Never before in the history of India have politicians seen so in the doghouse as they are today. Not even during the Emergency of the 1970s. A period, by the way, when the opposition behaved somewhat more elegantly than today’s ruling parliamentarians
Unaccustomed to even being spoken back to, “mantriji”s suddenly don’ t know what hit them. They’re in absolute shock as they find they actually have to put their foot back in their mouth — and leave! Sorry, but ha ha ha ha. Home Minister, Shivraj Patil had to finally pack his bag of fancy clothes and go. End of career. Deputy chief minister Maharashtra whose reassuring comment on the teorror attacks was that “these things happen in big cities” now finds the rug pulled out from under his pompous feet. Maharashtra chief minsiter may as well start counting the hours after he made the insensitive faux pas of stolling into the disaster zone with film maker pal Ram Gopal Varma and hiw own actor son, Rietesh. Future film plot ideas? Well, when he goes it won’t be a moment too soon for me.
In Kerala, the chief minister tried to pay an afterthought of a condolence visit to the home of martyred commando Sandeep Unni Krishnan. This after no minister turned up for the commando’s funeral. Quite rightly and to the satisfaction of everyone not in the “political community”, the minister was thrown out on his ear and called a stinking dog. Way to go! \
But even when they’re trying to say the right thing, the TIIC are sounding singularly uninspring. As I write this, Sharad Pawar is trying to explain some of these resignations and is ending up sounding like he’s swallowing cardboard and not liking the taste of it one bit. Our own prime minister’s reassurance to the nation sounded like a gentle nursary rhyme delivered flatline.
Boy, do these guys need a politicians’ finishing school or what! In more senses than one. Watch your words dudes, watch your words!