Shiban Khaibri
shibankhaibri@gmail.com
Should the “albatross” of good governance , able leadership , hard work and dedication be routinely troubled without reason so much so that such a policy of most of the opposition leaders becomes a moral and political burden to be duly reckoned for retribution and redemption when the will of the people decides the issue with the vote ? And when the vivid defeat and rejection of the uncalled for and unwarranted bouts of criticism , attacks and mocking of the present leadership is faced, the queer jibe of “Vote Chor Gaddi Chod” shall automatically be termed as a sheer mendacity and a truculent chorus. The mention of the sea bird Albatross in these lines of political content is only to reiterate not to misjudge the virtue , ability and prowess of leadership of the bete noire of the opposition to an extent of no return . In other words, should most of the leaders from the opposition, in the name of exercising right to criticise the Government , give vent to their pent-up feelings of being out of power, in an unbecoming way leading even to the realms of ultimate putrescence? Should the criticism therefore, make no difference between genuine and misleading sham, between reality and falsehood, between being vicious and gentle even if forceful and last but not least, resort to personal vilification to ugliest and cheapest degrees, settle some scores and all that with a democratically and constitutionally elected Prime Minister, for the third consecutive term in a row , like the one, honestly speaking, so far not experienced by the people of India since 1947 who is on record not having gone on a single day’s leave for holidaying, for taking rest all these 12 years in office and instead is found working 18 hours non-stop for this country. Prejudice apart, the one who is credited with the tangible transformation of this country , the one under whose able and visionary leadership India not only emerges stronger militarily and economically but appears so as well , raising the stature of this country to newer heights ,does not deserve the rough deal heaped on him by the opposition. India , under his leadership no longer is seen as a weak , non-assertive and an unheard country , let anyone disagree.
Whatever new, innovative ,reformative and beneficial for the country and its people done by him and his Government must be opposed tooth and nail, ridiculed, misinformation spread and even national events like AI Summit disturbed and country’s image lowered and at the top of it ,openly boasting about it ” Kar Diya Kaam ” by our ”Youth Congress Waloon nay” is no service to this nation . Now, in respect of West Asia war, a new cheap narrative is peddled , there must be one or more every day invented by them, that “history will never forgive you for ill timed visit to Israel.” See the intrinsic intention and a vain bid to incite that shortly after the so called ” ill timed visit ”by the PM , Israel and the US got engaged in conflict with Iran and so on , the clarification about which is hardly needed. Should the PM of this country seek permission from such sworn haters and critics for any international assignment , fulfilling a diplomatic obligation and taking part in bilateral issues of interest with a host country? While the fact of the matter is that the present Indian PM is the only one decorated with highest international honours and awards and strangely back home, he is the only one to be repaid by the opposition with abuses , insults and even prayers for his death.
The Mariner in Coleridge’s ” The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” did not recognise the magnificent bird Albatross being epitome of good luck, an honest guide, the one who helps him steer the ship through difficult waters and Antartic ice but inexplicably proves totally senseless and weird in behaviour , ruthless and heartless against the innocent but very useful magnificent bird.
Recall how Late Atal Behari Vajpayee was treated by the opposition soon after he became the Prime Minister , how he was removed twice by a vote of no -confidence , how he was booed, hooted, ridiculed and mocked even during his constitutional right to speak in the Parliament. He was pulled down just within 13 days in 1996-the reason, the same put forth against Narendra Modi repeatedly. Again in 1999 just after 13 months , he was pulled down under the same process , one vote of betrayal sealed his fate . Again , not letting him settle, in 2003 Congress again brought a no-confidence motion against his third Government but this time, the move of the Congress got defeated. While replying , he reiterated that ”even in opposition , we will continue to play critical role in nation building , our full support in running the house to you is promised if you manage to form a stable Government even with so much distrust among you. ” It is imperative to underline that though there was quite evidently mistrust among the opposition but there was complete unanimity , full agreement, a big measure of acquiesce and unity in ousting BJP led Government. Why ? This “why “needs an answer from those in politics which they will not but those who vote , must keep deciphering this big “why”. Vajpayee Ji became the PM three times and the forces inimical to stability and coherence , to assertiveness, growth and progress , did not want a stable Government and a strong India but operation of a vicious cycle of pulling down Governments, going for cost push inflationary fresh elections , short duration Governments of Morchas and Fronts with a “fevicoled ” tags of “Gareebi Hatao” , “Sampradayak shaktian hatao”. The gullible public kept them believing and trusting too but how long was the question put by them.
Anyway, many from the so called anti “sampradayak Shaktian” , now fondly remember , refer to and rather miss too the towering personality of Vajpayee Ji and would, rather, in the hearts of hearts, feel remorseful for how they and their seniors in the respective parties illtreated him . The malaise of caring for Hindus also like other communities being treated as unusual , as an act of dividing society etc has been so deep rooted ever since the partition day that most of the opposition party leaders use that whip against Narendra Modi. Is it not quite possible that after the exit of the present incumbent , whenever so, the same politicians will miss him, recall his statesmanship prowess and leadership qualities and undergo contrition after due self -evaluation ?
Reiterating that having met with no success in employing campaigns of mistrust and falsehood right from Land Acquisition Bill to demonetisation to CAA to Covid handling, to abrogation of Article 370 to Kissan agitation to terror hub strikes in Pakistan to Galwan issue and conflict between Indian and Chinese troops to Rafael deal to EVMs to operation Sindoor to Narender Surrender to Vote Chore Gaddi Chodd to inciting GenZ to surrender on US Tariff charges etc , most of the opposition do not want to lose the current inelastic situation vis-à-vis availability of cooking gas and petroleum products as a fallout of war in West Asia to embarrass the Government. Not a single statement has been given by any political leader from the opposition to public advising judicial use of petroleum products and avoiding panic buying, hoarding and black marketing . Instead ,all the blame is sought to be parked at the doors of Prime Minister Narendra Modi , his “flawed” foreign policy and his “total surrender” to US President Trump. The Government is severely put in the stockings over very marginal increase in the LPG prices. Congress leaders have conveniently chosen to forget the row over the LPG price in 2012 at Rs.920 and in January 2014 the LPG cost all time high Rs.1241 , the then Union Minister Renuka Chowhdry questioning the presspersons over their fear of the poor getting hit, “You mean you cannot pay Rs.920 for a cylinder and do you want to say that the “Aam Garib uses the LPG”. Today the same Congress and other parties blame the Government ignoring the then PM justifying the same as ” money does not grow on trees and the Government was spending heavily on oil subsidies. ”
The opposition has every right to question the Government and hold it accountable but in the national interest , is it not the duty of the same opposition to acquaint the people with the present international position, strained sea routes through which oil carrying ships have to pass, the prices and supplies being under pressure , global tensions, supply risks, volatility in oil markets and the like which warrants a responsible patriotic response to the crisis . The Government needs to be trusted in saying there was no shortage of LPG, petrol and diesel and ,therefore, rumour mongers were to be isolated, ignored and jailed. TV Channels showing long queues of people carrying empty containers, bottles, canes, troughs to get petrol and diesel is shocking . Huge drums with 2 to 3 hundred litre capacity were shown in a tractor getting the petrol from a petrol pump depicting the adage of warming hands from the blaze of neighbour’s house. If a war is thrust on us lasting for a few weeks , such unscrupulous , anti social and anti national elements can wreck the system from within. Nation first, personal interests to be looked at afterwards.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
