Not necessarily, but you have a point

Have you read in newspapers about the statement of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati that the Center should take the initiative for creation of three separate states in Uttar Pradesh?

Have you read in newspapers on Nithari serial killings?

Have you read in newspapers that the adivasis of Sonebhadra district, eastern Uttar Pradesh. are starving to death because they have been involved in a land dispute with the forest department?.

These are bear minimum.  Not even a handful. If you think about UP the questions will emerge from all corners like monsoon flies.

I am not asking these questions to you! I have already asked these questions to Mr Prakash Yadav, an auto rickshaw driver whom I met today surprisingly.  I have a habit of chitchatting with auto rickshaw drivers about current affairs because they witness things more realistically than me.  

Now let me brief about Mr Prakash Yadav. Mr Prakash Yadav is an ordinary man (aam admi) hailed from Uttar Pradesh and camping at Mumbai.  He is currently driving auto rickshaw for a living and optimistic about finding a suitable job. Being a science graduate from BHU (Banaras Hindu University), he was teaching in a local school prior to reaching Mumbai.   When he felt difficulty in meeting the family expenses with the meager salary of Rs.5000/- he took a train and reached Mumbai to search for a suitable opening. He attended so many interviews and realized that hailing from UP has got a disadvantage.  Then on he started driving Autorikashaw on rental basis.  Now he is earning around Rs.8000/- per month and he is totally contented with that!

Regarding my questions he gave only one answer “I stopped reading newspapers!”

I asked  “Why?”

“I want to live peacefully without creating hatred in my mind towards Mayavati, Raj Thakeray or MNS.”  He replied.

“Do you support Raj?”  I asked him 

“Not necessarily but he has a point!” he said with a pale smile.

“What point?” I was curious.

“About mumbaikars! I do not know whether he really loves his people, but he has the guts to support them!” 

I asked “For what?” 

“For improving the present condition of Mumbai!”

“What condition you are referring?” I asked with interest.

“The population, the employment, the traffic everything” I looked at his face and saw a peaceful expression.  An expression of relief, which normally appear after spelling out certain difficult conclusions.

“ Are you afraid?” I asked him. 

“Why should I? Mumbai is safer than UP!”

There were some moments of silence between us. 

When I reached the destination, I bid him goodbye I shook his hands by wishing him good luck.

I thought about his situation and felt so bad.  What to do! After all it is his life and he has to look after that by all means.  

The issues concerning the development of UP and the future of Mumbai appeared one by one on the screen of my mind with so many unanswered questions?  The visuals of the long queue at the employment exchange, the hunger cry of children at Sonebhadra, the hollow promises of the ruling party and the fact-finding mission of the opposition party, appeared one after another.  I asked myself, why we need to have an opposition party?  Nobody can improve the governance of the ruling party because they are committed to implement thereon-political agenda with more amount of deviation. In the changing times, the opposition should support the ruling party to bring about excellence in governance. They can be critical in certain issues but should not oppose the progressive mechanism like common minimum programme (god knows what is that in reality!).

I stopped thinking about all these and started my work and thought that afterall I have to work for my meals and what is the use of thinking about all these things!

My inner self asked me “Have you joined the bandwagon of escapists?” 

I said with a funny smile to myself “Not necessarily, but you have a point!”  Sometimes you can’t escape from escapism.