Mailbag

Healthy opposition

Sir,

What is the real role of the Opposition in a democratic country like ours? Is it to oppose everything or something else. If we take a look at the way the Opposition behaves in India, then it can hardly be said to be the role of the Opposition in a democracy. From the day the BJP led coalition government came into existence in March 1998, the unparliamentary language by the ruling and opposition politicians has become the order of the day. In healthy democracies, the role of the opposition is not merely to oppose everything but also to give useful suggestions to the Government, and also to help arrive at workable solutions acceptable to most of the people. When India conducted five underground nuclear tests at Pokhran in Rajasthan in May this year, almost all the opposition parties were united in opposing the tests. The role of the Congress Party at that time was even more ridiculous than other parties. First it welcomed the tests, but after a day or two it opposed them. We all know that India is surrounded by Pakistan and China and both these countries have nuclear weapons. To encounter the threat perception from these two hostile neighbours it was very important to restore the balance of power and negotiate on equal footing. Democracy does not mean that the opposition should agree with the ruling politicians on each and every issue. But if a particular political party has lost the elections, it should accept the defeat gracefully. It should raise those issues in the parliament which are in the national interest. But in a mature democracy, there is a democratic way of raising the issues. Throwing mikes/chapals, coming into the well of the house, or not allowing the speaker to speak on an important issue of national concern are not the democratic ways.

There used to be some people in this country who used to stand by the national interest despite the fact that they were not in the ruling party. Mr Morarji Desai was one of them Even A B Vajpayee was called upon to aid the ruling party when he was on opposition leader. Mrs Sonia Gandhi, H S Surjeet, Laloo Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, or a Ram Vilas Paswan can hardly be imagined to fulfill any meaningful role in India or abroad. There is perhaps not even a single instance to show when any of them have done something constructive for the country. It seems that their job is to make wild allegations and criticise everything that the Govt. does. I want to ask one query. Is it really true that the present government has failed on all fronts, as the opposition is claiming. You will agree with me that the answer is no. The ruling politicians, in the last eight months have taken so many important policy decisions and they have implemented them.

Whenever there is talk of privatising the insurance sector, outdated ideas of socialism are raised by the opposition leaders which result in more mechanisms being created to project the lazy government employees. By preventing modernisation of the economy, the opposition can be said to stand in the path of India's development. In my opinion, the only time that all the MPs have united irrespective of party affiliations was to give themselves substantial raise of pay and perks. But an MP must understand that he/she has not been sent by the people to parliament to vote for his/her own pay increases or to create an ugly scene in the parliament. He/She has been sent by the people to parliament to bring the genuine problems of the people in focus. We hope that our politicians will stop behaving like uncouth school going children.

Yours etc.....
Vishal Salgotra
Poonch Road, Akhnoor.

Silent Administration

Sir,

Daily Excelsior is in the forefront to highlight the day to-day problems of the common man living in this part of the country. Lot of space is dedicated daily to project the needs and grievances of the people belonging to various walks of life. Some of the columns which appear regularly in your paper in this behalf, are worth mentioning. These include 'what Jammuites say', 'voice of people', 'public pulse', 'city watch' and last but not the least your timely editorials and 'Mail'.

The aim is to draw attention of the Government to the problems for expediting action. There were some burning problems which needed immediate action during monsoon period to avoid spread of water borne diseases. But no action was taken nor was there any positive response from any department. Even at present when we go for a walk in the morning, after every twenty feet or so we see water gushing out from the broken pipes. Between Talab Tiloo and Bori leakage can be witnessed in the morning at more than twenty places not only from the smaller pipes but even from larger pipes as well. There are so many other problems ranging from insanitation adulteration, repairs of lanes and by-lanes, rash driving and over-loading in matadors.

In the past when any problem or complaint was published in the newspaper, it used to be taken note of by the concerned department and facts were either admitted or contested. For this purpose the role of Directorate of Information is very important. It is the said department who sends relevant press cuttings to the concerned department for obtaining comments and placing the facts before the public.

At the Centre and in some of the States due cognizance is taken of the problems experienced by the common man which are brought to the notice of the Government through the media. Be it a Govt Deptt or a public/private enterprise against whom complaint is made, the response is always there. The voice of the common man is not lost in the din as it happens in our State.

