DailyPost 2259
COOL, CALCULATED & CALIBRATED INDIFFERENCE
If you were asked cool, calculated and calibrated indifference would ideally define or describe what part of Indian existence, you would be forced to rattle your brains. Mostly, you would not be able answer. Unfortunately, what encompasses us all, is the answer; the governance of this country. If any of you have not faced the indifference of the governance machinery, you would have been really lucky. In a similar vein, if you would have got what you expected out of Indian governance, even on few occasions, you would be amongst the few occurrences of benign acts of the state. That the state machinery can be slow or not super responsive can be accepted to some degree.
That state has already been forced on Indian citizens. But that is not the end of it. It is not even the beginning of the end. What is of critical importance is to know the intention behind it? Or would someone believe that it is out of ignorance, sometimes with a mixture of lethargy. If that were to be the case, it would not have become systemic, endemic and with deepest roots, it would then have been sporadic and in such instances, concerned officials would be apologetic about it. The Indian governance story is of an intentional cool, calibrated indifference, to make the life of the powers that a fairy tale story with a strong and heady mix of unaccountability.
To respond or not respond and in which manner to respond and with what timelines or the lack of it, has become the power and prerogative of the Indian state, from the biggest and most powerful to the last cog in the sarkari wheel of this country. First the systems have been artificially built on the de-jure systems to as to comprise the real functional governance system of the country. The artificially created octopus stranglehold system has by now come to stay. It is treated as the norm way beyond the legal constitutional one. The whole thing has been neatly created with vested interests fully camouflaged. That provides them with all necessary covering fire, they need from time to time. Physically not being present where the constituents want you, for very clear-cut answers and action, is the first trait of an unresponsive system. It is cool for the people.
The cool, calculated and calibrated indifference emanates out of the nature of politics we have, it got into the DNA of the political parties. In the last few decades from the political parties it moved on to the political executive and now has become and the most visible trait of Indian democracy. With this well designed indifference of the government, BPR&D is put it on its head. Effortless power has its own curse and that its coming out in the open. From railway accidents, to deaths on road, what happens is some governance harikari to save the face of the powers that be. The number of grievances received and the satisfaction or it lack based on the action taken, we can leave if for some other day. Indifference in all varieties has gripped the nation today, so as to paralyze it. Getting away with indifference in a democratic nation where people are sovereign, is travesty of all that we stand for.
INDIFFERENT GOVERANCE AND EASE OF LIFE IS AN ANATHEMA.
Sanjay Sahay