THE OTHER SIDE
Paritosh Kimothi
One was recently disheartened to see reels of some incidents reportedly in the Char Dham and other locations. A man on the route to Kedarnath thrashing a mule operator, a mule operator coaxing an exhausted collapsed mule to stand up for ‘business’, a visitor complaining about waiting for hours due to traffic congestion near Jyotirmath and a mob thrashing a man on the road in Rishikesh for allegedly abusing a minor. It is downright illogical to plan big things without having a proper plan and checks in place. In the case of Uttarakhand, these appear to be limited to official documents, speeches and meetings.
First the government aims simply at breaking past records of visitors to the Char Dham without ensuring proper controls and sustainability- the concept of carrying capacity remaining largely academic. This has been happening for some years now with the pilgrims, mules and the State being affected, not always positively. There have been instances of mules being abused and the government had also put some checks along with facilities to prevent this. We may have different opinions on how effective this has been. In the case of congestion on the Badrinath national highway being caused by incomplete widening work, the government alone cannot be blamed. We should know that despite orders from the top to complete all works and preparations before the start of the Yatra, some works tend to remain incomplete.
On the other hand, those who have repeatedly opposed any checks on the numbers of the pilgrims will naturally blame the government for the congestion being caused due to factors including the obvious differences between a six-lane highway in the plains and a wide mountain road. In the Rishikesh incident, the woman who is reportedly the mother of the minor stated that she was talking to the accused and he was explaining with both sides talking in a loud volume when all and sundry ganged up and began thrashing the man, after which she dialled 112. It has often been seen that those who mob up to thrash individuals or lesser numbers are often too weak for a real fight and end up venting their frustration on the prey of the moment. The incident is alarming because an argument, a perceived misdemeanour or allegation can get you beaten badly now in the State not known for such incidents.
However, we in Dehradun have bigger things to worry about. We sat back complacently as many thousands of trees were axed for widening roads and constructing buildings and now we can only moan about the once cool city suffering from rising temperatures and the sedate traffic being replaced by jams and rash attitudes on the roads. We can always spend more on air conditioners and coolers-while also moaning about the loss of greenery-without planting trees ourselves. In a city which was comparatively clean and green, littering and heaps of garbage are now a characteristic while its two main rivers have long been turned into toxic dumpyards. Littering is evidently more convenient than paying a paltry monthly sum for garbage collection.
But then for many of us, these issues can be sidelined as long as we can get a way to vent, blame and play the victim. The Cockroach Janta Party supposedly began as a parody but became an online ‘sensation’ overnight. Now, many of those talking about the frustrations of the youth are those in or past their middle age. A politician in Uttarakhand also said that this development could result in a situation akin to Nepal. The fact is that those in the opposition are simply using the tool which the Bharatiya Janata Party has also used so far to influence the public- projection and engagement through social media.
However, strategic experts point out that one cannot rule out the role of Turkiye, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the amplification of this parody for the convenience of the opposition and to stir up the scene. Whatever the reality may be, if you actually expect a generation that lives and interacts digitally and is hooked on convenience to actually come out on the roads and act against what they think is injustice- good luck to you. Though this scene should not be ignored, it is nothing new- it appears to be the same old thing. Exploit angst- at times lethargic, select a target to blame and guide the actions towards the aim. One can certainly point out many gaps in the government’s functioning and honestly, everything has not changed for the better. Sadly, the opposition appears to be proving itself worse more frequently despite being given ample opportunities to learn. But then, have we used the ample opportunities we have had to learn, improve and enjoy the results?
