By Arun Kumar Shrivastav
The monsoon season has set in, bringing much relief from months’ scorching heat across the country. However, it has also brought about great trouble for big cities that see rainwater getting trapped and throwing normal life out of gear. Floods in some parts of the country are another thing to worry about at this point of time. A few days back, newly elected Members of Parliament shared photographs of their homes and neighbourhood streets inundated with muddy and filthy rainwaters in their Delhi homes. They were unable to walk out of their homes and take a flight to their cities and other safer locations. A few days back, Delhi was struggling with scarcity of clean drinking water as the supply from states upstream reportedly dwindled and failed to meet Delhi’s soaring water needs in the peak summer.
As we know, Delhi will not receive as much rain as many other cities in India witness. The capital of India will still have hot, humid, and sultry days. But whenever it rains, Delhi will have a water-logging problem. It’s ironic for the importance of a city like Delhi. What is at the root of this malaise is ineffective and visionless local bodies, including the three municipal corporations in the capital city.
However, when the new Parliament began its maiden session, it was none of these issues that figured in the discussions. To the great dismay of the people, what they discussed was a definition of Hindus, the largest community in India. It triggered a massive ripple effects across the political map of India. The Maharashtra assembly stooped to MCs and BCs.
What it speaks if finally is the quality of people we have in our legislative bodies. At the least, they have no personal respect for each other, far less they are ready to listen to and appreciate viewpoints from across the party lines. They can make the entire country hang their heads in shame. How did India reach this point? It’s a country of great people and great traditions. Where have we lost those lofty idealism that we inherited?
If the BJP is at the receiving end of an abusive opposition, it should share the blame of not being restrained and putting laudable precedents. And, if the opposition is doing this today, they should be ready to be paid in the same coin. A bull fight doesn’t do any good to any of the bulls. At the end, they all get injured.
India has tons of academicians and professionals who know and practice formal and socially-acceptable behaviour and respect each other’s space and viewpoints. It’s their neglect of ensuring high-quality education for everyone in the country that has resulted in a population that resorts to abuses both inside the legislatives and in the public life outside.
No matter how much we like one leader or the other, telling us the definition of religion is not the job of the lawmakers. Their job is to make laws and raise and discuss issues of public concern. Right now, Delhi’s municipal woes should be included in the discussions. If some political leaders are in jail, so are millions of ordinary Indians. With due respect to our leaders in jail, we must also spare a thought for all those who are there without anybody caring for them.
That’s not done, to say the least. Our lawmakers are receiving the same medicine they chose to give to their people and voters. This process will only stop once they stop hoisting frivolous non-issues on the table for discussion. They must learn how to prioritise important issues out of hundreds that this country can produce in a few hours every day.
In a country like India, the people are both a burden and a blessing. If they are educated, intelligent, and productive, they are an asset. They will not let you work if they are foolish, abusive, and idle. Pushing important issues out of the agenda and bringing the country to a boil with foolish and sentimental issues will help no one and spare no one. We are all there in it.
It’s easy to set things right. One thing that goes in the right direction every day can bring about atomic changes. It’s for both people and the nation. Instead of discussing the definition of religion and never getting it right or acceptable to everyone, lawmakers should get the laws to make law enforcement and justice dispensation systems in order. They should ensure that illiterate old women attend night schools and those with basic literacy engage in productive activities. This positivity should spread from the bottom to the top. (IPA )
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