Actually, India’s biggest problem is all the internal wars: apart from Kashmir, there is Manipur, and then there is the Naxalite-Maoists insurgency in 90 districts. Our Chacha State has no clue as to how to resolve these internal problems, themselves caused by bad State policies of the past.
On this front, I am happy that Abheek Barman has written eloquently on the futility of using the armed might of the Chacha State against these poor people. His conclusion is frank and forthright:
To get Naxals into the political mainstream, the political mainstream has to make the first move. And to do that, the government has to take the first step to reconciliation.
How do Naxalites happen? I got some idea of that last evening as I walked to my nearest market to buy cigarettes and some fruit. I buy these from street vendors, but yesterday they were all gone – vanished. I could guess what must have happened for I then saw a burly cop wielding a big lathi ordering the ice-cream vendor to bugger off or face his wrath.
I think these are the kinds of State actions that promote all these rebellions. A good man trying to make a living selling ice-cream will easily drift into a rebel movement if cops throw him out of The Market. He will become a sworn cop-killer. Note that in Lalgarh, West Bengal, the rebels have grouped together under the banner of an organization that calls itself People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA).
Yes, our cops too need to think.
After all, why is the Teuton at peace with the Gaul? The only reason is that they now prefer to trade with each other. They have discovered the secrets of social co-operation and the international division of labour. The personnel of our Chacha State need to discover these too.
You are always interesting. Agree with the broad ideas of the futility of the govt even doing any good, assuming it is trying, which i doubt. But the example of the street vendors does raise one question. Competition is always welcome. But if I have an ice cream shop, bought at the ridiculous current property rates and all, won't i be hurt by the unfair competition from the street vendors? Or is it fair? I am myself not sure, but have thought about this a lot. I have seen the street vendors grab space and become landlords to challenge the next wave of street vendors who float into the city. Because the vendors themselves derive a lot of business from being at a particular place at a particular time. Thus they are also basically setting up a shop next to mine, but at no cost, no taxes, no payments to society etc. (except of course, the hafta, but that does not change the basic nature of the street vendor being right or wrong). Is the street vendor a good example of free man and free business or is he a imposition on my rights as a shopkeeper? Can't decide. Any help?
ReplyDeleteDisclosure: I don't own any shop. ;-). Nothing against any street vendors, personally.
@Rahul: I can only offer what I learnt about ancient civic governance while in Cologne, Germany. There, I was told that the ancient charter of the city established the duty of the Buergermeister (mayor) to look after all those who came to the city to conduct business - all the hawkers and vendors had rights to conduct trade within the city. But now, when everyone has a shop of his own, this duty was no longer relevant and the charter had been suitably amended.
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