Human life in Delhi has become so cheap: Dr Birbal Jha

New Delhi, 01/03/2020. As a child, I went to a village school where the students from different castes, creeds and religions were seated and taught together under the same roof without any discrimination. In class six, my first teacher of English, Md Ali, popularly known as Maulavi Saheb who taught me the ABC of English was from the Muslim community.

At the 12th standard, the teacher who had provided me with tuition and guidance in Spoken English Skills was none but Prof Ahmed. He steered me through the ocean of the English language in such a way that I developed my linguistic abilities to the extent of sharing with others.

Later on, in 1993, I laid the foundation of British Lingua from where more than two lacs of students have graduated with a fair degree in English communication skills that open a window on the world as English is said to be a passport to success in today’s job market and career growth.

British Lingua with the intake of trainers and trainees from all sections of society, irrespective of their religious faiths or political affiliations for three decades has been engaged in skilling youth who the country hinges on.

The immediate neighbour at my workplace is a Muslim fellow. The landlord I have worked with is also a Muslim fellow. We have no issues and hold no grudges against each other. They have their religious freedom. I have mine. We are not supposed to mix our religious sentiments with our work. We co-work happily with the mission of taking the English skill to Indian youth irrespective of their tenets, ideology, political affiliations, and religious faiths.

Sadly I get reminded of the early 90s when the former Chief Minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav who is currently languishing in a jail of Jharkhand assumed the post began to commit atrocities on people delivering hate speeches. One of his provocative slogans was “Bhura Baal Saaf Karo” meaning to finish Bhumihar, Brahmin and Rajput known as the upper caste of the culturally diverse society in the state.

My body begins to shiver at the very thought of how Lalu Yadav instigated the mob that targeted, persecuted and tortured the ‘Bhura’ for the polarization of his MY (Muslim and Yadav) Formula. It was all for his vote bank and sadistic pleasure. A section media began to eulogize Lalu for his ‘social engineering’, rather than castigating for his caste politics.

The 15-year Lalu-Rabri Lalu misrule is world infamous. Lacs of state citizens migrated from there to save their lives and earn their livelihood. The police were made handicapped. The judiciary was almost mute. Suo Motu was a rare phrase. ‘Who will bell the cat’ was the scene. No FIR was registered against the political masters for their hate and inflammatory speeches against so-called upper castes. However, as late as 2005, his government was toppled. A new government was installed. But who succeeded him? The formula of divide and rule continues.

The metropolitan city Delhi houses people from different walks of life, castes, creeds and religions drawing them from all over India. But the politicians of the day seem to be hell-bent to make it a living hell.

What the British Government did ‘divide and rule’ politics has again come into play though it is more seven decades since India got freedom in 1947? The heart of the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi must be bleeding at the sight of the recent spate of mayhem in Delhi where more than forty innocent citizens have lost their lives and 150 odd injured and battling for their lives in hospitals for their no faults and mistakes.

Human life in Delhi has become so cheap. For a few bucks of Indian currency, one can be made to sit in for a protest and beeline for a party politics. Another fringe group is radicalized and mobilized to combat as if they were the sworn enemies. Further, they are misled to commit the crimes of arson, loots, firings and killings! What the hell country is leading to now!

Whether it is AAP turned BJP leader Kapil Mishra or the millionaire AAP Councilor Tahir Hussein or Lawyer turned politician Waris Pathan and others, who all galvanized the gullible people into taking the law into their own hands and butchering people and setting their houses on fire for their no faults in the northeast of Delhi.

Who cares? Law and order is the state subject issue. Maintaining peace and social harmony is the work of governments to ensure.

However, in a filmy style, the Chief Minister of the state simply pops up in the assembly and seeks to know how it happened; giving an impression that he knew nothing as to how it stemmed out. He looked to be more in the opposition rather than in the government.

What happened in those days in the national capital is a shame on humanity, a blot on Indian democracy that can’t be washed away. However, corrective and preventive measures must be taken. Accountability has to be fixed whether it is a failure of state administration or central machinery or it is the handiwork of handful of political goons. Probity in the probe has to be crystal clear.

Those who are weakening the social fabric of the country need to be curbed, controlled and taught a lesson. Justice must be delivered in a time-bound manner. If there are a timeline and a deadline for paying taxes and salaries to those engaged in work, why can’t be dateline for delivery of justice in the country?

The law of land must be a deterrent for everybody, signifying the legal dictum “be you never so high the law is above you” Currently, what is happening is ‘little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape’. The public psychosis is that there is ‘one law for the rich and another for the poor’. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he is committed to the philosophy of justice to all, he must ensure it across the length and breadth of the country.

Else you never know, one of us could be a victim tomorrow. Campaigns need to be launched throughout the country for social harmony, education to be imparted for developing the bonding among people.