I was flying as usual to and fro Delhi to different parts of
the country on The DayAfter business since the beginning of
2004, I was compelled to think of the fog factor in India’s
life and governance.
I was pained
to realise that the fog seemed to have entered our minds, much
more so of the political class, the power class, the
bureaucratic class and the elite. We had the money, we had the
power, we had the resources and equipment and yet the state of
the Republic appeared full of road-blocks and worries, thanks
to our fogged minds at the highest and the mightiest levels.
I was sad that
another Republic Day was round the corner, the cultural and
developmental panorama of India will again be on display at
the Rajpath, but would that lift the fog in our minds?
My thoughts
turned to the success of SAARC in Islamabad and I was happy to
note that Vajpayee and Musharraf and other leaders of SAARC
nations had demonstrated that fog could be cleared if the
persons in control of power were willing to see clearly, think
clearly and talk clearly.
Well, if we
can shake hands in Islamabad with one-time foes, why cannot we
shake hands at home with one another and consider the progress
and problems of the people more important than the privileges,
power and prejudices of the power class----- the political
parties and perpetual prophets of conflict.
Why not have a
NAARC at home? I mean a National Association for Accord and
Regional Cooperation, between various regions, religions and
states and committees of India. Let us defog our minds. I
firmly believe we can do it if we rise above our pet
personality-barriers and more prejudices-barriers.
As