“The structure has been erected by architects of consummate skill and fidelity; its foundations are solid; its compartments are beautiful as well as useful; arrangements are full of wisdom and order and its defences are impregnable. It has been reared for immortality. It may nevertheless, perish in an hour by the folly, or corruption, or negligence of its only keepers, THE PEOPLE”.
The aforesaid lines have been borrowed from the inaugural address to the constituent assembly. It is incredible as to how aptly they describe the current situation in Haryana. The Jats, who are the most prominent community in Haryana, have taken law and order for a ride. The reason being, a demand for quota in the reservation policy. It is a very comic state of affairs. In a normal democracy, citizens fight and protest against oppression. Here, we have a class of people who are oppressing others by vehement protests, to gain the title of an oppressed class. It shows how the intellectual temper of our nation has dived into an abyss of idiocracy. Our constitution heralds upon us a duty to strive for a higher intellectual and scientific.
Our constitution heralds upon us a duty to strive for a higher intellectual and scientific temper, while we are desperate to call ourselves backward in each sphere of life, economic, political as well as social. To achieve that, we fight tooth and nail because sadly, we have a right to protest. The question although an abysmal one, yet arises. Do we have a right to protest against being tagged superior vis-a-vis backward? Constitutionally and scientifically it cannot be valid, for it would be against the most basic human nature. When we look at universal principles, it is the survival of the fittest. However, in this democracy, large masses of people are desperately striving to be called a cripple. It becomes apparent that our democratic setup is suffering a noxious disease, as it has compelled masses to go against their very own nature.
![Pushpak - The Great Indian Reservation System_thumb[1]](https://bluepencilling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/pushpak-the-great-indian-reservation-system_thumb1.png)
Many factors could have led to the status quo. Most apparent being illiteracy, but if we dig a little deeper, the root cause would come out to be the metastasis of vote-bank politics. After independence, the regional and communal parties got a voice to shout out interests of respective communities. As demand for resources peaked as against supply, each one wanted a bigger piece of the pie. Politicians addicted to power found it convenient to appease these communities and gain their votes. In the last few days, we have seen the most abysmal and deplorable instance in Haryana. It was not that the government couldn’t do anything, the fact was that it didn’t want to, as it had fallen prey to vote politics. Jats provide for the majority of the votes in Haryana; preventive steps would have antagonised the whole community. The onus to protect innocent citizens rests with the state government. However, they chose to sit mum rather than taking the tuff road of upholding the rule of law. It would have given out a message loud and clear that no community, dominant or minor, can strong-arm the state into doing something prejudicial to the interests of an entire nation. Tremors of protests in Haryana were felt in the entire northern India; Delhi was cut off to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan and the BJP turned a nelson’s eye to it. When paralysis drowns the democratic aspirations of people and undermines
When paralysis drowns the democratic aspirations of people and undermines rule of law. It is expected of politicians, who stand guardian to rights of people, to rise to the occasion and stamp on elements culpable for lawlessness with the might of lawful authority.
It is in such crisis that the mettle of leaders is put to the test. Their failure impedes the progress of the society, success adds growth as a democracy while inaction leads to paralysis or stagnation. However, it would be grossly unfair to shift all blame to the politicians. Monstesquieu observed, “The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in democracy”. A bad government is the is the inevitable consequence of an indifferent electorate. Politics will never be cleaner, and our future will never be brighter, unless and until our citizens are willing to give of themselves to the land which gave them birth.
The write up was submitted by Sushant Kareer.
