If you notice the small poll on the right side-bar of this blog, you will notice that 10% of the voters feel that Kerala has made good progress in comparison to TN, AP, and Karnataka. I am trying to understand where the difference is. If its just a positive hope that Kerala will catch up, the mindset will change, etc, then yes, I am an optimist too. But if there are any hard facts, then lets examine whats available.
First there is this big discussion (hullabaloo, if you prefer) about how violence, robbery, and goondaism has suddenly become common-place in God's Own Country. In fact, this blog had carried a post called Goon's Own Country on the same issue last year. Now it appears that the title is more acceptable, at least compared to DOC, and even the "chinthakans" aka the thought-leaders of the state are calling the state by that name. Now thats a definite change in the mind-set, and a sign of acceptability and willingness to accept our "few" faults and inadequacies. Ok, theres some progress.
Talking about Goondaism, I am not sure how many of us remember that when the current Government came into power, one of the first things the Home Minister did was to release 100s of criminals and thieves (who were apparently party workers - uh oh - who could not make it to the legislative assembly) from the jails across Kerala. I guess they have all effectively taken up "jobs", unlike their lesser malayali counterparts, who still prefer to remain unemployed, smoking beedis and leching at their women. So theres some more progress identified.
The farmers of Kuttanad meanwhile realized that neither the LDF nor the UDF can save them. Goondaism struck in the form of unionism, and prevented harvest using machines. But early summer showers, as they call it, ensured that the political pains were washed away, leaving only the poor farmers to suffer. Of course, we can celebrate Easter with grain and vegetables "imported" from AP and TN, and chicken flown in from TN and Karnataka. And after easing the hunger, we can complain that there is a food-mafia and chicken-mafia, besides the infamous (and invisible) land-mafia, sex-mafia, film-mafia, retail-mafia (yawn..), beggar-mafia, beautyparlor-mafia.. The Italian mafia appear to be far behind compared to the progress we have made. Kudos to ourselves.
So what happened to all the "progress" and "development" made in Munnar and other "specified locations" across the state? Rubbles worth crores of money were "created" some time last year, but what is the end result? Except for the fact that the ministers and a few other top ministry officials were implicated in land-scams (alleged) subsequently, we have no idea what has happened after the much hyped and celebrated demolitions of the JCB era. Did the ministers divide all the newly-acquired land among themselves? Are they waiting for another buyer like ISRO to come in so that they can make their deals? Oh ofcourse, we now have a set of politicians with business knack despite the lack of education. Progress, of course.
Millions of malayalees across Kerala now scuttle and hamper scamper to get in front of the TV by around 8pm, irrespective of what they were preoccupied with. Star Singer, Ta Ka Di Mi, Super Star Global... groan..the list is endless. But this is one progress I wholeheartedly accept as positive. These programs are much superior to the pathetic mental torture fed to the malayalees earlier in the form of "serials". Atleast our children will feel encouraged to become precocious, and possibly inducted earlier into various party youth wings, while our pitiful neighbours settle for IIM, IIT, AIIMS etc.
So what if the multi-crore, celebrated, Smart City project, the mother-of-all-projects Vizhinjam port, the Keralas-liftoff-to-space ISRO project etc are all stuck behind political inadequacies and inefficiencies? Progress can be so subtle.. We will have the last laugh always I guess. At least we will pretend to do so, with true malayali false-prestige.
THE 'SAVE KERALA' INITIATIVE
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Doggoning, Doggone, Doggoned
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11 comments:
i dont think kerala has been pathetic in development. but compared to the headstart we had in terms of health and development, we could have done a lot lot better, and by now become one of the most progressive states in india.
id say we are toooooo educated.
We always find the bad side of things and protest. We media manipulates us very easily. Eg - Manorama. 90%of the stuff is blown out of proportion.
The political parties are arrogant. How dare they control where I study, how i study and how much fees I pay.
Goondayisam is growing.
Religious tolerance is decreasing
Even out highcourt is acting stupid.
http://www.kenneyjacob.com/2008/03/16/religious-freedom/
how about doing something about it. We only get the government we deserve. How many of us are willing to take some tangible steps to right what we believe is wrong? how many of us have the courage of conviction to stand up against these perceived injustices? how many of us has the persistence and perseverance to work to improve the system? I have found that Indians including mallus (and that includes me) are good at critical evaluation but when it comes to action we are founding wanting. Until we work on that aspect,the change we aspire for, would always allude us. As Gandhiji said- "be the change you want to see in the world." I do not remember a single change brought about by people just talking without doing anything about it. Its so easy to be cynical and blame all the problems on others (especially those in power). But we forget we have put them there. And in a democracy we can also put someone else or even ourselves there if we believe we have better solutions.But that requires conviction, courage and a willingness to sacrifice and come down from the high pedestal that we sit on and pass judgments.
