Where have the statesman gone ?

Dr. Anjali Mehta
1. Why can't even one representative of the Government make the right gesture and step down/ take one definitive action ?? It would set a fine example for others to follow.

For example, if the police commissioner said he was resigning as he felt a sense that something had failed drastically....what a good and reassuring signal it would send us ! Or if the state police immediately sent an internal circular to all departments that all sexual assault FIRs would be recorded on camera at the police station and sexual assault FIR would be filed in presence of higher ranking official (presumably, better educated people would know how to speak to women) forthwith. Or the President urged all political parties to call an emergency session of parliament. Any one act....to start with....to lead with... Is there not one statesman among them ??

2. When we search for inspiring/ reassuring words from our current politicians all we end up with are vague reassurances and sometimes outright drivel (please refer to insensitive comments made by Presidents son, Mrs Dasgupta, Mr Anwar and others... ) . Why can't anyone have the thoughts of a Nehru, Kennedy or Churchill ? Or as Binnie aunty put it so well " If they don't have fine thoughts themselves let them get good speechwriters at least !"

Why do they act like tube lights when responding to critical situations ? If we had a hurricane , would we wait for 14 days to see exactly what damage it had inflicted before doing something ? What of the people dying meanwhile ?

Why must we let that young girl get molested on a bus or a woman be raped and killed by six men in Calcutta while the authorities are getting their act together (or not getting it together in this case ). Is there not one statesman amongst them ??

3. Why did the authorities not give the young brave heart a state funeral with full honour when they knew that was what all would have wanted ? Do they not salute courage and not feel proud of this brave citizen who could summon the courage to give two dying declarations even in her condition ?? Why can't they open their mouths and say what needs to be said when this young girl could speak after three surgeries and the overlying shadow of death ??

Is there not one statesman amongst them ??
How do we get these people to not betray their side of the deal (we elected them in good faith) and act?

Labels: ,