First things first

Pondering over the goings on in public spaces across the country witnessing turmoil pitching the administration at all levels from local to national and the land’s people, senior citizens who have memories of their bygone days decades ago are prompted to recall idioms and proverbs, particularly in Kannada, relevant to decline in the manner of public conduct in general and quality of life in particular. Looking back at the country’s past history, taking the erstwhile Princely State of Mysore for purpose of illustration, one can effortlessly recall from memory names of many luminaries in different fields of human endeavour and also mentors cherished and held in unalloyed respect in society of their times. One of such kind, DVG has scripted a number of volumes throwing light on instances of administrations benefiting from the advisory from the society’s leading lights. That culture of interaction between authority and the wise has apparently vanished. While monarchs featured by chroniclers in the pages of history of different regions of the land are credited with qualities of nobility and good governance, their think tanks have remained in the background, barring a few exceptional persons among them such as the advisors of the Moghul ruler Akbar (16th century). The nation, bugged by multiple problems and the administration facing virtually insurmountable challenges of addressing the problems, doesn’t stand isolated in the global scenario, given the large number of countries placed similarly and some of them in deeper trouble. But, that doesn’t allow room to remain complacent, given the unstable equilibrium of sorts in inter-country relations. The country has neither the wherewithal nor a cohesive team at the top of administration to take on the plethora of tough situations that the masses have been creating 24x7 for short term gains of some sections of them. While there are no quick fix solutions to contain the restlessness of virtually the entire population, the two agendas namely (a) creating conditions for the unemployed as well as educated youth to be engaged in economically productive jobs and (b) taking pragmatic measures to prevent exodus of rustics to urban spaces merit urgent attention on priority. But, the question that shall remain begging for answer is doubtless for the land’s people to rein in the vote-seekers, the real wreckers of the nation.