Mockery of Democracy: Congress makes an illiterate a Minister in Rajasthan

There is a saying in Samskrtam (Sanskrit), राजानामनुवर्तन्ते यथा राजा तथा प्रजा। which means "As the King behaves, so does the Common people".

महर्षि बाल्मीकिविरचित श्री रामायण में उल्लिखित श्रीराम-जाबालि संवाद चर्चा है। उल्लिखित प्रसंग में मुनि जाबालि श्रीरामजी को समझाते हैं कि उन्हें जनसमुदाय की आकांक्षाओं का सम्मान करते हुए उनकी अयोध्या वापसी की पार्थना मान लेनी चाहिये और तदनुरूप दिवंगत राजा को दिये अपने वचन भुला देना चाहिए। अपनी बात के समर्थन में उन्होंने कतिपय तर्क भी पेश किये थे। श्रीरामजी प्रतिवाद करते हुए कहते हैं कि वचन तोड़ने से स्वर्गीय राजा को कोई क्लेश नहीं पहुंचेगा इसे मान लें तो भी समाज के व्यापक हित में ऐसा करना सर्वथा हानिकर होगा। उनका तर्क थाः

कामवृत्तोऽन्वयं लोकः कृत्स्नः समुवर्तते।
यद्वृत्ताः सन्ति राजानस्तद्वृत्ताः सन्ति हि प्रजाः।।९।।
(श्री रामायण, अयोध्याकाण्ड, सर्ग १०९)

अर्थात् यदि मैं (श्रीरामजी) आपकी बात मान लूं तो भी यह कहना ही होगा कि पहले तो मुझे स्वेच्छाचारी मान लिया जायेगा, फिर देखा-देखी समाज में सभी स्वेच्छाचारी हो जायेंगे। ऐसा इसलिए कि राजागण जैसा आचरण प्रस्तुत करते हैं प्रजा वैसा ही स्वयं भी करती है।

But that was the time of Shri Ram Rajya, the exemplar of society and ruled by the best King who was the epitome of Mankind. Look what is happening now, Congress has made a mockery of Democracy, again.

An illiterate lady called Golma Devi who couldn't even take her oath properly has been "installed" on a Ministerial position from one district of Dausa district. Her only qualification is that she is wife of somebody. Sounds familiar, right? In present case, this somebody is a rebel from BJP who switched sides at the last moment and the people blinded by their caste consideration voted for who-so-ever from their caste stood up. Without caring who it is, how literate he/she is, etc.

Golma Devi Rajasthan's Rabri Devi

Golma is illiterate and couldn't even take her oath properly. But her prime qualification to get a ministerial berth is her husband Kirori Lal Meena, a powerful tribal leader who rebelled against the BJP just ahead of the recent elections, and now controls a number of Independent MLAs.

"My husband, who is a doctor, will help out and so will my personal assistant. What I am going to do is issue orders and keep visiting my area," says Golma Devi.

And with his wife getting a ministerial chair in the Gehlot government, Kirori Lal, a minister in the former Vasundhara government, is now ready to don the duty at home. "I will now do everything that Golma used to do. From washing clothes and cooking food to taking care of everyone at home."

In reality, Kirorilal managed a ministership for his wife primarily because he heads a group of five Independent MLAs. And Ashok Gehlot, who needs the support of Independents to run his government, is trying to turn his compulsion into a virtue.

"It is not necessary to be highly educated to become a minister. People who are not educated have a lot of common sense and Rabri Devi has already shown how they can be good administrators," he says.

While supporters claim its a triumph of democracy critics here say turning an illiterate Golma Devi into a minister is a mockery of democracy. But perhaps it reflects the truth of India's politics today, especially in a hung assembly where unless you offer ministerial berths, its almost impossible to cobble together a majority.

13-member Gehlot-led ministry sworn in

Gehlot, six days after he took oath as CM, went for a small ministry, which had four Independent MLAs including Golma Devi, the wife of BJP dissident leader Kirorilal Meena.

The 13-member ministry has an overdose of members from the Marwar and Dausa districts and in terms of caste, it is loaded with Jats and Meenas, including Bhil Meena, who between them comprise almost half the council of ministers.

In order to satisfy caste and regions, the chief minister appointed three parliamentary secretaries - Nana Lal Nimana from Mewar, Bramhadev Kumawat from Ajmer and Dilip Choudhry from Marwar region.

Gehlot could not get a single Gujjar in his cabinet.

Gehlot going Lalu way?

At a juncture when the entire country is demanding for a new breed of educated, accountable and responsible political leaders, an illiterate woman, Ms Golma Devi was allotted a minister of state position in Mr Ashok Gehlot's 13- member council of ministers. Though Ms Golma's personal details provided by the government describes her as a "homemaker with general education (Saamanya Shikshit Grahini) who takes keen interest in women empowerment movements, agriculture and farming", the fact remains that this 59-year-old woman has to literally grapple to make sense out of anything which is handed over to her in the written format. “Anyone who has been elected as a legislator can become a minister. Even those who have limited formal education might have good common sense and knowledge.

Golma - Rajasthan's own Rabri Devi? Yes, says the CMHer face covered in a veil, 52-year-old Golma Devi, who can hardly read or write, was among 13 ministers inducted in Ashok Gehlot government on Friday.

Dressed in a traditional yellow "Odhana and Ghaghara", Golma, wife of dissident BJP leader Kirorilal Meena, failed to even read out the oath of office and secrecy.

It was left to another independent MLA R K Saini, who was also sworn in as state minister, to assist her to complete the laid down procedure.

As Governor of Rajasthan S K Singh started administering the oath to Gola at Raj Bhawan here, it was a apparently a display of rote learning for her as she blurted out--- "Golma Devi bolrahi hoon" (Golma Devi is speaking), drawing peals of laughter from the audience.

For the second time, when the Governor started with the oath, Golma just repeated her previous line "I...". As she struggled, the oath was taken as "read".

उपरिकथित तथ्य वस्तुतः शाश्वत और सार्वत्रिक मूल्य का है। आज हमारी लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था में नाम से तो कोई राजा नहीं है, किंतु राजा के स्थान पर हमारे जनप्रतिनिधि हैं, पूरी शासकीय व्यवस्था को चलाने वाले हैं। कही गयी बात उनके संदर्भ में भी मान्य है। वे जैसा आचरण करेंगे वैसा ही शासित सामान्य लोग भी करेंगे। चूंकि अनुकरणीय दृष्टांत प्रस्तुत करने वाले जनप्रतिनिधि अब ढूढ़े नहीं मिलते, इसलिए सदाचारण का समाज में लोप हो रहा है। दुर्भाग्य से उच्च पद पर आसीन व्यक्ति अब इस बात की परवाह प्रायः नहीं करता कि उसके कृत्यों को लेकर सामान्य जनों के बीच उसकी क्या छबि बन रही है। काश, ऐसा हो पाता कि शासकीय व्यवस्था के शीर्षस्थ लोग आम आदमियों के लिए अनुकरणीय उदाहरण पेश करते।

But what can you expect from these contemporary dynasty following sycophant politicians, they openly say they don't believe in God Shri Ram. So why would they believe in his aadarsh (morals)?

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जैसा आचरण राजा का वैसा ही प्रजा का