Talking Shop: I was born by the river

“I was born by the river; in

a little tent. Oh, and just like

the river, I’ve been runnin’

ever since. It’s been a long

time comin’, but I know change

gonna come. Oh, yes it will”

―Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke hit the nail on the head when he wrote and sang this classic and I can totally relate to it in today’s scheme of things. I too was born by a river (in Bihar, now Jharkhand). No, I was not born in a tent, but then, neither were crores of my fellow Indians. But just like this literary river, we have been all running and scampering ever since we were born—to escape the circus that society is turning into, to make our livelihoods and meet ends to keep families afloat as inflation and runaway prices refuse to slow down, while others scurry around simply to survive an onslaught on all fronts that shows neither mercy nor signs of abating.

Before I move on, let me share a thought that just struck me, that we humans are a fickle lot. Barely two years back, an entire nation and the rest of the world was cowering inside closed doors, sanitizing everything in sight, repeatedly praying to the Almighty for succour, standing in lines to get vaccine jabs and getting benumbed as they witnessed mass cremations and burials. All anyone wanted was a return to normalcy and clemency from the COVID-19 pandemic. Well, that wish has all but come true, but instead of thanking whatever higher power saved the day, we have returned to our unabashed indulgences, throwing basic human values to the wind and resorting to actions that debase our nation globally. In fact, I wouldn’t be exaggerating when I state that we have actually become shriller and far less tolerant in our approach to all things societal. And one can only guess that with Assembly Elections in four states around the corner, things will only get worse.

Ironical and intriguing

When we talk of soaring prices of essential items, it is indeed a travesty that in May this year, retail inflation had eased to a two-year-low of 4.25 per cent. The falling inflation numbers should have seen on-ground prices of all items moderating in India, but the gap between wholesale and retail numbers has actually increased. Clearly, the actual producers and farmers are selling to their direct customers at low price points, but somewhere in between, someone is not just making a killing, but is laughing all the way to the bank with bagfuls of currency notes, or hoarding them at home. For their sake, I hope they are not dealing in Rs 2,000 denomination notes.

Think of the staple diet of Indians of any religion, class, creed or culture; it always contains pulses, tomatoes and is cooked in oil. With the price of just these three food items going through the roof, even the affluent are beginning to feel the pinch; as for the lower middle class and the poor, let’s not even go there. Forget the common man and households; global fast food giants announced last week that they were discontinuing the use of tomatoes at most of their outsets due to runaway costs and/or poor quality. With the cherry-red fruit now out of bounds for most Indians, eating habits are being changed. What do we do next—stop having our favourite Daal Makhani and Arhar Daal and start eating boiled pumpkins and eggplants?

Sure, the Government has tried overtures like reducing duties on edible oils, but that is going to have a miniscule impact on household budgets and finances, if any. Get a load of this—the favourite targets for thieves and vagrants in the country now are pulses, tomatoes and cow-dung, with traders even installing CCTV cameras to prevent such incidents.

On some other fronts

We have become completely intolerant, and all it takes is one tweet, WhatsApp message, misinformed or belligerent press conference to ignite social unrest and religious clashes. What is worrisome is that some individuals are taking advantage of this ripping of our moral fabric to deliberately instil fear or anger by coughing up inane narratives that spark insecurity and vandalism. As far back as in 2017, a leading global magazine wrote that India was sitting on a powder keg as citizens struggled to balance traditional cultural systems with the new social dynamics introduced by globalization. Six years down the line, we can see vignettes of that warning manifesting themselves on our streets, in our temples, mosques and churches, and at gatherings called by ill-intentioned political leaders.

What of India’s hills, which are beginning to crumble in parts? After a six-month breather, cracks have started appearing in houses and roads in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath town again. Over the years, there had been increasing incidents of land sliding, subsidence, land sinking, land burst and cracks in the area. Over the last year, the problem has intensified manifold. Over 600 houses have developed cracks, roads have opened up or caved in and people are leaving in their thousands. Environmentalists and activists claim that as far as 20 years back, they had written to the authorities, warning them that incessant development, building of hydroelectric projects and tunnelling would weaken the sub-structure and threaten the town. And now, they are being proven right. There are other housing-related incidents across the hills and foothills, with Haldwani’s 50,000 residents belonging to a particular community still living in fear and trepidation, despite relief being granted by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in January this year, after the state High Court had ordered their eviction.

These are just two examples from a vast nation, instances that underscore the fact that we need the rule of law, tolerance and some heart.

At the end of the day

The situation is bleak, but all is not lost. Sure, I could list other systemic frailties like medical infrastructure and healthcare, Climate Change, the alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) as a result of rampant pollution levels, a looming drinking water crisis, border confrontations, the destruction of coral reefs, melting glaciers and so much more. But this is not time to be an alarmist and as I said above, all is not lost. We need to bring in a strong political and executive will to bring about change and correction, even if it means taking some very hard decisions and actions. It took an Odysseus to kill the Cyclops—we need an Odysseus or two; the Cyclops is already here.

“Most of life’s problems are because of two reasons: We act without thinking or we keep thinking without acting,” said Zig Ziglar. That’s incisive and quite true, not just of the people and the common man, but of leaders and the authorities worldwide too—we are moving too fast where we should be cautious, and we are moving too slowly on the things that really matter. Unless this unbalance and approach are corrected and put right, there is little chance of a turnaround on any front, be it financial, economic, social or cultural.

The writer is a veteran journalist and communications specialist. He can be reached on narayanrajeev2006@gmail.com. Views expressed are personal