There’s no doubt the reckless act by the five youngsters in Parliament is a very serious one. But just as a wise parent goes deeper into why his or her child caused a tantrum, we as a nation need to delve into this episode, especially after realising it was not meant to cause harm or injury to any of our elected representatives.

Why should we do this?

The reason is that once we treat something unusual as a symptom, then we will be able to deal with the disease.

Why, you may ask, do we need to think of this as a symptom?

Because, these youngsters knew they would be caught. There was no escape route once they jumped into the House. They knew they would be apprehended, arrested, charged under a non-bailable act and most probably spend many years in jail.

Which means they were willing to lay down their lives for a cause, and when that happens, we need to examine the cause, instead of brushing it under the carpet and treat it as an act of terror.

A few months ago, we had young girls protesting for weeks and months in the capital. They had exhausted all legal remedies and had finally decided the only way to showcase the sexual atrocities committed against them was to protest in the middle of Delhi.

Again, like these five who jumped into Parliament, those girls were all youngsters.

The powers that be don’t like such protests. They would prefer to go the long-drawn-out legal way.

As a student, something that frequently happened in my childhood were strikes and bandhs.

They were quite disruptive with a lot of stone throwing and shouting and boycotting of classes, but I remember quite clearly that finally the principal would sit with the representatives of these students and work out a settlement which was mutually agreeable. Those principals understood youth!

YSRC MP from Hindupur Gorantla Madhav was among the members in the Lok Sabha who swiftly tackled the intruders. “The thick smoke had a pungent smell," he said.

I’m sure the House must have been swept clean by now, and air fresheners applied to remove every trace of a stink, but there’s another stink which has been raised, and it’s one that’s going across the nation, and it asks, “What ails the nation?”

Yes, why are farmers giving up lives and livelihood to protest, sportswomen giving up medals and honour, and five youngsters willing to have given up their lives?

Are we listening? Because, if we aren’t we will only see more of such unholy, reckless acts taking place. It’s time the government put aside it’s iron fist, and started giving a listening ear.

Today, that is the single most important duty of our Parliamentarians; to clear the stink...!

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