Is Strike the only option?

Def of strike as per the Wikipedia is ‘it is often a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to perform work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances’.

The recent strikes carried out in our country have forced me to question the very belief in democracy. Is strike the only option that we have in our hands left to convey our points? The organizations and associations who have any small or a big demand are least interested in talking with the government or the concerned authorities. All they want is whatever is their demands should be fulfilled whether they are necessary or just to satisfy their egos.

Some months ago it was the motormen who took to such strikes and that too at peak returning hours. They knew that thousands and lakhs of people who have nothing to do with their demands were going to be affected but still they went for it. In the end the result was the city was disrupted for an hour or so. They finally were convinced and started the train services. The infamous fuel strike brought the city on its knees in just a day and it became an emergency to control it as almost all the people irrespective of their socio economic background faced tough times. The truck drivers on the other hand went on for strike for a longer period of time. This strike went on for so long because it wasn’t directly affecting the public like the Fuel strike.

Who can forget the Residents Doctor’s strikes that have little concern for their suffering patients. I don’t know when the profession of Doctoring became a money minded business in place of saving lives and giving birth to new ones.

The main reasons for this is that the governments are also least interested in listening up to their demands and the associations feel that if they go on a strike and harass the public then only they would be able to fulfill their demands. The government should take proper care of each and every party instead of putting the money in their pockets. Such a rapport should be made that the demands are fulfilled and a win - win situation for both the parties is aroused.

I seriously doubt that if this continues I don’t know till when this will continue. But the people are silent enough. I feel that these regular strikes are going to affect the Democracy of the nation and this might lead to the end of this democracy which is facing a thousand other challenges.

Who the Hell are these Moral Policemen?????????

Have you ever thought that you will be stopped and threatened if you are walking with your girl friend or wife or even sister on the road? It sounds like this wont happen in a democratic country like India. But if you are thinking the same please think twice. Today if anyone can enter a pub and beat the youngsters who just go there for socializing then the roads are not too far away.

The incident that took place on 24 Jan 2009 was a slap on the face of the Indian democracy. Around forty men entered a pub in Mangalore and started assaulting physically the boys as well as the girls. Five girls were molested and beaten literally by these so called self appointed moral police. The goons of Sree Ram Sena attacked the pub in the bright day light and their atrocities were captured live on camera. More than a week has passed and different set of politicians and bureaucrats have sung a completely different line. So much so that they have issued a case against the pub saying hat it didn’t had licenses. The plea of the victims has been totally avoided and the question of who has given them the right has been left unanswered.

If this is something less than we have our own set of moral polices in Mumbai, the Shiv Sena. They have some problems with young couples celebrating the Valentine’s Day. In the past there have been incidents where they have man handled the young couples and in some cases forced them to marry each other or the girl is forced to tie a Rakhi on the guy’s wrist. This might be so very embarrassing and frustrating for anyone to do.

Ashok Ghelot, Chief Minister of Rajasthan says that he wants to ban the mall culture where girls and boys go hand in hand. Some one please tell him that the major business of the malls runs on these youngsters and not on the senior citizens like them.

Today the pubs, tomorrow it will be the malls, next the coffee shops and finally the roads. In short they want to convert a free and liberal India to an old fashioned one and want to curb the freedom of the youth in the name of Hindu culture and traditions. If their wishes are accomplished then there will be a taboo on people of opposite sexes walking together. Is this the free India we wanted? Does this idea stand relevant in today’s era? Isn’t it time up for these old politicians to step aside with their old bunch of rigid ideas?