Quis custodiet Ipsos custodes- Who will Guard the Guards!
Quis custodiet Ipsos custodes is a Latin saying about who will guard the guards! The meaning of the term is very accurate in today’s times! In Marathi, there is a saying शेळीने कुंपण खाल्ले! If your sheep eats the bushes on the compound, there is nothing you can do about it! We see so many examples of this type of act and behaviour in our society that I became very agitated when I read Latin saying. I always avoid writing about things involving politics, as there are too many experts in this field. My anguish would not let me sleep well! This blog is my anguish about the people who care two hoots for the nation.
During the British Raj in India, the British built a monument about 25 km from Pune, the so-called Vijay Stambh (Victory Monument)! It was to celebrate their victory against Peshwas about 200 years back. Peshwas were like Prime Ministers or Chief Executives of the then Kings. When you have foreign rule for a long time, some people will inevitably work for rulers as officers, clerks, soldiers, and many other professions. It mainly concerns their earning of livelihood and not about their allegiance with the ruler! The British army had soldiers from the so-called lower caste to fight for them. Peshwas also had soldiers from that same caste, plus soldiers from the upper caste; Peshwas were from the Top Echelons of the Society.
On new year’s eve this year, the lower caste people, for some reason, decided to celebrate the 200 years of “the victory”. Why they invited “firebrand” politicians from different states in India, only they will be able to explain. This event was converted into a political jamboree and was publicised as “Celebration of Lower Caste Victory over Upper Caste”. Firstly, people forget that it was the British victory, not the “Lower Caste Victory”. I am sure that without British Generals, there would have been no victory to celebrate! With the current state of terrorism and economic uncertainty, we don’t need such stupid events. People are creating an uncertain, dangerous atmosphere leading to riots and protests throughout Maharashtra. The state was held to ransom for a few days!
I remember a caricature where the common man in India tells a group of terrorists to go on a holiday; he says we have enough amongst us who will take the nation down! For this event, we had one lady whose only qualification was that her son had committed suicide while completing his PhD! The reason is some social issues and probably poverty! She has now become a leader! Another was a young PhD student from JNU whose primary qualification is that he fearlessly shouted anti-India slogans and was a big supporter of a terrorist hanged for the act of terror against the state of India. One more guy was recently elected to the Gujarat assembly and has the vocabulary to incite the crowd! These are called firebrand leaders these days! I thought Bhagat Singh and Rajguru were firebrand leaders! And so was Lokmanya Tilak. They were fighting against the enemy and not against their people. Current firebrand leaders are competing in the same spirit against the nation; they feel that only they and their ilk are the ones who have difficulties in life!
Cancer spreading fast in our nation and needs to be arrested. I don’t care if such guys are from lower, middle or upper caste! Cancer is cancer and needs to be “arrested” and cut off as per the situation’s needs. After all, what is cancer? These are the same “good” cells in our body with “cancerous” thoughts, like the latest Fire Brand leaders. Those of us who have a similar thought process to uplift our nation should come together and act! It does not mean that we have riots and hold people to ransom. We should talk openly about such “cancerous” thought processes. Those who can write in newspapers or blogs or where ever they can! Another thought that always comes to mind is that people have time on hand to take part in such acts! We should come together as people and try and create more work for everybody. When one is gainfully busy, one does not get time to participate in such events.
As usual, I am taking the help of a Hindi Movie song to make my thoughts forward. I have displayed partial lyrics from a song below. Hindi movie songs are another subject which calls for discussion, but let’s do it some other time.
Also, my apologies as I am not a linguist. I have tried my best to explain the gist of the meaning from the lyrics.
chingaaree koee bhadake,
to saawan use buzaaye
saawan jo agan lagaaye,
use kaun buzaaye?
The lyrics mean that if a fire is created because of sparks, the rain will douse it! But if the rains stoke the fires, then who will soak them!
koee Dushman then lagaaye,
to meet jiyaa bahalaaye
manameet jo ghaanw lagaaye,
use kaun mitaye?
We may stumble because of an enemy; then, there are your own near and dear ones who will help you overcome the trauma! But if your near and dear ones backstab you, who will help you overcome it?
mazadhaar mein naiyyaa dole,
to maanzee paar lagaaye
maanzee jo naaw dooboye use Kaun bachaaye?
Your boat may sway and tumble in a storm, but there is the boatman who will bring it under control! But if the boatman himself sinks the ship, who will save you?
Any thought process that goes against the nation is an absolute no! I hope all of us will allow goodness within us a chance to overcome incorrect thoughts and acts!
I am ending with a great thought I found on the net.
One of Socrates’ interlocutors in the Republic, Glaucon, says “it would be absurd that a guardian should need a guard.” But Socrates returns to this point at 590d, where he says that the best person “has a divine ruler within himself” and that “everyone should be ruled by divine reason, preferably within himself and his own.”
Listen to this great Kishor Kumar song to return to a better mood. It’s a sad but lovely song from where I have picked lyrics! Chingari Koi Bhadke! In the Movie “Amar Prem”
Chingari Koi Bhadke (Eng Sub) [Full Video Song] (HD) With Lyrics – Amar Prem – YouTube
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