There is no denying the fact that India is democratic to the core and the people enjoy various rights that go with democracy. But there seems to be an overemphasis on rights and belittling of duties. With the advent of coalition politics, the prime minister of the country and the chief ministers of certain states become less powerful or rather, just figure heads. The politicians know very well that their survival depends of people’s unrest and towards this end they also know how to provoke people.

Most of the state governments have to dance to the tune of parochial elements and linguistic fanatics. One glaring example is the rules pertaining to sign boards put up by shops and at bus stops or even boards which indicate directions or distances. It is not the business people or shop owners who have the right to choose the language to be used on their sign boards! The fanatics would permit only the regional language, even in big cities. It may be a small victory for the fanatics but a big loss to entrepreneurs, big and small and also to the tourism department and the state itself.

The tourists from foreign countries….why, even those from other parts of the country find it difficult to locate the places they intend to visit.

At a time when globalization is at its peak, here are people who are more concerned about regional languages than other interests and benefits. It is not as if India alone has such problems. The effects of the same kind of fanaticism are experienced in other parts of the world as well.