They must have a sense of stability and security for survival!
National Bandh totally unwarranted!
Cynicism of the totally bankrupt forces!
See who are all in the game?
The BJP under Nitin Gadkari banner seemed a welcome start. Yes, even now it is a welcome change from the good old days of L.K.Advani or the Rajnath Singh regime.
Even now, there are distortions in the BJP’s overall national map. In Gujarat it is still a great distortion. Mr.Narednra Modi is winning it seems on all his fronts. But then why he is not welcome in the Nitish Kumar-ruled state where his party, the BJP, is a key ally even now?
This is a complex question that needs some deep introspection on the part of the party as well as on the part of the national intelligentsia.
So, when the BJP calls for the bandh, on a key economic issue, namely, that of the fuel price rise, then, there must be some common agenda for the Left parties and the BJP.
The CPI (M) is the worst cynic, a worst cynical party in the country. It is in a deep crisis over its very identity in the new times and new situations. The CPI (M) secretariat and the Polit Bureau (PB) think and behave like the old Soviet regime time outfit. The Central Committee or whatever and the General Secretary behaves like Lenin or more patently like a modern day Stalin? We are not sure. But what we are sure is the hard line adopted or spelt out or the hard line pursued.
The Hindu newspaper, the staid olden maiden like newspaper as Nehru once famously described its tone and language, reported the very next day of the bandh almost all of its six pages only about the bandh and its visual effects.
We saw of course, the regional leaders like Deve Gowda waving a placard and leading the show and of course, the mandatory faces were all there. Brinda Karat in her trade mark protesting face against the injustice prevailing in the country and society, here was Chandra babu Naidu, poor man without a cause left to espouse and the other two communist leaders, namely, the ageing A.B. Bharadan and D.Raja and in another picture we saw all the greats of the Opposition, Sharad Yadav, Rajnath Singh, Niti Gadkari himself along with others from the Delhi contingent and Shiromani Akali Dal MP, Harsimrat Kaur Badal. So, there is this new fraternity among the Opposition parties, both national as well as regional.
The unasked question or questions are:
What is common among these obviously contradictory groups?
Pure and simple: cynicism and impotency and also some urge to show themselves in the public eye.
We like to ask Deve Gowda who was Prime Minister and he must be simply knowing in his heart of hearts: Can the fuel prices be controlled in the way in which we have been doing for long?
Is petrol and diesel and gas a natural resource or a national resource?
International prices, international markets and the very natural resources are all subjected t international markets and so any government worth its salt must be taking some responsibility for the stability and even for the survival of the poorers sections, the poor must have firstly a sense of security and stability to survive and prosper.
A person of the stature of Deve Gowda, among others, must have taken a more cautious stand and must have conducted himself with a sense of great moderation. This is our considered view.
So too others like Chandrababu Naidu.
As for the BJP we can leave it to its own timing.
The BJP is in power in several states. So, it has to provide precious fuels at reasonable prices.
If they so choose they can even now subsidise the fuel prices! Will they choose to do so? Somebody must have asked them and so advised them.
As for the Communists, they are to be pitied and only sympathised.
What is the record of the Communists in the states where they are ruling.
Go to Kerala and talk to anyone, a taxi driver. Pick up a conversation with him and ask about the CPI(M) party’s own new mores and morals.
They are all about the new found wealth the party and the party higher-ups are enjoying.
The gates of the party heavyweight’s palatial home are automatically controlled.
The daughter of a heavyweight studying near Coimbatore is driven every weekend from Coimbatore to Cannanore in a Mercedes Benze luxury car! Such small details are spinned off and everybody is talking about the rich resorts the ruling party has promoted and augmenting the wealth of the party. It is very much like the regional parties like the DMK?ADMK/the BSP and others.
Even now, the ruling parties are faced with such challenging questions like high corruption and corrupt deals the ruling parties indulge to augment its funds and so many CBI cases are pending against such party heavyweights. This is almost now the norms.
The BJP is no exception. See the Lok Ayukta resignation and the taking back drama in Karnataka.
Price rise is a norm for any developing economy. So said the famed Lord Keynes!
Keynes is the econ9omist who saved the world from world depression.
Fuels demand is a universal issue.
Energy shortage is a universal phenomenon.
So, please let us understand: let us not play with the fates of the poor and the weaker and vulnerable sections in whose name the parties have called a bandh and caused a heavy loss to the exchequer.
Calling bandh on such a scale is unpardonable.
The heavy price is paid not by the rich and the privileged but by the helpless poor only.
The media must play a more responsible role.
There must be any number of discussions any number of peaceful demonstrations ,but not this scale economic disruption.
Economic disruption and disruption of normal life only hits the poor directly.
What else is this, except pure and simple cynicism and pure jealousy and importance of the Opposition rivalry?
Image Source : thehindu.com