Why are rooms at Maharashtra Sadan out of bounds for ordinary people?

'By their actions, the Sena MPs diverted attention from the original issue that sub-standard food and services are offered at Maharashtra Sadan. It is disconcerting that the state's official guest house in the national capital has such poor standards,' says N Suresh.

When Shiv Sena MPs stooped to a new low at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi last month, its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, distanced itself from the act and finally said the Sainiks should apologise.

As expected, Sena President Uddhav Thackeray stood rock solid behind his MPs and defended their actions. Why does this not come as a shock?

The Sena is a political ideology, driven by violence.

The Sena was going downhill when it was resurrected by the Narendra Modi wave in the general election. People undeserving to be civic corporators have been elected Members of Parliament.

Since the beginning of the Budget session of Parliament, the Sena MPs have been complaining about Maharashtra Sadan. Thereafter, there were complaints that students are not being given discounted stays, about the quality of food served and the fact that no Marathi delicacies were being served. On July 17, the Sainiks went beyond all accepted civic behaviour.

But then what does one expect from such leaders? They only know this language and this form of behaviour.

By their actions, the Sena MPs diverted attention from the original issue that sub-standard food and services are offered at Maharashtra Sadan.

It is disconcerting that the state's official guest house in the national capital has such poor standards. The obvious question is why is the government involved in running it?

Why is the choice of caterer and the people to run it a political decision, in the first place?

Why is that an ordinary person from Maharashtra, when visiting Delhi, cannot get a room there at a reasonable cost?

Why are the rooms at the Sadan always booked by ministers, bureaucrats and officials? These are pertinent issues that need to be tackled, but these are now forgotten.

I remember visiting the guest houses of the North-Eastern states in Kolkata. To my surprise, there were poor people also living there. Students or participants for various national programmes never get discounts or more than three days stay at Maharashtra Sadan. All the bookings are only done through political influence, like it always happens in our country.

These are genuine concerns, but surely not something that one would expect Sainiks to tackle. As a citizen of Maharashtra I expect the Sainiks to use their time in Parliament to rectify procedures and decisions. That is what MPs are expected to do. But considering most of these have resorted to such actions even in the state assembly, one can't expected intelligently thought out actions from them.

Image: The Shiv Sena fracas at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi.