AN OPEN LETTER TO DEMOCRACY

Nandini Goel

Democracy,

Your pillars used to stand tall and proud, their marble untainted
and untarnished. Your foundation, that was laid with such
laborious arms and minds full of good intents, used to lay strong,
supported by your ideals.

The whole structure promised advancement towards

modernisation. The light that reflected off its shining domes gave
the public the ray of optimism they needed. The whole world was
on edge, like revellers on a ship, their eyes eager to be seeing the
start of something so great and new.

But the waves came crashing down. Water, water everywhere. Too
soon, the huge democratic dream was coming crumbling down.
They say nothing lasts forever and it seems as if your lustre has
now worn down too.

Tyranny had corrupted this society to its very core. All hearts had
lost faith which was only restored by your fancy words. So,
Democracy, what went wrong? How did you fall short on them so
early?

With deep set frowns and furrowed brows, we now inspect your
ruins. The foundation on which you based your truths has started
disintegrating. It no longer upholds the ideals that you seemed to
value above all else. Maybe you'll have to look into bribe control.
I hear they provide routinely free checks now.

The pillars which signified justice, dignity and equality, have now
been infested with unfair laws in the guise of the welfare of the
society. The common good is no longer the goal; to pacify the
public is more imperative now.

I know not what tragedy befell the shrine of hope that you once
used to be. Maybe it was greed, or maybe a long-overseen neglect
of the minority. Nonetheless, it gives me nothing but immense
heartache to say that you have failed us. Tyrannys hands, if not
gentle, were at least honest.

With undisguised mistrust and doubt,

A former believer.