I am glad that we are at least talking about it but now we need to get out and act. What happened in Kuttanad was a gross injustice but how many citizens, other than party workers of the opposition party, came out to protest? And how can we blame the people of a certain ideological leaning who come out and protest at the drop of a hat! At least they are showing their protest even though we may not approve. Why cannot we do the same in a civilized and effective manner. How many of us has defied a "bandh" call even if we believe it was not justified?
So next time we decide to sit in front of the computer and use elaborate and eloquent prose to criticize the present state of affairs lets just sit back and look at ourselves and ask-
what have we done to deserve better?
I dont agree to the comment that we get the government we deserve. There are no such absolute rules.
Regarding doing something, we all have our domains and areas of expertise. We can try to improve those. Im doing what ever I can in the area of education and engineering.
This blog owner is doing a good job by creating the awareness. All these cannot be neglected.
Then again, only people who are motivated can make a difference. In our country we struggle to live. There is no motivation here.
very pertinent issues identified...everyday there are robberies..sometimes even in broad daylight...the area around technopark is also the playground for goondas...i know of incidents there where employees who stay late walk bac to nearby hostels and are mugged...and the police force seems to be at best ignorant and at worst not bothered about all this...
another issue is the condition of roads..i recently went to north east with a lot of apprehension abt the state of roads there, but to my surprise found them 100 times better than kerala roads...well if we claim we are makin progress, we are jus buryin our head like the ostritch..
Heard of the Blog mafia? Thats what some of our fellow kuntry bloggers are accusing other kuntry bloggers with readers :p
Anyways...I remember an incident when I was in Kozhikode last. My aunts maid was telling us that she will be voting for the commies. When my aunt asked why, she said that it "their" (poor people's) party and a tradition in her family and she wasn't going to change it :) She had no clue about development or job creation or anything else relevant to her choice of party. The indoctrination and the feeling of haves vs the have not is so strong at the grass roots level.
Apologies if I have offended the Dostoevsky reading peoples with my humble comment :|
I'm no expert on Kerala despite being a Malayalee but hey - can't the Kerala government like pull a kind of china move on infrastructure (they are communist yes?) ? I mean build world class infrastructure and wait for the investments which in turn causes a positive domino effect of progress that we are hoping for. Does it/Can it work like that? I mean a couple of years ago when I visited Kerala, the roads and just basic infrastructure like totally sucked man.
Threis no security to life or property in Kerala.On the eve of SSLC/CBSE exams, political parties were exhorting for 48 hour hartals!
The ordinary resident Keralite has lost his political will to react, plunging the state to total anarchy & lawlessness.
Will there be any redemption for Malayalees in the near future? Sure , hardworking Keralites deserve a better life!
@ bmj - :) thanks for the comment..and i fully agree with you. its not like we are backward, but considering where we were 10-20 years ago, we shoulda been so ahead by now.
@ spice boy - really liked the article on religion by kenney..made a lot of sense, but its something that wont percolate into our religious leaders, who are as pathetic as our politicians. all they care about is power. not sure about media manipulating us - arent we supposed to be educated? maybe we should read 2-3 papers so that we get all perspectives.. :)
@ worldcitizen - i am all ears..let me know what practical steps we can take to change the situation? as far as i can see, and i think is possible by me, is only to write about what i feel is lacking or wrong, and create awareness. ultimately the action has to be collective. and for that the mindset of the people has to change and unify in one particular direction.
@ tinkerbells - so true..the technopark area (kazhakuttam) is one of the biggest goonda centers. and the current home ministry keeps letting out the goons from jail, and neutering the police morale. so how safe can it get anyway. cpi, cpm, dyfi and sfi party workers can do anything and get away with it. even the cops are trembling. what a shame.
@ silverine - blog mafia..lol..
very true about the indoctrination..apparently even scuffles between husband and wife goes to the party for settlement at that level. our own maid has told us this. so strange.
@ anonymous - no it doesnt work like that. in kerala, the commies want only party workers and goons around. they dont want to create employment and prosperity, since that would mean their own existence will be threatened.
talking about roads, now we dont have roads here any more..we only have water ways. the current government wishes to make inland water ways and are expanding the potholes into water channels.
@ madhavan - hard working Keralites? are there any left behind? if so they must be such a minority. and thats the whole problem now. keralas majority are party workers and goons led by scumbag leaders.
Well at least Kerala is better compared to some other states...Bihar/UP/Gujrat for eg..This goon problem is just sporadic and mainly exists in cities, unlike in the above mentioned states.
But once again thank you for bringing such a relevant topic up, as this blog has always did.
"Kerala is better compared to some other states...Bihar/UP
LOL!!! No offense meant but that cracked me up :))
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