Autobiography Of Aam Aadmi Of Free India
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India entering the era of 'Free Love'
Women of India – India of Women
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You can call me aam aadmi of free India that is how I am known in this vast country of more than a billion . On the eve of this Independence Day, I am now in advance age of sixties, still battling for survival. I was born on Aug 15, 1947 at the stroke of midnight hours, when the world slept I became citizen of free India. It was my tryst with destiny.
My birth was not an ordinary event; it was also an occasion for birth of two sovereign nations. Massive population exchanges occurred between two newly formed states. Violent nature of partition created an atmosphere of mutual hostility and mistrust. Both sides resorted to shooting, stabbing, spearing and clubbing. Arson, looting, massacre of homebound travellers in train to Pakistan and train to India were gory tales of human suffering. My infancy was riddled with inadequacies that resulted in my stunted growth.
After assassination of my godfather Mahatma Gandhi who pioneered the cause of my birth, I was left in the care of other well meaning leaders of independent India. Jawaharlal Nehru as the first prime minister of the country promised me bright future. Dr B R Ambedkar wrote the constitution of India to protect my civil rights.
Nehru made sincere efforts in my upbringing, but died before he could go ‘miles before his sleep.’ It was begining of my youth when his daughter Indira Gandhi came to power. She was an astute politician. She dealt with her adversaries in most ruthless fashion. Her son Sanjay became extra constitutional powerhouse during national emergency in 1975. He committed gross excesses under the protection of his all powerful mother. My civil rights were compromised, freedom of speech curtailed. Many of us were stuffed in jails. Indira Gandhi met violent end, she was shot down by her own security guard in the aftermath of operation Blue Star.
I was still nursing my dream of bright future when her unwilling son, a trained pilot by profession became prime minister of the country. Millions of us had great expectations from this youth icon. As a young leader Rajiv tried to improve my lot by introducing new technologies for development. Unfortunately, like his mother he too fell to the assassin’s bullets for meddling in the affairs of neighbouring country before he could succeed in bringing about some noticeable changes in my life.
Before turn of the century , Mandal Commission, Nuclear explosion in Pokhran leading to economic sanctions, Babri demolition, Godhra triggered riots were, to name a few, high voltage incidents that impacted my growth. I witnessed them all with awe and fright.
By this time I was already past my youth and stepping ahead of middle age, my aspirations yet remained unfulfilled. This was also a period of economic crisis, in1991 country’s foreign exchange reserves depleted to a level of 1 billion dollars of imports. The country sold 67 tons of gold to IMF to keep its commitments on foreign debts. Narasimha Rao as prime minister and Manmohan singh as Finance minister started breakthrough reforms. Their efforts soon paid dividends; the country started improving its financial health. Agricultural production also improved with green revolution. The period of economic resurgence had begun.
This was an era of liberalisation, opening for international trade and investment, easing out government controls, eliminating licence raj, initiation of privatization, tax reforms were some of the steps taken by Rao government that promised good times for aam aadmi. The economic reforms became irreversible. Soon India became one of the emerging markets for the world, her financial strength growing year on year.
On one hand India’s GDP was constantly growing faster than most of the world economies, on the other her ever increasing population was threatening to wash away all economic gains. It was dawn of new era that began with renowned economist Dr Manmohan Singh. With him, as Prime Minister, I had great expectations about my bright future. Indian economy grew more rapidly, but I was caught in the vicious net of GDP fuelled inflation. This country was producing more billionaires every year than any other country. India became third largest economy in Southeast Asia after China and Japan, yet there are more hungry people in India than in economically marginalised Sudan. The economic growth of the country could not give much awaited respite to millions from hunger pangs. At the beginning of liberalisation in the 90’s merely 24 percent population was undernourished as compared to 44 percent in 2003-08. Ironically, increase in per capita income did not bring about perceptible change in my life.
Besides financial difficulties, I have to often combat with other threats that constantly put my life on razor edge. I become soft target for terrorists. Within the country I am exploited by politicians and their cronies. The long hands of law do not reach necks of my tormentors. As a farmer I remain at the mercy of weather gods, crop failure is one reason responsible for 20000 suicides every year. The other side of story is of India’s Richie Rich who has stacked million dollars in foreign banks. Inequitable distribution of wealth has made the rich grow richer and the poor poorer. High scale corruption and skyrocketing prices of essential things needed in life has further added to my woes. I see my country facing leadership crisis and have little hope of a reasonably good life any time soon. At the threshold of old age; I remain busy in doing jugad for daal roti.
