'Kaun hai tu?'

Here I am, peacefully plodding away on a laptop ageing as nicely as me, penning a write-up that my decaying white cells suggest is important, a concern I feel should be highlighted. This issue is the flagellating and imploding Indian value system and the numbing echoes of this being heard around us. As a nation, polity and people, we are changing. More on that later, for suddenly, a ruthless foursome impinges and intervenes, breaking my reverie and chain of thought. Two of these party-bashers bare their teeth and growl scary 'Bhows'. Two others lurk behind a curtain, preparing for a deadly assault. Genetically bounden to attack from hidden places, the latest two go 'Meow'. Scary it is, especially since today's quartet is determined, complicit and confident that this intimidation will see me running for cover.

Nope, not happening anytime soon, not inside my own home... My answer to their baying and near-criminal behaviour is a simple Indian rebuke—'Kaun hai tu'? Magic happens. The attackers turn into simians, petulantly reversing gear and scampering back to their hideout. My reply to this near-vicious attack is clinically chronicled in my head, though not testified to by experts. But it works, perhaps because these four are my own—my dogs and cats, belligerent idiots though they may be. They are loveable imbeciles that I have taken years to meticulously indoctrinate and program to be what they are; my remote-controlled toys. They even lick my nose and toes for attention. Why? Well, I have learnt from the master of remote control. I hope that reminds you of someone who is far more lacerating and vicious than I am or ever shall be.

Through these last few years, my four love-junkies have learnt that life away from the ruler is not a good ride anymore in India. They know that if you get separated from the governing bodies that decide your future, you run the very real risk of getting segregated, amputated and obliterated, perhaps all of the above. Here then, we arrive at today's disarming truth—that we are 'changing' as a people, and certainly not for the better. Some say 'evolving' may be a better and more esoteric label for this new truth, but that's complete bull.

To be or not to be

Today, I want you to be the judge and tell me just what is transpiring. I shall share events, numbers, figures and happenings. After all of my effort and inputs, you will have to dissect the findings and pass judgment, much as a medical examiner would after scrutinizing a cadaver. Some of us, after all, are facing disembodiment and have witnessed an engorgement of our holiest of rivers. For those who disagree, please visit some recent findings of the United Nations, whose latest rankings paint our country in a pretty grim and sordid light. 'Hum is museebat mein kyon hain' (why are we in this muddle)? It is perhaps because we have not just called it upon ourselves, but because a majority of us now see it as the only path to eventual development and prosperity.

Anyhow, let's get back to the recent UN survey, and then decide to bless or besiege the alleged findings. The UN has celebrated Finland as the 'Happiest Country' in the world for the fifth successive year, as per the World Happiness Report, 2022. This UN-sponsored index was released two days before the International Day of Happiness on March 20. Where is our India? We ranked 136th in the survey, while Pakistan found a rank of 121 (the total number of countries in the survey was 149). Thankfully, India did see an improvement this year and rose three spots, up from 139. Even the warring nations of Russia and Ukraine were ranked at 80 and 98, respectively (this survey was conducted before Russia invaded Ukraine).

Anyhow, the United Nations has now downgraded India's projected economic growth for FY 2022 by over 2 per cent to 4.6 per cent. This decrease has been attributed to the skirmishes in Ukraine, as we now face increased restraints on energy access and prices, reflexes from trade sanctions, food inflation, tightening policies and increasing financial litany.

What transpires within?

Not a load of good. After the results of the recent assembly elections were declared, with one party winning a comfortable majority in four states, things are moving back to status quo. As is wont, fuel and gas prices are on the rise. Inflation is hitting record highs, even as the authorities crackdown on those who are not appreciative or offer any resistance.

There's more, bereft of scrutiny and monitoring. A Corporate burn is raging, one that is ominously influencing critical local and national financial performance. In a submission to Parliament, the Comptroller and Auditor General (the same CAG that exposed the 2G scam of Rs 1,76,000 crores and apologised years later for making a mistake), is now stating that the Government's Ujjwala initiative of providing free LPG cylinders to India's women home-makers is turning into a bit of a misdeed, some mishap and a lot of misnomers. There is a rampant diversion of subsidized cylinders to commercial houses, claims the CAG, on the back of low consumption by targeted beneficiaries and lengthy delays in delivery of refills to the intended beneficiaries.

In a report tabled before Parliament, the CAG last week said the "risk of diversion of domestic cylinders for commercial use was noticed as (being at) 1.98 lakh beneficiary households, (who were using) an annual consumption of 12 cylinders a year, which seems improbable in view of their Below the Poverty Line (BPL) status." The report further said 13.96 lakh beneficiaries were consuming 3-4 lakh refills a month, even as state-run oil companies issued only a maximum of 2-20 refills per day to beneficiary family households with a single connection. Ujjwala attempted to be a life-changing scheme delivering energy justice to the poor. It appears that it is now achieving less-than-laudable goals, perhaps only providing cheaper butter chicken, daal makhani and masala dosa to those who order from restaurants and dhabas.

What is the endgame?

For a bit, we will have the above debates and go ballistic and rampant, but this shall inevitably be followed by a period of gaiety, eventually leading to misery though, for there is no other recourse to a rabidity. Let's talk history, which is oft-warning us now not to flirt with her frail parts, for someone will have to pay the price for the teasing, tickling and taunting. If we milk a cow for more than it can provide, we ultimately get putridity and then manure, even through the teats. The milking has begun—indolent, not certifiable, but startlingly true.

This vein and chain of thought does not sit well with our first serving of tea or coffee, come a new morrow. And it is worrisome indeed that inflation and cost of living are going through the roof, more so as LPG, petrol and diesel prices are again on the rise. Our next cuppa in Ujjwala Bharat will be pricier and less tasteful than before.

There are some who question those who write implicit. But is there any other way? We do hail from a land of achievers and innovators, as history has shown us. Today, those same historians are clucking away from their place of rest, carefully scrutinizing all developments, watching their previous prediction of our next 20 years going awry and getting antsy. They may be, alarmingly so, also reaching out for their pencils, notepads and erasers, if only to begin the process of rewriting our future.

The writer is a clinical analyst and a communications specialist. Views expressed are personal. [email protected]