Criminal leaders who harm the welfare of democracy

It is a great irony of Indian democracy that people with criminal image or involved in heinous crimes get patronage from political parties. Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh was finally handed over to CBI on charges of violence, land scam, school scam, prostitution and sexual harassment. Mamata Banerjee government of West Bengal, which calls for democracy, has been continuously flouting court orders. The irresponsible and undemocratic attitude adopted by Mamata in handing over Shahjahan Sheikh to CBI is surprising and worrying. What kind of compulsion is this on the part of political parties? Often the reality of the claim of decriminalizing politics comes to the fore on such occasions. Despite repeated orders of the Calcutta High Court, the delay in handing over the accused in the Sandeshkhali case to the CBI is not only incomprehensible but also a contempt of democracy and the justice system. From this entire episode one can understand the politics which is taking place regarding an accused.

Lok Sabha elections are round the corner and the Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress in the state are hell-bent on making Shaikh’s case a political issue. Today, on the completion of the Amrit Mahotsav of India’s Independence, a big question is to make Indian politics crime free. It is not without reason that the increasing interference of criminal elements in politics across the country has created such a problem that despite serious allegations against Sheikh, Mamata government continued to protect him. Sheikh used to harass women in his area Sandeshkhali and was also involved in prostitution. These allegations are serious and should be thoroughly investigated. But what is happening is that the state government seems to be protecting Sheikh and the BJP is continuously attacking. The irony is that Shahjahan Sheikh is not a social worker but a modern day profiteer leader, adulterer, accused of spreading violence and anarchy. Although there have been many scams in Mamata Didi’s government, but when the Enforcement Directorate started investigation against Shahjahan Sheikh in the school scam, there was an uproar. When the Enforcement Directorate team reached Shahjahan Sheikh’s house in Sandeshkhali in the first week of last January, local Trinamool workers attacked the team. Majority of them were Sheikh’s supporters.

After the serious allegations against Trinamool Congress and its leaders, the question has once again gained prominence as to why those who talk about making politics free from criminalization, go back from their resolve and claims of spotless politics every time they get a chance. move away? There is no dearth of leaders like Sheikh in Trinamool Congress. The news coming from Sandeshkhali about sexual harassment of women and land grab is frightening. Only the court will decide how much truth is there in these reports. Then why did the West Bengal government keep trying hard to save the accused? The question here is not about Trinamool Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party or any other party. The question is to punish those accused of playing with the identity of women. The Chief Minister of West Bengal is herself a woman and why did she give political protection to a leader who insulted the existence and identity of a woman?

Today the condition of politics is worse that to rule the hearts of the people, leaders resort to crime, corruption and depravity. Efforts are made to divide the people on the basis of casteism, provincialism and communalism. But we harbor so many illusions. Identity is not created without character. Everything else is temporary. Character is a practice, a penance. Just as the ego has a big stomach, it needs something or the other every day. Similarly, political character needs daily protection and all this can be achieved only through strong morale, clean image, honesty and freedom from crime. But the big question is when will the nation get freedom from criminal elements like Sheikh? In politics, only a leader with good character and morality should be respectable and acceptable. Clashes between political parties are understandable, but those in government are expected to understand the difference between workers and criminals. The consequences of encouraging criminals for the sake of a few votes have been coming to light in different parts of the country. Neither the religion nor ideology of the criminal should be seen. The law must be allowed to take its course, only then democracy has meaning.

It is a strange situation that amidst the claims of giving a clean and honest government, the question of giving high posts to people with criminal image or making them the leader of their party comes up. The question is whether Mamata is really serious about her own claims? If such responsible politicians step back from their claims, then who will give moral protection to politics? How will we establish healthy political values ​​by giving positions of responsibility to such characterless and criminal elements? How will we live up to the trust of the general public? After glorifying criminal elements in this way, will the credibility of Mamata’s claims and long struggles not be tarnished? Only the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) cannot cover up its party’s criminal image by expelling Shaikh from the party for six years.

The way our national life and thinking have been distorted today, our politics has become selfish and narrow, our behavior has become false, we have worn more masks than faces, it has ruined all our values. Crores of residents of the nation are worried and worried about the future of the country. The time has come when some top people will have to make valiant efforts to preserve the culture and glorious heritage of the country. A new standard will have to be set before the directionless leadership class. If a person is accused of murder, kidnapping or other serious crimes, then any attempt to protect him by calling him political or to take political advantage will have to be stopped. This fate of politics may be worth considering for the common people. If such issues p. If we will be at the center of Lok Sabha elections in Bengal, then there can be no bigger joke than this on the Bengali people because the Bengali people have been recognizing the progressive and idealistic face of politics right from the country’s freedom movement till independent India. This state has given many revolutionaries and Gandhians. Amidst these clean and inspiring situations, one can only cry over the misdeeds of leaders like Shahjahan Sheikh and the plight of Trinamool Congress. What should have happened was that when there were allegations of serious female harassment etc. against Shahjahan Sheikh, then only then the state police would have taken immediate action and brought him before the law. Of course the allegations may be wrong but how can inciting people to attack the Enforcement Directorate team be justified?

Whatever the Mamata government and the Bengal Police may claim, there is no doubt that they left no stone unturned in defending Shahjahan Sheikh, who has a criminal character. When a government refuses to even show hesitation in defending a notorious person, what else can it be called other than political shamelessness? Considering the attitude of the Mamata government, it had become mandatory that the accused in the attack on ED and other shameful incidents of Sandeshkhali should be given the harshest punishment. Trinamool Congress, which is supporting such criminal politics, should also be shown its ground. Protecting criminal elements and installing them on high positions – these are serious issues, on which there should be deep debate in politics, there should be a meaningful effort to purify politics, this must be the priorities of New India – Strong India.

– Lalit Garg

Writer, Journalist, Columnist