वेदना

शायद आप सबको याद होगा के आज से कुछ साल पहले प्रिंस नाम का एक 5 साल का लड़का एक 60 फीट गहरे बोरवेल के गड्ढे में गिर गया था।  कुछ 48 घंटे चले बचाव कार्य के बाद उसे वहाँ से सुरक्षित निकाल लिया गया था।  इस किस्से के बाद कई और ऐसे किस्से होते रहे। कई बार बच्चे ऐसे गड्ढों में गिरते रहे।  कुछ सुरक्षित निकल आये पर कुछ मासूमों को दूसरों की लापरवाही की सज़ा भुगतनी पड़ी। आज भी मैं एक ऐसा ही किस्सा आपको बताने जा रहा हूँ पर यह किस्सा इन किस्सों जैसा हो कर भी इन जैसा नहीं है। 

बगलकोट, कर्नाटक में एक 5 साल का बच्चा कुछ दिन पहले 150 फ़ीट गहरे बोरवेल में गिर गया। यह उसके पिता के खेत का ही बोरवेल है। प्रशासन के 4 दिनों के भरसक प्रयास के बावजूद उसे निकाला नहीं जा सका। अब तक पढ़ कर आप यह सोच रहे होंगे के इसमें ऐसी कौन सी नई बात है ? हर दूसरे दिन ऐसी घटना होती है। और हर रोज़ अपने व्यस्त कार्यक्रम से 2 मिनट ऐसी घटनाओं पर शोक मनानां व्यर्थ है।

शायद इस ए. सी. कमरे में उस महँगी कुर्सी पर बैठे आप उस बच्चे के परिवारजनों की पीड़ा ना समझ पाएं। कुछ ऐसे ही मैं भी इस न्यूज़ आर्टिकल को नज़र अंदाज़ कर देता अगर मैंने आगे न पढ़ा होता। विचलित करने वाली बात यह हैं कि फसें हुए बच्चे के पिता ने सरकार से मांग की है कि वह राहत और बचाव काम को बंद कर दें। चार दिन में हताश हो चुके पिता को अब अपने खेत की चिंता है। उन्होंने यह खेत 12 लाख के क़र्ज़ पर लिया है और अगर बचाव के काम के लिए यूँ ही खुदाई जारी रही तो उनकी सारी फसल बेकार हो जाएगी।  

कुछ बेचैनी महसूस हुई अब आप को? ज़रा एक क्षण के लिए अपने आप को उस पिता की जगह रख कर  देखिये। एक पिता के नाते क्या आप ऐसा कदम उठा पायेंगे ? शायद नहीं ! क्या उस एक लड़के के लिए आप अपने बाकी परिवार के भविष्य को दाव पर लगा सकेंगे ?

ईश्वर न करे किसी पर भी ऐसा कुछ बीते मगर अब जब आप उस किसान की व्यथा भाँपने के प्रयास में असफल साबित हुए हैं तो चेतना के इसी पटल पर से इस देश के हालात देखिये। क्या अच्छे दिन यही हैं ? क्या यही वह महान भारत है जिसकी कल्पना हमारे पुर्खे कर गये थे? क्या यही वह आर्थिक शक्ति है जो दुनिया का रुख अपनी ओर मोड़ रही है? क्या यही 'सारे जहाँ से अच्छा हिन्दुस्तान हमारा' है? 

ख़ैर सरकार या समाज को दोष देना इस लेख का उद्देश्य नहीं है। इस लेख का प्रयास आप के अंदर कुछ कर गुज़रने की भावना जगाना भी नहीं है। यह तो शायद मेरे अंतर्मन का उहापोह है। इस घटना और उस पिता की स्थिति सोच कर जब मैं अपने जीवन की किसी भी घटना को दुःख या निराशा के रूप में देखता हूँ तो मन विचलित हो उठता है।

A Letter to the Chief Election Commissioner

To,

The Chief Election Commissioner,

Election Commission of India,

Respected Sir,

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you and your team for the smooth conduct of the ensuing General Election so far. So much so I would also like to thank the Commission for raising the general awareness about the election and its processes among the citizens.

Of late, while going through a site (www.myneta.info) I found a comprehensive list of documents required to be submitted by a candidate while filing his / her nomination. A careful scrutiny of the list so provided intrigued me to the extent that I went through the ‘Handbook for Candidates’ published by the Election Commission. To my surprise, no rule or provision contained in this Handbook requires from the candidate to submit his agenda /manifesto/ action plan for the constituency he intends to represent at the time of filing the nomination paper. It makes a fundamental difference for an ordinary voter as he / she is not given a choice to choose candidate based on the merits of his action plans for the constituency. Thus two major stake holders have no consideration of common intents. May be, lack of such a substantive vision on the part of voter leaves no other option to him / her but to exercise his / her franchise on the basis of caste / religion / money or any other factor strong enough to influence his / her ordinary wisdom. It may not be out of place to mention that a major political party released its manifesto a day before the first day of polling. This acts as an impediment for the voter while choosing a candidate he / she deems fit for representing him / her.

