Politics on ISIS victims?

BY: RANBIR MANHAS PUBLISHED ON MARCH 22, 2018

Death of thirty nine Indian workers at the hands of ISIS in Mosul, Iraq has been confirmed by India government. Though the missing workers were feared dead ever since their disappearance in 2015, the Indian government could not legally declare them dead unless the government of Iraq confirmed it or their bodies and genuine remains were recovered. Since no writ of the Iraqi government ran in Mosul for past some years where our 39 workers were last time found alive, it was not possible even for the Iraqi authorities to officially declare the status of the missing Indians. Therefore, blaming the Indian government for either hiding the facts or keeping the families of the victims in the dark is not convincing hence unacceptable.

Congress’ demand of Rs two crores each for the families of the victims of ISIS is also unacceptable as our constitution does not allow such type of relief.

Congress has ruled the country for past so many decades its leaders therefore must know that even families of the martyred soldiers who lay their lives while defending LOC and maintaining peace in Kashmir and North East are given paltry 5 lakhs of rupees as compensation. Even then if Congress demands ten times more compensation to the victims of Iraqi violence the demand is unethical hence unacceptable.

Congress accuses Modi for hurting the sentiments of the bereaved families of keeping their hope kindling about the safe return of the slain members, but it is itself committing the same blunder by showing dreams to the bereaved families of becoming crorepati.

Therefore, Rajive Gandhi whom his well-wishers see as hope of the nation must remain prepared to taste the music of wrath when the dreams shown by him will break and that Congress sympathy towards them was nothing but a political stunt only.

The so-called sympathizers of the bereaved families must also understand that exchequer is not booty that can be distributed like revries. Also, it is not the personal property of any government that can be donated by him to any Tom Dick or Harry. Exchequer in fact is public money collected from the people in the form of taxes and is meant for public welfare including building infrastructure, strengthening education and healthcare facilities, creating employment avenues besides paying salaries and pension to those who either save the nation from aggression or serve the nation as public servants. Logically speaking, even waving agriculture loans amounts to looting of public money not to think of distributing public money as compensation to the victim families.

The government however reserves the right to help the unfortunate families on the basis of humanity, which hopefully the present government will also do. But how much it pays is again the prerogative of the government. Although whole of the nation stands behind the bereaved families, politicians should refrain from playing with the emotions for gaining false political popularity.