Conversations with a Roadesian-2

He met me again today. Nose held high, tail swaying gently, there was a spring in his step.

Wassup? I asked.
Can’t you breathe the fresh air? he said.
I can only smell fear, I replied.
Yaar, you humans are such idiots. You’re scared of anything new. Fresh air for you is something not experienced in ages.

I was getting sick of his taunts.
Change of subject was called for.

Hey, do you know we have started social distancing. Not to talk of quarantine, testing, washing hands, work from home. The way we collectively respond to emergencies is something you guys can never understand. You dogs always keep fighting, I taunted.

He looked at me with pity.
Emergencies? Paah! You and your human arrogance.
So an earthquake would be an emergency for you, yes?
Of course, I replied.
Ok so you start rebuilding, yes?
Yes indeed. We join hands to build houses.
Aah! So whose houses do you build as your human social commitment, my friend?
For those whose houses have been destroyed, I said.

Did everyone have a house before the quake?
He asked looking at me intently.
Of course not. I replied.
So there were some who were houseless before the quake and some who became houseless after the quake.
Of course you oaf. Can’t you understand?
I was getting impatient.

So my dear great, evolved, developed human, who was first in queue?
Obviously the one who was houseless before the quake!
And yet your great, noble, generous, philanthropic, social work ignores them, and looks after the ones who joined the houseless queue, later.
You call that fair?

And yes one more thing, he said slowly.
What now? I was squirming now.

Just some 5000 guys die over a couple of months and you call it an emergency.
In the same two months almost 100,000 children died of malnutrition related causes in India alone. And you call 5000 deaths an emergency? Give me a break boss!

Your priorities are zany, your actions and response most unfair. You guys are the most selfish species on earth.
Ah to be a dog! At least I don’t carry the ignominy of being unfair and a cheat.
And yes please change the idiom from ‘dog eat dog’ to ‘human eat human’. You guys do it on a daily basis.

Grinding my toes on the ground, unable to face him, I wanted the earth to swallow me.

Conversations with a Roadesian.

I see him often in my morning walks. Usually morose with one ear drooping, he looks sheepishly at me, fearing a rebuke, which he gets from most.
Today he was grinning from ear to ear.
Surprised, I tarried and gazed.
Finally breaking the silence I asked him ‘Kya hua?’
He stopped grinning and said ‘finally we have managed to stop you guys’.
We? Who is we?
‘Us dogs and cats and birds and Corona.’
WHAT?

‘Yup mon ami, it’s nature’s reply to your shenanigans. You guys had crossed all limits in exploiting resources. This thing called wealth and money. I wouldn’t even raise my leg to do, you know what, on it. You guys kill each other for it. Make others of your kind into slaves. And die empty handed.
Ever seen a dog holding another in chains?You guys are the limit.
And you call each other kutta?
Well, we tell pet dogs-It’s a mans life.
Anyway Corona, my friend has immobilised you and all your exploitative stupidity.
All activities have slowed down and we find the air better to breathe.
You guys are mad if you feel you can make the world spin faster.
Corona has slammed the brakes and now you will find time to rediscover your family, friends and children.
We’re not your enemies. We’re doing you all a favour by making you pause.
And yes Corona my friend, kills only 2 out of 100 of you jokers. Yet kaisi phati hai sabki.
You guys are real cowards. Kicking weaker beings, and seeking strength from imaginary gods.
That’s why I grin.’

I stared stupefied.
A talking dog was a wonder, but talking rationally, intelligently was something I hadn’t seen anyone do in years.
I touched my fingers to my forehead in a silent salute, and left him smiling.

Puzzle pieces reveal the picture

Visits to two places in Delhi revealed a strong undercurrent which can be felt, but not seen; simply because the so called mainstream will neither accept, nor talk about it.

The first was the World Book Fair in Delhi.
Among the very many stalls of publishers, societies, authors, what surprises; is the crowd thronging the stalls having literature of Dr. Ambedkar, Phule, Periyar, Bhagat Singh et al. These stalls are having what is commonly called DBA (Dalit Bahujan Adivasi) literature. Having got used to sparse interest towards such stalls in similar exhibitions earlier, the crowds and the brisk purchases being made there, was an eye opener.

The message of Dr. Ambedkar was "Educate, Agitate, Organise". What can be seen now is that his advice of 'Educate' has started showing results. The youth among the DBA has got educated in huge numbers. They have focussed on the rational and scientific thoughts of Phule, Ambedkar, Periyar instead of  romantic and imaginary thoughts dished out by the so called mainstream. Slowly and steadily India has seen a rise in the  number of the educated & enlightened DBA all over, in all states, more so in the Ambedkarite segments, who are fuelled by the self respect accorded by his philosophy.

In sheer numbers, the educated and enlightened DBA, seem to outnumber the entire population of the so called mainstream, which consists mainly of members from 15% of the elite upper caste population.This 'mainstream' survives on a binding force of hereditary privileges, and always seeks to keep all narratives within its fold. Any and every movement in society is sought to be appropriated by this group, which has representatives of different hues, from Left to Right, from enforcer to agitator, from soft to hard... a system of mix and match exists where the appropriate representative takes over and tells the affected- 'Bhai logo ab aap ghar jao, mai sab dekh leta hoon'!(Hindi) Loosely meaning, return home my brothers, for I have arrived to fight your battles for you.

The second visit was to Shaheen Bagh.
It's the location of an unprecedented sit-in movement, in India, with predominantly Muslim women (many with children) occupying an arterial road for the last 25 days. They are protesting against the CAA-NRC combination. The energy was immense and infectious. The participants were well aware of the provisions of the CAA, and had an astonishing level of determination. The power of citizens dawns gradually upon you, as one moves and talks to the members of the crowd.

The three traps of Pad, Paisha & Pratishtha (Marathi) loosely meaning High post, Money & Fame, usually employed by the system to defuse any confrontation, if force doesnt work, does not seem to be deployable here. And the same seems to be the case in all anti CAA-NRC protests. Force by itself is not proving to be a deterrent, and the protests have become pan-India.

The reason for the three traps not working, appears to be hidden in the composition of the protesting groups. Minorities, Muslims and DBA are in high numbers, and the initiative is not being yielded to the members of the 'mainstream', as is wont, in similar cases hitherto. There appears to be a surge of distrust towards the media, Govt., and other institutions. As such there is no negotiator or representative who appears to be acceptable by the protestors.

A distinction is being made here between Minorities and Muslim, terms which are generally taken to mean the same. The largest minority in India are the women. The attitude of the 'mainstream' has ranged from very patronising to demeaning towards women. Caste based society has striven to keep caste purity intact by controlling women. Even today they don't have complete control over their mind and body.  Successful and ideal women portrayed by literature, films, media etc are predominantly either those who are servile to the men in their lives, or those who appear to demean their womanhood and act as men.

The presence of larger numbers of women, than men, in protests from Assam to Shaheen Bagh does indicate something. Women have greater patience, greater love & concern for their home & hearth, and greater resilience. They reacted with alacrity when the question of the future of their children, security of their home & families, in fact their locus itself; arose. They seem to have abandoned the role of the traditional Sati Savitri and accepted the role of the modern Savitribai who fought doggedly for womens' education and succeeded.

As such the 'mainstream' is flabbergasted and having failed to defuse the agitation by use of force or diversion by employing tactics like the JNU attack, it seems to be clutching at straws. What appears to be in the offing; is that a few more attempts to use force or to divert attention will be employed. If the emerging new mainstream of the majority of Indians; digs its heels in, then yielding to it, will be the only option available.

India is awakening to the participation of this vast majority, who were hitherto never actively involved in the process of nation building.