Intemperance is harming us

Intemperance is harming our great nation. Even the most sane and stable of minds are making irreverent statements. Like the one made by one of my favourite politicians, who really made a difference to the state of Maharashtra and city of Mumbai during his busy tenure of 5 years – Devendra Fadnavis. Fresh from BJP’s spectacular show in Bihar elections, where he was BJP’s main coordinator, he made a statement that as per his vision of “ Akhand Bharat”, he sees Karachi as part of India in future. Coming on the heels of Gupkar declaration, where even veteran and seasoned politicians like Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have committed hara kiri of seeking Chinese intervention in restoring Kashmir’s special status! I thought nothing could have been more ironical than show of any solidarity with China after that country’s act of aggression in Ladakh. And we have Love- Jihad raising its ugly head again with UP trying to enact law, while Rajasthan Congress Government dismissing Love-Jihad as figment of BJP’s imagination as part of their Hindutva agenda! With West Bengal going to polls next year, the polarisation is likely to see another extreme! On top of it, external enemies continue to raise their fangs with a newly bolstered Pakistan trying tricks on the border apart from its standard ploy of pushing terrorists into our country.

Recovering from COVID, advice from my attending physician is clear – think positive, be happy and take no stress. Although I was working from home only, he has barred me from even that as office work could be source of tension. But for me, a nationalist, patriot, humanitarian, secular, broad minded and pacifist, nothing is source of greater stress than intemperance by our politicians. Aren’t Corona, Pakistan, China and economy big enough problems that we want to disturb the internal harmony by making untimely intemperate statements? Muslims are as much part of this Great Nation as any other religious minority or majority is! Secularism is the mantra that our forefathers bestowed on us through our constitution. No other ism will work and no body should attempt to fiddle with ethos of this country and its constitution.