It was almost the end of September ,October beginning in the city of Chennai. Varuna ( Rain God in Hindu Philosophy) had rendered the city's roads ineffective and had brought the city to its knees.
My father and I were driving to the Perungudi industrial estate one of the 3 main Industrial estates ( the other two being Ambattur and Guindy) in Chennai. The distance from Adyar to Perungudi is about 15km and should not take more than 30 minutes. On that day the journey took us an hour and twenty minutes. Why ? because Varuna was not kind to us. Varuna in his earnest desire to water the city had been extremely generous. But then he failed to realize that the Chennai Corporation, the Public Works department et all is not equipped to handle these generous blessings. Hence the common man suffers.
Well to get to the point. The road to the estate was horrible and that is an understatement. The road in itself is small. It was more or less like a narrow alley ( I am not making this up the proof is there for all to see). Varuna had made it worse.It was full of pot holes ,puddles anything else to make driving worse it was there. Now to make matters worse there was two lane traffic on THIS road. Needless to say it was chaotic. Trucks,vans,lorries,pick-ups, cars ,autos two wheelers were all there. What were they all doing there? Did they not know that Varuna had wreaked havoc over the last couple of days..
Remember its the only road to the Perungudi Industrial Estate. In short the heart of any developing nation. This is what people like my father have to endure on a daily basis keep the nation running. Yes you read it right the first time , the nation running. The entrepneurs,industrialists that are housed in this estate and many such across the country are the fuel that run the nation. Nation running? Yes. But for these entrepreneurs who would pay the salaries of the Chief Minister, the government employees,the ministers,bureaucrats etc. But for these entrepreneurs who would pay for the roads we travel on, the development projects,etc. But for these entrepreneurs who would create jobs and pay the salaries as well.
And yet they do not even get a decent road to commute to their factories from where they produce. Even if you forget these men what about the goods they manufacture. Transporting the goods and machinery in such deplorable roads is a nightmare. If one has wondered why India does not have a presence in high tech manufacuring heres atleast one reason, the roads are in such deplorable conditions that merely transporting silicon wafers on these roads is a surefire way to destroy them.
It is in the face of all these insurmountable odds that people like my father run their factories, businesses etc. It is in the face of all these odds that companies like Sundaram Fasteners get voted as best supplier to GM for five continous years. It is in the face of all these odds that companies like Sundaram Clayton are awarded the prestigious Deming award( incidentally the first company outside of Japan to win this award). It is in the face all these odds that companies like Reliance have emerged as world beaters.
My father is 70 and he is still fighting. Fighting Varuna, fighting the government, fighting the bureaucrats, his competitors( the only worthy opponents in this fight) all to keep the nation running. Men like my father are fighting, fighting not just for their own interests, not just to make money, fighting to deliver the promise that India made at the time of her independence "to be an industrial and economic powerhouse". They are faced not just with external threats but also internal ones like an apathetic government. A government's responsibility is to create an environment or a system where any individual can succeed if he or she desires as such and is willing to work for it. Unfortunately it seems to me that in the last fifty years the successive governments have tried their best to hinder these men from succeeding. The government seems not to understand that these men are the drivers of the economy, the creators of the jobs and for crying out loud the people that pay their salaries.
These men and women today are fighting a losing battle in a globalized economy against companies in countries where everything is almost provided in platter. Take a look at the similar industrial estates in Taiwan,Singapore, Malaysia etc and see for yourself what these men are up against. Mind you these are only developing countries. In a globalized economy you compete against companies in every country. Aristotle said "Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth. Give these men and women a chance and they will prove to be world beaters.Provide these men and women with the basic requirements roads, power, water etc and watch them make mince meat of their competitors in the rest of the world. If not at least open up all these sectors so they can help themselves for I am sure they would definitely be willing to do whatever it takes. For these men and women have an indefatigable spirit, the spirit to fight, the spirit to win and the spirit that will transform India into an economic and industrial powerhouse.
Much has been said and written about Godhra and the subsequent mayhem in Gujarat. But unfortunately like is the case with most issues in India nothing constructive is being done. The Opposition lead by the illustrious "Italian- Indian" like always is asking that the PM step down, if not him atleast the CM. The underlying issue is being addressed by none. The words of Walter Deming (the man behind Japans' industrial resurgence, and noted Quality Guru) ring in my ears "Treat the problem not the symptom". The problem is not what happened in Gujarat. The problem is not what has happened in the country over the last fifty years. The anti-Sikh riots in aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assasination, the Bombay riots after Babri Masjid demolition, the riots after the Shah Bano verdict all these were symptoms of a festering problem. Gujarat like the the others mentioned above is merely a symptom. The problem is what has not happened in the country over the last 50 years.
Rhetoric one might say, so far there's nothing but rhetoric :-) . Maybe its because I want to be a politician.
Why did the Muslims ( Oops! maybe I should say minority community) indulge in an act that was nothing but pre-meditated cold blooded murder? Why did the Hindus react the way they did, killing, looting ,plundering anything and everything muslim? Why?
The rule of law does not have a place in India and that is why Gujarat burned. I am not justifying the riots and the killing that took place but merely trying to identify the root of the problem. The law of the land in my opinion is not enforced and that really is the root of the problem. The lawmakers and enforcers have failed miserably. Maybe its because of the politicians and the men in power. Maybe they are the culprits. But its blatantly obvious that the rule of law finds no place in India. A classic example , the uniform civil code enshrined in the constitution is not enforced. Why? the sentiments of the minorities may be offended. Too bad , this means there will be another Gujarat.
People have argued that the blood bath engaged in by the Hindus in retaliation to the burning of the train in Godhra is wrong. I dont see any need for an arguement, It is wrong . But it begs the question, why did they take the law in their own hands? Why did they not wait for a formal investigation and wait for justice to take its own course. Because there ain't going to be any of it. Even if there was one (investigation), do we seriously think that the perpetrators of the heinous crime will be brought to justice. How many people were convicted for instigating and perpetrating heinous crimes against the Sikhs in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assasination .None. What has been the outcome of the investigation into the Bofors scandal or the 1992 stock market scam . Nothing .In the name of communal harmony the pepetrators of Godhra would have walked away scot free. Like it exists today !
Its been 50 years since the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid issue was brought to the court. We are still awaiting the verdict with bated breath. Do we believe that the victims of the Godhra massacre will find justice being rendered by the existing judicial system? I dont suppose in my life time. Hence they did what they did. Is it right ? NO. But if there ain't no law of the land then it sure is the law of the jungle. When the state fails to check wrong-doing,society moves in to stem the excesses; and naturally it does so haphazardly, with innocents suffering the most.
Treat that and you treat the problem, otherwise wait for more Gujarats' to happen.
Someday... maybe, find out more for now by clicking this
Akhand Bharat, Satyavema jayathe