In search of values to unify the nation
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Talha J Ahmad
FROM the dark days of uncertainty, brutality and the shadow of extra-constitutional rule came a democratically elected government with a huge mandate. The thirsty, hungry and suffocated people expected to see reflection of their will, respect for their aspirations. Unelected, super-talented and ultra-efficient governments are not accountable to the people, they rather have superior entities to account who remain hidden from the eyes of the ordinary people. A democratically elected government may have some demons within it but they are from among the people and are accountable to the people in the final analysis. Well, this is what people going to the polls nearly a year and half ago had in mind.
But the people have bitter experiences of disappointments. From time immemorial they have experienced invasion, occupation, oppression and deprivation. The current government too does not seem to be an exception. Electricity has become a rare thing, gas comes and goes, water is in short supply or severely polluted, commodity prices are high, law and order situation is alarmingly bad –– the list of negatives is too long. We are now a nation of wants but seriously short of hopes.
Our misery does not end here. In the past, when the state failed to provide the needs people took to the street, parties gathered momentum and politics picked up. As a result, often the governments were compelled to take corrective measures, felt the need to provide explanations and, at times, sought forgiveness. But the present government is apparently unwilling to allow politics as usual.
We are now groups of people with little common between us. We are fragile, broken, shattered and disintegrated people with little sympathy for one another. Tolerance, respect and sense of decency have been replaced by intolerance, hatred and violence. The leading question, therefore, is: do we have values which perhaps can once again unite us?
We have a history, short but colourful. We have Independence Day, Victory Day, Mother Language Day. We celebrate these days with much respect, excitement and enthusiasm. We are right to do so. We have a glorious history of standing united despite difference in political viewpoints. We stood together through the toughest of times to ensure our common interest is realised. Yet, all these now seem to be sweet dreams of the past. None of these prideful events seems to belong to our heritage. The question is: why?
In 1952 we stood firm and united because we had a common goal to save our language, our mother tongue. In 1971 we had a common vision to see our country free and independent, some will say in 1975 we were united to get rid of what they say tyranny and in 1989/90 we rose united once again to see the end of dictatorship. Today we have little in common, hardly a common vision.
We now have a population caught between ‘Bollywood Utopia’/ ’Hollywood’s Blue vision’ and our long-standing culture of modesty, decency and religious tolerance. A section of us is madly diving into the deep water of heartless westernisation while others are increasingly assertive in their faith and religious identity and culture. In the past this was fine as both groups found ways to communicate and to respect each other. But today, these differences have grown bigger, stronger and aggressive. We are now unwilling to accept others as valid. We feel a strong sense of urge to overtake, overwhelm and override all things different from us. This is unfortunate.
This division, disintegration and deep confrontation cannot, however, be left to linger. We no longer should sit in comfort without working hard to bring a resolution of the differences among us. Our unity has gone, national identity has become confusing, and our collective good is threatened. We are now a boat without radar. We have lost our sense of direction. If we continue our journey any further down this line, our future will be endangered. We, therefore, need to be serious. And our first step in that long journey should be to search for values which are common, important and essential to us as a people. We need to discover ideals which will act as a bond between the people and communities. We need to find values and norms on which we agree.
................................................
The writer can be reached at
e-mail: talha.j.ahmad@gmail.com
FROM the dark days of uncertainty, brutality and the shadow of extra-constitutional rule came a democratically elected government with a huge mandate. The thirsty, hungry and suffocated people expected to see reflection of their will, respect for their aspirations. Unelected, super-talented and ultra-efficient governments are not accountable to the people, they rather have superior entities to account who remain hidden from the eyes of the ordinary people. A democratically elected government may have some demons within it but they are from among the people and are accountable to the people in the final analysis. Well, this is what people going to the polls nearly a year and half ago had in mind.
But the people have bitter experiences of disappointments. From time immemorial they have experienced invasion, occupation, oppression and deprivation. The current government too does not seem to be an exception. Electricity has become a rare thing, gas comes and goes, water is in short supply or severely polluted, commodity prices are high, law and order situation is alarmingly bad –– the list of negatives is too long. We are now a nation of wants but seriously short of hopes.
Our misery does not end here. In the past, when the state failed to provide the needs people took to the street, parties gathered momentum and politics picked up. As a result, often the governments were compelled to take corrective measures, felt the need to provide explanations and, at times, sought forgiveness. But the present government is apparently unwilling to allow politics as usual.
We are now groups of people with little common between us. We are fragile, broken, shattered and disintegrated people with little sympathy for one another. Tolerance, respect and sense of decency have been replaced by intolerance, hatred and violence. The leading question, therefore, is: do we have values which perhaps can once again unite us?
We have a history, short but colourful. We have Independence Day, Victory Day, Mother Language Day. We celebrate these days with much respect, excitement and enthusiasm. We are right to do so. We have a glorious history of standing united despite difference in political viewpoints. We stood together through the toughest of times to ensure our common interest is realised. Yet, all these now seem to be sweet dreams of the past. None of these prideful events seems to belong to our heritage. The question is: why?
In 1952 we stood firm and united because we had a common goal to save our language, our mother tongue. In 1971 we had a common vision to see our country free and independent, some will say in 1975 we were united to get rid of what they say tyranny and in 1989/90 we rose united once again to see the end of dictatorship. Today we have little in common, hardly a common vision.
We now have a population caught between ‘Bollywood Utopia’/ ’Hollywood’s Blue vision’ and our long-standing culture of modesty, decency and religious tolerance. A section of us is madly diving into the deep water of heartless westernisation while others are increasingly assertive in their faith and religious identity and culture. In the past this was fine as both groups found ways to communicate and to respect each other. But today, these differences have grown bigger, stronger and aggressive. We are now unwilling to accept others as valid. We feel a strong sense of urge to overtake, overwhelm and override all things different from us. This is unfortunate.
This division, disintegration and deep confrontation cannot, however, be left to linger. We no longer should sit in comfort without working hard to bring a resolution of the differences among us. Our unity has gone, national identity has become confusing, and our collective good is threatened. We are now a boat without radar. We have lost our sense of direction. If we continue our journey any further down this line, our future will be endangered. We, therefore, need to be serious. And our first step in that long journey should be to search for values which are common, important and essential to us as a people. We need to discover ideals which will act as a bond between the people and communities. We need to find values and norms on which we agree.
................................................
The writer can be reached at
e-mail: talha.j.ahmad@gmail.com