Shadi ki Davat in the Middle of a Storm

“The election bugle has been sounded, Banta!” Santa says with great excitement.

“Such energy!”

“Such excitement!”

“Our village will have a new Pradhan by the end of July!”

“I am going to be the chief campaign manager for Harda!”

“We will have rallies, speeches, posters everywhere!”

“It will be a grand Loktantra ka Utsav!”

Banta looks up at the ominous, moisture-laden clouds that have been drenching their valley for the past week.

He then looks at Santa’s excited face.

“An Utsav is a wonderful thing, Santa,” he says calmly.

“But a wise man does not decide to hold his daughter’s grand Shadi  ki Davat in the middle of his courtyard when the Indra Bhagwan has already announced a week-long, furious thunderstorm.”

Santa laughs.

“What a strange comparison, Banta!”

“What has an election got to do with a Shadi  ki Davat?”

“Everything,” Banta replies, his tone becoming serious.

“Our state, right now, is in the middle of a very angry and unpredictable monsoon storm, one that is getting stronger every year due to climate change.”

“The rivers are swollen, the slopes are saturated and groaning.”

“This is the time for caution, for preparedness, for keeping a watchful eye on nature’s fury.”

“But instead, our government has decided that this is the perfect time to host the grand Loktantra ka Utsav.”

He continues, “Is it wise to send thousands of our government officials – our Baratis – on treacherous roads when landslides are at their peak?”

“Is it fair to ask our candidates to campaign when their voters might be cut off by a flash flood?”

“Is it right to distract the entire administrative machinery with election duties when their full attention should be on monitoring for disaster warnings and preparing for rescue and relief?”

Santa’s enthusiastic smile begins to fade.

“But… the election has to happen, Banta.”

“It’s the rule.”

“And the first rule of any good host, Santa, is the safety of his guests,” Banta counters.

“By holding this Shadi  ki Davat in the middle of the storm, we are not just being unwise; we are being irresponsible.”

“We are risking the lives of the election officials, the candidates, and the public.”

“A true Loktantra ka Utsav is one where people can participate with a sense of safety and fairness, not with a prayer on their lips for their own survival.”

“Surely, the Davat  can be postponed until the storm has passed and the sun is shining again?”

Santa looks up at the dark clouds, then at the river flowing menacingly in the distance.

“Shadi  ki Davat in a storm… Banta, you’ve made me realize that the timing of a celebration is as important as the celebration itself.”

“Perhaps a safe election in October is better than a risky one in July.”

संता – बंता की इस जुगलबन्दी से आज हमने क्या सीखा:-  

• बचाव उपचार से सदैव बेहतर: जान-बूझ कर जोखिम उठाना मूर्खता की निशानी है और जहाँ तक सम्भव हो अनावश्यक जोखिम उठाने से बचना चाहिये।    
• सुरक्षा सर्वप्रथम: राजनैतिक तथा प्रशासनिक कार्यक्रमों के निर्धारण में आम जनता की सुरक्षा के दृष्टिगत लचीलापन होना जरूरी है और इन कार्यक्रमों को विशेष रूप से मानसून की तरह उच्च जोखिम वाले समय में आयोजित नहीं किया जाना चाहिये।     
• जलवायु परिवर्तन के दृष्टिगत अनुकूलन जरूरी: चुनाव की तरह आम जनता की अत्यधिक संलिप्तता वाले कार्यक्रमों के आयोजन हेतु समय का निर्धारण करते समय जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण तीव्र, विनाशकारी व अप्रत्याशित हो रहे मानसून के कारण बढ़ रहे  जोखिम को संज्ञान में लेना जरूरी है।
• जिम्मेदार शासन व्यवस्था: प्रशासनिक आयोजनों के कारण आम जनता व सरकारी कर्मचारियों को जोखिम का सामना करने की स्थिति आना जिम्मेदार शासन व्यवस्था के लक्षण नहीं है।   

संता – बंता की यह जुगलबन्दी आपको कैसी लगी, कृपया हमें जरुर बताये

व

इस जुगलबन्दी को बेहतर बनाने के लिये अपने सुझाव अवश्य दें।

हमें हमेशा की तरह आपके सुझावों, प्रतिक्रियाओं व कटाक्षो का बेसब्री से इंतजार रहता हैं और सच मानिये इसी के आधार पर हम अपने आप में, अपनी सोच व रचनात्मकता में सुधार करने को प्रेरित होते हैं।

सो अच्छा – बुरा जैसा आपको महसूस हुवा हो, कमेंट जरुर करते रहें।