Naked truths that Kodela's suicide reveals

There are so many unanswered questions behind Andhra Pradesh's former Assembly Speaker Dr Kodela Siva Prasada Rao's death that investigating officers are toiling to disentangle. No wonder, the mysterious death of a politician of Rao's stature has opened a Pandora's box in Andhra Pradesh politics. While the Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) vehemently accuses the ruling YSR Congress party of harassing the septuagenarian by foisting false cases, YSRCP leaders and Ministers steadfastly deny the charges and put the blame on TDP and its chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu for subjecting the six-time MLA and former Speaker to utmost mental agony by ill-treating him. Meanwhile, the deceased leader's nephew came up with a theory by stating that it was plain murder by Rao's own son.

Let the sleuths work on it and find out the truth. But his alleged suicide is only an indication of the worsening political order in the country of late. It may be remembered that former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul ended his life on a piece of rope in his office on August 9, 2016, at the age of 47, apparently disturbed by the political developments in the State. There was a time when politics and political parties were purely platformed to serve the nation and to strive for the betterment of society. No politician was accused of any scam and they lived simple and honest lives, doing as much as possible for the society.

But over a period of time, things have changed drastically, making renowned writer-philosopher GB Shaw's famous quote 'politics is the last resort of a scoundrel' literally true in our country.

Shady industrialists, gang leaders, land grabbers, self-proclaimed godmen, power-hungry actors, exploited pinups, bigots, businessmen and all and sundry found refuge in politics to carry out their illegal trades without being caught. The sanctity of politics and our legislative houses has gone to drains with megalomaniacs, rapists and ruffians finding their way to the corridors of power, by bribing voters and heaping false promises on credulous common folks. Disrespecting others by using unparliamentary and abusive language has become the order of present-day politics.

The way defections have been happening in the country is a solid proof of deteriorating political systems and the death of democracy. Every leaders' aim seems to cling to power by hook or by crook and they shamelessly change parties making a fool of people who voted them to power in the name of a particular political party. Unholy alliances and political vendetta have been raising their ugly heads very often framing the rivals in criminal cases and blackmailing them behind the curtains. Yes, might is right in today's world where no politician finds time to discuss the growing unemployment, alarming agriculture crisis, economic slowdown, farmer suicides, rapes, the illegal amassment of wealth by corporates, mob lynching and myriad other issues that plague the nation.

No one knows where the country is heading for and no wonder why harassed politicos end lives.