A Turning Point

The thin line that divides ‘reality’ on screen and off screen had almost vanished. Last year’s events, from social, economic to political and religious or spiritual, dominated our daily lives as much as they had on the TV. From rapes to acid attacks, political scandals to corruption in public life, falling moral values to attempts to redefine established socio-political standards, et al were all bits and pieces of Indian kaleidoscope

This was the year (2013) that prose turned purple, binge viewing trumped appointment television, and “Scandal” took the place of “Breaking Bad” as the hot drama everyone wanted to talk about. So wrote Alessandra Stanley in The New York Times reviewing American TV programmes of yesteryear.

The observation might have summed up the US entertainment on small screen but if we look at it on a larger canvass in the Indian context and see it as a real show instead of a series of reality shows that dominate our TV entertainment scene, the year that has just passed into history was surrealistic in many ways.

The thin line that divides ‘reality’ on screen and off screen had almost vanished. Last year’s events, from social, economic to political and religious or spiritual, dominated our daily lives as much as they had on the TV. From rapes to acid attacks, political scandals to corruption in public life, falling moral values to attempts to redefine established socio-political standards, et al were all bits and pieces of Indian kaleidoscope. The beauty of it was – and still it is – whoever looks through it, the pattern changes and a whole new meaning emerges.

Thus, the year 2013, despite its share of ups and downs at every level, was different from previous years as it had witnessed many defining moments in the country’s march towards social justice and political equality. Though the process was tumultuous, it was an attempt to rediscover itself and find a path that was more conducive to fulfill the aspirations and hopes of the masses as well as the elite of society.

If a beginning was made last year to banish hunger through the food security scheme, laws were enacted to deter rape that had been increasing in epidemic proportions, legislations were made to root out corruption from public life, an epic mission was launched to reach the Mars and an awareness created to cleanse the political system, this year should see these initiatives bearing some fruits.

At least that is the hope as the New Year dawned today. To realize the hopes and fulfill the wishes of a majority of people who have been yearning for a change -- the way they are governed, treated and marginalized from the ruling process -- the mindset has to change. The clannish mentality has to give way to participatory democratic thinking that is pluralistic in nature and catholic in attitude. That can be achieved only when a change is forced on the people or they themselves script such a change through democratic process as happened in Delhi Assembly elections or through violent means as occurred in Arab countries. Fortunately, nobody in this country wants such metamorphosis that unsettled an existing order and turned it into chaos. But a peaceful transformation is time consuming and it doesn’t have quick-fix solutions to our age-old problems and to end entrenched interests that extend to aerial roots.

However, this year presents itself a golden opportunity to those who seek a change for the better – in improving the political standards as well as uplifting the sagging image of the country – by way of parliamentary elections which set the agenda and goals for the country for the next five years. If vote is the peaceful weapon to effect political changes, there wouldn’t be any better way or opportunity to usher in a government that is responsive, pro-active and people-friendly than it is now, say in about four or five months.

Last year’s events – whether they were massive protests against the gang rape of a medico in a running Delhi bus or demonstrations against corruption in public places or scams involving the high and mighty or the judicial activism or the people venting their anger against government failure to control prices of essentials, etc. – had a common thread. That was, public’s united action against government’s policies and insensitive official behaviour. In the process, activists as well as ordinary people had become more vocal and affirmative forcing the authorities to correct their course.

What was witnessed in 2013, indeed, was a welcome sign which culminated in Aam Aadmi Party coming to power in Delhi, holding out the promise that ordinary honest people could aspire to become public servants without muscle and money power. After all, the AAP has proved that clean politics still has a place in muddied Indian polity.

If Arvind Kejriwal and his band of dedicated workers can deliver at least some of what they have promised in the face of determined opposition from the two mainstream national parties, AAP should be considered as a success, not for living up to its promises but for firing the imagination of Indians in general and voters in particular and proving there is light at the end of the tunnel. But how many can see and follow it?

New Year is welcomed with celebration as a mark of rekindling hope in the days to come.

As we step into the year 2014, the hope is to bury the past and look forward to a bright future whatever the field of endeavour may be. In the process, we should concern more about what lies ahead rather than raking up the past, as if it holds the key to the future. In one sense, such thinking is right: It is political survival.

But people are not bound by self-survival political gimmicks. What all they need is hassle-free life, not promises made to catch votes or to amass wealth in the name of representing people’s interests. If that is the case, will the mango people use their discretion in choosing their representatives to Parliament in 2014? We have to wait and see. This year, by any reckoning, can be a turning point in the political history of post-independent India.