A bunch of really innocent kids dies and for what? This is the saddest and, at the same time, most aggravating tragedy that that hit the country in the recent years. And the recent years have been tumultous with corruption, terrorism and foul politics affecting citizens across the length and breadth of the country. But the death or children because someone mistook pesticides for oil, is the worst stain of inefficiency on the machinery.
Was it just the usual political foul play, that is so common and frequent in this the World's largest democracy? Was is Laloo or some devil from the Congress that planned this outrageous attrocity to create an agenda to fuel the election debates - especially within a state, that by comparison, is currently one of the most efficient and economically growing in the country? When you take a look at the crazy political mileage that is being exploited by the various parties vying for a piece of the Bihar pie, it is almost a matter of certainty that this is quite possibly the most tragic political chess play in the sad and dirty history of recent Indian politics. Consider this...
- The Congress is grappling with extreme governance issues and corruption clouds. Chances are slim that they will come to power unless there is a complete breakdown of the BJP.
- Laloo, apparently backing congress, realizes that with the level of development in Bihar and his impending judgement day at court, he does not have a winning agenda.
- If Nitish comes together with the large section of the BJP, and its allies, who are not favoring the Rajnath Singh way, BJP will fail miserably in the elections.
Any two of the three driving factors has a winning play in the tragedy. And the tragedy has the plus side too of making Nitish Kumar look like an angel - the suspicions and accusations seem to be arising pretty quickly given the standards of the Indian police force.
The Mid Day Meal policy, much like any of the other socialist and populist policies in this country, is one that is designed to win votes more than do any real good. And the administration of the same is loose at best - with the absence of any meaningful and efficient governance that permeates to the roots where the policy actually gets implemented. And from the days of the rations to the looming food security bill, such policies have done nothing but generate red-tape employment for greedy mediocrity to make a short cut buck. I will not be very surprised if this was a plan to make the extra buck by not using the cooking oil provided for by the government and use the spare fertilizer/pesticide lying free. Someone decided to pocket the money. The plan was to probably mix up stuff (oil with pesticide) and went sideways with the wrong container got used. Greed and/or extreme inefficiency.
Whatever led to this outcome, it was an unnecessary loss that could really have been done without. The kids will not vote for another 10 - 15 years and the parents will lament bothering to vote for the rest of their lives. Is this the path of our righteous democracy? Is that how cheap the cost of a life is. We can raise our voices in protest and carry candlelights to boost the wax industry but we must ask ourselves this fundamental question - are we voting for these people who, beyond the path to the seat, cannot value life of the voter?
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