A Flood of Jumlas

Over the past 6 years, the BJP has gained notoriety for its abject apathy towards people. The sole focus is on gaining power, through means foul and unfair, from toppling elected governments in states to making false promises to people—which are conveniently passed of election jumlas.

As Assam and Bihar struggle to cope with natural disasters, amidst the pandemic, the BJP government has completely abandoned its duties and is focussed on instigating a political crisis in Rajasthan and Jharkhand.

Assam witnessed flooding regularly and as of the 18th of July the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) stated that at least 79 deaths have been reported. Of the 33 districts in the state, 26 districts have been affected, with 2678 villages being submerged in flood waters. Over 1,16,000 hectares of crop area have been affected, coupled with severe damage to infrastructure, as more than 1600 roads are reported to be damaged.

As a state which witnesses flooding regularly, the state has sought a grant of ₹ 9,370 crores in 2014. In 2015 it requested an additional assistance of ₹ 2,100 crore and in 2016 it sought ₹ 5,038 crore. In the aftermath of the flooding in 2017, which is widely considered to be the worst floods in the state in recent memory, the BJP government at the state did not request any assistance, even though the damage was estimated to be ₹ 4,000 crore. Narendra Modi visited the state and announced a relief package of ₹ 2,350 crores for the North-eastern states affected by floods, with ₹ 250 crore earmarked for Assam. However, the package was disbursed in 2019. For a full four years the state was ignored by the BJP. The elections in the state are due in 2021.

Meanwhile in Bihar, over 83 people have been reported dead in the thunderstorms a fortnight ago, with another 24 people losing their lives in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Hundreds of houses have been washed away and Bihar continues to be lashed with heavy rainfall. The BJP government has not done any substantial work to ensure relief to the affected people.

Further, the bilateral relations with Nepal have become strained due to the BJP’s failed diplomacy. As a result, the Nepalese are not allowing repair and maintenance work at the border with Bihar. Nepal obstructed repair work on the embankment of the Lalbekeya river in East Champaran district.

Yet, the BJP government has not taken adequate measures to safeguard people’s lives at times of calamities. It however spent a whopping ₹ 144 crores for conducting virtual rallies in the state which is scheduled to go to the polls later this year.

As has become its wont, the BJP will now shed crocodile tears for the lives lost and property damaged. It will announce massive packages and will attempt to mislead people into believing that the welfare of people is its paramount objective. However, once the elections are done, the promises will be washed away in the deluge of jumlas that the BJP has now become notorious for. It is therefore in the national interest that the BJP is held responsible and asked to explain why it doesn’t deliver on its promises and why it treats people’s lives with such disdain.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *