From mundane prices to protection of lives...story of a failed populace

“Enough is Enough” has caught on almost like a catch phrase in the wake of the recent Mumbai terror. Like all catch phrases this would have been a short lived slogan aimed to make attractive headlines for TV media....but ... this time it seems for real. People have actually been growing restless and now the impatience has outlasted their tolerance. The impatience is not just against repeated terror strikes , not just against the loss of innocent lives, not just against the dent in sense of security – the impatience is against BAD GOVERNANCE as a whole. Almost five years of spineless administration coupled with political opportunism leading to multiple unholy nexus (labeled as 'alliance') has left the common Indian angry. It is only the inherent strength of the Democratic fibre in every Indian that will make them vote next year – but one thing is for sure - this time the que outside the polling booth will be more cynical – as if casting votes are more about discharging a duty than a tool to ensure our rights. This government has failed the people. Be it from mundane price rises to tackling terror. Inflation has been a household monster unleashed over the last year and bit more...and all that has been done is to roll back reforms by bringing in more controls, hiking interest rates and asking private sector to cut and hold prices. All this while the global oil prices have fallen to unforeseen lows without the government itself daring to shave a paise off the retail rates of fuel. What stern steps can you expect from such a spineless Government who seems busy only to correct their poll plank? The number of terror attacks have multiplied over the last three years, but one thing to be noted is post Bush's war on terror (with all its evils), the worst brunt has been borne by India. Why? Is it because India is considered as a soft target. Is it because while the west retaliates in kind, India only offers rhetorics. Every time a terror strike happens, the Prime Minister appears on tele addressing the nation with a written speech, a grim face and some Bush like tough words. That these words never materialize into actions is what encourages this malicious groups to bare their fangs again and again. At least America has ensured that there has been no major strikes on her soil post 9/11 – maybe just because of the threat of a brutal reprisal !
What positives will this government take away at the end of the tenure? True it has done charity with tax-payers' money and waived off 71K Crores of farm loans and taken out half page ads in dailies claiming self glory for this generosity. Yet, the obvious premise of this waiver , that to reduce prices of farm products have not been delivered and no retrospection has been done to know the reason. At the end of the exercise it has established what it was always perceived as – a poll oriented gimmick. Only achievement of this government that comes to mind is the Nuclear Treaty with all its supporters and detractors. Considering the best, maybe this treaty will be a landmark which our grandchildren will cherish and Mr.. Manmohan Singh will have his place in posterity, but before that someone should stay alive to write the history. Brings to mind a decade old headline – PRESENT IMPERFECT, FUTURE TENSE – really that is where the present government has landed us in.