The Country We Live In

We are the world’s largest democracy, one of the most celebrated sturdily projected facts, which need not be deny. We are a country developing as a ratio of around 9% as projected by the business experts. We are the country which is the second best preferred site of investment in the eyes of the business tycoons and multinationals of the world. We are now a country which is the lullaby of the world’s richest countries and their multinational companies. We enjoy it. Celebrate it. We love to be Indian. We feel proud when someone mentions (an NRI) mentions that now they don’t have to tell the people of the host country that what India is. They know us. Our voice is heard now a day on international level.

The national highway no. 8 which leads the wheels to the Gulabi Nagari of the country called Jaipur, shows us the symptoms of the development. Skyscraper buildings, with dark glasses are the common sight on the highway for more than 7-8 kilometres. The national capital is expanding day by day. It is reaching the soil of Rajasthan after crossing the neighbour state Haryana. It’s all evident or made evident in actuality by the Indian nation state. The reality of the fact can’t be undone.

But the nation is witnessing yet another hard fact. A cast called Gujjar of the same region had stopped the normal routine life of the area for last few days. And it is no the first time they have done so. They are doing it in the continuation of their last struggle and they seem more determined this time rather than the last one. They have learnt lessons from the earlier struggle and they are more consolidated and gritty this time. The lifeline of Indian Passengers the Indian Railway has failed to resume its services even after almost one week has crossed.

The other route, the road route is also under threat during the call of bandh and all.

Now look at their demands. The Gujjars are demanding the status of ST for them. The average Indians must be thinking that this is a complete bullshit. The movement to get the status of ST means they want to demote themselves in the social hierarchy. What, it means, do the status of SC/ST has climbed the ladder of social strata. Or do the SC/ST has have atleast a kind of respect in the society. Do they no more in that vulnerable situation like their past? Are they better off? No, the answer should be loud and clear. The SC/ST is still living in mess. They are still at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Neither, the society has overlooked their earlier view about them. The incidents of Dalit killings happening in Haryana and Rajasthan on a regular basis would convey us the ground realities. Then, obviously the reason is to get the privilege SC/ST has been given by the Indian constitution to get over from the vulnerable condition they have to live with.

Now, look at the fact again, Haryana is the most privileged state of India especially after India has adopted the neo-liberal policies and flow of capital started to boost up the Indian economy. Being, the closest neighbour state it become the hot spot for the real state lobby and the industrialist lobby of the country. It has got maximum no. of investment in all these sectors. Gurgaon, the projected picture of new India, pays the state alone the 20% of the total state revenue. But, still the inhabitant of the area, demands that they need the status of SC/ST. What it means? It simply means the whole development has little to do with betterment of the life of the local people. The local population is frustrated with the kind of development India as a state is following. A handful of persons are becoming billionaires at a glance but the local population have been even denied the fundamental services.

It clearly shows that the path India as a state is following for the development of the country is not the right one. Indian rulling class should or have to reconsider its policies of economical growth otherwise it would feel the heat like this more often in near future. The solution of the Gujjar crisis doesn’t lies in giving them reservation. It would only deepen and expand the crisis. The solution of the crisis would be the inclusive economical, social development of the society. How long the ruling class would be overlooking this fact?

By Mrityunjay Prabhakar