Strong Democracy At Work — Badri Raina

Date:

Four men caught snooping outside CBI chief Alok Verma’s residence in Delhi on 25 Oct 2018. — ANI

BADRI RAINA | Caravan Daily

 

A strong democratic state

Must learn from the sultanate;

It better know who does what

At any hour of day and night.

 

So, first, the various agencies

Must spy on recalcitrant citizen;

Then they must do so to each other,

The IB on the CBI, and both on other policemen.

 

And midnight is the auspicious hour

For making surgical strikes

On individuals and establishments

Who threaten with their dislikes.

 

Too many cooks spoil the broth,

Too many leaders democracy;

Strong democracy is best practiced

Between a strong you and a stronger me.

 

When institutions run amock,

Working their own legitimate way,

It is best to have conscientious moles

Termiting their rogue display.

 

After all, in democracy

It is security not liberty

That must be guarded at any cost,

To preserve a strong democracy.

 

And inevitably such burden rests

Only on the strongest democrat

Whose muscles bunch and smiles menace

Under an all-condoning religious hat.

theclarionindia
theclarionindiahttps://clarionindia.net
Clarion India - News, Views and Insights about Indian Muslims, Dalits, Minorities, Women and Other Marginalised and Dispossessed Communities.

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