Smart Plus - Rakesh Mittal I A S
I was District Magistrate of Basti in Uttar Pradesh during
the year 1982-84. At that time it had not been bifurcated and was the biggest
district of Uttar Pradesh in terms of rural population. At the same time it was
one of the most backward districts and bad from the law and order point of
view. Therefore, for a person to carry a gun was considered a measure of safety
as well as prestige. A large number of applications for gun licenses were
always pending with the District Magistrate. I tried to streamline the system
of granting licenses and ensured that these were issued only in deserving
cases.
One day I was sitting in my office in a somewhat relaxed mood
when one such aspirant came to see me. I knew him as he was a reasonably
respected person of the town. For some time he talked about general things and
thereafter came to the subject of law and order. His complaint was that the
number of guns in the district was increasing and the sight of so many
gun-carrying persons created fear among the common people. He also wondered
that if everyone would carry a gun, how would the situation of law and order
improve?
These words of his gave me a very pleasant surprise as it was
very rare that someone in that district would talk against the number of guns
and particularly an aspirant of the gun. I got impressed as well as interested
and wanted to discuss the matter further hoping that some solution to the
problem might come from him. I agreed with him and asked him to suggest some
solution to the problem created by the increasing number of arms. And prompt
came the reply that a gun be given to him also. He said this very innocently
without realizing that the solution suggested by him would only add to the
problem instead of solving it. I could, however, convince him that he did not
require a gun for safety and he did not press for a license as long as I was
the District Magistrate.
This incident fascinated me so much that I have narrated it a
number of times to various people. I see a great similarity in the different
aspects of human life today and this incident.
Be it the matter of indiscipline, corruption, dowry, nepotism, exploitation
of weaker sections or any other evil, most of us believe in the kind of
solution suggested by the above gentleman. We see corruption in society, also
feel bad about it but when it comes to doing something about it, we feel that
our indulgence also is the answer. Similar is the case with other evils. We
forget that by doing so we add to the evil instead of removing it. Everyone
feels bad about the dowry system except when it applies to oneself. We talk of
the sincerity, discipline, etc., only as long as it is not demanded from us.
The result is the chaos we see around in all walks of life. A situation has
reached where we cause suffering to each other and feel that the remedy lies in
doing so only.
At this moment a small story comes to my mind. Once God
appointed a commission to study the difference in the conditions prevailing in
Hell and Heaven. The Commission decided to go to Hell first. It found it to be
an excellent place, well built and prosperous. There was plenty to eat and
drink. However, the Commission observed that the inhabitants were very weak and
kept quarrelling among themselves all the time. The reason was that they were
unable to bend their elbows and therefore could not take the food up to their
mouths, though it was available in plenty. Starved of food, they had become very
weak and irritable making them quarrel with each other. Overall the scene was
very pathetic and all the inhabitants were helpless not knowing what to do.
(Contd.)
For more articles from Smart Plus, visit Indian Thoughts
No comments:
Post a Comment