THE DAY the anti-Bush protest turned communally violent in the state capital, both former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and BJP national president, who is from Uttar Pradesh, Rajnath Singh were in town. They had flown down to Lucknow in a special aircraft for the inauguration of a heart centre by President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
Surprisingly both Atal and Rajnath did not deem it fit to stay back in Lucknow though half of the city was actually burning. Atal delivered his responsibilities to his constituents by talking to the chief minister while Rajnath reiterated his demand for imposition of the President’s rule before flying back to Delhi. Their indifference gives credence to the common belief that Atal may not contest elections again.
Although the former prime minister had twice displayed his desire to quit active politics, BJP quarters have been sending different feelers. According to senior BJP leaders not only Atal would remain in active politics but re-contest elections from Lucknow only. Why then such a lack of compassion and concern for the constituents?
Four people had died, several others injured in a violence that was more of an offshoot of carelessness on the part of the administration than a conspiracy or a plan. What a shame the clashes took place on a day when the security was on high alert.
Though many in the media see a political hand, a deliberate design to disturb communal peace in the state, fact remains that the district administration had not taken adequate precautionary steps to prevent the situation from turning ugly. Anti-Bush demonstrations were rocking every part of the country, including Lucknow. Did it not call for better deployment of the force, also because the city had been a witness to violence on the cartoon issue few days back?
{{/usCountry}}Though many in the media see a political hand, a deliberate design to disturb communal peace in the state, fact remains that the district administration had not taken adequate precautionary steps to prevent the situation from turning ugly. Anti-Bush demonstrations were rocking every part of the country, including Lucknow. Did it not call for better deployment of the force, also because the city had been a witness to violence on the cartoon issue few days back?
{{/usCountry}}A careful handling would not only have saved four precious lives but also the communal fabric of the city, besides public and private property. But perhaps police today considers security of the VVIPs their only duty! Public life and property is not their concern. At times one wonders what a sheer waste of the force it is! Is this the agenda it was created with?
The other aspect that needs to be taken note of is that February 3 was a Friday when the minority community assembles for prayers. And when the issue hurting the sentiments is more religious than social or economic then a little spark can lead to a major fire. And this is precisely what happened.
No one is to be blamed but the administration -- either they should not have allowed the procession and if they had, they should have taken adequate precautionary measures. So who is the culprit? Who should be punished for loss of four precious, innocent lives? Like in other cases this question would be referred to a probe. Few would know the report and none would be punished.
Atalji, in their moment of misery, your people needed you. How could you, the emotional poet and politician, fly back to Delhi without sharing their pain? A mere call to the CM, was it enough?
Coming to Rajnath Singh’s demand for imposition of the President’s rule, this is not the first time it has been made. In fact the Opposition rushes to Raj Bhawan every time there is a drizzle, rain or a thunderstorm. Perhaps, Raj Bhawan should collect and make public the number of petitions that it has received since the formation of the government in 2003 demanding President’s rule in the state.
They may be in hundreds. As if dismissal of the government or imposition of President’s rule is the only answer for all the prevailing ills in the state today.
But what can one expect from the Opposition that fights its political battle through legal channels or backroom manoeuvrings. They kept singing Mulayam government going, going till the three-member bench delivered its verdict on BSP MLAs disqualification case. And when the government did not go, they rushed to Raj Bhawan with their readymade petition demanding dismissal. Little did they do to unitedly defeat the government on the floor of the House? In fact they did not even make a semblance of an effort.
If the Opposition continued in this fashion, then they, especially BJP-Congress, may also lose their political battle in the people’s court. It’s high time they get into action or else they would continue to petition the Governor while Mulayam or Mayawati would rule the state.