As Kolkata go to the polls tomorrow in the last leg
of the world’s largest electioneering extravaganza, citizens are at the
crossroads of a big decision making amidst a promotional cocktail yet again.
I remember penning down my random thoughts on the
eve of the last state level elections wherein change was deliberated as the key
theme.
The Indian elections, as one popular Television commercial argues,
justifiably at that, are the greatest talent show on earth.
You must give it to the Indian politician; they have
never leave any stone un-turned and make a sincere effort to realize their
fullest potential with regards to their communication skills. I speak this from
heart without an iota of sarcasm. Their versatility with multiple media is just
amazing. Television, SMSes, New Age Social Media, Print Media …none seem to be a
challenge for them. Ducks taking to
water is surely an understatement. Questions posed by self-styled media anchors
on national television are often on the borderline of medieval insanity yet every time the Indian politician comes out a winner. His intellectual capability and comfort with statistics make a dwarf out of many a journalist.
I often feel
that the Indian politician is a battered lot in a country wherein aspirations diversity would put the proverbial chalk and cheese to shame, if those had some
feelings, that is. Again, the conventional
wisdom attributes the failures of our nation on virtually every other front to
the equivalence of leadership goodness (read badness).
In retrospect, don’t you think we are somewhat
unfair to this living and kicking creature called the "Indian Politician"? How
many times do we take a brand manufacturer to court for failing to comply with
the expectations promulgated in the national media? I wish someone comes up
with some R K Laxman type common man cartoon which epitomizes the ignominy of
the common politician.
Can we be fair for once and appreciate the tight
roping he or she has to do; on one hand his ruthless affiliation... validating
the financial viability of his choice (particularly if one is a rookie) and on
the other mapping back into the topi clad financial modesty model, so strongly
and sacredly drafted and grafted in the mind of his or her voter over the years.
Mind you, we are in an age which has March-past the notion of Huxley’s Time as
a tyrant years ago and is now under the post wherein Time is equaled to money but then our Politician is supposedly "other worldly". We determine the success of every other practitioner in terms of how much money he earns yet....
It is my feeling that those who hold high apolitical
offices in this country are a more privileged lot. After all they do not have
to face an appraisal every 5 years (which returns the prospect of joblessness) and
is neither favored with the luxury of bending rules without much of public
glare (unless it gets into the point of no return) like we have been seeing in
the case of some of our sporting bodies.
Perhaps no other occupation in this country is
subjected to the level of hostility from its prized “P” like this one. As we go
into this last phase of the world’s largest “talent show” or “extravaganza” …whichever
way you see it let us salute the Indian politician for his relentless passion in
the backdrop of 360 degree hostility. Even the otherwise “kind” god, weather
notwithstanding, have been indifferent this time round.
