Shahid Rashid Rather
Basant Rath, the ex- top cop of traffic police has been transferred which jolted the youth of Kashmir valley, which he considers his constituency. This part of the state, mostly, looks at its leaders and officers with skepticism. Basant Rath, perhaps, in a very long time, is an exception. He is the only officer who would roam around the Srinagar city without his escorts. Would take a bicycle ride to check the traffic movement. Would don casual trousers and T-shirt,board a mini-bus to keep a check on over-loading. He would dare to ‘mess’ with big hoteliers and restaurant owners who had their estates extended beyond permissible limits. He would lesson the youth on roads regarding safe riding and how it is dangerous to go careless about driving without helmets and seat-belts. His physical presence on the roads coincided with his virtual presence on social media. Send him a complaint about a traffic jam on twitter and within seconds, traffic cops would show up on roads to clear it. This was appreciable. His honesty, character and integrity was hailed by one and all. SP Vaid, the former DGP of J&K has also commended his honesty. He enjoys a massive fan following among youth of the valley. His antics attract large crowd and his unorthodoxy has succeeded to manoeuver the traffic to a large extent. In a restive part of this state, one cannot fathom the fact that a non-resident police officer of the rank IGP (IPS) roams around without security when even local policemen are scared to visit their homes sans security.
This week, Rath has found himself mired into a controversy when he, as usual, couldn’t stay silent after the new mayor of Srinagar city; Junaid Matto blabbered on wetlands wherein he demeaned their significance. Basant Rath, discreetly, referred to Junaid Matto as cabbage and tweeted ‘only a cabbage can think otherwise’. This didn’t go well with Junaid Matto and his backers in Peoples’ Conference and BJP who eventually effected his transferred in very quick time. This is, at least, what netizens and common people believe.
This should have not been happened at the very first place. Junaid Matto had run his campaign around the word ‘change’ but this is not a welcome change. If Basant Rath’s transfer was on cards perhaps it should have been avoided at this juncture, at least. Political leaders should try to instil confidence of people in officers and not, in a way, undo it. It sends a wrong signal that there is no respect for honest, upright, rectitude and dedicated officers. Kashmir needs officers like Rath who make people believe that officers from rest of the India are like their own. Who can make people understand that people from the rest of the India can better our lives? Ego bashing could have taken a leave for some time. Political leaders needed Basant more than people needed him. Basant was a hero for us who not only admire our culture but would eagerly try his hand at singing in our weddings. His twitter handle goes by the name, ‘Kangricarrier’- Kangri is an earthen part used by locals to warm themselves in winter.
Basant was not only a crowd puller but he succeeded in his mission, to a large extent. His success in streamlining traffic in Jammu province is largely attributed to his work ethics. He doesn’t like interference in his work. He, many a times, had online verbal spat with who’s who of politics but he is unapologetic too. He once tweeted that, ”he doesn’t smoke friendship” when a netizens complained that he had fined a friend for non-compliance of traffic rules.
Now when I am jotting down this piece as a tribute that the youth of J&K love him, he tweets a picture of his interview with TOI. He says; “I am not here to worry about someone’s sense of entitlement just because he or she is politically well-connected. If I am able to connect with the masses, I have a reason to be proud of my style of work.” This tells that how much rapport he had developed with the masses.
Not only his mother wanted him to be like this (as he wrote on twitter) but we all, the youth of Kashmir wanted him to be like this. He has regenerated a hope in us and we want him to be given a role again that can help us connect with him, again. Basant Rath, you are being missed. And you tell us, what was the change; his stay or his removal.
( The author is a freelancer. Views are his own)
