The problems of our politics!

Times have changed. Decades have passed. People have transitioned from this mortal existence. Yet we remain stuck in passivity and idiosyncrasies. By now, we should have concretized the dreams of our forefathers: human development, genuine public welfare, civilized thinking – a little more maturity and less emotional intensity. But only God knows what evil eye has driven us into perpetual madness, as if we are destined to live and die this way.

In this ever-growing crowd of people with thinking disabilities, some of us may dare to think through things, analyze the long, unbroken sequence of stagnancy, and question beliefs that are naggingly fallible at best; reflect on the deliberate decay of public conduct; and notice the tricks and tactics of few individuals that have gained immense influence. Some of us may meditate on the ulterior motives of those at the helm of affairs, costing us our lives, wealth, and development. As they try to discern, seek perspective on what constitutes the status quo, and come up with corrective measures, they are disgraced by being labeled as abnormal folks. They are excluded, branded as outsiders, and seen as a threat to the regional political environment and public at large.

It seems as if the masses are under a magical spell that refuses to break. They neither listen nor read. They fail to notice that the source of their ailment springs from the same premise they so dearly adore. Blindly (without reason), they hop on embers and end up getting burnt. Even after hurting themselves in the long run, they seem not to reflect in hindsight. This is what the deceptive assurances given by the (big) influential few can do to us.

More than half a century has passed since the independence of our country, yet in our regional context, we suffer from political deceit. They promise one thing, deliver near to nothing. The rhetoric, assurances, and formidable tone they exhibit while appealing to the emotions of people feel as if a voice dropping from heaven. They walk side by side with the masses during campaigning, yet once in power, they treat the same people as strangers. They wear an entirely hubristic visage while listening to public grievance. They delay, anesthetize, and ultimately kill what ails the general people. This is the vicious circle of our political environment: from assurances to victory, and from delays to new assurances in the next round. And the game goes on.

Yet, we, the people, keep ignoring such grave blunders time and again. We rarely shift our attention from our love for one political head to welcoming and giving chances to youngsters filled with zeal and zest. We least discard our affection for personalities and parties, and we don’t give preference to individual agency, fire, and talent. And we keep suffering from our own self-inflicted madness.

It hurts to see the swathes of people becoming the victims of preventable deaths induced by regional political games. It further pains to recall the deliberate silence of the demagogues during those times. Why didn’t they come forward with the initiative of ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’, teaching the young folks about our national anthem, the meaning of unity in diversity, and the particulars of our country? We were put on a burner that sent forth smouldering, timely ideologies. We were left dying, while they kept accumulating power and prestige. Such behavior is not what a good politician subscribes to. This wasn’t what Abraham Lincoln stood for. Or Nelson Mandela struggled for. Or Martin Luther King fought for.

In contemporary times, their method of working and fooling the public has shifted from keeping us ignorant of reality to factional fights and party vs. party battles. They blame each other for the troubles caused to the public they all helped create, figuratively stooping even below the standards of street fights. They keep us engaged in this endless spectacle. And we keep trusting their words: words that reek of nothing but hunger for dominance. You realize how the methods of dealing with the public sentiments shift from one end to another, keeping in view the changing circumstances. Even the devil would stand at their feet to learn the art of deceptions: deceptions that appear and resemble a catalyst for public welfare but stink on the inside like rotten meat.

If our forefathers were to come to life again to have the view of how the region is being run, they would curse themselves. They would beseech God to take away the floor beneath us. They would lament how the vast cognitive capabilities of humans have been reduced to manipulate different scenarios. They would curse politics and politicians alike. And they would pity our helplessness that we languish in. They would abandon the idea of a developed Kashmir. They would even start doubting the best among us. This is what we have done – to ourselves, to Kashmir, and to our minds.

Tailpiece:

Enough we have endured, much we have tolerated. Duplicity must end. To achieve that, we need to slough off our preconceived notions, hold the culpable accountable, and learn from our mistakes. Civilizations, real or in name, can’t afford mediocrity. Political cheapness? Not at all.

Syed Rizwan Bukhari, hailing from Sopore, is an entrepreneur.