Combating Insecurity - Citizen's Role

Dear Friends,

A series of bomb blasts taking place in different cities in India, affecting the normal life and
causing fear. The recent devastation at Mumbai caused a lot of concern about the security of people.
The people in the offices of power have failed to protect common citizens and property.
Insecurity, fear all over. The very thought of the event sends chills up one's spine. But the life
must go on. We have to fight.
India in its history has seen many such events - Greeks and Kushans, Turks and Afghans, Mughals
and British. In the words of Michael Wood, author of "The story of India", the strength of India is described very well. Let me quote -
" .... And India's greatest strength, one known only to the oldest civilizations, will be to adapt and change, to use the gifts of history and accept its wounds, but somehow, magically to be always India."

What did people in the past do when thei rulers failed to protect them? How to save oneself and one's brethern?......
and there can be more questions.

It is time to think about solution(s) to this problem.

I invite you to share your views on the role of a citizen in combating insecurity and make this thread more informative with your knowledgeable views.

thanks and regards
Kalyani

 

Thanks Sabitha for replying.
It is right that one has to see beyond one's own interests. Let me add a rider here - without inviting trouble for himself.
But unfortunately, the situation today is not like this. People have become so materialistic that the greed has driven man to change is priorities.. (especially politicians). The notion of "Live and let live" is gradually diminishing, I am afraid. So, finding the root causes of the problem might be step towards solving thes problems in the long run.
How about seeing these with the basic issues (of varying degree), then think and decide whatever little each one of us can do to come out of such situation.. and to progress healthily..
- knowledge and ingnorance
- haves and havenots
- powerful and powerless.
- valid and invalid acts (behaviour) I mean to say here allowable and not allowable..

Finding the causes and understing the current situation helps a lot.
I suppose one to certain extent it should take history into account.. while trying to set right things.

The question is from where and what ( which) do we start ?

kalyani

 

[JUSTIFY]
At the outset thanks for your active participation here too. You have rightly recognized knowledge as the need to drive away the ignorance. But it is the right knowledge. Perception is as important as the precepts. Right reasoning plays a key role in getting a proper understanding of the situation. Well, many examples can be given in everyday life.

People have definitely a role to play in selecting who should govern the country. Unfortunately only a few with proper discretion select a leader, be it a Mayor or an MLA. I have heard people selecting on the basis of the person belonging to their area and he should be selected. How many do see the background and the competence of a contestant? Some people don’t mind voting a contestant even if he has a criminal record !!!

A country needs for its governance a person who is honest, sincere (duty minded), has knowledge of statecraft, who has clean record (in the society in all respects), smart and just. Do we have such a requirement laid down by either constitution or by election commission?

In contrast, look at <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">America</st1lace></st1:country-region>. Can anyone with a criminal background contest in elections? The answer is no.

This is one of the main problems that people have to understand. And if and when selected and get elected by such scrutiny, it becomes mandatory to the politician to live up to the expectations of the people. In such a person, the country can see its security and peace.

This is one of the significant problems. Well, the solution for this is that people should have courage to discard a person who is unfit. And that right knowledge gives this courage.

This is also driven by the basic needs of the people – roti, kapda aur makan. The gap between haves and have-nots must be reduced. Then the dubious means of acquiring wealth may not be resorted to. People go after making wealth for generations to come. Why is this necessary?
I am not taking the extreme view that one should make money or property at all. One needs to strike a balance in accordance with “live and let live”. Greed has played a havoc !!!

[/JUSTIFY]

[JUSTIFY]
Yes. We need to sort out the problems at the ground level. It is like this.
Ground is very good, Foundation is also good. But the building is not that good and many cracks have developed as the materials used are not of best/good quality. Obvious if it happens like that.

What do you think?
[/JUSTIFY]

kalyani

 

Hi

I am just going through the history.. now I am reading on Ashoka, the great Mauryan Emperor, who could first see a united India at large. He was such a conqueror.. But what changed Ashoka was Kalinga war.
If only Mumbai blasts and similar in the recent past can change our politicians... then we have a hope for safety.

Kalyani

 

Suma,

regarding education.. i am an optimist. It will happen sometime in the time scale. If it is to happen soon people should join hands and make it their objective. This reminds me of a kannda song sung by PBS.. aagadu endu kailaagdu endu.. well, you may think it is bit being ideal..

So, practically, that brings us to the question of really "educating" the people.. or getting "educated" - education in the real sense. Not mere literary campaign.. A person who can just read and write cannot be called
educated - that is too broad sense which does not do much good in this context.

What do you say?

Kalyani