The Uttarakhand catastrophe has brought to the fore, more things than just inability and spineless attitude of the so called government and the meanness of the political class.
During the time when thousands of lives have been lost, many are stranded, many made homeless and kin-less, we can find our politicians doing mud slinging over each other and politicizing the matter. There have been cases where these debauched people have fought over claiming sole rights for 'carrying' the rescue operation. Allegations were made, bombastic claims were raised despite the fact that the 'real-saviours' , the class of people who risked whatever they could, played its role as godly and as humanely as possible, without losing its calm and composure. They are the Army personnnel, ITBP jawaans, who have and are still doing their part without stopping, unfazed by the terrain, unfazed by the weather condition and unfazed by death.
The political class of our country, of which we all know, how much they are capable of, in fostering scams, misappropriation of public money and many sinful others. But, when it comes to real task, real job, real show of courage, they unleash their real self, real character, real disposition. Knave, unapologetic, callous and churlish, that they are. Had it been a test of something like embezzlement, I am more than sure, that our politicians would outclass anyone.
When thousands are still missing and dying, politicians are making it a matter of pride for themselves that 'they' have actually 'led ' and 'carried' the rescue operation. Some want to emerge as a Rambo in this sombre time, some 'want' to donate a hefty amount, so that they can claim later on that they played a pivotal role in the operation. Some want to elicit political profit out of this grim situation. Some are claiming that the team from their states saved so many people including 'those from other states' too, as if disaster struck people, seeing the states to which they belonged.
There have been several cases were the stranded people were persecuted, thrashed, looted and left to die by the locals. There was a case where a family was forced to give a ransom amount in return for a small child who was abducted by the locals. Food was sold at a price that was just unjust. The time that demanded rising to the occasion and lending a hand of help, people made this an opportune time to pacify the mammon inside, to hurt the already aggrieved and to debilitate the already languishing souls.
The only silver lining and a matter of pride that came, was in the form of our jawaans from Army and ITBP, who worked with mammoth perseverance, courage and will, to rescue the stranded ones. They worked despite the environs filled with trepidation, fear and dread. These gritty guys made people cross the gorges, rivers and mountains, more often than not carrying old, weak and small ones on their backs. It must have been an ordeal for the jawaans to carry out the operation, but they never made tall, exaggerating and pompous claims as our politicians, who are still fighting for their claims in rescue operation.
Making grandiloquent claim, while sitting in the cozy comfort of the sofas of home is very easy, whereas it takes a big heart to jump into a precarious, dangerous and grim situation like this and be of any help, risking your own life. Army is still in the last stage of its operation, trying to rescue hitherto stranded people. Still has it not given its hope; because it is something they thrive on. My sincere symapthy to all those families who have lost their kith and kin. My heart goes out to the jawaans who were killed in the helicopter crash that occurred while rescuing the people.
They are the people who need to be exalted, eulogized and celebrated rather than the politicians, who are just a class of depraved people.
They are the ones who really have walked into the battle field, defying death and risking everything. They are the ones who have risen to the occasion. They are the ones who have given life to others.
And, they are the ones who have rekindled and restored the faith in humanity and benevolence.
Theirs not to reason why,Theirs but to do and die”― Alfred Tennyson
