JOIN USPandemic is making people more selfish: H S Doreswamy
Freedom fighter H S Doreswamy, who celebrated his 104th birthday on April 10, believes things in India will get worse before they get better.
From participating in the Quit India Movement to editing multiple newspapers, he has contributed immensely to public life in Karnataka.
In an interview with Metrolife, he spoke from his Jayanagar house about his dreams and disappointments.
At 104, how are you feeling? What is the secret of your fitness?
Honestly, more than any diet or fitness routine, it is my will to fight for what is right that has kept me strong all this while. My mind never let my body rest or get old. But unfortunately, in 2021, I am finally feeling the effects of my age on my mind and body. The pandemic and my age have tired me out and I have been facing some problems with my lungs. Nothing to worry about though.
How have you coped with the pandemic?
It has been a tough year. The situation has saddened me. People don’t care about others anymore; the pandemic has made us all selfish. I’ve noticed that friends and family no longer bother to check on each other. People care only about their own survival. While this behaviour is understandable during a pandemic, I am afraid this will continue even post-pandemic.
Have you taken the vaccine?
No, I haven’t and I don’t plan to either. I’ve been home-bound since last year, taking all safety precautions. Others could benefit more from the vaccine.
Are you happy with how the government has handled the Covid-19 situation?
They have made a mockery of it, and there is no clarity at all about what they are doing. Neither the central nor the state government has provided any clarity or transparency. The PM Cares fund is the biggest mystery of all. No one knows where that money is or how it was used to fight Covid-19. Politicians have turned this pandemic into a game for their personal benefit.
What are your thoughts on the government using the sedition law against voices of dissent?
This has become a tool for them to shut down any voice raised against them and this is both morally and politically wrong.
What is your ideal India and how far have we been able to go in that direction?
I stopped dreaming about ideal India a long time ago, when I realised such a thing does not exist. In fact, I believe we have travelled back in time, looking at how regressive our country has become. We are not even worthy of being called the world’s largest democracy anymore. Our elections have become a joke, what the BJP is doing in West Bengal is pure vendetta. Modi has turned the elections into a hideous game and the election commission is basically in the pocket of the ruling party.
You’ve lived through the freedom struggle, the Emergency and now a pandemic. What do you believe the future holds for India?
I see a revolution in India’s future. However, I can’t quite say how soon it might come, but it’s definitely coming. Over time, Modi’s dictatorship-inspired government is going to suffocate people, the protests we have seen over the past two years are just the start. There is definitely a huge revolution in store, but before that, I believe the dictatorship by the current government is going to get way worse.