The Underprivileged

If I were Prime Minister—

Ah,wait,that’s a controversial way to start writing,I might get pelted with cow dung.Never mind.If I were...king of the country for a while,I know what I’d do.The solutions come to me easily, so many things I’d like to do,so many people I’d like to help save.Pretty much powerless right now, only able to do what I can within the confines of the allowance I’m awarded from the four walls of my parents' wallets, I can’t help but dream bigger.Oh if only I were allowed to make the rules for a day.Just a day is enough.

So my family is planning a trip to Thailand in June,and we’re bustling about thinking and rethinking exactly how many pairs of underwear we’d need.This morning,our maid is around as well,assisting in everything and listening to us talk.Out of curiosity,she asks us,‘Where’s Thailand?Is it outside Kerala? ‘

Clearly,she doesn’t have a clue.I tried explaining continents and countries to her but she looked a little confused still.May be due to my shortcomings as a teacher,I’m pretty bad at that.But even so, as she settled for ‘it’s somewhere far away',Igrew disturbed at suddenly seeing how much people like her are unaware of. It’s 2019 already, we can send rovers to mars and get implants to make out butts look bigger but there are still people who are too poor to get an education?Why hasn’t anyone done anything about this yet? Consequently, I happened to glance at the newspaper headlines and saw a grinning picture of Mo—

Hmm.I’m going to get shot if I keep this up.

I saw the results of yet another election in India’s long history.Now I’m not someone well versed in politics and it’s games,the dirty side to ruling—I mean,governing a country,the backstabbing,the fake smiles,the false promises, how to lie to people but still get them to like you. I think I would never walk into the field willingly. But as a citizen with a decent moral compass,who wants only good for her country,I can see that none of the current parties are fit to establish control.Not one of them.

If it were a fairy tale, and I was allowed an opinion that would make a difference,and my words were taken into account, and the millions of other voices like mine were allowed to resonate,the world would’ve truly been a better place.How many important things do we have to focus on? Existing in harmony,abolishing terrorism,promoting secularism.Global warming and climate change, which is a real thing by the way. Saving the Earth,because no amount of money and power will get you to safety when the planet starts to wither. In the end,we’re all going to die. Destroying poverty,so that people like my maid can realize the depth and vastness of the world she lives in.How amazing it is,how many places to visit,how many sights to see.What a blessed land we live on.

To the incompetent current leaders, it’s bigger than your ego and greed for power. It’s bigger than your own country and selfishness.Bigger than your religion,your faith,your ideals.There’s a war coming,and it’s going to be us humans against nature.If you can’t set aside differences and open your eyes to see that bigger picture,then why are you in power?

Ah yes,it’s because of us.Democracy,eh?For a long while I used to think people like my maid and her family were the underprivileged ones, born into poverty and desperate to survive.But now I realize that even with all the blessings you and I have,we’re also part of the underprivileged, for yes we are allowed to choose our leaders, but the options?

Not all that promising.

Its sad.Sitting around and watching it all go to hell while struggling to complete your engineering degree is sad.But I wouldn’t want to handle the pressure of running a country for years and years because that’s what we are taught,every man for himself. This is politics, little girls and their silly dreams don't fit into reality, wake up, this isn't a fairy tale. In a world where everyone follows this principle, being the only one who doesn’t is just going to get you killed. Which is why I only wish for a day.

One day,to set the moral compass right.One day to shift our goals towards the betterment of the planet we live on,and to help the downtrodden ones rise.One day to abolish racism,sexism,homophobia.One day to save the Koalas.

One single day,to implement what people call a fairy tale, and then all you politicians can take it back to 'reality'. And ruin it until the next sensible voice comes along to ask for a chance to make things right.

Because reality is sad, only thanks to people like you.