Punish the Guilty

Chandrashekhar the Great  


SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR (Ballia) : Mr. Chairman, Sir, I have perforce to participate in this discussion with a heavy heart. I did not want that such question should come before us. But the reality of life is that we cannot lose sight of these’things. The warning given by my friend, Shri Sathe is the warning of time and our future will become dark, if we do not pay need to it in time. This is my view. I will not point towards any person or any group, but would like to say that the civilization and culture of our country is thousands of years old and we have seen many changes in the course of history. We have passed through many ups and downs politically, but the chain of our civilization and culture remained unbroken. In history, many rulers came and went, but we maintained our amity. I do not claim to be the custodian of old culture, but those who do must read the following inscription on the door of the House :

“Agar Nigah paroveti ganana laghuchetsam.

Udarcharitanam tu vasudhaiv kutum bakam.”

Thousands of years ago, authors of our scriptures directed us that the whole world is like a family. But we are fighting over just one yard of land belonging to the cremation ground or graveyard. We feel hurt when we witness such a scene in this House. I would like to appeal to the House through you, that if we fail to identify this danger in time, nobody knows what will happen to this country. Many of my friends, who are praising me now, had criticized me when I said that sending army inside the Golden Temple was an unfortunate event. I had not spoken this with a view to making any political gains. In my opinion, if one tries to break the traditions, history will never forgive him. We should not break the traditions ruthlessly. Mr. Chairman, Sir, I would like to submit through you, to the hon. Home Minister that whenever the people belonging to minorities put forward their demands–no matter in which part of the world they are–they get agitated due to the feelings of distrust, misery and pain. I would specially like to tell my colleague Shri Khurana that the people belonging to minorities are everywhere in this world, whether it is because of language or because of religion. If we go by their bitterness, I am afraid we would arrive at wrong political conclusions. We should try to understand their feelings and if they have some apprehensions or if they feel that they are not getting justice, we must try to remove this feeling–be it the present Government or the previous Government. I would like to request the hon. Home Minister that it is not a simple law and order problem but people’s sentiments are involved. This fact cannot be denied that the sentiments of the people belonging to minorities in this country have been hurt. We should try to remove this feeling of fear from their minds, otherwise it will lead them to desperation and this desperation on their part can put this country on the hearth of fire and destruction. Many hon. Members irrespective of their party affiliations, asserted that they would be able to solve the Punjab problem through strong measures but we could not teach a lesson to one and a half crore Sikhs in all these years. My friend Shri Kumaramangalam said that we were trying to teach a lesson to the members of another community. Let them learn the lesson in due course. I would like to say that no community should try to teach a lesson to the country. It would be better if we learn our own lessons. I don’t think that the police officers or anybody else is to be blamed. I would like to tell Shri Hukumdeoji that all the police officers are not indolent that they may be thrown out. But hon. Home Minister, Sir, can action not be taken even against those who have dragged the body of a man like a dog and there is evidence in the form of a photograph. I know the police officers here, some of them are very honest and able and I have full faith in them. But l am astonished to learn why action has not been taken against the policeman who dragged the body of a person like a dog. If we don’t take any action, it appears that we don’t want to do anything at all. The solution to such basic and controversial questions cannot be found either by taking the issue to the streets or by show of strength. Only the judiciary can decide. If we will overlook the judiciary and instead try to solve it in this manner, by using force, then the problem will become more complex. I would submit to Shri Khurana that history is not going to spare either him or me. So many great personalities have come and fallen to dust. Even the emperors of Delhi are lying in their graves. It does not matter much as to who occupies the throne. Today the voice of humanity is being gagged and all of us should try to revive this voice and only then we can hope to find a new way for this country. I would request the hon.Home Minister not to disgrace the entire administration to save the skin of a police officer. Don’t earn a bad name for yourself by trying to solve this problem through show of strength. Action should be taken against those who have committed injustice and the decision should be taken by judiciary alone. If this much is done, it would create confidence in the hearts of the people.

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