India is going to complete 60 years of Independence this year. Even during the horrendous Partition, Indians were full of hope, dreams and confidence. As decades passed, the high hopes gradually declined. Confidence in the leadership of the oldest political party was shaken. The 200-year colonial rule turned a prosperous India into one of the most poor and illiterate countries in the world.

Conversely, Britain became a great power despite adverse effects of WW II. The moral momentum of freedom struggle had tremendous potential but the entire moral capital was exhausted during Nehru's lifetime, particularly after the Sino-Indian war. Nehru left the legacy of long lasting historic burdens - Kashmir, socialism and secularism. We are paying a heavy price for the first and suffering from the burden of socialism and secularism even today.

Even after 60 years, the curse of poverty persists. Why? Poverty alleviation was considered the basic responsibility of the Government. There were slogans like roti, kapda aur makaan maang raha hai Hindustan. It was ingrained in public mind that whatever is to be done would be done by the Government. Reality was just the opposite. Unless the poor and the illiterate try themselves, illiteracy and poverty can't be eliminated. At best, the Government can be a marginal facilitator. But the socialist germs never allowed it to happen. The Congress brand of secularism combined with Muslim appeasement is a highway to national harakiri. After losing power for six years, the Congress on its comeback chose the wrong path and doubled the speed for votebank politics.

A great debate is going on over the desirability of imparting sex education to children. Media is siding with the proposal as it brings higher TRP. In the name of safe sex people are being advised by the Government that while leaving home, do carry a condom with you. A multi-dimensional sexual revolution is taking place but society is not ready for it. A Gram Panchayat hanged a couple that committed "the crime" of inter-caste marriage. Sexual violence is reported in the media with gusto. The rape of a two-year-old girl is not a rare incident anymore. Exploitation of girls is on the increase. Films, channels, Internet and media as a whole is vigorously engaged in sex education.

The Union Minister of State for Women and Child Education said that sex is not the only final act. A prestigious leading daily carried a feature on ten steps of foreplay. The Government, failing in making downtrodden illiterate people literate, is discussing benefits of sex education!

Bankruptcy is increasing. Family values are getting eroded. the number of divorce cases are piling up in overburdened courts. The sociological equilibrium is getting disturbed. Cast war of yesteryear of Bihar and this year's Gujjar-Meena clashes in Rajasthan are symptomatic of this. Trust is a great human capital and India traditionally had the reservoir of trustworthiness. Today that is missing.

The credibility of the UPA Government has reached rock bottom. People believe that the Government may complete its term. The Left is supporting the Government from the outside but opposing it on most all important issues. They are sticking to each other for the fear of the BJP coming to power.

See, what have they done in Goa. The Goa Government lost its majority. Not that the BJP instigated MLAs to capture power. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party which fought elections against the Congress, joined hands to share power but as the Kamat Government marginalised them, they became angry and withdrew support.

Salgaonkar, an Independent, is an industrialist worth more than Rs 3,000 crore. Alluring him is out of question. Seeing the Congress Government for a few months, he concluded that the development of his constituency would not happen. He mooted the idea of bringing Manohar Parikkar as Chief Minister.

This is therefore, not the case of defections, it is a case of re-alignment of forces. But the speaker obliged the Congress by debarring three MLAs from voting and, thereby, saving the Government for that day.

This is not the first time that Goa got this treatment from the UPA. Earlier also, the UPA earned power through power. It has not happened in Goa alone but in Bihar and Jharkhand too. Now compare this behaviour of the UPA with the behaviour of the NDA in its six years of rule when all the State Governments were treated fairly.

Today, political parties in general have lost credibility. There is no trust.

Judiciary has flickering credibility. In 60 years we have lost quite a bit of the nation's vitals.

Courtesy: www.dailypioneer.com, August 05, 2007