It's the beginning of summer,
as I begin to walk before sunrise
there is still a decided chill in the air
the cool, crisp air embraces my warm body
like a lover in the throes of passion
Rejuvenation and exhilaration course through my veins
I watch and take stock of things
even at this early hour, there is fast-moving traffic
crossing the road is fraught with risk
danger lurks in the form of sleepless, irresponsible drivers
Hit-and-run cases are on the rise, so I must stick to the footpath.
As I walk, contemplate
I wonder about the real state of 'New India'
growing and developing at a rapid pace
poised to overtake many developed nations
on the brink of becoming an economic and military superpower
I feel good and reassured about India's bright future
You kind of feel proud that India has come of age
in a world order dictated by dominant countries
India is creating a niche of its own,
A voice that is heard
A political stance that is responsible,
and respected.
But, are we reaching the acme of societal development?
A question difficult to ask, but much harder to answer
As I contemplate while walking, lost in my thoughts
The stink of urine hits me hard and I'm jostled back to reality
looking around, I find people urinating with nonchalance
It's a busy public place, but even this has not been spared
by new-age heroes who like to flout every law with impunity
unmindful of the passers-by, and oblivious to the shame
they bring to themselves, and the nation
Ironically, two swacchalays are open for use a few feet away
standing as a mute witness to the 'heroic' deeds perpetrated
daily without fear or shame
The perpetrators are not beggars or homeless, or the downtrodden
they are sufficiently paid employees of the government
with an unwritten, unspoken right to flout the rules
As I walk on the footpath I am forced to weave through
illegal encroachments and open def*cation
I dare not walk on the road due to the unpredictable,
and dangerous traffic, in the event I did I would also be judged
as flouting the rules
The municipal sweepers are sweeping a few feet away
the 'urinators' are doing their thing freely and without remorse
a scene I find hard to reconcile
I wonder, are we even concerned about societal development
Is patriotism and nationalism all about mouthing
'Jai Hind' or saluting the Indian flag?
Do these words have nothing to do with keeping the
nation clean and 'swacch'?
Can society develop if the rich keep getting richer
and the poor keep getting poorer?
Should the public take the law into their hands,
because the law-keepers are missing in action?
As I walk, it is getting stinkier...
mbfarookh (C) Copyright 2024
