Shiban Khaibri
If we just cursorily go through the list of our real freedom fighters right from 1857 to 1947 , most of whom are unsung and also consumed by the less flawless process of compiling and writing of our history , we shall from various available counts, deduce that they believed not in notional sacrifice for the country but actually sacrificed a lot including by many, even their lives. Our country is known ages together for cherishing the principles of contentment and looking around those whom we could help in need including taking care of animals, reptiles and even insects. Not only by chance but by experience, we still watch most of the people feeding even ants near temples and shrines and keeping rice and other eatables for birds, as their ”share ” . The practice of keeping pots full of water for birds and animals during summer seasons has not been enveloped by modern era materialism and hopefully in future too, it will not. In such a civilization (al) scenario, how shocking is it that some politicians otherwise feigning to have come into politics only for serving the people (Jan Sewa) are found indulging in irregularities and corrupt practices , amassing wealth and assets disproportionate to known sources of income , lacing politics with sprinkles of crime and the like . Otherwise also, there is a tendency to nurse and sustain VIP culture, command special attention , treatment and enjoy privileges by the ”manneenyee” – the Honb’les which is quite repugnant to the basics of our traditions of thousands of years including against ideals of Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel and scores of our leaders who preached simplicity , impeccable honesty ,simple living, high level of transparency and contributing to minimal cost of governance.
Should therefore, there be a concerted move , a joint resolve by many opposition parties to have the premier enquiring agencies of the country put in stockings for initiating legal action against the alleged corrupt? Should overtly and covertly, attempts be made towards restraining them from performing their functions under the clout of ”misuse of probe agencies by the Government”? Should not those political parties and their leaders welcome and facilitate such probes to have the truth getting surfaced – the oft quoted saying as ”Doodh ka doodh aur Paani ka Paani ” should, therefore, not be used merely as a rhetoric . Again, there is an old adage, ”Do not thieve and be not afraid of the thieved”. Then in that case , therefore, why should anyone or any political party be afraid of these probing agencies and in the process, try to cobble support of “likeminded Parties” by adopting all means to go whole hog against the Government, in particular against the Prime Minister? Thus, verily for this purpose, viz fighting corruption, Prime Minister Modi is hated and continuously severely criticised. Knocking at the doors of judiciary is the fundamental right of every aggrieved and injustice (d) citizen of this country but taking those issues to courts that smack of things other than cogent merit is tantamount to trying to achieve political mileage and even playing victim card of having got a ”raw deal”. Protests , demonstrations , black attires , disrupting Parliament like scenes were unfortunately seen under the pretext of Adani issue but in fact it was a cumulative ire against the government for initiating action on alleged corrupt deals of some political leaders. Should it be inferred that there should be no accountability and seeking no explanation from the accused on the issue of corruption?
Opposition is fundamental and central to the healthy functioning of the democratic system and must, therefore, keep the Government in power under its constant vigil for its wrong policies and wrong doings . Equally, propriety demands that it should cooperate with the Government in rooting out corruption and dealing with matters of utmost national sensitivities and importance. It must debate, discuss, raise points , question the Ministries and the like in Parliament. What we unfortunately see that the highest seat of our democracy is made the arena of settling scores. Frequent ruckus , sloganeering , holding placards , converging in the well with such placards and trying to have the writings thereon caught by the cameras in telecasting of the proceedings, throwing torn papers on the chair like totally avoidable means of protests wash out precious proceedings and important work of the Parliament. It perhaps also warrants to redefine Parliamentary language and parliamentary behaviour .
It is estimated that Rs.2.50 lakh per minute is the cost of running of the Parliament and we saw how the last session was completely wasted. The opposition parties led by Congress insisted for a JPC on Adani issue while the same opposition had earlier demanded a probe led by a committee constituted by the Supreme Court. The treasury bench also asked for an apology to be tendered by Rahul Gandhi on his utterings in England castigating not only the Government in power but ”lamenting” about the threat to democracy in the country and how ”oblivious” were the foreign countries towards such a threat as also how minorities (naming specifically) were treated in India so on and so forth. Hence both the government to some extent as well as the opposition to an extreme extent, were instrumental in not allowing the Parliament to function. Total loss worked out notionally for Parliament not allowed to function comes to over Rs.112 crore which cost the nation , the tax payers of this country, had to pay. If Gandhian principles are dear to these politicians irrespective of party affiliations, the MPs should volunteer to make good this loss from their pockets. Alternately, under the maxim of ”No Work No Pay ”, at least no salary nor any perks should be paid to the Honourable members for the days no work or business was transacted . Can it be done ? Are these the priorities of the respected MPs so as to establish high citadels of morality and ethical values? That is what the people must undoubtedly be asking .
