Let competent people join politics

Dr Satypal Singh has resigned from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner and is likely to begin a new innings in politics. He has opted for a VRS and is likely to join the BJP. The 1980 batch IPS officer belongs to Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and there is speculation that he could contest from there. Many competent police officers like Prakash Singh, MN Singh and Kiran Bedi should have been in politics. It is unfortunate that the Congress has appointed a person like Najeeb Jung as Lieutenant Governor who lacks good administrative experience. One of the three mentioned above (and some officials from other states too) should have been appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to chastise Kejriwal. Kejrwal must focus on providing good governance in Delhi and should not demand a SIT probe into the 1984 Sikh riots as it is not going to serve any purpose now.

Many policemen are good hearted like the one depicted in Shree 420 who displays politeness while following Nargis and Raj Kapoor to the former’s home. Later he accidentally meets Raj Kapoor to ask, “Ab tumhari istri garam nahin hoti”. The best job available these days is to become an MP as you will be entitled to special privileges even in private airlines. You don’t have to worry if you fare badly in the next election as you will be entitled to receive lifetime pension. Whatever statements you issue whether it is logical or illogical will be aired on television where you will be trying to justify or deny what you said.

One experienced politician had praised Charan Singh on television and said, “Desh ka neta kaisa ho, Charan Singh jaisa ho. Charan Singh was a learned person and good politician and Congress should have backed him instead of Kejriwal. The British must be praised for the manner in which they treated Gandhiji. His associate Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan was very tall and well built. Why do you think he had become a follower of Gandhi who was half his weight? It is the moral strength and simplicity of Gandhi which drew people towards him. Morals have gone down and simplicity has ended, “Ab to jitna pao, jaise bhi pao, loot lo”.

A question which arises in my mind is whether we are really free? However, I quickly shun negative thoughts and hope that our honest Civil Servants (including those in DGCA) and the saner politicians will pull us through with the help of our simple “ kisans”. Sucheta Kripalani once described them, “Woh ashikshit ho sakte hain par agyan nahin”.