Where is the 'public'?

Apparently, there is a 'general'strike today across India.

There is a 16 point agenda on the basis of which the strike has been called for. And most likely, these are as generalised as demands can get, and therefore cannot be addressed effectively by anyone. This means that there is no way this strike can be a success by any stretch of the imagination, assuming of course that a strike can be a success in the first place. It would have of course resulted in unimaginable hardships for millions of people ranging from medical emergencies to postponed weddings. And in this country of ours, the latter could have more ramifications than the former.

In the small state of Kerala down south, a strike can be triggered by three and a half fellows shouting at the top of their voices. So it is only expected that a country wide strike be responded to, in a befitting manner. Everyone from teachers to bank employees to students have joined it. The students are protesting against the 'commercialisation of education'.

I know this may be too much to expect - that one day - after India has won the cricket world cup and after Mr Greg chappel & Sourav Ganguly spends the friendship day together & after some one announces that there will be no more news channels in India - the 100 odd are enough - will come, when every member of the striking community will know exactly what they are stopping & disrupting work.

.....Nah! That would be too much to ask.

If you speak to anyone on the street, they are all the voices of reason - no one understands why the strike, it achieves nothing and so on. If that is the case, then where is the Indian public, who or on whose behalf this drama is being played out?