Friday, April 15, 2011

Of Old men, Amul baby, Shashi Tharoor and Kerala elections: Post election disconnected reflections.

The elections are over but the generation war continues. In the media, which is trying to prolong it.

Yesterday, Shashi Tharoor, the super diplomat (a misnomer? – has been getting his foot in the mouth every time he opens it) took up the cudgels. The Amul Baby is a symbol of development, he tweets. Of White Revolution, of the success of cooperative movement and what not. And the NIE, 15th April 2010, has done everything in its power to sensationalise Tharoor’s tweet as another instance of foot in the mouth. They are using it to launch another controversy on Tharoor, the media’s pet.
‘NEW DELHI: While the entire Congress went hammer and tongs against(sic) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan's "Amul Baby" remark against Rahul Gandhi, former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor says he does not find it insulting.
"Don't see why "Amul baby" an insult. Amul babies are fit, strong, focused on the future. Symbolise white revolution which brought milk to the masses,"
The party on the contrary had slammed Achutanandan for it.
And then the paper continues “this is not the first remark by Tharoor in which he has taken a different stand from that of the party. His cattle class remarks blah blah blah - - - .

The NIE efforts will come to naught 'cos the party would like to bury the issue in which Rahul Gandhi was the loser and Achumamman came out victorious!

And the people of Kerala had a good laugh - with Achumamman and at R Gandhi. Many, however, were annoyed by R Gandhi’s remark, which was very much in bad taste – particularly since he was backing to the hilt another octogenarian CM in the neighbouring state who has proved to be a super manipulator from his wheel chair, beside being the godfather of scamsters.

Unlike Karuna who has become the very epitome of corruption, Achumamman is known for his uncompromising integrity. But then, the Congress party has perfected the art of backing, and leaving no stone unturned to shield a corrupt or evil ally. They have intelligent, articulate and glib spokesmen (Abihkek Sanghvi & Manish Tiwari to mention a couple) to do that for the party. The KPCC leaders, the Congress spokesmen and that Bong heavy weight FM found Achuthanandan’s remark ‘uncivilized’!!?? oh, come on, give me a break! And they were deafeningly silent on the most objectionable remark made by the 40 year old R Gandhi!!!

This is a country which reveres gray hair, and the “old man” remark by the uncrowned king of the Congress party was most unwarranted. It would have been most appropriate for the Congress party to admit that it was R Gandhi who had his foot in the mouth, and tendered an apology on his behalf, if R Gandhi’s overblown status prevented him from apologizing himself.

Coming to the damage coalition governance has done to the Congress party, the scams rocking the Centre will testify to it. In my state , the most unpardonable action of the party was the way the KPCC and the Opposition leaders went up the hill and down the dale defending Kujnalikkutty. The least they could have done was to keep silent. Oommen Chandy whom I’d always admired crashed beyond redemption in my esteem.

I’m happy about my inability (technical reasons) to cast my vote. It would have seriously affected my integrity to vote for the Congress party that has been mulishly giving protection to scamsters and rapists. To vote the LDF back to power would have made Kerala an unlivable place for the next five years with Gunda Raj of the DYFI taking over. Of course, in the opposition they are even worse – they will not allow a single day of proper governance.

How long are we, the silent majority, going to take this predicament lying down, I wonder?

11 comments:

  1. The last para I am totally in terms with.We can't go for both is our real dilemma.
    Reg,tharoor's comment,I think what's the 'different opinion' issue in that for the media ? Isn't it in itself a very genuine and sarcastic humour from Tharoor ? still with his so called party.In a way V.S is acting very abnormal to all kinds of 'vibrant today' in life I feel.That stupid negation can be challenged in that 'amul strong' quote.
    Btw,I am not in for 'his uncompromising integrity'.If you are balanced and somewhat impartial,V.S is worse than any other politician.The 'hallow' he wears now is been bestowed upon him from the poor cynic media of Kerala..

