Let’s get back to basics

Ratna Raman

A friend from Bangalore recently spent two days at New Delhi and remarked in a laconic (laid-back)  manner that he was taken aback (shocked) at the state of the capital city. The streets were filthy and littered. Huge piles of garbage and overflowing drains and day-long 'back-to-back' traffic choked all entry and exit points.   

 "I don't recall the city being this squalid a decade back? Whatever happened?"

"A previous political dispensation split MCD into three sections hoping to stop 'kickbacks' (illicit cash payments) and clear backlogs, 10 years ago. MCD affairs over the last decade have  'slid back further' (deteriorated)  under yet another group. At the ground level, there has been a cutback (reduction) in funds for basic amenities. Poor sanitation, increasing piles of garbage, choked drains, absence of law and order and vigilante teams are the order of the day."

"Why is it that the 'back seats' of most cars remain clean?" 

"Proud vehicle owners periodically 'fling back' everything  they  do not need on to the streets. Delhi's 'back lanes' and 'back alleys' replete with unwanted household refuse testify that this is routine practice."

 "So why is the party that has been in power for a decade 'patting itself on the back' (self-congratulatory) while the fledgling entrant is 'back-footing' it (on the defensive)?"  

"The AAP has had many setbacks. The Centre and Delhi's former Governor actively impeded its  work. Mainstream media quickly navigated through these 'back currents. Under a new code, 'mutual backscratching' and 'back-stroking' makes it easy for 'realpolitik' (practical political action not based on ideology). 

"Staged trials by media dictate public opinion and build dazzling personality cults. Rude and ill-informed anchors air viewpoints in lieu of balanced reportage and back rosy projections of India's progress on economic, social and cultural fronts. Although the city's sanitation and garbage disposal issues remained on the 'back burner' for 10 years, the BJP 'romped back' to power."

The AAP's achievements on education, health, water and electricity took a 'backseat' (were eclipsed) because the media only showcased its belligerent opposition to obstructions in its governance.

Perhaps the AAP leadership needs to back-off from agit-prop options, highlight its achievements and welcome back like-minded allies if it hopes to bring back issue-based politics.  Maybe the BJP, which is back again, could put its backyard in order and Delhi's civic amenities back on track?  

Abraham Lincoln's insight from not-too-long-back: "You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time," reminds us that 'payback' is (retaliation) always round the corner.

Incidents involving ordinary people transporting animals or the elderly gentleman travelling on the Delhi Metro make for hideous 'flashbacks'. Instead of routine courtesies, people are brutalised, bullied, butchered or advised to 'go back to Pakistan'. Such behaviour is a 'throwback' (having characteristics) to the dark ages and should be pushed back into oblivion. India is constituted by different people with differing beliefs and majoritarian chauvinisms cannot be allowed to 'put the clock back.'

If the 21st century is to be ours, political leaders must 'hold back' (refrain) from fishing in the putrid backwaters of communalism and gender insensitivity. Justice, fair play, freedom and ethics must remain hard-wired into India's 'backbone.'  'Backtracking'  on this will destroy our plural  well-springs and return resurgent India 'back to square one' (start).