By Vijay Darda | 23-04-2018
Politics has plunged the nation into useless issues; for votes they are playing with democracy
Maikhane se Puchha Aaj
Itna Sannata Kyon Hai?
Maikhana Bola- Lahu ka daur hai sahib
Ab sharab kaun pita hai?
(Why is the tavern so desolate? When people are thirsty of blood, who cares for wine)
Someone has sent these lines to my Whatsapp and I am wondering if the situation is so bad? In my mind emerges the images of riots in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh that have taken many lives in recent months. In my mind also appear those agitations that have killed the breadwinners of many families. I am stunned by the Kathua atrocity. Can there be a more disgusting aspect of rape seen from a religious perspective? And that too in a country like India where there has been a centuries-old tradition of worshipping women as Goddesses. Why has the storm of hatred trapped our great India which has always propagated the noble message of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’? Who are the people spreading seeds of hatred but also nursing them? Ostensibly, that political thinking is responsible for it, which sees every citizen of India only from the point of view of vote!
And it is unfortunate that we are all getting submerged in it. Just have a look around from the TV screen to the social media screen. What we see is religious fanaticism spreading everywhere. The thoughts of hatred are not only being spread, but these forces which are actively promoting them. Muslims are being projected as perpetrators of violence, Christian as proselytizing, and now every Hindu wants to overtake it.
Those spreading such hateful thoughts are making religion toxic and the most dangerous thing is that those in power are not taking any action against such forces. Those who are spreading hatred assume that even the government will not last under the impact of their ‘hate-filled religious power’! Their pride stems from the fact that they are becoming successful in digging a trench between us in the name of faith and religion.
Just calm down for a while and then ask yourself, who gave the politicians the right to raise hue and cry on the issue of our religion, our faith, our caste? The duty of politicians is to use politics for the betterment of this country. In their brand of politics there is no space for discourse on food for hungry, house for homeless, pure water for everyone, education for all and employment for youth. They only talk of religion, creed and caste! Since politics is not able to meet our basic needs, we have been entangled in the useless issues and many more people are going to get embroiled in it.
Did we ever tell politician who speak the language of hate that we are capable of taking care of our religion? Why are you jumping in between? We will settle the differences of the neighbourhoods. We will decide where Ramnavami’s procession will start or where the procession of Eid Miladunnabi will pass through! The elders of the locality will sit together and find a solution.
Do not disturb social harmony. Since we do not appear rude to these politicians, they consider the common man as fools. Unfortunately, we do not question the politicians. We should ask why farmers in this country are committing suicide. We should ask how much profit was earned by the country as a result of note ban? We should ask why a person needs to walk for miles carrying his wife’s body on his shoulders. Why does not he find any hearse? We should ask why a 13- year-old child dies due to hunger? Will the citizen not get ration if he does not have the Aadhaar card! We should ask whether any official responsible for that painful incident was sent to jail even for one day? We should ask, how does a Nirav Modi, any Mallya or some Chauksi succeed in robbing the banking system of the country? How do they manage to get the stolen goods out of the country and themselves disappear! Does such a big government system get deceived deliberately?
But people do not ask these questions to politicians. We have got such a slavish mentality that we start wagging our tails before any person of authority whether politician or bureaucrat. If some politician shakes hand, one feels elated and excited! Politics has created an ambience of servility and the trend of becoming a follower has caught on. We will have to get over this trend and ask the legitimate questions to politicians. In unambiguous terms, we must tell politicians to stay away from our religion, community and caste. You should pay attention to the fact that no one sleeps hungry, everyone has roof over their heads, clean drinking water, none should die due to lack of medical treatment, and everyone should get employment.
Before I conclude…
While writing this piece, I remembered some lines of famous poet Gopaldas Neeraj. These lines are self- explanatory. You consider them.
Ab to majahab koi aisa bhi chalaya jae/jisme insane ko insane banaya jae
Pyaar kaa khoon hua kyon ye samjhne ke liye/har andhere ko ujale me bulaya jae
Jism do ho ke bhi dil ek hon apne aise/mera ansu teri palkon se uthaya jae.
(Let us create a religion which dispels darkness. Where hearts unite and shared the tears.)
INTRO
The national discourse should be about the plight of those people who barely manage to have a regular meal, die without treatment. Discourse should be on farmers’ suicides and the unemployed, but politics has plunged the country into useless issues and seeds of hatred are being sowed cleverly that will ultimately be fatal for the country!
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