Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Rampal episode - We have a tradition of Not learning from the past

There is a stand off at Satlok !!!! Ashram at Hisar in Haryana. A person, so called God man called Rampal is holed up in his Ashram and has been hoodwinking the P & H High court. He is under the protection of his own force and is using women and children as shield. If he is a godman with godly powers why is he scared, he can use his powers and just vanish. The standoff could have been avoided.

Is it not a repeat performance by the government of a state or center? In 1984, some one was allowed to merrily accumulate huge number of supporters and arms in a holiest of the holy place of Sikhism without any check or hindrance. When the time came to call the person to answer the law, no one had any solution. In this country, when there is no solution, the only solution is call the Army. Army was called to flush out that person and his followers.

Army had to take casualties and wreck destruction to do its task. Mind you, the soldiers were, as trained, doing merely their task but the results were that many paid with their life. The effect continued for many years in many forms. A former Army chief, General Vaidya had to loose his life.

In this nation the administration never learns. The confrontation that is going on is almost a repeat performance of what happened during arrest of Asaram. How do we allow these people to gather such resources in their places unhindered. It is being reported that Satlok Ashram walls are 30 to 50 ft high. Is there no rule on height of walls of a place.

First we allow situation to escalate, then we carryout the action at the cost of loss of many lives from both sides, holed up culprits and their hostages as also police (or Army when they are called). And then there are diversions. It is true that media has been mishandled and beaten up. Now, for media, asking Haryana Police to accepting responsibility seems number one priority, that the army of Rampal is firing on police, throwing petrol and acid bombs and explosive sticks have suddenly become irrelevant.

Many a police and civilians as also NSG commandos suffered during 26/11 attack on Mumbai due to News Channels fetish of reporting as real time as possible also has been conveniently forgotten. The people responsible for attacking media must be investigated particularly after the media was permitted by DGP, Haryana but is this the time to devote energy on it? It has given handle to political parties who might be responsible in letting this man reach this far. Their main focus is to condemn attack on Journalist and not the actions of Ashram.

A very Muddy situation and every front we seem to have learned nothing from the past. If we don't learn history, we are destined to become history. We should learn but when will we learn is the question.

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