Chandan Debnath
One of the major objectives of developmental planning is enhancing social growth. In a developing society undercurrents of inequity and exploitation are a reality overlooking the fact whether policy planners and change agents acknowledge their existence or prefer to overlook its implications in building a cohesive and purposeful society. A purposeful society in this context connotes a productive work force that believes in the optimum utilization of public assets and the bounties of nature in generating fair wealth coupled with economic probity to benefit the masses. This same sentiment is articulated by the term ‘Inclusive growth’ which as a national goal guides Planning Commission of India in formulating and executing plans for achieving economic vitality across the length and breath of the country. Negating issues such as marginalization, poverty, exploitation and many other ills that blemish our socio-economic life can be achieved by our commitment to uphold and promote public interest rather than being guided by private interest.
Desire to live a life in dignity is an inherent human aspiration cutting across race, creed, colour or religious affiliations. If this being true than there is a merit in exploring the reasons that perpetuates this ills. Reflecting over the issue, I believe dominance of private interest over public benefit sullies over developmental planning process, often charted with a myopic vision to benefit the vested interest and other faceless entities. It is a congenital disease pushing our society to a point of no return. When it comes to anything be it governance or politics the dominant tendency is see self interest before national interest.
Governance in India is in shambles. National priorities lack focus and often politicking gains precedence. Take the issue of criminalization in our political dispensation and it is a fact that all political parities across the spectrum are privy to the offence of patronizing goons for furthering their own political agenda. The fall of Singur was instrumental for the rise of Mamata didi. She was seen fighting for the farmers but to me it appeared that she and her cadres was fighting for regaining her lost political turf in Bengal from the communist. Now with the purpose achieved who cares for Singur or its farmers or the many deprivations in terms of education, health, and infrastructure that people of Singur encounter. Industrial revival in the state is now on the back bench courtesy goons across the political band.
As an electorate we are no different. In our greed to gain short term payback or easy money we will elect people without evaluating their commitment in upholding the dignity of public office that he/she is contending for. Uttar Pradesh and Mayawati, Tamil Nadu and Karunanidhi, Lalu-Rabri and Bihar, Sibhu Soren and Jharkhand are classic examples to cite. BSP the self proclaimed avatar of Dalit emancipation was voted to power to contribute to the socio-economic well-being of the voice less Indians who remained deprived by the fallacious caste equations of India. Contrary to public expectations Mayawati and her coterie is now engaged in the game of mudslinging, political meanness coupled with wishful thinking to see her as the Prime Minister of India that to by believing on the wisdom and the strength of the faceless fourth front. The fact is politics of bullying, fixing statues or crying foul only adds to private benefit with no public good in real terms. Governance in the Hindi heartland today is mired in the strings of political opportunism, caste equations all of which amounts to criminal breach of public trust.
Karunanidhi fought elections 2009 on the Elam plank: Prabhkaran whom the civilized world saw as a fugitive was referred by the honorable politician as a ‘personal friend’. The veteran politician was aware of the fact that, in the last five years governance under him was null for public appreciation. It focused plainly promoting members of his family in various position of power both in Delhi and home state. There was no achievement to place for public record so as to justify their re-election. In such a scenario the best option available was to divert public attention from governance and other developmental issues to something that could evoke mass sentiments. The strategy adopted to reap electoral harvest by shedding a few crocodile tears for elam and Prabhakaran, fanning the Tamil nationalistic sentiment. When Prabhakaran fell the irony was: Karunanidhi had no time to spare for his fallen friend or cry for the Elam cause. Rather the time was appropriate to bargain hard for his family and his coterie with the new political dispensation at Delhi.
