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© 2012 Sanjeev Sabhlok's revolutionary blog
Chanced upon JP's talk at TEDx last year.
How many members of the audience DID anything after this talk?
To the middle class this was just one more nice "event" to attend. A show for the evening. Like any other dance/film show. A way to spend the evening, then go home, have a drink and dinner, and forget that JP ever existed.
How many members of the audience heeded JP's call (not as forthright as I'd have liked it to be) to join politics?
FTI recently had an outreach even in Pune. How many of the audience members cared to join FTI after that event? So far none.
The middle class – which generates political leaders across the world – is impotent in India. It simply doesn't ACT.
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Related posts:
- One more round of middle class cowardice? “Anonymous #OpIndia revolution”
- Shantanu’s call to the middle class to stand up and be counted
- The Indian middle class has taken baby steps in politics. Now is it ready for the big game?
- The middle class of India thinks that joining politics is like “going to border to fight against terrorist”
- Vishal Singh, FTI member – nails India’s middle class apathy on its head
- The standard lame excuses of the Indian middle class #1
- A nation can only be as good as the ambition of its middle class
- Lok Satta breaks Indian law for the sake of liberty, and the government watches, impotent! Well done, JP!
- Let India’s “educated” class look within, please. A comment from Gireesh Kumar
- India Traders of the Middle Ages: Documents from the Cairo Geniza “India Book”, by M.A. Friedman; S.D.F. Goitein
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Dear Sanjeev,
It is far easy to say something, and quite different to act on it. I’m sure you know this. Similarly also, I’ve realized it is FAR easy to blog sitting in a developed part of the world (away from all the bureaucracy and government mischiefs). It is VERY difficult to be a common man and live ethically.
Every day I live in India, I worry about maintaining ethics. It seems close to IMPOSSIBLE to live ethically and also feed your family, make a good life for them. Government is constantly on the look for people who are ethical so that it can harass them. Look, for instance, into the recent Sahara Group case. It’s suffering for being too honest. IT department did not give it a tax refund of nearly 2000 crores for decades because it refused to pay bribes to officials. I’ll email you a disclosure published in today’s TOI issue where Sahara reveals how the officials tortured them,emotions how he officials tortured them for being honest.
I suggest you move to India and live like a commoner (not as an ex-IAS). That will give you a perspective. It seems to me that things simply cannot be changed in India. Sorry if I appear all pessimistic. I’m trying not to. But this is a stark reality we must all come to terms to.
Harsh
Of course life is difficult in India. That’s why it needs good leaders and good policies. But till the middle class stands up and starts preparing for reforms, please rest assured I will NOT return.
When I was there in 1999 and 2000 NO ONE stood up alongside with me. Not even JP. After repeated efforts I gave up. I was in a country where we produce clerks, not leaders.
My going back to India is pointless. The middle class is impotent. It can’t stand up and organise. What will I do?
Today there are a few, on FTI. And JP himself has (finally) joined politics.
But till I see at least 1500 SOLID LEADERS who are ready to work together as a team, and agree to policies, I don’t see any point in returning.
So I keep doing my mite. But I need to see 1499 other leaders first.
s
That’s okay. And I know your view on this. My point is what about the MILLIONS of Indians who cannot escape to a developed country? It’s not that they don’t want reforms. Just that they have given up! Trust me! There are COUNTLESS people who don’t wish to pay bribes but are forced into it by authorities. My question is this: Is blogging the answer for the time being? I’m afraid it is not.
Please note that I’m 100% with you so far as ideology is concerned. But I doubt the escapist attitude. What is the point of integrity if it causes one to escape to developed nations when subjected to pressures? That means our integrity is weak.
Ambedkar and many other revolutionaries had the opportunity to settle abroad, but they chose to return to India. They chose to fight out despite so many blows to their ethics. Why? Had they lived today, would they have chosen to escape India because of people’s indifference? These are questions to ponder!
Sanjeev: To find those “1499″, you need to ‘lead from the front’ (read, actively lead the movement from Indian soil) because FTI is your brainchild and no one can do a better job than you to ‘recruit’. Even though it is a collective effort, but each and every movement needs organized leadership to march forward. My 2 cents!
Munish
If all I find are followers (of me), then I’m far better off here.
I’m looking for leaders who WANT a different nation and are prepared to put in the PREPARATORY work. These leaders will ALL lead from the front.
If anyone thinks that without my coming back to India change can’t occur, then my response is: it can NEVER occur. Change can’t depend on any individual. It must be systemic. Change needs THOUSANDS of ordinary people (like me) to start dreaming of extraordinary things. Then things can be done.
Let these ordinary people (like me) come together.
I get frustrated when people even refuse to come together for PREPARATORY work. That surely needs some explanation.
Is it due to India’s culture? Why are people so defeated that they can’t even assemble to PREPARE?
s
It’s not about being your followers Sanjeev. It’s about being followers of capitalism, of classical liberalism – not in the sense of slaves, but in the sense of allegiance. You cannot ignore the fact that many people look up to you for inspiration and guidance. If intellectuals like you show an escapist attitude, India will never see light.
Harsh, I wish I could escape from the mess that is India.
Actually I can, even today. I can simply shut off. Close down my entire work. Entirely. Zap!
Indeed, it might be best for my physical (and mental?) health to escape from a nation of sheep. I’m not a sheep. Why do I have to care for a nation of sheep?
So let’s wait. Let’s find brave fighters for liberty first.
If then, after many years of really painful (I can’t even begin to describe) and very expensive (the cost is so huge, taken together, no rational person would have put in this kind of cost) work, I can’t still find leaders, then I WILL escape, Harsh. Trust me, I will.
Then you or others will not be able to write to me nor contact me in any way. And I will no longer write anything about India. I will burn all books on India and I will become a total Australian. For ever.
Re: who looks up to what (to me? I haven’t come across many!) – why do I care? I’m not anyone’s inspiration. Each person’s inspiration must come from within. No one inspired me. I do what I can. Let people just do that much.
s
Sanjeev: I agree with Harsh Vora (his comments pasted below). FTI needs individuals like you in India to ‘recruit ‘like-minded people and network with other organizations. It is not about following you! ‘One and one make eleven’. On ground level, we need to start our work more aggressively and for sure we need an organized team. With your presence in India, the work will gain much-needed momentum.
Harsh Vora: It’s not about being your followers Sanjeev. It’s about being followers of capitalism, of classical liberalism – not in the sense of slaves, but in the sense of allegiance. You cannot ignore the fact that many people look up to you for inspiration and guidance. If intellectuals like you show an escapist attitude, India will never see light.
Mr. Sanjeev, I’m not able to find answer on below;
1. How a middle-class person can join politics, forget being successful but to live without any fear thereafter?
2. While in politics (clean), feed himself and his family (part-time will not work as it will become like a CSR)
On thought of family, one start to think about child’s education, etc., etc., and where does a middle-class person get time for politics? Best he can do is to live, let live and say no to things that are unethical to mankind (such as corruption, bribe etc.,) – Will he be allowed to do his best? For that we want like minded people to be in politics – Above get into infinite loop without any outcome!
3. Bureaucrat! Are they part of your middle-class definition? Corrupt politicians can be changed in 5 years but these folks rule civil society till they retire (pass on their learning’s to junior officers) and on and on. They join hands with whatever ruling party and ensure that they carry-on till retirement and even after. Why can’t these bureaucrats stand-up for their honor / pride.
If they are part of middle-class, then middle-class has to stand-up to its own people first?
FTI’s website has answers to such questions. On my blog you’ll find some answers, as well (although hard to find given there is so much material on this blog!).
If you are serious about these questions, though, please contact any FTI member (names listed on FTI’s “contacts” page) and have a chat. Everyone on FTI has asked such questions and has come an answer.
s