Issues

[NaNoWriMo 13, 14]

[Warning: This is poorly written and completely unedited. I just want to get a novel written soon.]

"--again, again-- you're mis-- you're lyin-- you're --it's not true! it's not true--", Jaggannath Ji said.

"Jaggannath ji, you were in this forum almost exactly a month ago, and you claimed that your party had nothing -- please let me complete-- please let me complete, but now after a legal investigation -- a legal investigation, please let me-- it is now clear that those massive acts of briberies were planned and executed by the central committee, of which you are a part of. So why did you lie to us then, and are you legally liable now?" asked the moderator.

"--Thank you -- thank you for asking the question. Yes, yes, I was here, with you, and two different participants  at the time. It was then, that I had said that the decision was not party's that is true too. As you mentioned, it has come to light after the investigation by various agencies, that some persons of the central committee had indeed instructed the individuals to commit those crimes, which, to remind you, our party has repeatedly condemned, and we have fully co-operated with the police, as you know. Now, the particular individuals concerned were taken in taken in investigative custody too, as you know. So the party has fully co-operated, and there is nothing much going on, as you can see, there were some elements in higher up positions that decided to undermine existing regulations, and they will face the corrective action, from the party, as well as the state. It is a closed case, as far as I'm concerned," Jagannath ji said, nodding his head.

What a clown, Raul thought, looking at the tv. Only a month ago, he had been there with that clown, who had shouted till the end of eternity that it was not a party action. Now the chickens had come home too roost. Bribing voters had been an electoral practice for the last fifty years, but regulations against it had recently passed, and the agencies had only been newly empowered. They were itching to make an example out of someone, anyone. That, and the fact that it has been so sleazy, so outlandishly brazen, that it was almost comical. They could definitely have been more subtle, but the agents on the ground had been village goons who had considered themselves untouchable: they wanted to show off the money, and did it in the most stupidly way possible. By handing out wads of money in the streets. On the day of the election. To people going in and coming out, with a receipt that'd give them more money if the party won the elections. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so wrong.

"Everything you have said is accurate, but would you mind explaining your involvement for us, please? Were you really that much unaware of what was happening in your own Central Committee," asked Sudha, who was seated to one side of Jaggannath ji, away from the moderator.

"--I found about the happenings just as everyone else did. There are 32 high-level members in our central committe. It is very difficult to keep track of what everyone is doing at all the time, and these two or three members took actions by themselves without discussing with us. Sudha ji and Seems ji, you are both also members of Central Committees yourself. Would you know what each and every one was doing to be able to control if one of them does something illegal? It's the same. Nothing I can comment on that more than that," he said.

Seems got ready to speak. The moderator looked at his sheet and was about to ask another question, but gave in to her. "It's not like that! For us, we make subcommittees to to tasks, and make the members of those teams do them. Looking at your party's case, it appears that they were tasked--let me complete -- that they were tasked -- by your party -- how, how-- how does this look from -- look, I'm not blaming you -- no, no -- not blaming, not blaming -- but but to someone who didn't know, it really would -- looks like a planned --planned party action. What would you say to them?" she said.

"--no no. I am not in the witness stand. No, no-- there's nothing like that. As you know, legal actions are being action. Also-- I have to say -- I have to say -- say this," he said, stammering a bit, "that every time I come here, it becomes my interrogration, and not a panel discussion. We have two very able, and high-level women in the panel, and they should be given an opportunity to give their answers too -- instead of making this my interrogration. We say -- we say that we should give women more time in television and public spaces to speak -- say it everywhere -- but we don't practice it. I have spoken for more than half the time here, and the two ladies here have barely been let to say anything, answer hard questions. Is it that we are not confident that they are able to answer hard questions," he said, looking at the moderator.

Seema gave a hoarse loud laugh. "No, no we're fine Jaggannath ji. If we  had been in a similar position, we wouldn't mind talking all the time either. You are in a difficult position, because from everyone's point of view it looks like you are implicated in the situation. So I think we should give you a fair chance to you to defent yourself," she said.

Sudha nodded. "Absolutely. We can come back at any other time. It is the ideal time for you to protect your dignity and all the goodwill you have collected for yourelf throughout these years. If you don't talk now, the public won't get your message, so it wouldn't be fair for you, " she said, only slightly mischieviously.

There was silence in the keynote table.

