The central government complained about “prophets of doom” who only spread negativity and have refused to take cognizance of the efforts taken by the government to tackle the issue.
New Delhi| After being grilled by the Supreme Court over the issue of migrant workers today, the central government complained about “prophets of doom” who only spread negativity and have refused to take cognizance of the efforts taken by the government to tackle the issue.
“We have something called prophets of doom who only spread negativity. All these people writing on social media, giving interviews cannot even acknowledge what is being done. They are not showing courtesy to the nation. They don’t even have the patriotism to acknowledge that,” Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General said.
The SG representing centre made the comments after he said he wanted to register “two complaints”.
“A large number of steps were taken by the government and the Supreme Court was fully satisfied about it earlier,” Mehta further said.
He said none of these people acknowledged the fact that state governments and ministers were “working overnight”.
Referring to the Pulitzer-winning photograph of a vulture and a starving child in Sudan, taken in 1983, Mehta said, “There was a vulture and a panic-stricken child. The vulture was waiting for the child to die. He photographed it and the photo was published in NYT and the photographer was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He committed suicide after four months. He was not an activist. He was not running an NGO. He was a man with a conscience.”
“A journalist had asked him, what happened to the child? He said I don’t know, I had to return home. Then the reporter asked him – how many vultures were there? He said one. The reporter said – no. There were two. One was holding the camera.”
The Solicitor General, continuing his attack at the opposition, activists, and journalists who’ve been criticizing the government’s handling of the migrant crisis, questioned whether any of them stepped out of their air-conditioned offices and drawing rooms to help others.
“Those who come before your Lordships, let them establish their credentials. They earn in crores. Have they spent a penny? People are feeding people on the streets. Had any of them cared to come out of their AC offices? All these people who are critiquing, has anyone of them also come out of their air-conditioned drawing rooms to help? All these people wanting to intervene need to apply the vulture and child story. What have they contributed? Before entertaining any of them, ask them to file an affidavit on what has been their contribution? Except for writing on social media, penning articles, giving interviews,” Mehta further said.
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