Not so long ago we were talking of a trillion dollar and the fastest growing economy; about Amritkal and achche din. Our vishwaguru had growing locks and global ambitions.
Then the bubble burst on 28th February when Dada Donald and Bibi Netanyahu launched an unprovoked attack on Iran. The world economy went into a tailspin. Several countries, including in our immediate neighbourhood, undertook austerity measures like curtailing work or school days and putting caps on expenditure.
Not our spin doctor, who was busier spinning yarns. He had to defeat Mamata Didi in Bengal, no matter what the price. Billions of rupees would have been spent on the election campaign with cavalcades burning up precious fuel.
The spin doctor very conveniently woke from his post electoral hangover to “advise” the country on austerity measures like not buying gold, foreign goods, not going on foreign trips, work from home, use public transport and even curtail the use of cooking oil.
We are told to fasten or tighten our seat belts. When do we fasten seat belts? When there is turbulence ahead. When do we tighten up? When there is less food in the belly or a scarcity of resources. By asking the country to fasten or tighten its belts the spin doctor has tacitly admitted to failure – that danger is lurking ahead and resources are scarce, not just petroleum products.
We should not question the need for austerity measures. What rankles is the timing. It’s like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. After flak from the media and Opposition Parties the spin doctor has back tracked; now asking his own ministers and government officials to reduce the number of vehicles in their cavalcades.
As soon as the news broke about the austerity measures Rajdeep Sardesai on India Today TV interviewed Amitabh Kanth, former advisor to the Prime Minister. Rajdeep asked what austerity measures the government had adopted. Pat came the reply – Ministers have stopped using red beacons on their vehicles. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Yes the Minister’s car does not have a red beacon but his escort is fully equipped with beacons and hooters. So who is fooling who?
Ironically during the last Lok Sabha elections the spin doctor made an insidious remark that some people (read Muslims) wanted to rob women (read Hindus) of their matrimonial mangalsutras. Now in the midst of the Hindu marriage season what will the women do for their mangalsutras, if they cannot buy gold?
Take the other spin. Unemployed youth were advised to sell pakodas. How will they do that without gas or cooking oil? Use air fryers? That’s a lot of hot air.
I am not a macro economist, but I do see what is happening at the micro level. There’s a state of panic accentuated by multiple references to Covid times. This could lead to tightening purse strings that could in turn lead to stagflation and an economic downturn, as people switch from spending to saving.
What about the other spin, about atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat? Has not this appeal revealed what we knew all along – that not just gold, oil or armaments, we are heavily dependent on imports. Yesterday I bought a silicon spatula for Rs 50/- for the kitchen. It was made in China!
Let me digress now. Do we really need our politicians to give us moral lessons in austerity or simplicity of life? This is the land of social reformers and moral voices like Mahatma Gandhi, Jay Prakash Narayan and Vinobha Bhave. Where are their followers today? The pseudo reformer that last burst on the scene was Anna Hazare who was used as a puppet by both Arvind Kejriwal and the BJP to bring down the Manmohan Singh government on the one track issue of the Lok Pal – not heard of since.
What about our religious leaders who claim to have renounced the world and all worldly things? Why aren’t they talking of simplicity and austerity? Is it because they themselves are living rather worldly lives; in big buildings, using big cars, and having ostentatious celebrations, including for their jubilees?
The world loved Pope Francis, not so much for his precepts, but for his practice – living in a two-room guest house, using a mini Ford Focus car, carrying his own umbrella or briefcase etc. He avoided ostentation. Even for his burial he had asked for a plain coffin. The world wants its religious leaders to lead by example, an example that edifies and can be emulated.
It would be unfair to compare Pope Leo with him. But I now find a return to fanfare. This was noticeable in the recent papal trip to poor African countries. Does the Pope really need to inspect a Guard of Honour wherever he goes? If he is on a pastoral visit then he should go with the simplicity of a pastor, devoid of the trappings of a Head of State.
A fish begins to rot from its head. A staircase needs to be swept from the top down. In like manner exemplary living should begin from the top.
I recently “celebrated” my 75th birthday, not with a party but with an inter-religious prayer service, as several of my friends and associates are non-Christian. Inviting them for a Mass and then announcing that they should sit on their haunches when Communion is distributed is like inviting people for a wedding banquet and then barring them from eating. For this “celebration” I had told my guests not to bring any gifts, not even flowers or garlands.
However, when priests and religious celebrate their jubilees they seem incapable of thinking like that. Their celebrations are no different from that of the so-called “worldly” people. As for gold, all that I have is my slim wedding band.
We need to lead by example. Simplicity of life is a joyous virtue. It should not be austerity caused by necessity, but borne out of inner conviction. That is true prosperity. We don’t need Prime Ministers to tell us what not to buy, for we are secure with our inner convictions that do not require external props.
Leave a Reply