Appalling incident; yet no apology.

As clocks struck 9 on the 23^rd of July, debates and discussions across television channels bowed on a breaking and astonishing story. 11 Shiv Sena Ministers of Parliament (M.P’s) upset over the quality of food and water provided to them, marched into the kitchen of the Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi and revolted there. According to a video, M.P Mr. Rajan Vichare was seen stuffing a roti into the mouth of the canteen manager, Arshad Zuber who was on his Ramzan fast at that time. 

As the video came out in media, the story took over as the Breaking News of the day and lists of questions were put forth to the party leaders in New Delhi as well as Mumbai. The video clearly shows the canteen manager Arshad Zuber telling M.P’s that he was on a fast. But despite of knowing this, M.P Rajan Vichare attempted to stuff the roti in his mouth. Not just that, the canteen person also had a batch attached to his uniform shirt, with his name, claiming that he is a Muslim. 

• M.P Rajan Vichare seen stuffing the roti in the managers mouth.

Shiv Sena M.P’s on another hand, went on asserting this that they had no single clue of the manager being a Muslim and that they had no intention of hurting religious sentiments. In fact, as soon as this story broke, I myself had an interaction with my source attached to the party. He sung the same song. Minutes later, I heard the party chief saying that even though they are hindutvavadi yet they do not hate any other religion. He further said that just to lower down Shiv Sena’s voice, such allegations were being made against the M.P’s. 

But I find the claims of not being aware about Arshad’s religion and fasting, doubtful. That’s because, we saw Arshad claiming that he was on a fast yet the roti was being stuffed into his mouth. Secondly, he was wearing his batch that stated his name. The glance of these M.P’s could have easily fallen on the batch. If not so, how could the M.P’s not hear him mentioning about the fast, when spectators could hear it on the recorded video. These M.P’s are neither blind nor deaf to say that had no idea about the fasting.

I am not of this opinion that the provision of bad quality food and water is correct. Being Ministers and representing a state, the M.P’s definitely deserve proper food and water. But the way in which they dealt the matter too, cannot be approved. Whatever done by them is undoubtedly wrong and appalling. They had many ways to bring this to limelight but the way they chose drove nothing but criticism. 

For this mistake, the party or the Ministers should have apologized which they didn’t. Surprising was the silence of the BJP (of whom Shiv Sena is a crucial ally), over this matter. When some senior BJP leaders were approached by the media outside the parliament, they simply refused to comment over it. Even Najma Heptullah, the Minority Affairs Minister, chose to move away in her car rather than speaking to the press. The only BJP leader who spoke about an apology was Lal Krishna Advani. 

The congress leaders who were silent on the revelations of Justice Markandey Katju took this opportunity to demand an apology from the responsible ministers. Well, an apology was seriously a must.

The BJP won spectacularly in the 2014 General Lok Sabha Elections and like the Congress Government, there no necessity for the BJP government to rely on their allies. Narendra Modi or any senior leader from the party, or at least Najma Heptullah should have commented over this. An apology should have been sought in the matter. The silence of the Bharatiya Janata Party over this cannot be equally acknowledged.

We hope the BJP government to bring us a change, to get back equality among the citizens but here the government is maintaining its silence over almost all the crucial issues. Then let the issue be of stuffing of a roti or BJP leader K. Laxman’s questioning on Sania Mirza being appointed as the Brand Ambassador of Telangana. 

The party needs to stand strong on such issues and must start reacting firmly on them. A new and a better India is what we expect from this new government. If such incidents keep happening and the government continues to maintain its silence then the thoughts of acche din are sure to dissolve. I know that the government is entrusted with many important works but paying attention on such issues that are in public as well as national interest is also necessary.