In praise of true democracy
Feudalism became history centuries ago. But is it an overstatement that our leaders still deem the country to be their fiefdom and the people and resources of the country to be their spoils? So, they are at liberty to treat the masses however they feel comfortable. They have, however, unity in diversity and that is in the job of exploiting the common people.
Tedious platitudes are their weapons for which we fall consistently. They claim to have the license and wherewithal to save our sovereignty, democracy, liberty, religion, and what not. Would you mind my suggesting that many of them might well be the forerunners in fleeing the country if the sovereignty and territory of the country were ever under assault?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Most of our leaders remain heavily guarded by cadres. The masses find it really difficult to even approach them. Their cadres and family members extort us heavily and many of the leaders enjoy a good portion of the booty. Their cadres and family members capture people's property at will. They are to be regularly greased for public services especially in getting allotment of land, ration, etc.
Their cadres and family members unleash a reign of terror in their localities and beyond. Their cadres and family members are above the law. They even nurture and back up militants to supplant law enforcement agencies. What a civilized democratic polity has been presented to us by our champions of democracy! Should we stop short of calling it tyranny personified in the name of nurturing nascent democracy?
They come to power, they lose power, and they again come to power. We often get slightly cross with them at their perceived negligence of us. We at times exude our frustration and anger. They use their guile to assuage our anguish. They again dish out promises. We resolve to teach them a good lesson. However, our determination evaporates before it is mature. Another election approaches and we again crowd the polling booths to vote for most of the seasoned imposters. They brutalize our hopes and aspirations and pile up assets. They keep on deceiving us and we continue to believe in them all in the hope for betterment of our lot.
We look to them in such a servile manner that our lot hinges upon their sweet will. Actually, previous observation is true to some extent, as we rely upon them to rule the country and repose in them all our trust and hopes. Whenever we are faced with a difficulty, we start entreating them with folded hands and they tend to relish our predicament. When misfortune befalls us even for their faults, they remain more interested in justifying their false position than in mitigating our sufferings.
To be precise, most of them can stoop to anything for getting their ends fulfilled. Even after such hammerings, we are not reluctant to worship them because they are the messiahs (!); but, the politicians' brand of democracy has by now become so heavy that we are persistently being hurt by it.
We are gasping for breath but no respite seems in sight as there seems to be no escape from the iron cage of their brand of democracy. The question haunts me: whether their brand of democracy is a necessary evil or we can discard it. Can't we really trigger a change in the nature of our democracy?
In fact, we can and we can do it exceptionally well. I believe the people hold the key to bringing the derailed leaders to their knees.
Our independence is hard-earned and so is our democracy. Democracy has provided us with the very weapon whereby we can make them mend their ways. Professor Yunus has urged the people to lobby to the leaders. To me, people can and must go further.
Coming out of the stereotyped absentee landlord role, we can very well assert ourselves to be the real owners of the country. For that to happen, however, we have to grasp the true meaning of democracy in that it is not just consigning power from one group of corrupt politicians to another.
We will have to be ruthless in dumping the tyrant leaders while being unswerving in nurturing and promoting the good ones.