Grumblers and Government

Pages of the land’s history, given the portrayal of various issues and events by chroniclers during centuries of past rulers, big as well as sundry kings, have generally sidelined describing the connect between aam janata and authorities in the matter of the former expressing discontent in their day-to-day life and the latter responding satisfactorily or otherwise. One may infer, on browsing the chroniclers, that the kings and their ilk had scored well in the test with the citizens sitting in judgement, in the midst of bloody wars fought regularly, as focussed upon by historians. Given their uncomplicated chase for minimum material possessions, the citizens of the distant past, unlike their counterparts of today, may not have indulged in unjustified grumbling, not giving torrid times to their rulers, again unlike today’s all-too-familiar scenario.

Countries are characterised by expressions that hint at not only their perceived image but also the ethos of their typical citizens. Singapore, known for its spotless roads as well as public spaces, Israel known for ruthlessness in implementing its laws, Germany for the craze to soldier-like drill and so on flash across one’s mind. India used to be described as the land of snake charmers, mendicants, poverty and primitive diaspora in the not-too-distant past. That description has to be pushed to past tense in our times. The land of ours may not yield to any crisp expression of its present image, but describing it as the land of grumblers stands out.

The elected representatives sitting in respective oppositions of Legislative bodies from Gram Panchayat to the nation’s Parliament serve as undoubted models of grumblers marked by their loud-mouthed rhetoric criticising any and every measure taken by the government of the day. The only measure of the government that the oppositions wholeheartedly welcomed has been the fat hike in their pay packets. The grumbling game has reached and even gone past the peak point in our city prompting this daily to introduce a unique column WhatsApp Us, appearing on most days in the week, enabling the citizens to tickle the civic authorities hoping to wake them up to be on their job of providing civic amenities to the citizens.

Now, having pointed the accusing finger on the civic body for all its failures in a) Keeping the gutters without cluttering, b) Keeping the roads free from potholes, c) Clearing the garbage mass from living spaces, d) Implementing its own laws on various counts and so on, one is prompted to ask the question: Who is grumbling? and Who is behind the grumbling? The answer is not far to seek — it is us the residents, barring exceptions.