By Sushil Kutty
Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that there’s “selective” outrage; that people are “interpreting” human rights violations keeping in mind their “selfish interests”. Not surprisingly, the National Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice (retired) Arun Kumar Mishra agrees with Modi.
Human rights are routinely violated in our country. But rarely do ministers’ sons drive a jeep over human beings, deliberately. Lynching of human beings, they say, became frequent after 2014. Mostly because of the cow. Lakhimpur-Kheri saw four farmers killed by a rampaging jeep driven by a Union minister’s son, and in a “reaction to action” three BJP workers were beaten to death by enraged farmers.
Simultaneously, for altogether different reasons, farmers were set upon by police and a Dalit was beaten to death with lathis and shoes in Rajasthan.
Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that there’s “selective” outrage; that people are “interpreting” human rights violations keeping in mind their “selfish interests”. Not surprisingly, the National Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice (retired) Arun Kumar Mishra agrees with Modi. After all, how many times does the NHRC boss get to catch the eyes and ears of the Prime Minister? Luckily for him, Tuesday, October 12, happened to be the NHRC’s foundation day and Modi chose to do the honours of ushering in the day himself.
Let’s be honest, political parties haven’t been honest and fair in their treatment of human rights abuses. Human rights violations have been “divided” according to ideology and the party – ruling party or opposition party? So, Rajasthan is Congress-ruled and, therefore, for the Congress and the rest of the Opposition not to raise Cain! But Lakhimpur-Kheri is in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh; therefore, fertile ground to go all out against Modi and Yogi.
The surprising thing, however, is that while Priyanka Gandhi and Rakesh Tikait and RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary have parked themselves in Lakhimpur-Kheri, top BJP leaders are not out in strength in Rajasthan. Does it mean that none of the political parties are with the Dalit? The Opposition has concentrated its ire & fire in Lakhimpur-Kheri while mum on “Rajasthan”.
And the BJP, caught with fingers in the cookie jar, hasn’t ventured anywhere close to Lakhimpur-Kheri, while avoiding travel to Rajasthan! So, what’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi trying to say when talking of “selective” interpretation of human rights? He should make it clear whether he includes the BJP also among the “selective outrage” lot.
There cannot be two interpretations on who all is outraging. The Prime Minister and Home Minister have been “selectively silent” on MoS (Home) Ajay Kumar Mishra. Maybe it’s because it will be bad for the BJP, a big embarrassment, if Mishra is terminated from the Union ministry. Isn’t Ajay Kumar Mishra guilty of playing around with the human rights of innocents?
Narendra Modi should explain his reluctance to act against Mishra. He cannot let talk swirl that it’s Home Minister Amit Shah who is saving Ajay Kumar Mishra from the pink slip. Shah also his human rights! And infringement of human rights cannot be seen through a “political prism.” Not taking action against Mishra is “political”.
The PMO has “cautioned against the selective interpretation of human rights and using human rights to diminish the image of the country.” How does raising Cain over the Lakhimpur-Kheri killings “diminish the image of the country”? If anything, the world will applaud, happy that there is democracy in India and not just a “democratic Prime Minister”.
The BJP should be thankful to Modi. He’s told his party leaders what to do? Go posthaste to Rajasthan and raise ruckus there. Actually the BJP will not go to Rajasthan, or Chhattisgarh – or Punjab! The BJP is worried stiff about Uttar Pradesh. An “Indira lookalike” is giving Modi and Shah sleepless nights and Yogi Adityanath cannot stay awake enough!
Now, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait says he and his farmers’ army will pitch tents in Lakhimpur-Kheri and stay put till Ajay Kumar Mishra is removed. Whatever happened to Delhi “gheraoed” or Punjab and Haryana? All roads are leading to Lakhimpur Kheri only!
But Narendra Modi wants the Opposition to go to any state/place other than Lakhimpur Kheri! Modi is doing his own selective interpretation of Lakhimpur-Kheri, and the Opposition is loving it. At the crux of Modi’s selective outrage at what the Opposition is upto in Lakhimpur Kheri is his reading that the BJP has been rendered toothless in Uttar Pradesh.
That the BJP is rattled and bereft of an issue to rally around in Uttar Pradesh is apparent from the fact that BJP spokespersons are suddenly raising stuff like “What was Sonia Gandhi doing before her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi?” and “what was Rahul Gandhi doing with Sukhanya Devi?” The BJP’s desperation is showing, and it’s clear that deep down the BJP is hurting. Very bad. (IPA Service)