Page 51 - 15DEC2018E
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OPINION
                                                                                               ADMINISTRATION




 Nothing to be surprised,                                                            sipahis.

                                                                                        With this back-
 deaths are on the rise!                                                             grounder, how does
                                                                                     the politician know the
                                                                                     ground realities to the
                                                                                     border areas along the
 Never before did the country witness such large-scale annihiliation of              LoC? On those day-long
 DILEMMAS  human beings, who have become more vulnerable to pollution, stray         visits to these areas, he
                                                                                     interacts with the sol-
 animals and state machinery as the governments of the day look on                   diers on those formal-
 HUMRA                                                                               ity ridden formats and
 QURAISHI  am more than shocked when rul-  open jails where those imprisoned do not   completes his visit by
                                                                                     rendering a frilly fairy
 ers of the day continue to talk of
 The Delhi-based writer   I   die a slow death!                                      tale speech. That’s about
                                                                                     it.
 Not to overlook the official killings by
 growth, development, longevity,
 and columnist’s books    and whatever else they can package  the State machinery. In the state of Uttar   He does not realise
 include Kashmir: The    in their package of lies. In fact, con-  Pradesh, since March 2017, more than 50   that the soldiers are the
 Untold Story. She co-  trary to their bogus claims, never   people have been killed in 1,100 State-  most vulnerably placed.
 authored a series of   before we have witnessed the sheer de-  conducted encounters. State terrorism is   Sitting ducks with just
 writings with the late    struction of the human being. Yes, today,   at its peak! And those spared by the Stare   about the basics to
 Khushwant Singh and   in these so-called developed times that   machinery are lynched and brutalised by   survive with. Sitting in
 her short stories are   we are more prone to deaths and decay.  goon brigades nurtured by the rulers of   bunkers, stressed out
 part of anthologies.   The environmental pollution is kill-  the day. In fact, private senas have been   and tense, there are
 The views expressed   ing our very organs. Not to overlook the   raised by several of the political who’s   no avenues for them
 are her own   noise pollution hitting the very heart.   who of the day, to terrify and terrorise the   to cope with the daily
 And the limbs cannot be left spared with   local population.   a war like situation.   Today, State tyranny   round of stress. Perhaps, that explains
 strays around. In fact, in these recent   As the general elections of 2019 get   What happened at the Hyderabad   why there are rising cases of suicides
 months wherever I have travelled local   closer, there are apprehensions that   Central University campus and also   has hit campuses   and attempts to shoot even their
 residents have cried out, detailing the   these private brigades will gain ground,   on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru   where the students   colleagues.
 havoc caused by monkeys and dogs on   wreck havoc on the disadvantaged seg-  University or even at the Delhi Univer-  Why do the rulers of the day go
 the prowl. Blatantly attacking pedestri-  ments. And who the hell is bothered if   sity are grim reminders of the level to   are treated like   on those flying visits! Why don’t they
 ans and intruding into homes and fields   riots are triggered off, destroying many   which the State machinery could be   criminals. Political   spend a fortnight up there, along the
 yet there is nobody out there to harness   more lives. Look what’s been happening   used to crush young rebellious voices.   border areas, and interact with them.
 their moves. Shouldn’t the municipal au-  in and around Ayodhya. Even before the   Right-wing’s intrusion was more than   mafia is holding sway   Why that rush to fly back! With the for-
 thorities step in? Shield the human being  court could come out with the crucial   writ large after Rohith Vemula’s death   in the university   mality over and down with, they have
 from these deadly attacks.   verdict on the Babri masjid, Shiv sainiks   on the campus of the Hyderabad Cen-  got to get back to their comfort zone.
 In fact, though we talk of dengue and   descended, relaying fear to such an ex-  tral University. Little need to elaborate   departments,   Yet, how very easily the politician of
 viral fevers but little focus on rabies.   tent that many Muslim and Dalit families   on the recent hounding and disappear-  intruding right    the day gives those attack or kill orders!
 Why? What’s become of us to be over-  left their ancestral homes in Ayodhya.  ance of students from other university   Why doesn’t the politician want to use
 looking these deadly animal bites and at-  Killings are taking place as never   campuses.  into the classrooms  diplomacy and diplomats! Why do
 tacks. At least during the Raj days, strays   before in the conflict zones of the coun-  Why don’t we talk of the terrible   the political moves of the day help the
 were kept far away from the residential   try, including  Kashmir, the North East   hunger pangs killing hundreds.Malnu-  international arms lobbies and the ex-
 quarters but today who the hell cares   and the Naxal belts. And where is the   trition deaths could frighten you and I,   ness the killings of the kisan — well,   pansionist designs of the superpowers.
 whether our flesh is ripped through and   required transparency and the much-  but for the ruthless rulers these are just  nothing very much except deceit them   Read any of the historical and
 we die a painful death.  needed accountability to get to know   numerical numbers. These rulers can   with hollow words and bogus promises  mythological text. Stands out the fact
 Rulers of yesteryears ordered killings;   the profiles of those killed by the State   talk of vote -banks and money-banks   of loan waivers!   that even in those yesteryears, wars
 those off-with-the-head sentences to be   machinery along the set alibis?  but not of roti or milk banks, from   Killings are taking place in our   were the last option. Foremost were
 carried out instantly, at one go. Today’s   Today, State tyranny has hit campuses   where those basics could flow out to   border towns and along the LoC. It   talks and discussions and negotiations.
 rulers prefer to kill slowly but rather too   where the students are treated    help saves lives of hundreds of our    would be significant to know how   Rounds and rounds of heady diplo-
 steadily. After all, they have got to talk   like criminals. Political mafia is hold-  dying malnourished children.  many of today’s politicians send their   macy, with all possible diplomatic
 big and bogus that they do not believe   ing sway in the university departments,   The biggest irony of the day is that   sons or daughters to the armed forces   tactics involved. After all, wars and
 in killings! But see what’s happening in   intruding right into the classrooms and   farmers who try and feed us are hang-  to fight on the battle field! Correct me   surgical strikes bring along killings and
 detention centres and in the jails and   hostels. Hired political goons are made    ing themselves because they cannot   if I’m wrong but these numbers would   disasters of the lasting sorts.
 prisons of the country. Isn’t it time that   to enter campuses to cause rifts and    cope with the daily round of struggles.   be dismal if not near- nil. Nah, none of
 overcrowded prison cells pave way for   with that less of academics and more of    And what has the sarkar done to har-  their sons and daughters are soldiers or      LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM



 TEHELKA / 15 DECEMBER 2018  50  WWW.TEHELKA.COM  TEHELKA / 15 DECEMBER 2018  51   WWW.TEHELKA.COM


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