My Little Experience

In my opinion, most of the media houses appears to be sold. You will get many stories about the prominent media editors and personalities. Similarly, through my experience of over 40 years in public and private sectors, I have realized that the most of the so called NGOs are dishonest and are in the business of making money. Even some of the left minded organisations appear to pursue anti-development agenda with vested interests and it is possible that some might be acting at the behest of external forces. Even as a society, we are not honest and often tempted to compromise when it comes to our self interests. It is easy to blame the establishment but walking on the path of truth is like walking on razor edge. We get the government, what we deserve. Award wapsi by writers and intellectuals was an insult to the nation and part of the partisan politics, only to defame and weaken the present government. I myself was a supporter of AAP in Delhi initially and had great hopes but feel deeply disheartened and cheated today due its constant “dramabazi” and wasting huge public money on self glorification. For Kejriwal, Modi is the root cause of all problems. Earlier, Shiela Dixit was the problem and was to be sent to jail by him. I do not belong to any political party or organization but I have realized that if the poor and downtrodden are to be uplifted, it cannot be achieved by mere slogans of freedom of speech and taking the country on the path of constant agitations but only through development of the nation with a central theme of united and integrated India. The present government may not be a perfect one as the society itself is not and therefore, true Indians have to and must support the development plans of any government and should not become hurdles which are counter-productive and anti-people.

Freedom of Speech

We often come encounter very pathetic, distracting & saddening pictures of poverty across the length and breadth of India, right at our door steps, nooks and corners of our residences, behind high rise buildings and ultra modern malls. Farmers are starving and committing suicides, poor children studying in pathetic school buildings, common citizen struggling for a decent health service in poor hospitals, humanity surviving in slums in inhuman conditions etc. etc. The list is long but the few examples give a glimpse of disturbing realities in India. That is even after seventy years of independence. I don’t want to put your mood off and disturb your senses by highlighting the sad  facts but no one can escape from these realities without getting affected from it in one form or other, irrespective of the fact that you may be a wealthy and well placed person with enough comforts of life.

I have a question to the so called intellectuals and liberals who have opinions to express on each and every event in the country, sitting in plum and cozy drawing rooms and TV studios. After anti national sloganeering in JNU by few students and subsequent police actions, these liberals, joined by some political parties and even media, with vested interests are alleging that the freedom of speech is in danger and is being curtailed by the present government. I want to ask them what is the meaning of “freedom of speech” to poor farmers who find it difficult to feed his family and force themselves to commit suicide?  What is the meaning of “freedom of speech” for little children who do not have school buildings? What is the meaning of “freedom of speech” to poor citizens who struggle for basic health facilities? What is the meaning of “freedom of speech” to slum dwellers living in inhuman conditions? What is the meaning of “freedom of speech” to the poors who sleep on footpaths? What is the meaning of "freedom of speech" to citizens who do not get even pure drinking water to drink?

I would like the intellectuals, liberals and the great politicians to demand the development of the humanity first, demand the welfare and progress of farmers first, demand good habitation and healthy living environment for poor citizens first, demand good health and hospital facilities for all first, demand good school facilities for children first and above all, demand the progress of Nation First. Else, your demand and slogans for “freedom of speech” is self defeating, false, taking India on backward path, mere self serving tool and in a sense anti national!