The moderator cleared his throat. "Taking off from that, it does seem that we are unfairly targetting Jaggannath ji, we have given him a good opportunity to defend himself. Seema ji, lets get back to what we were talking about before we got into this," he said looking at her. "The National Insurance Policy that you have proposed adds twelve thousand rupees a year. For a nation whose per capita income is barely 800 dollars, that is a significant proportion. How can you justify forcing such an expensive scheme upon citizens of a country whose 20% citizens are still below the national poverty and one in ten citizens earns less than two dollars a day."

"Yes, you are right, the Per Capita is 800 dollars a year. But that's not purchasing-power adjusted. Adjusted for how much we can buy, our Capita is actually about three thousand dollars. Now, twelve-to-fifteen thousand rupees might seem like a lot, but it's about half of one's monthly income. Additionally, the scheme is designed to protect exactly the sort of people you mention -- the extremely poor who cannot afford to meet the basic necessities of life. Those who can afford to pay for the scheme, and the rest are provided basic necessities. The more you earn, the more you have to pay -- so it's not like everyone is paying the fifteen thousands. When even the extreme poor are given basic means of living, they can pay more attention to education, and improving themselves, and so forth. This also means that they wouldn't have to have their young kids to work in their farms or at homes, so we are also investing in the future," she said, matter-of-factly.

"Some are saying," the moderator said, nodding at Jaggannath ji," such as Jaggannath ji's party, for example, that this is not a good idea. It's being said that the scheme is going to make people lazy and less likely to work. After all, if the government is going to take care of all of everyone's needs, wouldn't everyone just stay at home at live on the government money," he asked, looking at the papers he had in front of him.

"If people don't get their two meals a day and a roof above their head, they die. Getting food to survive, and room to warm yourself is not luxury -- it's treating people like human beings instead of  goats and sheep. Food and Roof -- that's what the scheme provides, not luxuries to make people lazy. We're in the 21st century, and we cannot allow our people to have to live like animals. We have to have basic human compassion, and support the basic necessities of our countrymen. What I don't understand is, what is their plan to support the very poor persons? Do they really plan to let them die?," said Seema, with strong resolute, looking at Jaggannath ji.

"It is our belief that -- it is our belief --that our brothers and sisters don't need free donated money. What they really need is just an opportunity to Work to Make a Living. As we say, all people want is the "Garii Khaana Deu" mentality. Now, of course we want people to have a good standard of living. But the way to do that would be by giving them ample oppurtinies to find and get jobs, not throw money at them like beggars. Seema ji-- please let me-- Seema ji let me complete my part -- let me defend myself, like you were saying before -- so their proposed scheme will not provide enough opportunities for work. It does not increase their standard for living -- it just gives them a survival, and reduces their expectation from the government. We believe the less fortunate public should be given a good, safe, stable environment -- to find jobs and create business environments. We need to support our farmers to increase their productivity, encourage scientific farming, get more people working. We oppose the National Insurance Program because it detracts from these aims, and rather makes implementing such schemes more complicated. People will start thinking : well we're already giving a large percentage of our income to the poor people, do we have to to give them free jobs too? We are not comfortable with the social dynamics it would lead to. We don't want the extreme poor to just survive, we want to put them on an upward trajectory to happiness and prosperity," he said, running out of breath.

Seema laughed. "Seema ji, he says your plan does not actually empower the people you're trying to help. So why does your proposal not encourage the poor to have a good living and put them on an upward trajectory, but instead satiate them with just a basic needs? Would this not be a way to satisfy the minimum for the votes, without leading to long-term benefits for the country," the moderator asked, shuffling around his notes. He was writing furiously now.

"If you listened to Jaggannath ji, you would think everyone is a millionaire businesman lacking only the right environment. The truth is, most people need a safety of basic needs met before they can even think of reaching higher up. A hungry man doesn't think about how to double his income in six months, or his balance sheets and suppliers or promotions or whatever. He cares about where his next meal is coming from. We are completely for allowing people to setup businesses in a healthy business environment. But we think hungry people want food more than profits and losses, and that people with their stomachs full of warm food and a warm bed to sit on are much better workers and businessmen," she said, with a bit of irritation.

"Sudha ji, you want to add to this," the moderator asked.

She smiled. "The conversation has ended before I had my chance. I think Seema has already said everything that is to be said. We don't agree a hundred percent in the policies, and there are some points that I agree with Jaggannath ji too in this regards, but everything's been said in this regard. I have nothing to add," she said, weakly.

"You didn't get a lot of chance to speak today -- there was a lot of time spent on Jaggannath ji's issues. When you're here the next time, I'll make sure you get to speak for today too," said the moderator genially, nodding at Sudha.