Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is our PM's call for cleanliness. We need is a hero, preferably a super-hero like our current
PM, to do the right things. Now we will keep our surroundings clean. We were
teaching our kids about the importance of staying clean but the adults needed a
hero to rephrase it. No PM has ever told us so lucidly. Nor anyone had the idea
of using MK Gandhi's spectacles as the logo of such a grand campaign. I was at
Bodh Gaya on Oct 2nd when I saw a group of people walking together with brooms
in their hands. My wife thought it's a procession by AAP. Going by the
dwindling show of popularity of the corruption-hunters in recent elections, I
wasn't sure. Later we heard about this wonderful campaign... I'm sorry, wonderful near-revolution. Mother India would soon
wake up hearing these slogans and tell her sons "Apne haath dho le
Vijay".
J Jayalalitha, the erstwhile CM of Tamil Nadu, was sent to jail on Sept 27
on disproportionate assets case. This was unprecedented as no CM in office was
ever given this privilege. We had cases of ex-CMs being greeted with such honor
though. Today Supreme Court has granter her bail. There were reports of ~20
people dying in shock hearing the jail sentence of the great leader (‘Puratchi
Thalaivi’), some of heart attack and some committing suicides. Prayers and
sacrifices of her followers did pay off (Come on, God never shies away from a
believer). Amma is back outside the premises of that prison cell. Confinement in
a jail was suffocating for a leader of her stature. Thousands are celebrating
across TN as the news broke. What an unbelievable life Ms. JJ has had! People
who committed suicide a few days back would be looking down from the heaven
(there is no hell for a fan of any full- or demi-God) and missing the fun
today. Wish they had chilled a bit and didn't take the step in a hurry. Go
slow, my fellow countrymen... give God a chance to react to your prayers... that's
today's learning.
Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal led AAP are all moving into obscurity. These
were predictable failures. I always find anti-corruption brigade very boring. First of
all, they lack the X-factor. Anna was 70+ when he was highlighted by Indian
media. He was given an image suitable for his age and target audience by the
image consultants working in media disguised as reporters. In no time, he rose
to fame and many became his fans. An honest, simple man started to look like a
hero. Indians love heroes. Arvind Kejriwal grew close to Anna and at some point
wanted to go his way. Media (and their readers/audience) shunned Anna and moved
towards a more photogenic, English-speaking, IIT graduate Arvind Kejriwal who
was equally angry with corrupt politicians, in fact even more aggressive and
articulate and seemed more prepared with a tryst with public life. OK... I've
written before. Now AAP looks frail, limping on its weak knees. Media lost
interest in them after LS polls earlier this year. Their partymen started
showing off riffs and ego-clashes.
They were never my type. I am more interested into a more flamboyant set.
Lalit Modi - always
wears a tie; was pleaded guilty in cocaine trafficking and kidnapping case
while studying in Duke University, USA; charged with a huge scam while running
IPL business; currently president of a state cricket board.
Madhu Koda - a true ‘rags
to riches’ story; his life should be made a compulsory read at the 4th
standard in every school; went to jail in 2009 but out on bail since 2013; very keen on fighting elections with his new party.
Asaram Bapu - a
colorful man... all the way.
Ramalinga Raju - MBA
from Ohio University; taught Indians entrepreneurship; chose a name ‘Satyam’ for
his software giant; I don't think he did something others don't except some silly mistakes somewhere that threw him behind the bars; silently moved out of jail on bail.
N Srinivasan - MS from
Chicago; industrialist; former president of BCCI; his love for the game of cricket is deep; has handpicked a son-in-law who loves the game too; Supreme Court requested him to step down as BCCI president as it was nauseating that he was still in office; currently chairman of ICC and fighting various charges.
Mukul Roy – sprung up
from nowhere 10Y back; rose to No. 2 in TMC (close aide of Mamata Banerjee), national secretary and the virtual
owner of the party until yesterday when Mamata kind of sidelined him due to
allegations on different scams.
Ajay Jadeja – youth icon
with royal Rajput blood; hard-hitting batsman (his sixer to Wakar Younis’ in-swinging
yorker is still a hit); had a 5Y ban due to match-fixing; happily gives away
cameo performances here and there.
India is flooded with talents. All I have to do is pick up a pebble and
throw in order to hit a talent, but not everyone is classy. I’ll keep adding to
the above list. For now it’s my humble offering to anyone who found Indians
spiritual and deep. Degrees, family backgrounds – nothing really comes as a
hindrance to national integration here. These are some of my favorite Indian
Gods. Why do we need God in idols when we have these living samples? In fact IPL is such an interesting topic for me that I may write on and on.