Signs of The Times
Imagine by Rajni Bakshi
Date sent: Fri, 26 May 2006 02:55:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: rajni bakshi <rajnibakshi@yahoo.com>
Subject: Imagine
Imagine
By Rajni Bakshi
Sometimes the act of a single individual can trigger a cascade of
creativity that releases suppressed energies. Imagine if Aamir Khans
firm stand in support of the legal rights of the Narmada oustees had
just this effect.
Imagine if Aamirs do your worst defiance to the votaries of intolerance
tipped the balance in the hearts and minds of thousands of Gujaratis
who have been anguished but felt helpless about the way their cultural
and political space has been hijacked ever
since 2002.
Imagine if a group of prominent citizens of Ahmedabad or Vadodra also
took such a defiant stand and invited Yash Chopra to come there for a
star-studded premiere of his film. What if this one act inspired
thousands, or even hundreds, of citizens to show up at the venue
to counter those who would inevitably attempt to violently disrupt the
proceedings. What if still more people looked beyond the decoy, of
cinema owners refusal to screen a film, and focused on the real issue.
Imagine if Aamirs insistent reminder about the illegal evictions of
project affected people inspired action among others who are troubled
but hesitate to act. What if a group of leading industrialists, perhaps
under the umbrella of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII),
decide to defend the property rights of the displaced.
Imagine if the CII woke up to the fact that you cannot have a true
market economy without universal application of property rights. What
if it was inspired to lead a huge shift in policy which would finally
treat project affected people as stakeholders who, in exchange for
their lands, become co-beneficiaries.
Imagine if this process was egged on by forward thinking bright young
sparks of high finance who realize that there are practical advantages
to running development projects without violating either property
rights or human rights. What if some of them took
pains to spread the word about the 2.7 trillion dollars now available
in international money markets for Socially Responsible Investing
(SRI). What if India aimed to attract this growing volume of SRI funds
by ensuring that development projects do not displace people without
due compensation and rehabilitation.
Imagine if the same people who were outraged and took to the streets
over the travesty of justice in the case of Jessica Lal realized that
the case of the Narmada oustees is not very different. What if, in this
case too, higher authorities woke up to the overwhelming evidence about
the plight of the victims and pulled all stops to prevent keepers of
the law from violating the law.
Imagine if Students for Equality also said that just as they cannot be
asked to personally pay the price for social justice, similarly the
people of the Narmada valley should not be asked to pay the price for
development. What if the call for social justice without retribution
was expanded to a call for development without destruction.
Imagine if a group called Aman Yuva, working under the leadership of
Harsh Mander, found its numbers swelling as more and more young people
got into a enough is enough mood and challenged all forms of
intolerance that are preventing genuine dialog between competing
interests.
Imagine still further that the Prime Minister might actually follow
through on his support of freedom of expression and opposition to
unconstitutional activities. What if he then found ways of preventing
the state machinery in Gujarat from its currently multiple violations
of the constitution of India. What if this reversed the almost
apartheid like conditions that many Muslims are living under in
Gujarat. What if the PM also then took immediate and emergency measures
to prevent submergence in those parts of the Narmada valley where
people are still not rehabilitated.
In the immortal words of John Lennon you may say Im a dreamer. But Im
clearly not the only one.
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Critical Concerns
