NO COUNTRY FOR THE ORDINARY CITIZENS OF INDIA
We all know that India secured its political freedom from the yoke of colonial imperialism in 1947. But, did we become really free and, whether in all aspects? The answer cannot be but in the negative.
Political power was transferred from our Imperialistic masters to the elitist masters of local hues and only after a long and bitter struggle, the formidable entry barrier to the citadels of power was breached and the commoners could even dream of taking even the feeblest reins of power in their hands.
Post-independence, the people in power, although called ‘public servants’, never became so. Even today, they behave as masters of the public. Examples are galore. Even now, barring some exceptions, a person who simply does selfless public service cannot hope to ascend the steps of the fortress of power if he doesn’t wield the necessary wherewithal of money and muscle power. So, where is the government of the people, for the people and by the people? Only in the civics books and nowhere else.
The less said about economic freedom and equal access to justice, the better it is. Our founding fathers dreamt of an egalitarian society and our Constitution boldly guarantees equality for all and equal protection of laws to all. Alas, we are still far, far away from achieving those fond dreams
We have got so used to a brazenly unequal society that we don’t even complain. Our society is grossly divided on the basis of the position a person holds in the society. The treatment meted out to a person varies directly proportional to his position, regardless of the means used by him to ascend to that vainglorious ‘position’.
Worse still is the fact that Law is, unfortunately, not at all equal for all. Denial of justice to the common man is trite. A common man doesn’t have access to the best of lawyers. Even lawyers are not treated alike by the judges but are dissected according to their ‘connections’. Over the years, a coterie of lawyers and judges has emerged that dispense justice to all at will. The coterie is fiercely protective of its ilk; it ensures that no ‘outsider’ can circumvent its reinforced walls and its hegemony is maintained forever. And, the coterie is available only to the filthy rich. A commoner’s woes and wails do not penetrate the impregnable fortress of justice. The doors of the so-called temples of justice are closed perpetually for the masses.
There is much hue and cry in the media and public outrage over the speed of dispensation of justice. As they say, “Justice delayed is justice denied”. But, pitier plight is of “justice hurried and justice buried”. There is no murmur about that, even in the media because, mostly, those who are guillotined by the tyranny of the despotical judges are the ordinary citizens of this country. Who cares two hoots for them? Not in the least, the media. The media hankers after celebrities, even if they are scoundrels and after sensationalization.
There is no respite for the common man of this country. Neither the politicians (who are interested only in vote banks), nor the courts or the media (who are interested in the biggies) is interested in the plight of a common citizen of this country. So, how far are we still from achieving the country of our dreams?