Why India Needs its Own Dark Knight

Before I start, I just wanted to state one thing. Read the below article with an open/subjective mind. This has been written with at-most sincerity.

We are on the verge of completing 65 years of Independence. Back then, the historic “when the clock strikes midnight” was the defining moment in Indian history. Years of struggle had paid dividends as India rose to the occasion and took back what was rightfully theirs. That was the time when the entire nation stood united and saluted the cause and bent their backs in achieving it. They looked up to the leaders back then. Although the leaders arguably did some mistakes, but the ultimate decision to separate us from the British Raj was admirable and was taken with a sense of unity in diversity which came to be our motto – our country’s punchline.

After 65 years, it should seem that we have rose from the ashes and should be spreading our wings like a phoenix and fly away. Indians always had the brains to rise above others. Only thing they lacked was leadership and initiative – simply quoting Doc Ock, we all were “Brilliant but Lazy”. So, when we all stood for the 1^st time for our national anthem, it was an appropriate assumption to make that we would do phenomenal progress as a nation. To some extent, we did do brilliantly well in terms of progress. But now, when I look at the nation in which I was born and brought up, I don’t feel proud anymore.

India was a democratic nation. Everyone has a chance to voice their own opinion. But when you go to a fish market, there also everyone “voices” their own opinion. Think about what the resultant feeling is! Further, when the British were here, they used an awesome strategy to rule – Divide and Rule: A strategy which ideally should have been dead and buried. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. India, in this present form, is still ruled through this strategy but my politicians and parties concerned.

In general, today’s political parties in India are just concerned about 3 things – getting power, keeping power and executing power. They seem to have lost the thought of people welfare. India has been marred with numerous terrorist strikes, but there hasn’t been even 1 conviction, hasn’t even been one arrest. India has seen a number of scams happening, but again, there hasn’t been even 1 conviction, the arrests have happened but all of those are now freely roaming. In this power struggle, comes the true evil which is eating this society from within – corruption. The civil society is right. Corruption is actually the cause of the nonsense happening. Nowadays all politicians and bureaucrats know that they can get away with anything – they seem to have misplaced all sense of accountability.

Although the civil society is doing the right thing but I feel that the means need to be more drastic. These power hungry people aren’t going to mend their ways only by a few of us going on hunger strikes. It needs much more than that. An average Indian was desperate back in 1940s but now the same average Indian is lazy and selfish. I say this becoz I hear instances where a 3^rd person who is trying to mediate and stop a fight gets critically injured in his ordeal. Indians, now, are more looking out for benefits rather than fighting for a big cause. They would stand around a couple of people fighting rather than help and mediate. They are lazy enough NOT to pick sides as there isn’t any benefit for them.

I see millions of people supporting a group of social activist. That’s good. That’s a start. However, what’s that going to achieve? Politicians have grown extremely powerful becoz of the “divide & rule” concept. They absolutely have nothing to fear. They know that their main vote bank is impervious to these “movements”. Even if the current ruling party goes out, the other one that comes in is going to do the same nonsense which we seem to be sick and tired of. The reason for that to happen – all power politicians lack fear!

Back in 2005, we all were exposed to an idea. A silent guardian who fights injustice at night by playing with things people fear the most. Although it may sound funny at 1^st but the Dark Knight trilogy grounded the comic book premise of a vigilante fighting crime/injustice in the realms of reality. It was indeed a bold step which clicked with the audience from an engaging entertainment perspective. But I had a different look to it. From a very high level point what I saw was a city ridden by corruption and powerful people. There were a few good men but those were either put off or pushed aside. These very good men were people who were fighting the system from within but neither of them were successful in doing so. The city got a symbol – a symbol of fear which was used drive the 1 thing which these powerful people needed in their minds – fear. It is the fear of the things which you don’t understand!

So, in the movie, a symbol was used to strike fear in the hearts of the corrupt and the powerful. How that was achieved in the movie is another thing as it tends more towards fantasy. However, the idea of the presence of a symbol is the one which could be retained.

So, for this country to really change, we need a symbol. But is that enough? Currently, civil society is pushing for JanLokpal bill as a means to instill some accountability into the system and reduce corruption. But will that really help? I, personally, am doubtful about it. Although, the bill (from what I know) has the potential to bring accountability, but one begs to think if the time of being accountable has passed. We have entered into a phase in our system where nothing, absolutely, nothing can be done without paying “gift” aka bribe!

Lokpal can work. But the correction required in the system needs to come in a drastic manner. It needs to come in the tone with which it came in the Dark Knight series. The batman signified defiance. He signified fear and he signified the ability to correct the system more drastically. That brings to my original thought – Has India degraded to such an extent that we really need a symbol in form of a fearful masked vigilante to bring about a change and reduce corruption in our society?

Although my view might sound conflicting, they actually aren’t. Although Lokpal can be THE symbol which I am talking about, but it cant bring in the fear quotient. That is partially becoz of the painstakingly long judicial system which we have. Fear is an object which strikes and leaves a victim so fast that the victim doesn’t have time to think straight and succumbs to it. Lokpal gives time. It allows the person to built up a case for himself and the pathetic judicial system allows him to go scot-free regardless of how vicious his crime was!

So quick justice is the answer! A feared mask vigilante who cannot be traced is the answer! Someone who can be a symbol rather than a person – a normal citizen and bring all the people who refrain from being accountable to the people those elect them to justice. Sometimes, a system needs a minor tweak here and there. But sometimes, the system needs a radical overhaul. This wont be possible as long as people belonging to the old way of doing things are at the center of every decision that is taken. These people are the ones who bring in the corruption into the system. These are the people who need to be brought to justice. The Janlokpal can target these people but they would never be brought down by it. The Dark Knight needs to rise in order to save the society from abomination. The question is – what form would he come in?