I write this as the ever-prevalent frustration of news like the recent assault of a constable doing his job, by a politician’s son, evoke such familiar memories.
Of course, my political party had even got a taste of this for protesting police brutality. The thing is, Indians seem to think that it doesn’t really matter if we, yes, YOU and I, actually become a part of the ones being elected. It doesn’t matter if ‘concerned’ folk like us aren’t politicians. If the bad are politicians surely there are neutral people, are there not?
I want to bust this trope – Neutral doesn’t really exist. Being a politician is less about doing things, but more about practising the habit of NOT doing things you must not – like abuse of power. Being a politician is like meditating, it is about doing a handful of stuff, and minding one’s own business. Not about a billion things and butting into whatever they can see in a mile from their gaze.
And if the politicians do not do those things they MUST run police and courts, and guard liberty. They are essentially doing what they must not – that is not making effective policing available, wrecking courts and ultimately permitting, or overseeing abuse of power when their JOB is to ensure that it never happens.
You see, if you don’t do your job, you don’t do it. There is no magical neutral. The glass has water, or it doesn’t. This isn’t like a tummy, where you can rate hunger levels. But rather like the glass-half-full – you either do what you should, or you do not.
And we NEED politicians and people in power who do what they ought to. It is a need to live our destinies. So this is a duty, not a choice. If there are people in power who do what they must not, we have a God-given duty to change it.
Jawaharlal Nehru stated that India awoke to freedom on the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947. But did we?
Pandit Nehru may have had a dream. I have one too, in fact, his same dream. The day when those who assault traffic cops for stopping those who live on our taxes, and are meant to protect us, are dumped in prison.
The day when all assault is punished by a court of law, and when a free people, awoken to their rights, willing to fight for their self-respect, dignity, worth and happiness; unite to create an upheaval and establish a free, democratic, peaceful nation.
I am willing to do my bit, my every single bit with all I have, in my heart and flesh, but you must be willing to do your bit. You must do you part too. That is a duty.