to do nothing and not being held accountable. The perpetuation of the quota system represents a total political and institutional failure since this should be the last resort to build a level playing field but our politicians always understand otherwise. Rather than measures like strengthening primary and secondary education and other investments to create an enabling environment the political honchos choose the easy and populist route. There is reservation for the muslims- is inequality and poverty community partial?
Beyond this we have the announcements of rice at Rs 3 per kg that would place a burden of 5700Crores on the state. Populism doesn’t stop here- there are attempts at intrusion into India inc’s space, where would all this lead India to, when economy stares at recession we expect the politicians to come up with an intelligent manifesto, apart from the NREGA which again is a highly debatable issue the congress manifesto has been a bouquet of disappointment. How do they plan to bear the fiscal deficit that shall arise as a result of these populist measures? What shall be the source of funding these subsidies?
All this is not important for the Indian voter our politicians understand this. Caste which remains a big trump card has been played to the hilt. But with such things in place the country shall prove to be the ultimate loser. But who cares and perhaps these things don’t garner u votes.
It remains clear that socialist underthemes serve the politicians best- they help them win elections, come with no commitment tags and the whole burden lies with the state exchequer. So whether it was obama’s Wall street vs the main street or India’s omnipresent Garibi hatao=amiri hatao socialist and populist promises send our politicians laughing all the way to Vote bank, but what bothers is that such policies shall continue to weaken the nation beyond repair.
Lets wait for the BJP’s manifesto it won’t be any different. We’ll see populism touching new heights these elections, well as of now I can place my bets on BJP announcing a free or Rs2 per Kg rice …wat is ur take!!!
All I can say is- Here in our country the silence of millions would rather scare the shit out of Martin Luther king...meanwhile the FEW continue to be violent on the Nation itself!!!