The VIP itch

A disaster can turn many into villains, and many more into heroes. Several survivors would remember the rescuers of the Indian armed forces and some other good samaritans as their saviours for their lifetimes. Similarly, only a lifetime of joy and happiness would be able to make most of them forget the harrowing experiences, including the human behaviour of those who seized the occasion to make a hunting opportunity of the disaster, while they were stranded in the disaster hit Uttrakhand.  Who remembers what depends upon what one came across.

But there is yet another species, other than the thugs, thieves, scoundrels and the conmen who wait for such opportune and fortuitous moments to scavenge on the dead and the survivors alike, and this is our Khadi clad netas, and nothing can change them. Even a disaster such as this, can’t keep them from their usual antics. Though, derision and contempt for politicians has become clichéd in our dear country, but at least, they could have spared us an opportunity to scorn at them at the time of a catastrophe of such magnitude.

The strong urge of the politicians to get photographed while sitting in a chopper, hovering above the devastated shrines, even when thousands are still stranded without food and water, is despicable and outrageous to say the least.

In Himachal Pradesh, where fortunately, the extent of damage caused by the floods is far less, and most of the brunt of the nature’s fury has been borne by roads, thousands of tourists had been stranded in Kinnaur district since June 15. The tourists were stuck as the district got cut off from rest of the state because large parts of roads had been washed away, and it would be at least a month before the road link could be restored. Chief minister, Vir Bhadra Singh, who, for the first five days between June 15 and 20, barely had time to even think of those stranded due to floods, suddenly decided to go for a whirlwind aerial survey on June 21. This despite the met department’s warning of possible rain in the next couple of days.

One Mi 172 helicopter was diverted for the CM’s Kinnaur tour, leaving the rescue workers with just two Mi 17 V5 helicopters of the Indian Air Force.

Though, the IAF officer, a Group Captain, in-charge of the rescue op in Himachal did not comment, but I did notice a scornful smirk when the Block Development Officer of Himachal govt told him about the CM’s tour, at the Rampur helipad. As the BDO was informing about the CM taking the third helicopter, two men from the tribal areas of Kinnaur were standing in front of the Air Commodore with folded hands, asking about a flight to Pooh. Hundreds turned up every day at the Rampur helipad, wanting to be airlifted.

The helicopter which was flying the ‘honourable’ CM on the 21^st, had evacuated 193 stranded locals and tourists the previous day in the 13 sorties it did during the seven and a half hours of flying.

Chief ministers of some states, including Haryana and Rajasthan, also flew to Uttrakhand and did ‘aerial recce’. Vijay Bahuguna, CM of Uttrakhand says there is nothing wrong in politicians doing aerial survey. No one expected him to hoot against his own flock.

NaMo appeared in Uttrakhand, got a story published about rescuing 15000 Gujaratis, prompting questions where his ‘prospective’ political rival, RaGa was.

They should shut up. Rahul Gandhi is not Rambo, he can’t rescue 15000 people. No one can.

 At a time like this, we don’t need Modis and Gandhis visiting an already ravaged state and divert resources towards them. There is nothing that any politician can do there now. What they can do is, minimise the interference that hampers the rescue effort. And, anyway no one wants to see them there. Helicopters will remain at their disposal, free rides will be abundant. But, let this be over first and then you can satiate you urge, the VIP itch.