New Neros of Uttar Pradesh

The human civilization might have changed over centuries but certain human traits seem to have not changed at all. It was in 37 A.D. when Nero was crowned King of Rome at the age of 17.  People revolted against the monarchy. When Rome was burning Nero was fiddling- this adage is as popular as it was when first used to describe apathy of man towards miseries of people.

In Sefai, the village of Samajvadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his chief minister son Akhilesh Yadav had dance, song and music extravaganza on 8 January 2014 while the riot victims still living in relief camps at sub-zero degree Celsius temperature battled for life. They modern days Neros.

I am surprised and aghast to see such behavior from a seasoned politician like Mulayam Singh who is product of Ram Manohar Lohia and Acharya Narenddra Deo school of socialist movement in India. Even if the programme was scheduled earlier, the government and the leaders could have cancelled the show knowing well that the entire state of Uttar Pradesh is in distress; be it lawlessness, lack of security and rampant corruption. The Samajvadi Party rode on the goodwill of young Akhilesh who won the support of the people of the state for giving them good governance. Instead of that, the chief minister failed to contain the criminals and lawbreakers who continue to inflict injuries and attack people at will. He has squandered the goodwill of the people in less than two years.

It is said that Mulayam Singh hired half a dozen chartered planes to ferry film stars including Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan from Mumbai to Sefai. A few crores of rupees were spent only on hiring charted planes. Dozens of dancers, singers and musicians performed at the stage including Dixit and Khan. People have raised fingers at the attitude and conduct of film stars who are available to perform even at wedding parties if paid money. For money they could go to asny extent. Was it proper for the rich stars to perform for money, knowing well that scores of people are living a wretched life in relief camps in Muzaffarnagar. Questions are also being raised about funding of the show. From where the organizers got the money in crores of rupees to spend on such vulgar show of dance and music, people now ask.

As Mulayam and his chief minister son along with host of ministers, legislators, MPs and bureacrats were relishing the filmy extravaganza in Sefai, 17 UP MLAs including Ministers like Azam Khan and Raja Bhaiyya flew down to Istanbul on a seven nation tour at the expense of public money. The so called study tour of the Commonwealth Nations was sanctioned by the Speaker of the U P Assembly. But six out of the seven nations are not Commonwealth countries.

Such insensitive will cost the Samajvadi Party heavily in the general elections to Lok Sabha in  a few months for now. A man who considers himself as a potential candidate for the post of Prime Minister of India should reconsider his stature. A man who is so insensitive to human sufferings; a man who splurges money on vulgar stage show, is not fit to become Prime Minister of our country, Communist leaders better change or opinion.

~R. K. Sinha