One of the more striking observations recorded by Megasthenes, the brilliant chronicler and fellow traveller of Alexander the Great, was about this remarkable Indian ability to carry on with their lives unmindful of whatever was going on around them, even if it was a war on their country. He talks of large populations of Indians “exempted from military service, who cultivate their lands, undisturbed by fear... it therefore not infrequently happens that at the same time, and in the same part of the country, men may be seen drawn up in array of battle and fighting at the risk of their lives, while other men close at hand are ploughing and digging in perfect security...”

But why should one be thinking about this prescient observation by Megasthenes nearly 2,300 years ago?

There is, in fact, a good, yet unfortunate reason. Over the past six weeks, since the Mumbai attack, our security situation has worsened greatly, with incessant war-mongering from the Pakistani side. There is no war on, but there sure is a sense of national crisis, exacerbated by the state of the economy and financial markets. There is no generalised mobilisation of the armed forces, but a few precautionary moves have been made, and the entire machinery has been alerted for a quick move, if things worsen. A sizeable encounter has been on in Kashmir for nine full days, and the diplomatic war of words shows no signs of abating. Meanwhile, how have some fellow Indians been behaving?

Two large sections of our business and economy, the truckers (who play such a vital role in moving troops and supplies in case a mobilisation is required at short notice), and the officers of so many of our oil companies decided to go on strike, in this week alone. Of course, strikes, particularly in PSUs, are business as usual, and the crisis appears to have passed now. Except it was a little different from Megasthenes’ “husbandmen” who would carry on with their ploughing even as a battle raged on next to their fields. At least they were contributing by keeping the wheels of the economy moving. But these truck and oil strikers?

... contd.