Footwa

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about Art, travel photography, abstract, portraits, paintings and a blog

We didn’t start the fire

Ransley Vaz
Ransley Vaz

Yeah right! we didn’t start the fire.. It was always burning, since the worlds been turning.. But the fire is every growing, thats because we try to fight it with fuel rather than water.

People revolting, war, drugs, diseases, rape, child abuse, murder is what greets us early morning in news… And its nothing new, its been happening since the dawn of civilization. So why do we label ourselves as a civilized society? Which civilized society has its members of parliament who are criminals, and dacoits? Which civilized society allows child labour to flourish, which civilized society allows famers to commit suicide because they cannot repay the ever building loan, and just watch and do nothing? Where children die of malnutrition.. How better off we are from the earlier civilizations which were considered brutal, and which adopted human sacrifice… Human sacrifice still continues according to me.. every day.. every moment.

In India for many people the number one criteria is getting food, and drinking water. How does one elect a good politician in this case. Omar Abdulla had once said, we don’t cast our vote, we vote our casts, and as rightly even pointed out by Nandan Nilekani in his book “Imagining India”, these people will always vote a Yadav, or a Sinha or whatever cause they can in a hope to get the basic necessity as simple as a ration card (for subsidised govt rates for rice etc). Which political and electoral system, allows politicians to give out free TVs before the election, and promise free liquor for as long as they are voted. How can our country be run by the biggest crooks the nation has to offer. Which rational political system allows the party heads to run like a mini monarchy regime, where the heads who inherit the power are not voted but understood to be the next in line, based on bloodline. Why does it seem to be the general consensus that the son/daughter will also be a good politician. How many inventions has Einsteins children done?

Our government spends so much money on so many sectors, why not more on Judiciary system. Why do we have so many cases pending, why no build enough courts to ensure swift justice, why is every case not a rapid case. Judiciary is an important part of the backbone of the system. Getting justice is a fundamental right, and today this system is flawed. We must ask for this, demand it. Its no good having a tough military when the system is weak inside. As a common man, I would not try to pursue a case only because I know trials are delayed. And its not only that. Justice is denied too. The Jessica Lal case is a fact. When I saw the exposure on the TV, I could not help but wonder, was this system the people who really struggled for our freedom sought after. Kill a bartender if you don’t get your drink, pay the right people and be scot free. Sounds more like the wild wild west movies I have seen. Why did political parties not move in to help. Rather its only when people revolted, steps were taken to give the dead soul of a young lady justice.

This youtube video (and the parts that follow) of Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan speaking at a conference is a must see for every Indian. I love his points and his views.

This snap is of my friend Ransley, he wanted one with the lighter and the flame.

50mm, 1/100 sec at f/1.8, ISO 100

Responses

  1. I’m glad that you’ve mentioned farmer suicides in the above note. Very few people are aware of how many farmers kill themselves because they can’t make ends meet even after working very hard. Supporting the organic movement partly helps because buyers have an opportunity to purchase directly from growers.

    Re: Politicians and the bloodline – In politics, business or any sphere of life, not a huge fan of nepotism (wouldn’t be even if it worked in my favour).

    About newspapers and the “news”: Sensationalism is incredibly pervasive. Media prints that which they perceive people wish to read. The narrow focus (I say this without taking away anything from the tragedy of the matters reported) then misleads the common reader into thinking that perhaps crime rates have increased in recent years. I’d prefer to watch (and, in fact, often do) videos on TED. Generally I pick and choose what I wish to read on a daily basis because I’d rather begin my day with a motivational quote and a SMILE!

  2. Hi Yo,
    Its estimated that around 1,99,132 famers have committed suicide since 1997, and our sad, sick, impotent government would not even acknowledge this when the facts started coming out, rubbishing the reports initially. Its sad! Wikipedia has an article on this “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers’_suicides_in_India”
    Nepotism will always remain unless a transparent system is built. I think “Right to information Act” was a step forward towards this. I am also keen to see how Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen’s ombudsman Bill) goes through. This ofcourse will make everyone liable, and I can’t wait to see it being implemented, and the rattle it creates across all government related sectors.
    Newspapers you are right, from what I know most tie up with some political party or the other, but at the same time, I think they did do a lot for the country. Omar Abhulla when asked about the huge scandals that were being revealed rightly said “why so many scams happen now? Well they always used to happen, its just being revealed, exposed now.”. I was also troubled knowing the role media played during the Mumbai attacks, where each information by media was going to Pakistan. But perhaps the fault lies with the Government for not making strict rules. Amazing right, I mean our government keeps saying ISI sponsors terrorist activities in India, but where the hell is a good procedure for security being followed and tested. Our taxpayers money gets wasted on committees which make thick reports and in the end all it does is sit in a corner gathering dust.