SOCIALISM WHERE ART THOU?

Dear Socialism where are you?

- HIMANSHU DHULIYA

Our founding fathers had given you a place of primacy in our constitution in words such as social, economic and political justice, in the Preamble itself .And lest we forget and go astray by an amendment the word ‘Socialist’ was explicitly added later, and yet you have vanished or crushed by the mighty boots of capitalism!

But what hope and fun it was to hear of your advent and the promise you held . You were the child of freedom struggle and the moment you were incorporated in the movement the entire country and its teeming masses aligned with the moment and it became a formidable force . There were members of all castes and classes, farmers, workers , students , lawyers , women , in the movement and there was an unwritten understanding that you shall be the core value of our constitution . And indeed you were the nucleus of the document and the very idea of India.

PROMISES TO KEEP

Policies and programmes were framed with you in picture - planning commission, green revolution white revolution, nationalization of banks, public sector undertakings , abolition of privy purses, end of zamindari , land ceiling and distribution etc . Despite the good intentions the success was limited but we were singing - ‘Hum Iayein bein toofan se kashti nikal ke is desh ko rakhna mere bachhon sambbalke( Mohamad Rafi, film Jagriti 1954). The ‘spirit’ of socialism was alive , the emotions had not withered .

And yet there was disenchantment and loss of heart and hope and it reflected in cinema and songs- ‘Ye meblon ‘ye takbton ye tazon ki duniya , ‘ye insan ke yeblutesamajon ki duniya, ye duniya agar mil bbi jaye to kya bai , ye duniya agar mil bhijaye to kya hai’ (Mohamad Rafi, film Pyassa 1957).

Though you were in the news always in modern India ,our country had known you since ancient times, our sages and wise people had believed in you and propagated your concepts :

‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukbinab, Sarve Santu Niraamayaab