The suffering masses...

Indian democracy has always been a consortium of ironies. On one hand the masses have made use of the ultimate power to assert their will over the politicians ranging from the all powerful Indira Gandhi to the Jharkhand shame Shibu Soren. The irony is that, for all practical purposes, the power of the masses ends there. Time and again the governments have blatantly disregarded its basic duties and responsibilities towards the nation, and have got away with it.

 The latest example is the way the present dispensation is dealing with the strikes of the Truck Owners and the Oil strike. The government has every right not to yield to the demands of the striking parties if it feels the same are unjustified. But at the same time, the government has the responsibility and duty to endure that the day to day life of the common man is not affected. Today the petrol pumps across of the country are running out of stocks and we the people have to suffer the consequences. The prices of essential commodities are slowly climbing up on account of the trucker’s strike. 

As was said by the public after the Mumbai attacks, we do not have any option other than to stick to the routine, report for work and earn our lively hood in the midst of terror attacks, strikes or bandhs and harthals. As always, we have to pay for the inefficient and insensitive government that we have elected.