| Font Size |
From lipstick to cur, politicians have come in for sharp criticism for their shooting-from-the-lip with eminent personalities saying time has come for them to think before opening their mouth.
Be it Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan's "dog" remark or former Maharashtra Deputy CM RR Patil's "filmi-syle" statement or BJP Vice-President MA Naqvi's "lipstick" reaction and their respective parties taking exception to them – these kneejerk comments are now being subjected to public scrutiny.
Says India's first woman IPS officer-turned-social activist Kiran Bedi: "The politicians have long been suffering from the foot-in-the-mouth syndrome. But, thanks to media now, they and their diseases are getting exposed. We need change in the country."
Concurs historian Ramachandra Guha. He says that the anger of people after the Mumbai mayhem "was aggravated by the cavalier behaviour of the politicians".
Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra disagrees. "In no way, we can generalise the politicians who make comments from time to time which are not in good taste. Politicians as a class are not suffering from the foot-in-mouth disease.
"Each of the comments has to be seen as a specific case. The only exception is Kerala CM's 'dog' remark about a martyred Army Major -- that statement is despicable. However, other comments don't fall in that category."
Achuthanandan had ignited a controversy after being "snubbed" by the angry father of NSG officer Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan who was brutally killed by terrorists in Mumbai, when he went to Bangalore to offer his condolences, by saying, "If it had not been Sandeep's house, not even a dog would have glanced that way."
However, noted social scientist Shabnam Hashmi disagrees with Mitra.
"A majority of politicians suffer from some sort of disease. You take BJP leader Naqvi's audacious statement on 'women wearing lipstick and powder' and protesting against the politicians in the wake of the Mumbai carnage. These comments reflect one's feudal mindset.
"Likewise, Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi's announcement of compensation for the slain policemen – Anti- Terror Squad chief Hemant Karkare, Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar – who died fighting the terrorists in Mumbai – is also condemnable.
"It's evident Modi did it for political gains. But the bereaved wife of brave heart officer Karkare showed the nation what the politicians actually deserve by refusing the largesse from the Chief Minister," she exclaims.
Congress MP Adhir Choudhury fully agrees: "Some of our fellow politicians are suffering from the foot-in-the-mouth syndrome, no doubt. It's due to the deterioration of political ethics in this country. It's unfortunate and I feel ashamed.
"We are people's representatives. But, people hardly respect us nowadays due to the irresponsible and immature comments made by some flashy politicians.
"The father of the slain Major showed the nation what politicians deserve by shooing the Kerala Chief Minister out of his home. That was the perfect treatment which needs to be meted out by the civilian society to what is now seen as a despicable species of Indian population called politicians."
Mitra interrupts. "No I don't agree to the bracketing of all politicians as despicable people. In case of Naqvi what he was really wanted to convey was a sudden excitement among Mumbai's chattering classes."
But, Choudhury feels that whether it's his party MP or whosoever it be, any politician who indulges in irresponsible remarks should not be "punished".
"See both Shivraj Patil and RR Patil had to finally resign -- one for his sartorial fetish while the other for saying 'bade bade saheer mein chota chota blasts hota hai' respectively after the Mumbai terror attacks."
Sums up Kolkata-based psychologist Dr SK Dasgupta: "People's anger against politicians is more due to fear coming from a sense of insecurity."
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
|
|
Even though Politicans are suppose to serve the public, they are expect public to serve them. They are wasting public money with no accountability. All that they can do is resign their post and get reelected after some time. politicnas should respect public and at lease try to do some service to them.
After the Mumbai attack all that we are seeing is a political drama in which attention is being diverted and focused on politicians who are busy saving their ministries. Today Maharashtra which is witnessing one of the worst terror strikes in the country, has no C.M. and no home minister and no one has been appointed even after four days have passed. This shows the lack of concern on the part of the Central Government where politicians are busy in their own political power games. A week after the attack no responsibility has been fixed on the heads of various departments who have failed in their duties and have not responded to the various intelligence reports. This shows that our Government has no anti-terror policy and administrative machinery working even today. If our leaders cannot take strong action against its own administrative machinery and non performing security agencies how can we expect it to act against Pakistan?
The communist fellows are not bothered about the security of our country or for the lives of the security personnel who saves the nation by giving their lives in times of need like Major Sandeep Unnikrishan these communists one point agenda is to oppose what is good for the people of our country. These fellows are in the payroll of the chinese. Regarding the comment from the Vice President of B.J.P about women it was a unwanted one as the whole country was upset on seeing the massacare of innocent people in Mumbai by the terrorists from Pakistan and they were 100% right in their comments against the politicians this man must have become mad that is why he has commented like that The B.J.P should take action against this insane person immediately The people will not forget for a long time what happened in Mumbai for three days .The B.J.P has to take strict action against this insane person.The people of our country should be united like now always.
The politicians of this country have only learnt to dis respect the masses. the way they and their family members project both in society and on the roads with lal batti makes you feel sick. There are many others in this nation who have contributed much more than politicians however are much sober. Political class was made to serve the people but now they want to rule over. They are worse than the earlier Maharajas. Dynastic politics reminds me of kingdoms and should be done away with.Surely we need a change in the system of governance. I had hopes with the younger MPs and MLAs, but I find them to be the same and just going with the waves and not interested in changing course
First of we have to ensure that there is a retirement age for each of these politicians . 60 or max 65 should be the cut off age. we need more of young educated professionals to enter politics and take reponsibility of the nation. Currently these politicians ruling the country are all old , aging from 70 to 85 who have drained out , mentally and physically , who do not add any value to their service. The country should function like any other corporate office where in each minister should have an yearly appraisal by the media and if not found satisfactory should be communicated to them and if they do not improve in the next year . they should be out.
In unnikrishnan's case, as we understand, he shouted that he doesnt want any dog to come to his house. although later he refuted this allegation, a TOI correspondent asked the CM on this and he reacted in the same terms, instead of realising unnikrishnan's state of mind. however behind the scene truth is that unnikrishnan is a BJP member and he does not want a CPM CM to visit his house. the pain of his son's death was taken over by the inherent enmity of a BJP/RSS worker to the CPM. This came to the fore. This is the reason for his overreaction when VS Achuthanandan visited his house. When a old veterna and a CM of a state visits, it should have been a restrained reaction. when VS telephoned him earlier, unnikrishnan was so cool. so there are political overtones on this issue.
the media is dumping foul language to the leaders. as far as vs, it was the gimmick of a TOI correspondent, who asked the CM his reaction on the statement by Unnikrishan, father of Major Sandeep, " i dont want any dog to visit my house". this however was later refuted by the family as their words. however, the correspondent asked the CM and he reacted. so after the media should restrain themselves instead of gossiping and trying to provocate for a over reaction from leaders. the leaders themselves should realize the game of the correspondents and take care of their words. it is not foot in mouth of the leaders, but syndrome of putting words into mouth of the leaders by the correspondents.
Land of loins managed by donkeys.