Let's Talk About The Real Thing
By Aditi Munot
27 February, 2009
Countercurrents.org
There is so much noise and ruckus over trivial matters and non issues. Politicians, various social organisations, and some powerful individuals are busy preaching and coercing society about the rights and wrongs, dos and don’ts. And the common man, society at large just gets carried away and fooled. There is no focus, no attention being paid to the real things, important issues. No one is talking about the stuff that matters, things that make a difference to every individual, the entire nation.
There is a whole lot of talk about public health and thus a ban on smoking in public places for the sake of this public health. But there is no discussion on reduction in emissions from automobiles and mines and factories for the betterment of public health. There is no drive towards planting more trees or disallowing the cutting of trees for road widening and deforestation for lumber and other industrial and agricultural activities for the benefit of public health. No politician or city planner is concerned about or working towards improving public transport systems to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads and thereby reduce pollution. What affects public health more – smoking or the incredible amount of pollution done by these other activities? Why are these people portraying their commitment to public health by concentrating their energies on banning smoking instead of worrying about bigger and more significant polluters like automobiles, nuclear plants, coal mines, and factories.
On one hand our politicians talk about our ‘sanskriti’ and ‘matrubhumi’ and on the other hand they shake hands with multinational companies. Here they are trying to be the guardians of the country against foreign influence and there they are welcoming foreign investment and corporations. They will fight against Valentine’s Day and Mini Skirts but will open their arms to Enron and Dow Chemicals. Our culture is threatened and polluted by short clothes and parties but our country, our land base, our people are not polluted and cheated by Union Carbide in Bhopal and Enron in Maharashtra. The very same politicians are signing our death warrants in the hands of these foreign companies on one side and defending our culture from influence of these foreign countries on the other.
Consumption of alcohol is a taboo and a moral issue. Pub and lounge culture a matter of debate and a target for hatred everyday. Politicians and policemen harass bar owners and pub goers every other day. Then why does the government have revenue collection targets from the sale of alcohol? What is the aim of a dry day or a dry state when every wine shop is given a sales target?
The social workers and politicians and pundits keep babbling about our nation, our culture our people but all their actions are in the reverse direction. There is a Coca-Cola plant in a dry state like Rajasthan where people don’t get water to drink. There is a Tata Motors and Reliance on land stolen from farmers and peasants. There are thousands of dams on various rivers making the lives of millions of indigenous and rural people miserable. Manufacturing facilities are awarded to Hyundai and Ford in states starved for electricity. There is a move towards privatisation of water and electricity in a country where 50% of the population does not have access to these basic facilities. There are frauds like Satyam and Enron. All these acts are with the blessings and guidance of the very same politicians and maha gurus.
Our country is faced by thousands of pressing matters which need immediate attention and action. There are enough issues to keep generations of politicians busy and involved. They can talk about and protest and work for food for all, fair price to farmers, irrigation, biogas plants, renewable energy, public transport systems, effective waste disposal systems, sewage systems, meaningful education institutions, clean water supply, rain water harvesting, improving the land base, rejuvenating dried rivers, population control, public health services, prevention of HIV aids, forestation, reduction in emissions, clean and green technologies, empowerment of women, reducing child abuse, reducing rapes and domestic violence, self reliance of individuals and a thousand other real problems – socially and economically important and meaningful issues.
It is not that they are unaware of these things. They are intentionally consumed with petty matters to shift the public attention away from the more important issues. The idea is to keep people busy talking about culture and values and in the meanwhile sign away the lives of these very people to big corporations. Our politicians pretend to protect us from Western influence but ingrain into our lifestyles Western products and philosophy. They encourage a Pepsi, a Reebok, a Ford, a Samsung, a Nokia, a Mc Donalds. They incorporate into our society, into every individual, capitalism and free market and greed and consumerism. And then they come along and say our culture expects girls to be home by 7pm and our values do not allow late nights! But none of them make a noise about any of the real things.