Sir It raises a point of consideration whether or not it should be made mandatory for the candidates to file his constituency specific agenda of the work he / she plans to pursue, if elected. The candidate should also make public as to what recourse he / she would adopt to fulfill the promises so made. It will certainly restrict the candidate to promise moon on earth to his / her electorates this document must be brought in public domain by the Commission for electorates to consider, ponder over and facilitate their right to vote.

Further before the end of the elected candidate’s term (before the next election), a report should be published stating his / her achievements vis-a-vis the agenda submitted during nomination. This report will help the electorate gauge the merits of their choice and assist them in choosing the right candidate in the election to come.

Although I understand that publishing a report on the achievements of the candidates is not largely pragmatic, yet I am sure some mechanism can be evolved at your end for such an indexation.

As a young citizen of this country I feel duty bound to point out what better can be done to improve the system rather than cursing it. The way our Nation is changing, and has become ever ready to challenge the pitfalls in the system, fills me with the earnest hope that my voice will be heard judiciously.

I shall be grateful if the Commission could take out some time and reply to this letter.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Siddharth Mohan Misra,

A proud Indian.

जय सिया राम

Seneca, a famous Roman philosopher once said, "Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful". These words written over 2000 years ago were never more true in spirit as they are now. Politicians are banking on stirred up religious sentiments to win the race to 7 Race Course Road.

In the 2002 Gujarat riots, humanity hit its rock bottom. There are accounts of mothers who witnessed swords being driven into their daughters genitals and their breasts cut off and thrown away; Sons who witnessed their fathers cut into half; Pregnant women being slaughtered and their fetus torn out and burnt; A well full of bodies of men, women and children being set alight. And these are just few accounts. There are many more horrifying stories.

Amidst all this madness, the police was nothing more than a spectator and at times a facilitator. N number of people reported to the National Human Rights Commission that when they went to the police for protection they met with a reply, "we don't have orders to protect you". Does a policeman need orders from his superior to protect a man from being burnt alive ? Probably something this human fades away in the police training.

Then there are accounts of those who were the ones with the sword. One of them recalls that day as one of the most proud and joyous day of his life. He says, "I felt like Maharana Pratap when I drove my sword into a pregnant woman and tore open her womb". The history taught in our schools has drastically gone wrong somewhere if this man thought of himself as the Great Maharana Pratap.

The man in charge of the state, the man who was responsible and accountable for protecting the people failed miserably during the darkest hours of humanity. The question whether he failed or chose to be a spectator is something for his conscience to decide, but his failure as the Chief Minister is evident without the slightest hint of doubt. So unlike normal people who fail and repent, this man went into an election and won with never before margins and may be in all probability, the next Prime Minister of India. But take a moment to think, the guy who failed (or chose to not act ) in controlling a few thousand men will control this great nation one day.

Anyhow neither has the chief minister apologized for what happened in Gujrat nor he has ever felt ashamed. But who should be ashamed the most for those days of lunacy? For me the answer is Lord Ram. The 'मर्यादा पुर्षोत्तम' Himself was called out by his followers when they were butchering their fellow beings. 'जय सिया राम' echoed amid the hue and cry of His creations. Once again the elections will be fought with slogans of 'जय सिया राम' and so called 'हिन्दुत्व' as the agenda when the word 'हिन्दुत्व' has nothing to do with religion. It only refers to people who belonged to the banks of the river 'सिंधु'. Anyway God has played a significant role in the politics of this country and will continue to do so. If only His followers could appreciate,'हरी व्यापक सर्वत्र समाना प्रेम ते प्रकट होई मैं जाना'.

मैं भारत की प्रभुता और अखंडता अक्षुण्ण रखूँगा

In these last few hours of 2013 with nothing but stupid comedy and rusty Salman Khan as company, my mind forces me to recap these past 12 months and something that captivates my imagination are these words, "मैं भारत की प्रभुता और अखंडता अक्षुण्ण रखूँगा". 

28th December marked an epoch in the history of this nation with Delhi's रामलीला मैदान packed to its capacity. Everyone had gathered not to see a single person or a single party be sworn to power but to be a spectator to change; Change that was much needed. A change that will act as an inhaler for this country which is dying at the hands of asthma- of corruption, crime and injustice. 

According to physics, power is change in energy per unit time. Power is change, And change is seasoned politicians like Shila Dixit losing to a complete novice Arvind Kejriwal. Change is the majority political party not forming coalition by horse-trading fearing the public post elections. 

This is the power which is apparent to everyone, that the crowd is applauding and the media is closely following. But power for me are those words. Power for me are those words in Arvind Kejriwal's oath. Power is to see the tricolor held high at the national anthem. Power for me are these words which sent chills down my spine. Power for me is the thought that when Arvind and the AAP can do it then why can't I?