Freedom

From The Print

India is going to be a superpower. When my Prime Minister says that I should feel proud. My veins should bulge with the thrust of rushing blood of patriotism. I wonder why my blood doesn’t rush. Am I not patriotic? Am I an antinational Modi-baiter who should be put behind the bars like hundreds of others?

A whole state called Manipur is burning in the imminent superpower. People are killing one another. The Prime Minister hasn’t said a word about it though the violence has been going on for nearly three months. When a video surfaced showing the brutal treatment that the PM’s supporters extended patriotically to two women in Manipur, Modiji condescended to say that such treatment of women was very un-Hindustani. And that was an utter lie. Hindustani culture burnt women on their husbands’ funeral pyres. And Modiji is a diehard fan of that great ancient Indian culture.

The great Indian culture has always stifled the vast majority of people in various guises like the caste system or the Sati or the Devadasi or… (want more?) Modiji is bringing that system back in a new format. He has handed over half of the country’s wealth to just one percent of the country’s population. The wealth distribution in Modiji’s India is so skewed that not even 5% of Indians file the ITR [Income Tax Return] which means that not even 5% of Indians have the income to pay income tax. Out of the 5% that do file the ITR, quite a lot of people don’t pay any tax. Many even deserve a return of the taxes deducted at source – like me.

Something is seriously wrong in Modiji’s India where not even 2% of citizens can pay income tax.

I don’t know what exactly is wrong here. The state of Manipur may be an indicator, a lesson, a streetlight. Modiji’s supporters can do whatever they like with impunity there. All others will be done away with one way or another. Sooner or later. Latest by 2025: the centenary year of the foundation of Modiji’s own militant organisation called RSS [Rashtriya Swayambhog Sangh].

Handing over India to a few people seems to be Modiji’s ultimate goal. Who are those few people? That’s the only question to be answered. The one percent that enjoy half of the country’s wealth? The upper caste? Or the Hindus?

The last is not an option at all. The Dalits and tribal people will tell you why.

Whose country is India now? You tell me.

Let me give you a personal parable. I have five cats with me. Two of them came from somewhere and became mine. I accepted them. But there’s another one whom I have named Modiji that comes every now and then just to attack my male cats or screw the females. This Modiji never does any good to me or anybody. But he makes his presence felt every now and then with his self-impositions. He thinks he has the right to do whatever he wants in my premises. He thinks he is a divine avatar. But it’s my cats’ food that he steals. It’s my cats’ freedom that he devours. It's my peace that he decimates. And he knows how to get away with all that and look like a hero.

When will my cats be free of Modiji?

PS. This post has been provoked by Indispire Edition 448: "No one of us can be free until everyone is free." Maya Angelou #FreedomForAll