On the contrary, 14 political parties in the opposition led by Congress Party approached the Apex Court of the country seeking relief in respect of ”alleged arbitrary use of central probe agencies” . Naturally, such a prayer was not made in favour of a common citizen of the country but ostensibly in favour the politicians alleged to be corrupt or having indulged in corrupt practices. However, a bench comprising Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and Justice J .B. Pardiwala was not inclined to entertain the petition mainly because ” political parties are not higher than citizens” and the courts are always there for taking up the grievances of political leaders as they do for common citizens.
Do the political leaders want it constitutionally to be established and recognised that they were entitled to and should enjoy an immunity higher than the common citizen? Are these politicians so much concerned about themselves that they should not be arrested by the probe agencies even when there were cogent grounds and that ” there should be prospective guidelines of pre and post arrest procedures to be adopted by the said probe agencies”. Expecting a shot in the arm , a psychological fillip and a bolster of legal acquiesce, the 14 political parties had, on the contrary, to be content with returning empty handed and getting a severe jolt from the Supreme Court. The petition was rejected .What in fact and in easy parlance, this group of 14 wanted to convey to us, the common citizens, whom they ”vow” to serve (Jan Sewa) only this much that the law must adopt two measuring devices one for common citizens and the other one exclusively for the politicians?
The Prime Minister had a few days ago asked the officers of the probe agencies not to go soft on corruption against the corrupt . Why are otherwise politicians in long speeches, routinely keep on saying that they were against corruption and would fight it out but in reality why should there be a cacophony over it? The process of arrests- investigations – enquiries – charge-sheeting – filing cases and ensuring convictions must go on against the corrupt from all walks of life — from parties in opposition and in power.
There are severe threats posing serious challenges to the country aiming at creating large scale disturbances and unrest but instead of feeling concerned about that factor, their joint and several aim is how to undertake and succeed in “Modi Hatao” . It is shocking to see that not a single leader from out of these 14 political parties condemned the recent attacks seemingly under a well organised manner on Shree Ram Navmi Shoba Yatras in different states. No one had the audacity to decipher the term “Sensitive Area” or ”Muslim Bahul Area”. Who has compartmentalised these ”areas” and what type of national integration is it that Hindu religious processions should be subjected to seeking prior permissions, imposition of conditions, regulations, restrictions and the like and tried to be attacked ? Why should such processions be directed to avoid at all costs a particular route because of some community “Bahul” factor? What if such restrictions are put by and at the behest of other communities too, particularly by Hindus, in respect of “Bahul” areas of their communities.
Now these ”No Go Areas” have assumed legitimacy as some top political leaders harped on it much before such Shoba Yatras had to be taken out there. We saw Hoogly riots and how could it be brushed aside as to why these planned attacks were not pre-empted and subsequently effectively controlled. While Sasaram and Nalanda in Bihar were scenes of organised violence , the Chief Minister nursing an ambition to lead an anti Modi front, was enjoying Iftar party and could not visit the affected areas. No free speech advocates Lutyens asked West Bengal Government as to how and why the state police was mute spectators . How could these disturbances occur in West Bengal and Bihar and continue for days even after Ramnavmi. Gujarat and Maharashtra etc too witnessed such attacks but however were controlled before escalating any further. Why in the state of Uttar Pradesh with a population of nearly 25 crore ,on the contrary, scenes of communal harmony were witnessed not to speak of any violence from any part of the state. The leaders of these 14 political parties have to answer , clarify and be forthright on issues other than the probe agencies going after the alleged corrupt leaders.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel