TIME FOR 'PORIBARTAN' IN POLITICS

 

BY APURVA RAI

S

OMETIMES, some days come with a series of happenings that jolt you from the inside out. First, it was a boat tragedy in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh; then it was the BJP’s historic victory in West Bengal, and lastly, there were the austerity measures announced by the government, asking people to renounce numerous things that affect their lifestyle.

In all three incidents, I could see a strange relationship between the people and a very special breed called the politicians. These are the politicians who settle down in their careers riding on the shoulders of the common people. Once their dreams come true, their vested interests and personal preferences become top priorities and the common person, who also happens to be the voter, is pushed to the number two slot. They become a special class of society that elects them, they get special powers that elevate them beyond the ordinary, while they get special privileges for a lifetime, which gives them a special status. And yet, they continue to be people’s representatives. The recent developments present a classic example of the double role and the priorities of our political set-up.  

CHANGING COLOURS

The nation witnessed two major contrasting incidents within a short span of one week. On April 30, a boat, Narmada Queen, capsized in the turbulent waters in Bargi Dam reservoir (Narmada River) in Jabalpur in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Over a dozen innocent lives were lost. Nobody expected that the people who were holidaying on the cruise would drown because of the sheer negligence of the administrative machinery. The country cried when the picture of a woman holding her baby tight to her chest took the internet by storm. 

A debate ensued. Everyone wanted to know who was responsible for this mishap and who would guarantee that a lesson had been learned and such a mishap would not recur.

In just a couple of days, the mood of the nation changed. The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party won the Assembly elections in West Bengal, uprooting the Trinamool Congress, which had commanded power in the state for the last 15 years. People danced on the streets while the political leadership cheered them. The Trinamool bastion was broken, and a long era of the Mamata Banerjee government had ended. Poribartan (change) was realised, which the political leadership in New Delhi celebrated with big aplomb.  

While the nation was trying to settle down with kabhi khushi, kabhi gham, another bombshell was dropped when the prime minister issued an appeal to the people to adopt several austerity measures to help the country’s sinking economy in the wake of the war in the Gulf region. The announcement sparked debate, as the common person in the country is not lucky enough to live an extravagant life. Inflation, rising costs, high cost of living, underemployment, fear of layoffs and now the austerity measures. The common person is in a dilemma. One still tries to understand who should adhere to the announcement— the commoners or the others whom we call the ‘special class’.

While people were debating the tragic loss of human lives in the boat tragedy and the negligence of the authorities, the political victory in West Bengal metamorphosed the atmosphere, and the mood swing was so obvious for everyone to see. We saw big statements, bigger words of thanks and the biggest gratitude to the people of West Bengal. The headlines were replaced. Poribartan, in all senses, was visible.

NOT ONE ACCIDENT

It is not about the Bargi Dam mishap alone; it is about the recurrence of such incidents, the loss of human lives for no fault of theirs, living in fear, an accident at any corner of the road, safety issues, failure of the state machinery that we see often and the cover-ups. It is also about the acts of negligence on the part of state machinery. The Second Opinion feels it would not be wrong to say that we, the people, have learned to forego or forget and move on in our lives. We talk about them but don’t fight to set things right.

The Jabalpur tragedy didn’t take place long ago. It is a very recent incident that is largely forgotten, though it points fingers at the precarious conditions that prevail at different public places. The rough waters raised a storm. Fingers were pointed at the boat operations in Bargi Dam. How come the boat was allowed to sail despite its ‘poor health’? Did the boat operator possess a fitness certificate? Why were all the passengers not given life jackets? What emergency arrangements were there in the boat? Is there no rule to have one or two divers on board when the cruise sails into deep waters? I’m sure nobody has satisfactory answers to these questions or has proper documents to prove the fitness of the boat. When there is a rule about the age of a passenger car, then why not such a rule for boats or steamers or a holiday cruise? We have become habitual of accepting the chalta hai formula.

Jabalpur tragedy struck. Luckily, many more haven’t. Do you remember the condition of the boats in Kanyakumari that ferry you to Vivekananda Rock through the sea? How many of us feel these boats are safe and follow rules? Also, think of Chilka Lake, the largest backwater lagoon in Asia. Have you ever taken a boat ride there? Most of them do not meet safety parameters but tourism goes on because nobody is there to ask questions. Do you think ropeways are safe? Haridwar has witnessed an accident. Do you think road trips, particularly in the hills, are safe? Every year, we hear news of a bus falling into a gorge, killing several tourists. Sad but true. But who cares? Life goes on. The business goes on. Nobody asks questions until something goes wrong. Has the administration at any other place learned a lesson from the Bargi tragedy? The answer is, ‘we don’t know’.

LOOK BACK
The Second Opinion wants to rewind a little. Do you remember the Air India crash in Ahmedabad with heavy casualties or a young techie falling in a canal in Noida? He screams for his life for two hours, his father tries to gather local support for his only child but nothing could be arranged. Police reached the spot, Fire Brigade too reached. The poor lad still could not be saved. He drowned while his father watched helplessly. Can there be a more shameful accident in a country that boasts of a large, growing economy, big technology and all sorts of advancements? Do you remember the collapse of an amusement ride in the Surajkund Mela in Haryana? A police inspector lost his life and dozens of others were injured. Surely, we forget things very fast. 

So much and yet no mass protest! Not public outrage! No accountability! Every incident involves just the common person. The privileged class stays privileged. They take away the credit with a few words of sympathy. How many elected representatives have taken to the streets or conducted road shows to protest against the administrative machinery or to get justice for the victims? The same leaders knock on your doors and promise to stand by you when there is a problem. The reality check is here.

‘STATE’ OF JOY

While the victims of the Bargi Dam tragedy were still mourning and their tears had not even dried, the results were announced for the West Bengal Assembly elections. Within a few days, the mood of the nation changed as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recorded an unprecedented victory in the state. A sombre atmosphere turned perky. Big talks and bigger promises fetch the biggest results for which the BJP had been trying for years. Poribartan is realised. Bengal is a state of joy.

Euphoric political leadership was happy like never before. The representatives elected by the people now took the front stage, as their ‘hard work’ paid off. The mood changed. The atmosphere changed. Focus had shifted from Bargi to Kolkata. Everybody was cheering. 

POLITICAL POWER IS MORE IMPORTANT

The whole nation saw the change. It was not about the change of guards in West Bengal, it was about the approach, the mindset, the priorities of those who claim to be closest to common persons, their problems, their difficulties and the troubles that bother them.

The victory in Bengal proved how quickly the leadership can shift its priorities or the scale of concerns. Nobody remembers the promises made when the Madhya Pradesh Assembly went to the polls. Were they kept at the time of the Bargi Tragedy? Did the leaders, apart from party affiliations, give their hundred per cent in finding a permanent solution to the tragedy?

Two contrasting incidents present contrasting approaches to leadership. Disappointing it was, one may say!

MANY ISSUES, NO ANSWERS
For a common person, life is not easy. It is not smooth either. The leadership knows it very well and this is why it takes the lead when elections are announced. Everything is forgotten after the results are declared. It does not matter who wins or who loses; it does not matter which political party wins or loses. The approach remains the same. Those who win enjoy the privileges, those who lose indulge in mud-slinging. 

 Many issues revolve around us but life goes on without political representatives playing their role. Admission to schools is the most common of all. For every family, it is the biggest issue, but which politician has stood to find a universal system acceptable to all? What has been done to make it easier, convenient or affordable? There are government schools but even those who are part of the state machinery do not send their children to them. Why? You decide. What is your opinion on the mid-day meals in schools? How many children of the political leaders, irrespective of the party they represent, have eaten mid-day meals? None. Why? 

Every year, there are cases of paper leaks during exams. Plenty of examples to quote. Has any leader ever called a public rally against the examination system to protect the careers of our children? No, never.

The government takes pride in developing world-class expressways. How safe do you feel when you set out for a long drive in winter? How many leaders take a road show to protest against the late running of trains? Do you go to a government hospital when a near and dear one needs urgent medical aid? No. Why? Of course, you prefer a private hospital because you feel your patient will get better care. But the politicians go to a government hospital because they are the ‘privileged class’ and enjoy all such facilities, which you will never get. Any rally on this? Never.

Taking advantage of medical insurance is another big issue. How many have worked to make it better, easier and honest? Everyone knows how avaricious these private hospitals are. How many leaders have worked to make it beneficial?

Who is not aware of the parking lot mafia? We silently pay the parking fee and move on without a fuss. The result is that the mafia flourishes and no good rules are framed to make it better or more transparent. Has any leader ever discussed it?

Who doesn’t know the travelling conditions in Mumbai local trains? We have a transport ministry, a railway ministry, and there are ministers to lead them. Has anybody worked on improving local commuting or making it safer? Has any leader ever promised to make it better? Never. Intentions become clearer. Who does not face traffic jams in metropolitan cities? Has anyone ever promised to work on it seriously? No. Surely, many would have taken foreign trips to study traffic conditions in other countries. This is the privilege you get; yet, don’t expect an outcome. Just foreign tours with no accountability, no questions.  

Have you noticed any leader talking about food adulteration? No, they don’t discuss it. One possible reason is that they get the best quality food in their homes, which common people never get. Have you ever heard of any politician falling ill after consuming adulterated food? Perhaps, social issues do not carry much meaning until a mishap occurs and some people lose their lives.

Numerous issues require the urgent intervention of our elected representatives to make life smoother or more convenient. Sadly, nobody does it.

NOW THE AUSTERITY DRIVE
In the middle of the metamorphosis that the country witnessed from grief in one state to euphoria in another, there was an appeal from the prime minister that sparked more debate. The words of the prime minister were more for the common people rather than those who are at the helm of affairs. The appeal would have received widespread appreciation had it come in the form of an advisory for the privileged class.

Using swadeshi, curtailing foreign travel, refraining from buying gold, organic farming or using public transport are more relevant for those who belong to the ‘special class’ of society. Why could the PM not add staying away from buying multiple houses/ apartments or land? We know a lot of black money goes into buying a house, which remains locked or unused because it is ‘an investment’ rather than a need. The Second Opinion is still trying to figure out the difference between ‘investment in real estate’ and ‘hoarding of property’. The space, thus saved, could be better used for affordable housing. At the same time, the ‘surplus money’ too could be put to better use. If there is less scope to use black money, perhaps corruption would also come down.

Buying gold! It was never affordable for most people. Middle-class people purchase gold only on special occasions. Gold was for the rich, and even today it is for the rich. Gold was unaffordable, gold is unaffordable. Personally, I have rarely visited a reputed jewellery shop with my wife in my entire life. It is not because I never wanted to, it is because I could not afford it. My wife still dreams of buying a gold set of her choice, but the dream remains a dream. Now it has been deleted from the list too! For millions of people like me, this appeal is more relevant for news headlines. Understandably, then, gold is purchased by those who have the ‘surplus money’ because this is the easiest way to ‘store’ your currency.

The farmers of the country are poor. How do you expect them to buy organic seeds and buy organic fertilisers? The prime minister should send his officers to the remotest of the villages to find the conditions under which a farmer cultivates his field. Issuing a statement is easy without conducting a reality check. 

Public transport is a favourite topic of discussion. Has the Prime Minister been able to gift a mass public transport system to the city of Varanasi, his own constituency? No study has even been conducted to run a mini metro connecting the railway station, the Babatpur airport, the Sankat Mochan mandir and the Banaras Hindu University (BHU). Go to the railway station in Varanasi, the main city or places of public interest, and you will find chaos only. The entire city is overcrowded with all sorts of vehicles and indiscipline on the roads. Mumbai is another example where local trains are infamous for the everyday commute. Everyone talks about the difficulties in the Mumbai local with no solution found to date. It remains as dangerous as a few decades ago.

If swadeshi means buying khadi, then kindly check the prices. I, myself, want to buy more and more from the Khadi Gramodyog but cannot do so. So, I compromise with one or two products for my personal satisfaction. The rest of my needs are fulfilled in the open market. By the way, are other products available in the open market, not swadeshi? I believe everything made in India is swadeshi and is equally important. It is not necessary to visit Khadi India; you can boast of buying swadeshi by visiting your nearest local market too. 

I would have welcomed it if the prime minister had asked not to buy expensive imported wrist watches. Surely, they are not swadeshi. Still, an expensive foreign brand wrist watch is the favourite of a large number of people with ‘surplus money’. You can’t find a better way of spending. I would have also welcomed it if the prime minister had asked people not to buy multiple cars or change their personal vehicles frequently. This is not good for our environment and the road conditions in the cities. Yes, spending money on buying expensive imported cars or bikes is certainly not swadeshi. Refrain from it.  

WE HAVE LEARNT TO ADJUST
We get angry when a tragedy strikes. We discuss it for some time, but forget it soon. We live with the issues that are never addressed. We hear the election speeches of politicians, which are full of tall talk. We hear the politicians making huge promises but never take up the relevant ones when they get into power.

We also know the politicians expect the junta to change without setting an example by themselves first. It is for this reason that politics and politicians are not seen in high esteem. Many capable people do not want to get into this field. Politicians might steal the show, but this glamour is short-lived; they are forgotten just as quickly.

However, we have learnt to live in silence. We have learnt to listen. We have learnt to adjust. We are still waiting to see poribartan take place on the ground. Second Opinion hopes the day will come soon when political leaders of the country will drop double standards and not make politics an area of ridicule. One can only hope that politicians will talk about issues more beneficial for society and fulfil them. By the way, how many of us see politics as a fruitful career for our children?  None. The Second opinion feels this is the time for poribartan when personality changes, the image improves and credibility goes up.