Double Faced Political Rulers | Humra Quraishi

26 September 2024

First things first. From the latest news reports the war havoc is furthering…going beyond the Palestinian State, well into Lebanon. No stopping the destruction and deaths that war brings along, leaving scars for generations to come. And nobody out there to cry halt! Why the so called super power America and its allies not intervening! Halt the devastation! They ought to host their Summits and Meets in and around the Gaza region or along the Lebanon borders so that they have a first-hand view of the genocide…Deaths and destruction all around. And see for themselves how the hapless survivors are surviving – without food and water and shelter and medical aid. And also without immediate families as hundreds are orphaned and also displaced.

I’m keen and curious to know how the political rulers of the day can sleep well and not sit all too perturbed seeing the human killings! I wouldn’t call these men ‘leaders’ as they are not leading us to anywhere close to survival! They are political rulers! They are all too blatantly political, hopping from one Summit to the next, in their best attires, with those synthetic frills to them all too intact. The in-between gaps fitted with hollow speeches!

They do not take the trouble of visiting any of the war torn countries to grasp the ground realities; how hundreds and thousands ruined because of the ongoing military might intruding into their lives. Shots and videos of the Palestinian children crying out, mothers weeping, fathers sitting numb with pain, teenagers unable to control their emotional outburst, don’t seem to bother any of the political rulers of the day, as they sit in their comfort zones or call them ivory towers! Don’t they realise their expansionist policies are expanding on the basis of ruthless military power!

As I’m writing this column close to 2 October, Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, so been wondering: What if Mahatma Gandhi was still in our midst. He would have definitely travelled to the Palestinian State and also to Lebanon and met the survivors. He would have spent weeks or months there, amidst the affected…Carrying hope and aid, and also trying to find a solution to end the human sufferings. Don’t overlook the fact that whenever communal violence and rioting hit the various regions and locales in our country, Mahatma Gandhi would undertake padyatras and camp at the riot-hit place and see to it that some semblance of peace and sense prevails.

Now focusing on the latest shocking developments in our country. What’s all this talk of street vendors and eateries in Uttar Pradesh and also in Himachal Pradesh’s capital city, Shimla, to display their names, photographs, license, identification proof, ID cards! Why?

Aren’t these tactics or term them build-ups for communal divides and stress to peak in the country! All these years we ate here and there, without bothering to even notice the eatery owner’s name or creed or caste but now with these government ploys there could be communal battles here too! Yes, even food sellers not spared…in this day and age when the basic survival gets difficult for them, here comes another of those hitting onslaughts!

All these moves bound to cause havoc on the streets and roads and lanes and by-lanes of this country! Leading to not just street fights but even civil strife! Yes, after all, civil strife gets ignited by political lobbies and then spreads out …hitting the hapless man on the streets!

Was just reading news reports on this, with Urban Development Department minister Vikramaditya Singh in the Himachal government, quoted as saying that this decision was taken at a meeting with the Urban Development Department and Shimla Municipal Corporation, “…A lot of eatables like momos and noodles are being sold by food stalls… so the Food and Civil Supplies Department will ensure that the food being sold is hygienic.”

Hygienic food should be sold …definitely yes! But how does caste and creed and community and name of the seller or vendor play a role to the hygiene aspect to food! Why this move …why this name display!

This seems a wrong move and ought to be halted now and immediately. If you recall the entire last month Shimla witnessed communal tension because of the Sanjauli mosque ‘controversy’, till it was somewhat revolved by the local Muslim population of Shimla when they told the Hindutva brigades that they will themselves pull down the so-called unauthorized section to the mosque. Though that matter seemed somewhat resolved but the communal tension lingers on …After all, communal poisoning doesn’t get contained in one State or region. It’s bound to spread out especially in an atmosphere ripe with communal elements. Ah, yes, not to overlook the communal policies and patterns and the go-aheads! Himachal Pradesh had never before seen Right-Wing brigades so very defiant and communal and fiercely vocal.

Getting to the on ongoing elections in J&K, the question doing the rounds is this: what was the need for the government of the day to invite diplomats from the foreign missions/ countries to witness the ongoing elections in the State! Is it one of those moves to show that all’s going well in the State?

In this day and age, facts cannot be pushed under those dusty carpets; well, not for too long! The fact is Kashmiris are worried and apprehensive, more than fearful of speaking out. They are also aware that the Right-Wing political lot has unleashed political tactics in their midst and that accelerates their apprehensions.