Democracy Is Alive And Kicking

Democracy is Alive and Kicking.

It was the killing heat of the summer in Delhi. The temperature was touching 45 degrees C. Ramesh was walking barefoot holding his newly acquired shoes from a neighborhood store. The road was under repair. It had been under repair for a few weeks now. The Rickshaw puller will not ply on this rowdy road. His house rested at the end of the one-mile road that was under repair.

Unable to walk any further, he sat on a huge dump of debris. simply ignored him. But then arrived a middle-aged, frail-bodied, haggard man. He sat next to him. Another passerby advised to sit under some shade and moved on. He looked as far as he could see and found no shade. The middle-aged man knew it already.

The middle-aged man enquired why he was sitting there to which he replied that his house stood at the end of the road and he cannot walk any further as his feet were hurting.

"But you have shoes to wear" - reminded the middle-aged man who himself was in Hawaii Chappals.

"I do but they are pinching" -Ramesh informed.

"God only can save this country. In spite of having new shoes, you are not in a position to wear them and walk home because they are pinching" - the middle-aged man said agitatedly in a loud voice.

"What God or country has to do with my pinching shoes"- Ramesh objected, a little surprised.

By this time a few more people had gathered around them. They were expecting some duel.

"Everything! Everything! My friend! Here is a road which is under repairs for weeks. Here is Government that can not do anything right. Here is a store that can not supply wearable shoes. Here is a country that cannot choose a good government. And here is our God that is not punishing them. "- lamented the middle-aged man.

" Which make the shoe is? " enquired somebody in the crowd.

"X and Y company"- Ramesh informed.

"That's s good brand" - somebody from the crowd suggested.

"From which store did you buy"- another voice.

"A and Z store"- Ramesh confirmed.

"That store owner is a cheat. He stocks fake brands. Last time I also purchased a pair from that bastard and it did not last even a month. I asked for a replacement and he refused to say I could contact the manufacturer. I approached the manufacturer and they said this damn store was not their Authorized dealer"- documented that voice.

"But see this road is under repair for weeks now! What's the government doing"-a voice enquired.

"Can't you see? They are laying underground pipes and it takes time. You seem to be from the opposition party"- opined another voice.

" So what? I repeat this government is inefficient, anti-people, corrupt! " - protested the previous voice.

"Let us not blame everything on the government. As citizens, we have had our rights but we should be aware of our obligations too"- sermonized some sane voice.

"That is okay but we live in a democracy and we have every right to protest. Nobody can take that right away from us"- another aggrieved soul solemnized.

"We deserve the government we chose" - an intellectual butted in.

"Democracy is the government of hundred fools"- a likely communist quoted.

"Now you will even blame the government for this hot weather"- a realist said.

"And why not, Sir? There is no power in our area for three days. The water taps are dry. It happens every summer. Why can't they plan in advance?"- another dissatisfied citizen complained.

"Tomatoes are selling at 100 rupees a kilo"- a poor householder raised his voice.

The crowd was gathering. Some were whispering, some were agitated and some were simply watching. Nobody seemed to be mindful of the heat. Nobody knew what motivated this gathering and for what purpose. But they were talking and throwing arguments at each other. Nobody noticed when Ramesh, the bare-footed man holding shoes in his hands, and the middle-aged man slipped away.


Democracy is alive and kicking.

 

Absolutely.
The only silver line is that there is some sort of freedom of speech. There are so many ills of democracy but the one boon is freedom of speech and expression.
In my post, I tried to make it a little humorous. In any group discussion, people tend to divert from the main subject. Most often whataboutery takes over.
In this case, people keep on debating and discussing and no one notices when Ramesh left. People need a reason to express their anger.