How unfortunate it is to know that a strong leader,
with a determination and vision to develop the rural part of the country meets
his fate on the day of his felicitation at his native village. For me, who has
been keen in tracking politics, especially of the Maharashtra state, this news
of early Tuesday morning came in as a shock. It was actually impossible to even
believe that a jovial and a hardworking leader Mr. Gopinath Munde passed away
in a tragic road accident.
In Maharashtra state as well as politics, Mr. Gopinath Munde
wasn’t a new face. He took birth in a farmer’s family and having seen and
observed everything, he had knowledge about people’s conditions in the rural
region. He knew their genuine problems and had a desire to change them. His
role in the upcoming state assembly elections was going to be influential.
Mr. Gopinath Munde’s rise from an ordinary man to a great
politician, itself reveals how compassionate politician he was. His thoughts,
opinions and ideas were really different as compared to many others. He was a
politician ‘for the people.’ Holding a strong confidence and support of the folks,
he had a vision of transforming rural regions into developed ones. And after
having given the Ministry for Rural Development, he was to execute his plans
for a better India.
Munde’s political career has been of struggles. When a RSS leader
launched an anti-corruption movement during the government of late Mrs. Indira
Gandhi, Munde was not just active in it but also played a crucial role there.
During his college days, he met Pramod Mahajan and maintained a strong relation
with him. I still remember, the day when Mr. Pramod Mahajan died, Munde was
inconsolable. He was crying profusely. He had lost a person whom he admired,
who had inspired him in his political career.
But after having faced this big loss, he did not lose hopes
but kept on trying. Five years ago, when BJP lost the2009 Loksabha Elections,
his party activists were upset. But Mr. Munde wasn’t. He did not let the ray of
hopes douse and kept on encouraging the party workers for working towards
betterment. As a result of which, five years from then, this hardwork
contributed crucially in the victory of BJP in the recent 2014 Loksabha
elections. He was given the Ministry of Rural Development but before he could
execute his plans, this mass leader met a tragic road accident that took his
life.
Mr. Munde’s death draws a nationwide attention on the issue
which is more often ignored – Road Safety. In India, many people loose their
lives, every year on roads. Carelessness and ignorance of road safety rules are
the basic reasons for all these accidents. Reports claim, the driver of the
Indica car that hit Munde’s SX4 had crossed a red signal. The speeding car hit
Mr. Munde’s car on the side where he was sitting.
Mr. Munde suffered cervical fractures due to which supply of
oxygen to his brain was cut off. Further, his liver was ruptured due to impact
of accident. According to the prelimanary post mortem report, his liver
ruptured due to the accident leading to cardiac arrest. Later the doctors said
that his death occurred maybe due to heart attack. Unquestionably, the driver
of Indica car is at fault but even if Mr. Munde wore his seat belts he could
have been saved.
The Global status report on road safety 2013
estimates that more than 2, 31,000 people are killed in road traffic crashes in
India every year. Approximately, half of all deaths on the country's roads are
among vulnerable road users - motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists. A
heterogeneous traffic mix that includes high-speed vehicles sharing the road
space with vulnerable road users as well as unsafe road infrastructure and
vehicles that are in poor condition all contribute to the high fatality rates
seen on India’s roads.
A Road accident is almost, a daily sight in the country. We
have often heard of this proverb ‘Precaution is Better than Cure.’ But instead
of simple listening it, why can’t we people apply it in our daily life. Why do
people don’t realize that they need to change their ignorant habits while
driving? Road Safety Activists have always mentioned their concern but these
concerns have often received deaf ears. Negligent drivers should be penalised
intensively for not following the rules. In India, strengthening the Road
Safety rules is the need of the hour. Its high time India realizes this that only
appalling such incidents and sympathising the victims won’t work.
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