Political hypocrisy is an art well perfected by our leaders. Therefore when Lalu has to go to jail his silly wife should be in the chair irrespective of her personal competencies to fit such an important public office. The other day there was so much debate in the parliament over the governments attempted to move to scale down security cover for a few its erstwhile friends, now honourable members of the opposition benches. One such honourable member who stood to lose from this decision accused the government of adopting a partisan stand owing to his belonging to a backward caste. The argument though unpalatable for the chair but she had no option to castigate the person or his flagrant statement except striking it off from records. On the same issue, Laluji mincing no words puts his argument on the floor of the house as: for any untoward incident/harm on his personal self owing to the decision the government will be held responsibility. I wish Laluji and his friend Mulayam is well aware of their constitutional commitment to secure the life and property of crores of Indians as members of the parliament. If Lalujis argument is accepted than he and other politicians should be in jail for their collective failure in protecting the life and property of Indians when terrorists strike Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Guwahati or for that matter in any part of the country. It is a constitutional responsibility all public leaders shoulder by virtue of their occupying a public position. In India, security personnel is entrusted with the responsibility of protecting ten thousand citizens and hence keeping in mind this ratio of 1:10000, citizens can demand our leaders to be a little magnanimous instead of being self-centered. Besides this Laluji how does it matter where you sit front or in back row in the parliament? Be rest assured that if you can contribute to public good the people of Bihar and all of us as Indians will acknowledge your valued contribution to the nation. However if you still want to hog public attention doing nothing worthwhile for upholding public interest than have your own 24x7 television channel to beam you across the length and breath of India. Fund is not a constraint in your case courtesy-the multi crore fodder scam among many others.
Taking a balanced view of corruption one can conclude that corruption in India is a reflection of our collective smallness both in our words and actions. It is rather treated as a cost incurred for benefiting from the system at the shortest and easiest process. In India the whole aspect of corruption is justified as a premium exchanged for out of turn service. With such fallacious and smallness in our thinking we desiring to turn our offices on a transparent mode will only amount to wishful thinking. Education is supposed to liberate our minds from being burdened with a narrow perspective to one encompassing a world vision. Put in other words it should help us see beyond the narrow boundaries of self, me and I. However educational process in the country by overlooking the importance of inculcating moral values, have created a dominant I in our personality. An ‘I’ that is ever focused on amassing wealth for ‘I’, without having the need to justify the means pursued. Corruption as a means allows for the gratification of ‘I’ at the cost of others directly and indirectly, overtly or covertly. This probably is the reason why corruption exists at all levels in our society and more so among the educated who are seen as agents of change by the weak, feeble and the marginalized sections of our society.
Corporate India is no better. Though it loves to be cast, as holy as driven snow it is in fact no different. Profit dominates over ethical business behaviour. North East India is listed comparatively backward in the industrial front in-spite of the regions tremendous potential to support a range of environment friendly projects. As far as governmental initiative is concerned, it can be categorized as a half hearted attempts only. In the absence of vision and future linking most of governmental initiated industrial projects failed to achieve the desired goal. While the private sector wishes to take benefit from the various concessions offered by the government it shies away from making the required investment. Bangalore was developed as an IT hub by corporate giants like Infosys, Wipro and many others. Therefore citing infrastructural bottlenecks as a constraint withholding investments do not hold ground. If there is a will, corporate India can fund and set up technological centers, sponsor area specific research projects in the North Eastern Universities rather than absolving it self of its responsibility in this part of country which also contributes to its profit base. Primarily it is their small thinking and personal bias which dominates investment evaluation in the region. It is very disheartening to see that agro based giants like ITC, Dabur have failed to mark their presence in this part of the country well known for its potentials to support food processing and other agro based industry.
The end point being, what do we do to overcome this psychological barriers imposed by our small thinking which is seen to perpetuate discrimination, deprivations, corruption, hypocrisy and all other negativities. If one is sensitive, than an honest retrospection by all concerned shall be the answer. Conscious evaluation of our thought and action against the backdrop of Public vs. Private interest can strengthen in us the desire to be productive for self and the society to which we belong. On the contrary if one believes to be guided by ones private interest, well there is nothing in to be proud off and also for others to feel good about us. Rather by doing so we shall only work towards perpetuating inequity and distrust which have no social utility or value for the society to which we belong or represent. A progressive society is capably of supporting a higher quality of life and hence there is the need to accord importance to public interest which contributes immensely in building a progressive society. Rhetoric’s mean nothing actions speak and reflect your commitment to uphold public-wellness. It is time for us to retrospect………
(The writer is Lecturer, Dept. of Commerce, Dimapur Govt. College and can be contacted at email: chandandebnath@yahoo.com)
