“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
As a conscientious citizen of the world’s largest DEMOCRACY…wait, should I go ahead with the term democracy? Ok… let’s accept it since our constitution says so, but do we truly follow it? I guess no we don’t! When I was a student, I read about our Indian Constitution... a little bit where in the Preamble of the Constitution of India states ‘WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens’. However, in reality this is just a book!
Before addressing some foremost concerns and issues, I want to address myself as an Indian citizen only and NOT a supporter of any political party because politics is never done for the benefit of the general public. Let me explain myself a bit more. Being a citizen of the largest democratic nation, I do have the right to question my existing government. After reading this, people may call me “anti-national” as this is trending in social media and everywhere. Well, I won’t ask anything to the opposition or any other political parties as they are not in power. We want answers from the authority that is in power, that’s how it should be – because asking questions to other parties will be of no use.
So, here are some of the major disquiets that we are facing now and urging the government, whoever comes to power, this time we need some solutions:
1. Gender Safety And Security
Well, this major issue needs no introduction. Inequality and crimes the statistics are rising day by day. The rates of rapes, sexual harassment, crimes against women even the kid also are growing. But, we don’t have any fast-track law for such heinous crimes. Why so? Rape is the fourth most common crime against women in India. Just for an example, what happened to Kathua rape and murder case? Nothing apart from facing the legal and social difficulties, crimes against the LGBT people are increasing.
Article 39(d) and Article 42 guarantees the equal pay for equal work for women but it remains in the book only. Let’s finish off this topic by highlighting some key facts. What actions have been taken? ZERO!
2. Penetration From Bangladesh And Other Countries
The utmost problem faced by the Northeast India is this only. To look after the matter, the amendment of the Citizenship Act of 1955 process is going on, but that too in an inappropriate way. Why there is not a single proper officially permitted system for resolving the immigrant issue? The incessant demands for separate states led to countless communal riots but till now, nothing has been done. Existing government is insensitive towards the matter of the Cachar Paper mill issue where 1 Lakh Paper Mill workers are jobless at this moment.
3. Unemployment
Apart from saying ‘fry pakodas and sell cow milk’ nothing has been done to take care of this. To work promptly, the infrastructure needs to develop. Why? Well, for more jobs, better roads, better services like water, sanitation, and so on. Do you know the unemployment rate stands at 6.1% in India now, according to an official survey done by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)?
4. Communal Riots
Well, the communal aggression rises up to 28% now. Hate crimes against Dalits and non-Hindu people have reached a new sky-scraping rate. Marginal communities like Dalits, SCs, and OBCs are being shunt. Just an add on, India ranked 4th in the world in 2015- after Syria, Nigeria and Iraq-for the highest number of communal aggression relating to religious conviction.
5. Farmers’ Suicide
Just for the fact that 45 farmers commit suicide every day in India, where 15% are women farmers. Can you accept this as accurate? Places like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have been suffering from this and administration is doing nothing just giving them false hopes.
Apart from the above-mentioned key concerns, we are facing more end number of issues and crimes:
- As per the official records, 47 Indian journalists have been killed in 26 years and 33 of them murder targets.
- We don’t have a good quality healthcare system where around 50% of the villagers have no way in to healthcare suppliers.
- We are lacking of quality education.
- How can we forget about Corruption? This must be taken care of promptly and judiciously.
- The in-house safety measures of Northeast India are in a very deprived state, mostly in states like Arunachal Pradesh which shares the boundary with China and Assam that shares the boundary with Bangladesh.
- Marital rape, inequity against LGBT people, acid attacks, sexual harassment, murders all of these are in an alarming situation at present.
- The fake news, fake information in newspapers and news channels along with yellow journalism have become a political propaganda now.
- Current political party has more communal philosophy towards a specific religion rather than just being one and the same.
- What about the issue of manual scavenging?
- Hindu-Muslim riot is the general factor of election. Why so?
Rather than just blaming the opposition and others, why current government is not taking any strokes and steps to shut their mouth? You cannot hide things from the general public as sooner or later it will be noticeable. We should not get the wrong idea about the concepts and ideologies of nationalism and favoritism isn’t it? Otherwise, there will be of no use for democracy.