When Gujarat suffered its devastating earthquake in the early 2,000, a Conservative Mayor of Bolton lodged an appeal to help the victims of that earthquake. An Appeal Committee was set up comprising leaders of the wider communities and some senior Councillors, majority of whom were Labour members, with a Labour Chairperson. It was formally agreed that any appeal funds collected would go ONLY to a project in Gujarat where most devastation had occurred.
However, when the funds were collected and they came to a large amount, a final meeting was held in which, the experienced Chairperson permitted, invalidly, several non-Committee members to influence their final decision on which project to support. Despite vehement objections from the bona fide Committee members, the money went to a project located in a non-devastated area with a large Muslim population.
After the meeting, I confronted a Labour councillor who I knew quite well. He said, “Sorry, Mr Mistry, I can’t stop to talk to you – I have an important meeting to attend to at the Halliwell Mosque – better show my face there.’!
So, Kapil, I think it goes without saying that our political masters appear to be deeply immersed in vote-catching exercises than in the wider good of the people they are meant to serve.
Uttambhai D Mistry
Bolton
