SYMBOL OF AN ABANDONED DEMOCRACY

JIBRAN NAZIR

NEW DELHI : Scorching under the blazing sun, thousands of people take this street every day. This street, around hundred meters long, adjacent to Jantar Mantar in India’s capital New Delhi has otherwise been a symbol of free speech and democracy in India but to put it more appropriately, a god-forsaken place of an abandoned democracy where everything goes unseen and unheard.

George Carlin in his book 1984 had mentioned of proles  who didn’t bother the authorities too much, this place, damned by the authorities has been witnessing consistent protests and demonstrations that doesn’t bother anyone outside the lane.

There are some groups who have been consistently coming here for years, shouting and sloganeering that are most of the times out of the authorities earshot.

Several indigenous groups, demanding resolution of their issues have been bearing intense heat in hope to be heard, but to little avail.

This place, sought after by people who come here from hundreds of miles away has reduces to a status of being a mere symbol with no tangible effect.

But all those who visit here have faith in the democracy of the country and they won’t give up. They look forward to resolution of their issues and having kept their undeterred spirits high in hope that this country will be great again.