Or “Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan” i.e. “Clean India Drive” as it may be called in English, launched by the Prime Minister, which has drawn the attention of one and all, in fact deserves a deeper thinking.
A subheading of The Hindu (e-paper-Dec. 22, 2014) for example reads “Is Swachhata only about litter?”; it goes on to explain that according to a Professor of Civil Engineering at IIT-Delhi it is inclusive of proper sewerage, liquid and solid waste management.
It is well known that cleanliness is Godliness i.e. piety, and people from all walks of life including politics should keep clean not only themselves and their environment but also their heart and mind.
TV channels are reporting for the past few days the difficulties being faced by homeless people due to cold wave especially in the north causing several deaths and at the same time the ‘religious conversion row’ rocking both the houses of Parliament.
The ruling party and RSS, along with its affiliates, are adamant on supporting and executing under the guise of ‘home coming’ forcible conversions and calling for a law banning all conversions, both of which contravene the fundamental right of every citizen to be free to believe, practise and propagate the faith of one’s choice as provided by the Constitution of India.
The intention of the ruling party at the Centre and its commitment to the Constitution is once again in the dock in view of PM himself keeping mum and asking all other ministers also not to comment on the issue.
While no one can forcibly change anyone’s belief which is always a matter of heart and mind, the mischief of those who cried wolf of forcible conversions by coercion with monetary and material benefits or at the point of sword stand exposed.
What has started with the garlanding of Gandhiji’s statues has now slowly emerged with the proposition of installing Godse’s statues.
If RSS and its associates really believe in welfare of all Indians without any discrimination, as they claim at times, by intention as well, then they should reflect their belief in action, failing which all these organisations deserve to be banned as extra- and unconstitutional with immediate effect.
A section of sangh parivar does the ‘garam’ work (hot mischief) of spreading communal hatred by all means and all the while another section is ‘naram’ in evading reaction from opposition (by soft-peddling).
It is just the case of cat drinking milk while closing its eyes, telling itself that everyone else also has the eyes closed. The cat in this case also seems to have firm belief in offence as the best form of defence.
While there is no dearth of criminals of all shades from top to bottom in its own rank and file, the cases in opposition ruled states like TN and WB are taken up on war footing and (in)justice delivered in no time.
I remember the saying “One sees the mosquito in other’s eye, but not even the elephant in one’s own eye”.