Rulers are changed but the condition of majority (Labour class) is not
Rulers are changed but the condition of majority (Labour class) is not:-
In 1877, we were under the cold-hearted British Crown, who apathetically inflicted bruises on our psyche.
Today, it's the democratically elected government, enjoying support of the majority, the same majority being constituted by migrant worker compelled to temporarily lodge in public toilet, by starved children feeding on roasted frogs, by all those suffering similar losses and pain that was once suffered by our brethren in 1877...
Lytton's response was governed by his firm belief in discriminatory, unethical "Social Darwinism". What could be the belief of the current regime, as well as the regimes governing us since the past 60 years, that has inevitably resulted in this glaring dystopia?
Quite cunningly, Lytton paved way for the passage of
"Vernacular Press Act" in 1878 to silence his critiques and effectively punishing and repressing what according to him were "seditious" writing.
In the words of Shaheed Bhagat Singh,
"In short, we have utterly failed to find any justification for the existence of an institution which, despite all its pomp and splendor, organized with the hard earned money of the sweating millions of India, is only a hollow show and a mischievous make-believe.
Alike, have we failed to comprehend the mentality of the public leaders who helped the Government to squander public time and money on such a manifestly stage managed exhibition of Indian helpless subjection."
The current crisis we're facing may seem unfamiliar, but in actuality, it's is a mere repetition of history with some significant variations of course.
Upon assuming the viceroyalty of India in 1876, Lord Lytton was under moral obligation to mitigate the havoc being caused by the Great Famine which had already begun extending its deadly tentacles the same year. But could any "morality" or "accountability' be anticipated from that cruel, exploitative imperial regime?
The condition was exacerbated with callous scheme of Lytton to organize the grand "Delhi Durbar" the following year with major finances being employed for the lavish banquet, purloined from the starving ones, authorizing mortality of about 10 million Indians.
Now it's the 21st century. We're in the middle of a destructive pandemic aggressively devouring our resources.
Nevertheless, we're expediting our ambitious plan of redeveloping the grand "Central Vista" with cost nearing Rs 20,000 Crore.
Alternatively, rough estimates suggest that this enormous sum could be used to purchase more than 5 lakh ICU ventilators or more than 10 lakh portable ventilators of the cheapest kind besides ensuring adequate supply of N95 masks and PPEs, for active cases have surpassed the figure of 25000, death toll more than 1000.
In 1877, we were under the cold-hearted British Crown, who apathetically inflicted bruises on our psyche.
Today, it's the democratically elected government, enjoying support of the majority, the same majority being constituted by migrant worker compelled to temporarily lodge in public toilet, by starved children feeding on roasted frogs, by all those suffering similar losses and pain that was once suffered by our brethren in 1877...
Lytton's response was governed by his firm belief in discriminatory, unethical "Social Darwinism". What could be the belief of the current regime, as well as the regimes governing us since the past 60 years, that has inevitably resulted in this glaring dystopia?
Quite cunningly, Lytton paved way for the passage of
"Vernacular Press Act" in 1878 to silence his critiques and effectively punishing and repressing what according to him were "seditious" writing.
In the words of Shaheed Bhagat Singh,
"In short, we have utterly failed to find any justification for the existence of an institution which, despite all its pomp and splendor, organized with the hard earned money of the sweating millions of India, is only a hollow show and a mischievous make-believe.
Alike, have we failed to comprehend the mentality of the public leaders who helped the Government to squander public time and money on such a manifestly stage managed exhibition of Indian helpless subjection."
The current crisis we're facing may seem unfamiliar, but in actuality, it's is a mere repetition of history with some significant variations of course.
Upon assuming the viceroyalty of India in 1876, Lord Lytton was under moral obligation to mitigate the havoc being caused by the Great Famine which had already begun extending its deadly tentacles the same year. But could any "morality" or "accountability' be anticipated from that cruel, exploitative imperial regime?
The condition was exacerbated with callous scheme of Lytton to organize the grand "Delhi Durbar" the following year with major finances being employed for the lavish banquet, purloined from the starving ones, authorizing mortality of about 10 million Indians.
Now it's the 21st century. We're in the middle of a destructive pandemic aggressively devouring our resources.
Nevertheless, we're expediting our ambitious plan of redeveloping the grand "Central Vista" with cost nearing Rs 20,000 Crore.
Alternatively, rough estimates suggest that this enormous sum could be used to purchase more than 5 lakh ICU ventilators or more than 10 lakh portable ventilators of the cheapest kind besides ensuring adequate supply of N95 masks and PPEs, for active cases have surpassed the figure of 25000, death toll more than 1000.
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