Freedom in India: Three questions for Kanhaiya Kumar

Freedom in India: Three questions for Kanhaiya Kumar 

(http://www.sify.com/news/freedom-in-india-three-questions-for-kanhaiya-kumar-news-columns-qdeqO7aijhjbd.html)

Aditi Kumaria Hingu

Kanhaiya Kumar got bail and came back to JNU to a hero's welcome. This in itself is a valediction of the atmosphere of 'tolerance' that India is known for. Try to badmouth the government of the day in any of our neighbouring countries and more often than not, the voice will be silenced forever.

It is only in India that a Kanhaiya Kumar (with his powerful oratory) will get more footage than a Lance Naik Hanumanthappa buried in a crevasse at Siachen (after all, he only knew how to guard the borders at 20,000 feet; he never did learn how to give fiery speeches).

Kanhaiya Kumar has clarified that 'he does not want freedom from India because India never colonized anyone' (surely that speaks something good about our nation and the majority religion Hinduism...at last an intellectual at one of our most esteemed universities JNU does recognize that not all Hindus are right wing fanatics who are insistent on oppressing the minorities/ poor/ downtrodden).

As an Indian who loves her country (since I cannot use the term nationalism – its bad to be a nationalist now), I am happy that Kanhaiya Kumar has clarified that he wants "freedom not from India, but within India”. This is wonderful.  And since both Kanhaiya Kumar and I love our country and worry about similar issues, I would like to ask him only three questions.

1. Kanhaiya Kumar said "We want azadi from capitalism, from brahminism, from casteism, this is the kind of azadi that we want."

This is such a laudable aim. We all want it but how do you achieve it? I have listened to all of the speeches made by intellectuals in the recent past and I am still to hear even one voice explain how would this be achieved?

From my point of view, economic equality is a big leveller. But achieving economic equality would mean bringing in investment in the country, building relevant capabilities and skill sets among the youth, creating opportunities for the unemployed youth, and ensuring that a sustainable economic environment is created.  The current government has its flaws but it is trying to foster an environment of sustained and inclusive economic empowerment.

But of course, for a left leaning aspiring politician like Kanhaiya Kumar, maybe it is too degrading to simply finish his PhD soon, get a job, start earning a livelihood so that his family can get more than Rs. 3000 per month. Maybe as per him, he does not owe his family anything. It is the nation that owes him and his family and it is up to the nation to ensure that they are equal in all aspects to someone whose son/daughter slogs for 10 hours a day in a call centre and earns Rs. 20,000 per month. 

My question to him is – what is his plan to ensure his family is free from poverty? After all, change and charity, both begin at home. And then, what is his plan to ensure azadi from brahminism, casteism and all the other ills which so pain him?

2. Kanhaiya Kumar said, "We want freedom not from India but from those who loot India.”

Again such a praiseworthy aim. It is indeed inspiring to see this heightened sense of probity and ethics in him.  But hasn't he heard of Robert Vadra, Suresh Kalmadi, A Raja and many others like them?  As Kanhaiya's speech shows, he is a fairly intelligent adult who is well versed in current affairs.  He is currently 28 years old, which means that when the Sarada Scam (2013), Coal allocation, Tatra Truck, Chopper Scams (2012), Commonwealth games (2010), Satyam Scam (2009) and 2G Spectrum Scam (2008) etc. broke out, he was in his early to mid 20s...old enough to understand that his nation is being looted.

Whatever be the faults of the current government, there has not been a single scam of similar proportions in the last two years. Ask the people on the street – they will routinely tell about their 'pleasant' experiences at government offices where work is now getting done without the traditional 'chai – pani'.

So my question to him is – why did he not demand azadi from those who looted India in 2008? Or in 2009? 2010? 2012? 2013? Why wait till 2016 when the all pervasive atmosphere of corruption is actually reducing?  As a patriotic Indian, did the scams in 2008-2014 not make his heart bleed for his motherland? The nation needed him then to launch the fight against corruption...why did he let the nation down?

Every nation has problems. The problem gets compounded when the nation in question is  physically as large as India, as culturally diverse as India, has been under 200 years of slavery and then ruled with an iron fist by a decadent, corrupt party where the only will that matters is that of the 'first family'.

Nation building cannot be done overnight and neither can decades of mismanagement be sorted out in a year or two. Nation building is a slow, tedious job often done away from the arc lights.  The nation needs people who work hard to earn an honest living, who respect it enough to pay their taxes and who create tangible change in their areas of influence.

If Kanhaiya Kumar truly wants to build a utopian nation, giving fiery speeches won't help. His speeches may earn him followers, his own Wikipedia page, a ticket to fight elections, maybe even a seat in the Parliament. But it won't help the nation.

3. The last question for Kanhaiya Kumar – what does he actually want? A thriving political career for himself? Or an India that is healthy, secure, and confident and provides equal opportunity for all its citizens to grow? And contrary to what some may believe, these two goals are mutually exclusive.

(Aditi Kumaria Hingu is a marketing graduate from IIM Calcutta, currently she works in the corporate sector. She comes from an army background.)