Recently one MLA and his PSO are alleged to have given a good thrashing to a boy of the constituency when the dared to ask the MLA to declare his assets before the public. What was his crime? He was critically injured and had to be hospitalised. The papers have highlighted the incident with a view to ensure that the law would take its own course but uptil now nothing has any statement been issued by the Government. Such and similar other matters should receive prompt attention of the Government.

The Information Department has not only to give wide publicity to the achievements of the Government but its short-comings are also to be brought to its notice. As a result of its luke warm attitude the voice of the common man as highlighted in the media from time to time never reaches its destination and if at all it reaches, which is doubtful, there is no response.

The aspirations of a common man are simple. He needs peaceful and clean environment, good administration, good education for children, good health care, avenues of employment, no corruption, no muscle power and availability of unadulterated essential commodities at reasonable rate.

It is not difficult for the Government to come to the expectations of the common man provided it has the inclination. While the media plays its role effectively, with some exceptions, and brings various day to-day problems to the notice of the Government, the Government on its part does not show any favourable response but allows the matters to go from bad to worse.

May we hope that the Government would give due consideration to the issues which are highlighted by the media and thereby earn the goodwill of its people.

Yours etc...
B L Kachroo
Poonch House,
Talab Tiloo
Jammu.

Concern for poor

Sir,

Recently I attended a human rights convention held in the Indian Capital. The great and learned personalities of the world raised their concern regarding human rights violations, and it is widely believed that this is the concern of every individual. The topics raised in the conference were of great interest. But to my opinion only the major concerns should not be discussed but importance should be given to the concern of poor people.

India being one of the largest populated country can hardly take care of its population.

To give alms to the beggers depends upon our moods. If any useless money is found in the pocket we will keep on his tiny hand in a belief that we may be blessed in the exchange, if the mood is not upto the mark than we shout at the poor creature without knowing the reason for his begging, but a person like me will be a step ahead in saying that the begging is forbidden, and would not like to help him out from the shameful life! They are the same creation of God as we are the only difference is that they are of education and good life.

They must have proved better than us if they too had been provided opportunity to progress and prosperity. Their is no equal distribution of opportunities. The opportunities come according to status, and without realizing the reality we people start giving our version which cannot be digested in the empty stomach we do expect miracles from the poor hands who once in two days get an opportunity to have some wastage of food, but when the God has created same why should not every one be given the right of living with dignity. Is it not the violation of human rights? When we see child begging for satisfying his hunger, can we draft any amendment through which these poor creatures will be given the right to living, education, self respect etc. etc.

In Kashmir I was sitting with one of my friends who happens to be the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP). It was the time of recruitment when I met him, since we were meeting after an year, so we sat and the recruitment business started going on, he did not wanted to be absent so that corruption cannot find its way in the recruitment.

There were only few posts of General duty constables, but the contenders were many. All the poor people were trying their best to reach the target, but their efforts were useless, I could make out from their faces that they were crying in their heart, they must not have been getting the proper food due to poverty, how do you expect them to be physically fit. The poor creature must be thinking while eating that, if I eat less my father can give something as bribe for securing the job. It is the hard reality of life. It was to my surprise when one of the contenders who was short by a step tried his entry in the qualified candidates, but the poor chap was mercilessly beaten by one of the officers, after seeing this my feelings cried a lot and I could not stop my self and it forced me to complain the officer for his ill behaviour. Is this not the violation of human rights? A citizen has every right to job, but is the responsibility of the concerned governments to safeguard the rights of its citizen. The fault of the youth was that he was trying to find a way for the survival of his family but unfortunately the youth was treated so badly that he was lying unconcious in the ground with the clear visible marks on stick on his body. This incidence forced me to leave the ground without the permission of my friend. I know he must be feeling bad for the instance, he too is a human lover.

Not only this, there are so many instances which make you think ''are we human creation or animals'' if not we then who will safe guard the rights of mankind. The need is to think over and again for such human rights violations. We are not only to discuss militancy and its related violations but to find a way for the human prosperity.

Yours etc....
T. S. Sodhi
Jammu