Game of thrones – All men must have their bucket share…

Game of thrones – All men​​ must​​ have their bucket share...

Vice President, and gearing to be the president, of the oldest party in India finds PM Modi’s silence over Gujarat CM’s role​​ in manipulative trading acts questionable...

This coming from a man whose party’s PM, yes – not some state CM but the country’s PM, has been labelled as mute for his mystifying ability to stay mum at even the most flagrant issues, is very impressive. The​​ entire congress fraternity must be heaving a sigh of relief. Their prince has finally started taking baby steps towards his party’s ultimate goal of having the next Gandhi, after his daddy, to take the throne.​​ 

Congress got to rule the country for two successive terms before losing power to BJP in 2014. During the decade long rule Dr. Manmohan Singh was surprisingly made the PM. Imagine the hurt and betrayal Rahul baba must have felt at being side-lined for the post which had been earmarked for him since he​​ opened his eyes for the first time. Having grown up (still at it) seeing the throne firmly in his family reins and the cherished expectation of someday inheriting the throne from his dad, just like his dad had from his mother, it couldn’t have been easy seeing a petty scholar being put on his favourite chair even as a dummy.​​ 

The Greater good

But, he swallowed the poison for the greater good. And his sacrifice didn’t go in vain. A lot of good that did too. Commonwealth games, 2G spectrum and the coal allocation to name a few.​​ 

For an entire decade, the entire nation screamed at the man it had apparently chosen (citizens take pride in this illusion) to speak up on its behalf. He opted to stay mum. Rahul’s mum was happy and so was the prince. Even his​​ brother in law​​ was happy, who is a successful business man and is​​ not interested in changing his occupation. Hell, even​​ Mr Kalmadi​​ was happy and he is not even distantly related. How’s that for serving the cause of greater good. ​​ 

With all that good he has done, to still have the courage to stand up and question the current PM on his silence over the role Mr Rupani has allegedly played in​​ the ‘manipulative trading in a listed firm’​​ episode in Gujarat, is a testament to his political will and shows an unparalleled strength of character.​​ 

The entire country witnessed this exemplary strength as well as sense of timing when he made a surprise entry at a​​ meet-the-press programme​​ of his party in 2013 to denounce and​​ reject the ordinance​​ meant to negate the Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers. The country also did not miss the astonishing restraint and self-control he had shown for months when the bill was being drafted, tabled, passed, then sent back by​​ the president and finally during the drafting of the ordinance by his party’s government.​​ 

The virtues of royal blood have always preceded him from India to foreign shores. Recently, at the​​ University of Berkeley, the entire planet had the pleasure to hear his profound wisdom on​​ democracy and​​ dynasty.​​ 

The strength of his royal character, his political will and restraint, separates him from scholars,​​ reformers​​ and tea vendors.

The Tea vendors

Tea vendors, though without the royal blood, have certain prized qualities of their own. Most importantly it’s their business acumen which is second to none. They not only run business but can talk, walk and even laugh business. Whilst, for politicians every business is politics, for tea vendors everything is business. Politicians are often accused of discrimination on the basis of castes, religion and/or region, whereas the tea vendors, they don’t practice discrimination. Nothing gets spared, be it elections, voting or voting machines, government, state, country or its​​ banknotes. All are treated equally –​​ with disdain.​​ 

And the activist

Let’s spare a thought for those poor, hard-working activists. They come up every once in a while, full of new-fangled ideas and ideologies. People see them from afar twinkling in the dark knights. They get all excited. Hopeful eyes​​ throng​​ to get one look at these white knights. For days the knights sing the song of joy. The change is in the air, they say out loud. Alas, the music ends. A hoarse cacophony is all that is left. It’s true after all isn’t it? The more it changes, the more it remains the​​ same.