‘Maafinama’: RJD MP Manoj Jha Mourns Undignified Deaths During Covid-19 in Rajya Sabha

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Prof Manoj Jha of Rashtriya Janata Dal in Rajya Sabha.

“The people who died have left behind living proof of our failures,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

Team Clarion 

NEW DELHI — When lawmakers stand up in parliament they give speeches, either counting their achievements and contributions or slam their counterparts, but on Wednesday when Manoj Jha, a Rashtriya Janata Dal member of Rajya Sabha and a professor at Delhi University, stood up, he had a unique way to respond to the claims of the government on Covid-19 crises.

Jha read out an “apology” and insisted frequently that it was not a speech but a “maafinama.” Though his party is not part of the NDA coalition, he used the words “our failures” while talking about deaths due to covid-19.

 “The people who died have left behind living proof of our failures,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.  In eight minute speech Jha said that all governments since independence are responsible for failing the people.

Some highlights of the speech as translated by Telegraph India

  • I’m not speaking here as a member of any political party. Consider me an ordinary citizen of a bereaved republic or a public representative.
  • I am speaking here on behalf of lakhs of people who want to speak here.
  • This is not a speech. This is an apology to all those citizens whose deaths we didn’t even acknowledge.
  • Our faith in this House should make us send a collective apology to all those whose bodies were floating in the Ganga and which we sought to dismiss.
  • This is a personal pain. I am not citing any figures. Look for (death) figures in your personal pain.
  • There is not one person in this country, in this House, outside this House and in the other House who can say they haven’t lost someone they knew (to Covid).
  • I don’t need any figures. Those who have passed on have left behind a living document of our failure.
  • I’m not talking about you (those in power). You’ll say nothing has happened in 70 years. I don’t want to go into it.
  • This is a collective failure of all the governments since 1947.
  • When I step out of this House, I see big advertisements saying: ‘free vaccines, free rations, free treatment’.
  • This is a welfare state, isn’t it? When a poor man buys a bar of soap, he is as much a taxpayer as are Adani and Ambani. And you’re telling him ‘free vaccine, free treatment, free ration’.
  • No Sir, nothing is free. He has a stake. This welfare state has a commitment. Don’t denigrate, demonise and dwarf him. This is my appeal.
  • A lot of big talk is going on about new legislations. Why aren’t you (the government) talking about the right to health? No ifs and buts. A constitutionally guaranteed (right to health) that is linked to right to life is the need of the hour. Then, no hospital can dare to play with the right to life.
  • Talk about right to work. A lot is being said about population. Leave demography to the demographers.
  • Bring a legislation on right to life and right to work.
  • What happened during the one-and-a-half months (during the second wave of the pandemic) feels like a nightmare. The anguished cries for hospitals, ICU beds, medicines.…
  • Look for the personal pain in this tragedy. Then alone will you be able to find a solution. Blaming each other won’t achieve anything. This has been going on for long.
  • It was said, the governments didn’t fail, the system failed. What’s this system?
  • Since childhood, I have been told that behind the system there are people. If the system has failed, whether in Delhi or in village alleys, then the governments there have failed. Don’t blame it on the system because people make the system.
  • I’m hurt, I want to wake up myself and you all as well. Floating bodies in the Ganga.… We have witnessed undignified deaths.
  • If we are not able correct this (state of affairs), the coming centuries will not pardon us. It doesn’t matter if you put up big thanksgiving advertisements. History should be able to say thank you.

 

theclarionindia
theclarionindiahttps://clarionindia.net
Clarion India - News, Views and Insights about Indian Muslims, Dalits, Minorities, Women and Other Marginalised and Dispossessed Communities.

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