Shiban Khaibri
And if after properly eating, one would knowingly negate the very pudding, it could denote more than what was meant by denying having seen, smelt and eaten it too. That, on the face of it, is unfair. Among the topics currently being discussed, dissected and in most of the cases having “one agenda” only, the theme chosen by this writer may not look prosaic or vacuous to a few habitual protagonists of the hype of “Kamartod Mehengai” who recently even after adjustment of Petrol and Diesel prices artificially but surely not dictated by economic considerations, getting some minimum relief would still clamour for petrol not becoming damn cheap . Even if it adversely affected the fundamentals of the economy through paying from unaffordable subsidies, which this government has managed to contain, rather do away with , of course, after taking certain hard decisions. Can we, as responsible citizens of this country, known for striving for contentment rather than satisfaction levels, not afford to use less of the ever growing costlier Petrol and Diesel which to the tune of 78% is imported by paying in hard foreign currencies and thus not feel the pinch of the rising price line of these products?
Let us not discuss the variety of levies added into the cost price of these petroleum products and insist that taxes on it at state and central levels be either removed or halved thereby agreeing willy-nilly, in impeding of infrastructural economic development. Better and comfortable railway travel, modern Hospitals, better attractive roads, clean – modern and facilities oriented Railway Stations, bridges, Schools, more of professional and technical colleges, more canals, irrigation facilities, pitching high for more housing , nonstop supply of electricity and other social schemes can only become possible when government earns enough revenue. Loan waiver of farmers has become now an integral part of the promises by political parties to grab votes of the prospective beneficiaries. Now farmers’ problems have become a political tool rather a powerful weapon to fight the governments in power, whether in states or in the centre.
We have seen thousands of farmers organised into long marches to BJP ruled state capitals or from various parts to the capital donning red caps and holding red flags to see how the respective governments were cornered and embarrassed but when the Maharashtra CM de-escalates the situation by even arranging return journey of agitating farmers, those very opposition parties mock the “would have been embarrassed “government by saying ,”Look, how the government yielded and surrendered”. Recent convergence of one more of such protests at Delhi too , more or less , was handled very efficiently , again to the utter detriment of those who wanted the things taking shape otherwise and to cash it politically. It is beyond comprehension as to projecting farmers’ woes having taken place just a few days after the present government taking over in 2014 and “never before”.
It can never be argued that farming distress is not there stirring right into our face asking for resolution on a permanent basis like people engaged in other sectors of the economy benefitting from progressive rise in their money incomes but a marginal increase in the prices of what the farming community grows for us and which is linked to a greater extent to bring about additions into their incomes , again, is resisted under the hullabaloo of “Kamartod Mehangai”. On economic and technical grounds , arguments of different hues cannot deny the fact that the element of some small sacrifices contribute in a phenomenal way in bringing about relief to those who ache and complain of distress.
Why are we after agricultural products like vegetables, rice, aata, cooking oil, pulses, spices, etc not getting at rates prevailing 20 years back while at the same time, have no objection in paying more for products from sectors other than agriculture and then indulge in theatrics of shedding crocodile tears for our farmers. How will money incomes of our farmers increase? At the cost of inviting disagreements, let it be said that farmers’ distress in the most backward countries in our neighbourhood say, Pakistan and Bangladesh is comparatively pitiable and precarious but per hectare yield in both these backward countries is more than ours which perhaps shows complacency having set in at some stage in agriculture sector thanks to the prospects of loan waivers , crop insurance and other subsidies on agriculture .It cannot, however, be generalised but the distress being there especially among small and marginal farmers also cannot be trivialised but should also be not used as a political tool and coming on roads in numbers abetted and “encouraged.”
Levels of politics are plummeting to record lowest and a particular brand of secularism used all these decades having over stood its “marketability” and the tool of “conventional vote Bank” having set new rules and terms , novel and newer tactics are found out to the extent of any type of buck-up support even from Pakistan solicited to “decide” who should be the Prime Minister of this great country in 2019 . How uncanny and weird does it look in addition to being irritatingly bizarre that a country mired in her innumerable problems , financial , political, diplomatic and governmental should gather cheeks to suggest to the Political Party in opposition in India whose senior leaders have been on their soil imploring them, “Inn ko hatao aur hamain lao” and Pakistan complying officially by suggesting who should be our Prime Minister and how manufactured controversies on Rafale should be exploited to the hilt. That the Political Party getting so much support , now openly from Pakistan, proves how much jittery, uncertain, high stung, edgy and unpredictable they feel to need it and even as a face saving measure and for formality even, not uttering a word of thankfully acknowledging their “support” but asking them to mind their own business.
Prior to 2014, whenever I happened to board or de-board a train at Gurgaon , now Gurugram, I was getting scared looking to heaps of filth on platforms, dirt, stinking smells, no water, no seating arrangements and especially during evening hours, it was a dark ghost place , not a single lamp was seen lighting except at entrance . A candle light from a distant “Khokha” on the platform or your mobile phone torch would guide you to the platform. Today’s that Railway station is unbelievably with a revolutionary change. Word “Revolutionary”, I use knowingly looking to flood of lights, comfortable sitting arrangements with fans, bath rooms, dust bins almost near to every bench, walls painted, all flooring amazingly new and sparklingly clean. If this is not a changed India , what else is?
On my way to Rajasthan, believe I could not believe my eyes, not to see a solitary case of defecating along the railway lines , neither in wee hours nor in the evening hours. Jaipur Railway Station looked as if of some foreign advanced country in terms of ambience and wall decorations, clean wash rooms, not a needle like object as waste on the floor. Educated professionals were seen volunteering(ly) painting walls with pictures and images. People too have become conscious of “Swashatta” and refrain from doing anything that would weaken the revolution of cleanliness across the country. This is the pudding to know which one must eat it.
As fever and fervour is upping for fast approaching 2019 and preceded by Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh elections, it is hoped that the incidents like in Gujarat where many innocents from Bihar and UP were recently targeted and harassed to the extent of hounding them out as a result of a strategy , an ugly one – alleged to have been employed by some leaders from the Congress Party may not be repeated elsewhere. It seems quite queer and freakish , if not shockingly baffling, that Rohingya Muslim intruders and Bangladeshi illegal immigrants are acceptable to them and their allies to live and multiply in India but own Indians from other states in Gujarat are not, as they are blamed for creating unemployment and other problems for natives. It was senior Congress leader Chidambaram who in 2009, while interacting with US Ambassador Timothy Roemer is alleged to have said, “India would have made more progress if it had only Western and Southern parts.”
Please also recall Malikarjun Kharge telling Home Minister Rajnath Singh, “You have come from abroad, all these Aryans have come from outside , we are original inhabitants , the original Indians, we have defended India for 5000 years.” So , Kharge Ji would like people like Rajnath Singh having come from “abroad” sent back while on humanitarian and ” secularian” considerations, rehabilitate and empower Rohingyas and others to stay in India. Why not, after all Congress says it “gave” us independence.
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