Gaushala instead of schools; cleanliness without pourakarmikas!
Various sections of media are covering PM Modi’s swachata or cleanliness programmes with great aplomb. On the other hand, the government is spending crores together on setting up gaushalas for cows. And at this time, two reports have been published that could mock the schemes listed above. One being, five people have died after getting into the sewer manhole in Chhattisgarh. Another news is that a there are no schools in 13,511 villages in the country. And Uttar Pradesh stands on top of the list of states without schools in the country. This information kind of mocks the whole interest Yogi Adityanath is showing in setting up cow shelters since the time he took over as CM.
Swacchata Andolan is not something new to this country. We have created castes to clean streets and drains in our country. And a particular community has been putting its life and future, at stake for the sake of cleanliness in the society. Mahatma Gandhi had stopped visiting these places after he was shocked at the level of unhygienic standards in temples and pilgrimages. He held a flag of freedom in one hand and broom in another. He saw that the toilets were reeking of filth in the first Congress meet and he began cleaning them up. He called upon everyone to take up tasks to ensure hygiene is maintained, by way of reaching out to broom, and this is an honourable thing.
He reiterated that this task isn’t a lowly job. He spoke the same way about Bhangis also. But unfortunately that turned into a controversy. Gandhiji had actually said that with the intention of conveying that their job or the need for hygiene is extremely noble one. Today, Narendra Modi is speaking of cleanliness just like Mahatma Gandhi. He is standing before the cameras for the sake of ‘cleanliness’. Though it has been three years since he launched the scheme, he is unable to explain the success of other works during his tenure. He has not been able to find out reasons for that either. All that cess collected for Swacchata Andolan, where is it going? Thousands of crores have been set aside to clean Ganga. The water is still not drinkable from that river. Has any Pourakarmika been able to see any improvement in his life in the last four years? All these issues will lead to disappointment.
Swacchata Aandolan can be a success only when the lives of Pourakarmikas improve, so as to enable them to do better work. None else other than politicians or officers who can make this scheme a success. Pourakarmikas have been cleaning the roads of this country since ages. They are the ones that are real and inseparable partners of swacchata andolana in our nation. While they are in this noble task, the government or the authorities have been refusing to pay them a decent wage for their work. The situation of Pourakarmikas having to demand their wage through a strike or a dharna is the hard reality of this country. The contract workers that work on cleaning streets of drains do not even get least safety gears such as gloves or proper dresses. They need to be supplied, at least once a month, with a new set of safety materials to safeguard themselves. Their health is to be cared for. If a swacchata andolan is taken up without all this, we’d have dead bodies floating every now and then in the drains. This is the reality of Modi’s andolan right now.
After Yogi Adityanath came to power in Uttar Pradesh, more than Rs 80 crore has been spent on setting up Cow Shelters or Gau Shalas in the state, and the money continues to flow for this purpose. But the same state is on top of the list of highest number of villages without schools. The government is spending money on Gau Shalas when it should be spent on schools. The inevitability to set up Gau Shalas has also arisen out of that state’s wrong decisions as well.
So far farmers could decide whatever they wanted to do about their cattle. But ever since Yogi became CM, the farmers lost the right of deciding whether they could sell the cattle after their utility or keep them. Even a cattle past its utility could bring money to a farmer. But after the policy banning its sale was imposed, the farmers were forced to leave the useless cattle on the streets. Today the government is spending many crores on cattle but that has no use for dairy farming or to common people. This whole issue of Gau Shala is more of an emotional thing than with any utility at the end. The government has no money to supply oxygen cylinders to hospitals. Such schemes as Gaushala set the country back by ages. Leaders like Yogi and Modi are the biggest challenges who refuse the stakeholders a share of their role in the success march of the country.
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Rohit identifies Arshdeep, Hardik as key to India's chances in T20 World Cup
New Delhi (PTI): T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma reckons all-rounder Hardik Pandya and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh will hold the key to India's prospects in the upcoming edition of the tournament.
Defending champions India will enter the T20 showpiece as one of the overwhelming favourites due to their massive depth and quality.
Rohit highlighted Arshdeep's effectiveness with the new ball and at the death.
"It is a big positive to have both Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh together because they always attack for wickets. Arshdeep's biggest strength is swinging the new ball and taking early wickets. He mainly bowls with the new ball and at the death. Starting and finishing are the most important phases, and he is strong in both," Rohit told JioHotstar.
"With the new ball, he swings it to get left-handers caught in the slips and targets the pads of right-handers. He has also started taking the ball away from right-handers. These skills are key for a new-ball bowler. He always tries to take wickets, which is why he bowls the first over."
Rohit added, "In the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, he did a great job. I still remember he dismissed Quinton de Kock when he was set and batting well. In the 19th over, he gave away just two or three runs, which built pressure on the South Africans.
"That is his game, bowling with the new ball and at the death, and he will play a key role for India in the 2026 T20 World Cup."
India won the last edition of the tournament in the Americas under Rohit's captaincy, after which the dashing opener retired from the T20 format internationally.
Rohit also spoke about how Hardik's dual role as a finisher and multi-phase bowler provides crucial balance to the Indian team.
"Whenever Hardik Pandya is in the team, his role is huge. He bats and bowls very consistently. His batting is crucial when the team is stuck. If we have a score of 160 on the board in 15-16 overs and Hardik is batting, then he's the one who can help the team reach 210-220 from there or if we are 50 for 4, he has to build the innings.
"Batting in the middle order at 5, 6, or 7 is very tough. That is why Hardik's role is critical in any format. We know his bowling. He bowls in key phases, with the new ball, in the middle and in the death as well. His role is very important because he gives the team balance, letting us play six bowlers and keep our batting deep."
Rohit said accommodating both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy together in the playing XI is going to be a big challenge for the Indian team management.
"The biggest challenge for captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir will be how to play both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy together. If you want that combination, you can only do it if you play with two seamers, which is a big challenge.
"But honestly, I would be tempted to play both Varun and Kuldeep because they are wicket-takers and batters struggle to read them. I would surely pick them."
The former India skipper added, "Looking at the conditions in India, like in this New Zealand series, there is a lot of dew. In February and March, dew will be heavy across most parts as winter ends.
"Even in Mumbai, which doesn't get cold, there's still dew. I'd say 90-95 percent of grounds in India have dew. That's the challenge. What do the coach and captain think? Are they comfortable with three spinners? Then they can play spin, but there's no fixed rule. It depends on the team leaders' thinking."
Rohit also urged Kuldeep to stop appealing on every ball and to rely on the wicketkeeper's judgment for reviews.
"My one simple advice to Kuldeep is to just bowl quietly and go back to his mark. You can't appeal on every ball. This is basic. I keep saying it, but it still happens often. Even after telling him many times, he appeals at every chance. You have to use your head. Just because it touches the pad, it doesn't mean it's out every time. This isn't gully cricket.
"I get he is enthusiastic, but think of the team first. Each team only gets two DRS reviews. If I was the keeper, I could see where the ball pitched and if it was hitting, I could tell the bowler.
"But from covers or slip, you don't know the angle. You have to listen to what the keeper and bowler say. That's why when there's a review off Kuldeep's bowling, I don't look at him, I look at the keeper to decide."
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in venues across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
