Shiban Khaibri
The efficaciousness and the sanctity of attaining martyrdom by heroes of independence movement , Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on March 23, 1931 turned slightly sour when citizens of the country felt aghast accompanied by adequate time and attention of the media getting channelized to highlight a shockingly lawless behavior , again on March 23 but in 2017 by one of the law makers of the country who perhaps could not restrain his unwarranted outrage against an innocent employee performing his official duty. Well, at the outset, an outrage, demonstration of unruly behavior and criminal breach of conduct are behaviours totally unjustified for meeting any demand, even genuine one or for any reason whatsoever. And when he slippered as many as 25 times by his own boastful counting, the employee quite elder in age to him makes him nothing excepting one eligible to be bridled and duly tamed by the law of the land.
This MP from Maharashtra, Ravindra Gaikward elected by the people to serve them, in fact appeared power intoxicated to an extent of stupidity so as to question for not having been provided a business class seat in an aircraft which carried him from Pune to Delhi. Such MPs become so much royal, so much delicate and fragile that even the cozy comfortable seat in modern type aircraft gives them lot of trouble hence to “mitigate” the same; they should fly only in business class. A costly proposition, indeed, for common taxpayer to afford the royalty of our “Sewaks”. It is all the more ridiculous to question as to why had he not been provided with one after he boarded the plane fully knowing that the aircraft had no business class seats and to raise hullabaloo after he reached Delhi is simply unacceptable . All the sophistry by the MP while remaining tucked to his seat which he had to vacate since new passengers had to board the aircraft, must have shocked not only the crew, the duty manager and other staff members but the people who elected him as their leader. What a paradox that while we otherwise prefix the adjective “Honourable”, a title of respect with an MP and address him or her as “Honourable “, such a misbehavior from the likes of Gaikward must compel the electorate to take it as an affront to the very word “Honourable” and hence discard and defeat such politicians in elections.
On March 23,every year every Indian reverentially remembers and feels proud of the supreme sacrifice given by our heroes of freedom struggle Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukhdev who always gave priority and first preference to the country – the motherland and spurned with disdain all offers of mercy petitions, worldly gains, even matters concerning personal life and wanted a free India where the elected representatives would present in themselves epitomes of simplicity and utmost honesty. Could they and hundreds of those who kissed the scaffold and accepted the noose bravely ever have imagined that in free India there could be those elected representatives too who joined politics only and only for personal gains, comforts and aggrandizement and always wished and kept on demanding better facilities, free travel , free medical facilities, free housing , subsidized food etc; and forcefully command obedience and submission. Some of them could have really reviewed their all-round dedication and surrender to the interests of the motherland when they could foresee that kickbacks , scams, corruption, defalcations , financial irregularities, spending tax payers’ money for personal eulogizing and projection as the Clean and the only honest among all . Our martyrs would never have imagined any leader getting convicted in “Ghotaalas” , going to jail and still continue with politics with proxy after seeking bail.
Bhagat Singh just lived 23 years and in the prime of his youth, he and others gave life for the freedom movement on March 23, nearly 86 years back and an MP should on this very day after as many years fight in a bizarre way for a business class seat, looks stunning. This confirms the viewpoint that most of the present day leaders attend commemoration of historic iconic events very casually and deliver stereo type lectures from their lips and not from their hearts or at least for others to follow or learn lessons.
This writer thought that most of our political commentators and analysts would deal with this issue forcefully as it had potentiality of getting legitimatized and no action sought under the adage of “Innocent till proven guilty” and even decry the airlines association to disallow this MP to board any of their flights but what surprised me the most was that issues like “How to fight BJP tsunami”, “Tunda Kabab”, “An imminent Civil War” , Yogi Aadityanath as CM etc were the issues mostly discussed. Issues revolving around Yogi Aadityanath whether closing a few unauthorized slaughter houses or containing eve teasing and harassment of women and thus putting a “ban” on movement of love couples etc were lavishly touched excepting a few commentaries appearing in respect of Gaikward episode.
It is amazing to note that while such intellectuals swear by democracy and “democratic values”, they should question the political wisdom of 23 crore citizens of UP in electing their government of choice including the Chief Minister. By the intellectual and secular hullabaloo over Yogi becoming the legislators’ choice as the CM, this democratic and constitutional right is questioned. Even “proving ” the point , the US President Donald Trump is dragged and held “responsible” for “helping the rightward swing in India” in describing the spectacular success of BJP led NDA in UP elections. Modi Ji is warned by such intellectuals not to find comfort in Trump’s Muslim bashing philosophy because “to a certain extent , two are sailing in the same boat”. Economically speaking, UP state’s growth has all these years of SP and BSP rule remained much lower than the national average , agriculture has suffered despite there being plenty of rains and hence water for irrigation , the unemployed youth migrate to states like Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and glaring numerous instances of protecting mafia and criminals, mass copying in exams, lowest educational standards and the like were considered perfectly in order under previous governments under the alibi “fighting communal forces” . The past governments in power there were never pilloried from time to time for economic slowdown for no tangible reasons. But with the swearing in of the new government, political commentators advise Yogi to put development before Hindutwa agenda. What is this Hindutwa agenda, after all that these liberals and selective secularists are scared of and who is pushing it forward when the constitution of India is what everyone in this country has to follow in letter and in spirit, come what may?
Before Vajpayee became the PM for 13 days, a well known film lyricist “interviewed” him and quite seriously put him the irritating and provocative question, ” You are known to be an RSS man and hence communal , how do you see yourself to be the PM of this secular country”? The reply given by the soft spoken smiling Vajpayee did not convince the interviewer then but he ruled India for six years carrying with him a basket of coalition partners , till this day those who vehemently opposed him swear by his just and good rule and lavishly used his example to show Modi down, particularly when BJP decided to field Modi as Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 elections. The critics of Yogi cite what the New York Times recently has commented upon him conveniently forgetting what US was fed with by such liberals from this country in respect of Modi which mortified the US administration to deny visa to him and later lay red carpet for setting his foot on their soil. In the same way, Yogi too has been projected in a poor light , may be because of his certain unwarranted and uncalled for statements but once one has to work for the people in accordance with the laid principles and constitutional “maryada”, it is quite ridiculous and naïve to raise war cries and project certain sections of the society as potential victims of administrative discrimination.
Yogi in his first public speech in Gorakhpur on March 25, put at rest and pooh- poohed any speculation of any sort in respect of governance and discussed only developmental issues, issues concerning each and every citizen of the state. Let good results be expected from the new dispensation and let negativism give way to positivism in the interests of the state which needs good , effective, honest and hard working government .The “Do nothing Brigade ” and critics criticizing because criticism has to be made, are advised not to slap democracy while claiming worshipping it by covertly suggesting the electorate which Party they should have voted for and why. Indian voter is getting politically mature, discreet and gaining expertise in preferring development only and nothing else.
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