Vishwa Manava-The Panacea

VISHWA MANAVA- THE PANACEA <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>​

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‘Globalisation’ is a very wonderful concept, if it is understood in the real spirit. ‘Vishwa Manava’ said our Rashtra Kavi Kuvempu. What a wonderful thought! We all belong to this planet and hence we are residents of the planet rather than of any geographical part of it. The earth would be a heaven if this concept is implemented in the true sense.
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It is an irony that using such a holy word, what is really happening is quite the opposite. People are getting divided more and more on various counts, mainly the economic aspects. The planet has almost become the property of a few rich people organized either as companies or as nations. This is very sad. The economic disparity is leading to so many other problems and people are getting impatient.
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I recently had the experience of this harsh truth. My qualified friend is looking around for a job. It is pathetic to see people offering her Rs.2000-Rs.3000/-p.m., for a six or seven-day job, when illiterate domestic maids are earning much more than that, working for just four to five hours a day! And even the most average fresher from the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace><st1laceName>Engineering</st1laceName> <st1laceType>College</st1laceType></st1lace> today earns a neat Rs.20000/- p.m., to start with PLUS all the perks that go along with the salary! All because my friend is not an Engineer and she is not a fresher from college! How can people tolerate this disparity and for how long?
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The very decision of dividing the States linguistically was very faulty, because there has always been a dispute on all borders. How does it matter whether a Kannada farmer commits suicide or a Tamil farmer does it? How does it matter whether a Rajasthani dies of hunger or a Gujarati? How does it matter whether the children of <st1lace>Maharashtra</st1lace> are starved and malnourished or the children of Madhya Pradesh are starved and malnourished? As a human being, my heart bleeds with sorrow when I read such reports. The recent report of a bunch of children of Sri Lankan refugees suffering in an institution, for paucity of funds brought tears in my eyes. What is the fault of these poor innocent children to be starving in an alien land? Can we even imagine our own children suffering thus?
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Such being the case, it is very shocking to see people getting more and more narrow-minded. The recent violent incidents in Mumbai are very unfortunate. True! It is sad to see members of our family suffering hunger, when guests are having their fill! But, what does ‘our family’ really mean? When multi-cultures came together to form such a wonderful nation, it was expected to flourish as one country. The division of the States was supposedly made to make administration easier. But the politicians have never taken that division in that spirit from day one! Instead the country should have been geometrically divided into equal areas. The very purpose of forming one nation was to get away with differences and treat all people of all states alike. All of us got the freedom to go to any part of the country and eke out our living. This was also required to ensure uniform development around the country. Being a part of a family, why should I be barred from entering one room? If I am not secure in my own home, where else will I be safe? I get jitters when I read about the restlessness in the people of some countries against foreigners who are flourishing there and the locals are deprived of opportunities. There are millions of Indians settled in so many countries. What if they are all turned out from there? Can we bear the pain and cost of such an attitude?
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Globalisation is supposedly to create equal opportunities all around the world and make the entire globe a free zone. But on the other hand, the policies have led to widespread disparities in all the countries and frustrated with such policies, people are turning their ire on people, who they feel have snatched away their opportunities. This would not have been the case had the policies taken care of the interests of all segments of the society.
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Such attitudes are being exhibited in all spheres right from home! The first casualty was the extended family system! People have narrowed down their definition of ‘family’ to just a couple and their one or two children. It is shocking and sad to see children dumping their own parents in old-age homes or simply deserting them, not even ready to support them financially, let alone physically. Gone are the days when grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins were all very much members of a ‘family’. People of my parents’ generation referred to their cousins as ‘brothers and sisters’ and not as cousins. But the very concept of brotherhood and sisterhood is slowly vanishing, as most of the families have just one child and how can you explain a concept without actually demonstrating it? Children of today cannot tolerate even temporary visitors, for they feel their ‘privacy’ is of utmost importance. The very fabric of social behaviour has undergone tremendous change and stress. The holes in this fabric are getting bigger and bigger, causing so many social problems!
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Instead of building bridges, we are busy building walls. When nature has no geographical bias, why should we, who are after all just a small speck in the universe be so biased and narrow-minded?
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When will the so-called civilized man realize that Vishwa Manava concept is what is going to save this planet from self-destruction?
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Sudha Narasimhachar
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