It may not be the right time to share such a personal opinion, but as I am helpless like the people of Chennai, I need to vent my anger.
One of the several evils that democracy brought with it is the irresponsibility of the public and the need to blame the ruling party for everything. In addition, the opposition parties and the media continue to bark loudly, assuming they are the ‘watch dog of democracy’. Such barking only irritates people who think soberly. Of course, I would have done the same thing if I was affected by such a calamity and wasn’t receiving any help — particularly with the aged and sick. In contrast, the media in favor of the ruling party will glorify all their good work done irrespective of the adverse situation.
In one T.V. show (Vijay T.V. ‘Neeya Naana’, 30-11-15), a doctor shared how three months before the rainy season, various departments of the government met and discussed how to face the forthcoming rainy season. This is done by the government officials, irrespective of which party is ruling. But nobody can prepare for such a calamity which hit Chennai with the worst rain in nearly a century.
My rationality refuses to accept that when heavy rain was pouring down, people were lamenting about a lack of ‘drinking water’. Particularly those who took refuge in the first and second floor complained about a lack of drinking water. Perhaps they could have collected enough rain water (as my sister’s family wisely did) and boil and drink that water? Of course those with no open terrace and other means have every reason to complain.
What is even more irritating is that, though the opposition parties urge for ‘no politics’ at the present, they continue to lash out the government as if they are doing nothing. And our joker politician Vijayakant went to the extent of asking why the CM could not at least do an aerial survey. When the airport is deluged and no flight can take off, it cannot even be thought of. Of course, Vijaykant never makes a sensible statement, so perhaps it is a bad example. Now as both the PM and CM have done the survey, he will surely claim that they have done it because of his rebuke.
Already some English Channels like Times Now, CNN-IBN, and NDTV have discussed the failures of the government. Soon, all the Tamil channels will do the same. They will all write articles and give lots of advice where all the previous governments failed and what needs to be done.
But the tragedy in a democracy is that soon everyone will forget and each one will think about their own survival and continue to do their part to do damage for the future. The only consolation is that several individuals, without expecting any appreciation, continue to reach the needed people through their own means and teamwork. The government will continue to do its part as any government will do it. But as the next election is coming soon, all the political parties will try to score as much credit for the rescue and relief work done by them all. In between, though several NGOs are doing true service, a few will try to score credit as usual blaming the government and claim they are the one who actually reaching the people.
I don’t know how people would have managed such disaster when kings ruled them. I don’t know if the British would have reached and rescued the people and helped restore them to their normal life. When there was no ‘democracy’. people would have managed their calamities locally as the kings rarely interfered in the local administration of people. Of course, they would have been less likely to persecute nature as we do at present. For example, they would have never blocked all the canals that brought water or constructed houses so close to the river. They would have taken precautions and managed it locally.
But democracy taught people to engage in the ‘blame game’ and not accept personal responsibility. The Good Samaritans do their part, but the true nature of ‘democracy’ is revealed when such a calamity strikes us all. I am not against democracy, but I wish we would all learn a good lesson and not repeat the same mistake again. But considering our nature, I don’t have a lot of hope.
4-12-15
For those who blame God, I have written a poem which I share here:
354 திருந்துகிறோம்
கேட்கிறோம் எங்கள் தேவைக்கு ஏற்ப
கொடுக்கிறாய் நீஉன் குணத்திற்கு ஏற்ப
இரண்டுமே தன் எல்லையை மீறினால்
எவர்தான் தாங்குவார் நீயே சொல்லு?
ஏற்ற சமயத்தில் மழைதர வேண்டி
இறங்கி நீயும் கருணை செய்தாய்
ஆயினும் இப்படி அதிகம் பெய்தால்
அழிவதே அன்றி உய்வது எப்படி
உன்னைச் சொல்லி குற்றமே இல்லை
உன்மீது எந்தத் தவறுமே இல்லை
இயற்கை தன்போக்கில் செயலைச் செய்ய
ஆதிமுதலே அமைத்ததும் நீதான்
இடையில் நாங்கள் எம்கடன் மறந்தோம்
இயற்கையைச் சீண்ட தவறுகள் செய்தோம்
செயற்கையான பல தேவைகள் வேண்டி
எல்லைமீறி இயற்கையை வதைத்தோம்
விதைத்ததை நாங்களே அறுவடை செய்கிறோம்
வேடிக்கை மட்டுமே நீயும் பார்க்கிறாய்
தவறை எண்ணி திருந்த வேண்டி
தவறுக்கு ஏற்ற தண்டனை அளிக்கின்றாய்
தவறை எண்ணி திருந்த வேண்டி
தயவுசெய்வாய் மீண்டும் ஒருமுறை
திருத்திக் கொண்டால் நாங்களும் உய்வோம்
இல்லாவிட்டால் சேர்ந்தே அழிவோம்.
6-12-2015, மதியம் 2.55, மத்திகிரி
354 We will mend our ways
We ask according to our need
You too give according to your ‘nature’!
But if both exceed their limitation
Who can bear it, kindly tell it to me?
In order to give rain in time
You too showed your mercy
But if it pours down like this
Other than perishing how we are going to survive?
There is no point of blaming you
And it is not your mistake.
You allowed nature to take its own course
From the beginning (of creation).
Meanwhile we forgot our duty (of preserving nature)
We have made many mistakes and provoked nature
In order to meet several artificial needs
We persecuted nature beyond its limit.
Now we are reaping what we sowed
You are only watching the drama
in order to repent realizing our mistake
you give punishment accordingly
In order to mend our ways by realizing our mistakes
Kindly, give us one more chance
If we mend our ways, we will survive
Otherwise we will perish together (entirely).
6-12-2015, 2.55, pm. Mathigiri.
Yesterday (5-12-15) in our weekly internet discussion, Madhu teased me that as I wrote poem seeking more rain a few weeks before, now this heavy rain has come. Vijay also teased me, “Better threaten God that you will write another poem asking to stop the rain. As God does not want punish us with your song, he will stop the rain.” But for the last four days, I was praying to God to stop the rain, but no poem came. You cannot write a poem artificially and it should come spontaneously. So this afternoon, after my regular reading ,I was thinking about the deluge because of rain. Then I said to God, “Of course we asked for rain in time, but if you send this much excess who can bear?” Then as the first line came automatically in my mind, I wrote this song within three minutes.
According my rational mind, we humans are the reason for this flood, though there was excess of rain. As we brought this tragedy in the name of development, we have to face the consequence. Of course if repent and correct our way, we will survive. Otherwise we all need to perish as preserving the nature is our collective responsibility.