Politics on suicides

Yogesh Mishra

February 02, 2016

Chhattisgarh is suddenly witnessing spurt in suicide cases. Majority of the people, who have ended their lives, were young. As expected, the politicians grabbed the issue and have started slamming the government for failing to create conducive atmosphere for youth to survive, evolve, work and flourish. Now, the ground is ready for national players to play political Holi by taking up the issue to higher level and draw the eyeballs from every nook and corner of the country with sole intention to brighten their career.

Being expert in this game of opportunism, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, the Leftists, TMC's Derek O'Brien and his ilk and many more self-proclaimed gear-changers of the society are expected to instantly fly to Raipur and kick-start the drama from dharna to rally to bandh.

But what if there won't be any dalit or tribal card for them? They will certainly be disappointed because nobody is interested in raising voice for the people belonging to general category. In fact, it is the SC/ST or minority angle that is trending in the country nowadays. Rohit Vemula is the latest example. He wouldn't have received such massive support pan India, had he been a general student. While Vemula's background, his lifestyle and political inclinations are still being debated, Rahul Gandhi went on to the extent of comparing him with Mahatma Gandhi.

Fair enough, Rahul Gandhi might have done it to express his strong feelings for Vemula. But will he or anybody else remember Vemula after conclusion of assembly elections in five states this year? Perhaps not or never. When the politicians forget their vision document (or poll manifestos), on the basis of which they contest elections, then how come they will remember anything anybody else?

So, the game is all about profit and loss. The politicians will only take pain to set tone for youngsters (who committed suicide in Chhattisgarh) when they would foresee long-term political gains from their Raipur visit. They are least interested in rationalizing youth and instilling fighting spirit in them. Public awareness is venom for them. They rather want an anarchic, fragmented and dead society as fodder.