Austerity

Here's a scenario- due to some unforeseen circumstances, your monthly household budget goes rocking. So What do u do to mitigate this crisis?....take a few measures to curb unneeded expenses, Instead of eating out every weekend u would dine at home, Instead ,of watching a movie in theaters every weekend, u would watch TV at home, till the crisis bays off & all's well (am sure all those who have to run their households would understand this & those who can't go ask your mom & dad about it).
                                                   The above practices are nothing but practical & sensible steps (at times sacrifices) to mitigate crisis by toning down undue extravagances of our lifestyle.This is nothing but Austerity which literally means a markedly simple or unadorned act/attitude. We all practice Austerity in our homes, in our lives, as & when need arises, both individually & collectively as a family (including our dear national leaders, MP's). 
                  So...What's the big deal if we practice the same at national level collectively as indians, & let the leaders be the torch bearers, this is what Pranab Mukherjee might have had in mind when he suggested Austerity measures to his colleagues in the government (a commendable thought)......................but, then what went Wrong, When & How did this Austerity drive change into Hypocrisy drive????


                                 Let us begin with, Mr Krishna & Mr Tharoor being asked to vacate their 5-star hotel suits,which both said , were being paid for from their own accounts. Fair enough, they are both individuals entitled to live their life in their own manner. Austerity does not mean a person has to be forced into living a hermits lifestyle. Moving on, Sonia Gandhi Pranab Mukherjee & Rahul Gandhi began their Austerity drive by travelling economy class &  in trains (rather than jet planes).......& all hell broke loose, the rest of the party members joined the band-wagon (mind you most only with statements) not to be undone & media went berserk...from discussing the motivations behind the Austerity drive, to dissecting & analysing steps being undertaken, suggestions & last but not the least Panel discussions on Our beloved "Netajis & their Austerity".


                                          But what made me write down this blogpost was the reply to "cattle-class" tweet (for those who'r still pouting about being called cows & bulls, plz refer to some phrase search online) by Mr. Tharoor on twitter & the following uproar which has now become a pain in my eyes & ears!!...To begin with I request our beloved politicians & news channels & Panel discussion hosts to please practice a little Austerity with their tongues & unchecked emotions!!...& Then let's discuss the rationale behind the so called Austerity measures.Our big honchos (Sonia G, Rahul G, Pranab da......) travelling by Y-class/chair- cars....No Sweat, only if u realize the amount of discomfort & uproar it creates for the rest of the co-passengers & the managment & the poor security personnel (to add to it media hounds gnawing for coverage..making situation worse)-- Pranab Da Austerity does not mean you put common sense on the back-burner & let it burn.
                             Our leaders want to begin Austerity, Let them begin it by putting more effort in ,Doing their job sincerely than in theatrics to get their 5 mins of fame. 
                             Let  them ask the media to let'em be in peace (when they travel humbly), ask their Security Staff & managers to coordinate their travelling schedules with airlines/railways managment ensuring less discomfort to the common-man. 
                             Let them ask their party-workers to spend less money in making flourishing welcoming arrangments & display advertisments (with thankyou's, happy birthdays, happy this & that).
                            Let them do it by instead of spending crores on statues, & instead using those crores for the hungry, the poor, the uneducated & by checking rampant corruption around them.
                           Let them do it by asking their party spokesperson to keep their useless traps shut, rather than uselessly fueling media controversies (& also by telling people like Anand Sharma that they DIDNOT do us a big favor by donating a part of their salaries during Kargil war...the brave soldiers who fought & died there would haev done so even if he'd not donated those odd bucks)
                           Let them do it by doing the job they have at their hand well & the JOB is - To efficiently Govern this Nation.(nobody gives a damn if they do it by travelling in X-class,Y-class,Chair-cars or bullock carts, as long as they do it)


Austerity my dear Friends is not something that can be forced down your throats (or should be for that matter), it is a responsible & sincere attitude we need to adopt to pull through times of crisis as a collective nation.So instead of all those Happy-I DAY, Happy R-day & I love India SMS's..join hands & do what ever little you can to make this nation a better place.