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  2. Jack asses we are!
    Your doubt about Tharoor can put like this,"it is indeed a misnomer to think that he is virtuous. He is only extending the poking of his finger in every pie that he did while at the UN. And the rumour is he had Koffi Annan as accomplice.
    As for the remark of R. Gandhi , it is indeed a fact, but his party in cahoots with the geriatric wheel chair guy next doors was something the novice did not remember. Tells he is worse than his immature father!
    As for the aged ones we have Madame Gowri who is still hungry for power. And she is 93 plus.
    The least said the better about the Chandys and the brother in arms "Kunnahali" . Can we have soemthing else to discuss, may be a movie?

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  3. @ anil kurup
    that's the trouble we us - this let's talk of something else attitide. i'm one who subscribes heavily to that attitude. but the virtual revolution making waves all over the world gives hope - - -

    @ melange
    yes tharoor had his tongue in the cheek - but the media pretended not to see that fact and tried its best to sensationalise. sick.
    i think we have become cynics too. whatever may be acth'n's faults, being corrupt is not one of them. just imagine what this LDF govt would have done to the state if Pinarayi or kodiyeri were at the helm WITHOUT acvhu on board.

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  4. Well, "let's talk about something else...", the statement need not be taken literally. It was out of revulsion that I stated so.
    I do appreciate discussing topic even if they are unsavoury, offensive or distasteful.
    The problem with VS is that he is morally upright and has not used politics to accumulate booty.But that is not the case with the other comrades. The problem with VS is he is from a class of communists who can only rebel and destroy the status quo, but runs short of ideas as to the way out or via media. His actions in Munnar is one example. Good intent but devoid of the plan for the end game.

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  5. I thought I had already written a comment.may be,it is lost!
    I remember your post" The curious case of Shashi Tharoor".
    So,there is nothing surprising when it comes from him.But for this time,i agree with him. Amul babies are good.They are better than babies growing up in poverty!.Achuvettan is always full of sarcasm.And what is wrong in Rahul's observation?We have often talked about demented people sitting in the assembly and setting an age limit for this lucrative career.This is the only job without a retirement age.And even the demented ones haven't forgotten to loot the treasury.
    We need to get many of them out, cast them away to some remote uninhabited islands! K M Mani has grown corns on his ass, sitting on the assembly for too long.KR Gouri needs the support of two men to stand up.
    This is an addiction.They need treatment.

    What a fitting name Anil has given to Kunjali. Was it intentional?

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  6. Well said about Rahul and his remarks. If only Rahul had remembered that he had barely left another election ground where he led support to an aging, on the wheel chair candidate. But then Rahul is Rahul.. and not all Amul Babies can have a brain too, even after all the Amul milk that has been fed.
    Let us at least be happy that Kerala has produced two people who can be called corruption less .. VS and AK Anthony. But then where VS has the guts to say what he wants, Antony fails miserably. And for supporting Kunjalikutty, Anthony shows no "adarsh".
    I agree with the view that if VS is removed from LDF, then the party would have a tough time returning to power.. i.e if UDF wins.

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  7. I didn't have a vote. So i'm happy i didn't have to waste my time. Both the frontiers do irrevocable bad some way. I think there should be some rating system rather than voting and an impartial judiciary deciding between the rating who the next party should be to log on to power. Yeah, i know that's impossible, unpractical and utter non nonsensical in our God's Own Country. But voting would mean voting someone to power, it would mean supporting someone regardless of what bad(apart from good) he does and what good (apart from bad) the opponent does. Indian voting system, should evolve, considering the unpredictable and nontransparent political scenario, into something like a questionnaire or star based rating system, i opine. The overseer or the judge then, i think should be God Himself. Who else is unavailable for our political parties to influence?

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  8. That'll have ensured a lot of butter flew around. Amul probably received more exposure than it would if it had put out advertisements.

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  9. KPJ,
    Rahul had both his feet in his mouth. No wonder hardly any came to listen to him.
    VS have proved to be an astute politician in recent years. He is in close touch with the mood of the masses unlike other CPM leaders.

    This LDF Government was the best performing of all recent Govts in Kerala. Finance, Health, Education, Industries, Civil Supplies, Home, Electricity etc. all performed well. That is the reason why there was no anti-incumbency factor in this election.
    Still UDF may win because of Church, Mosque Committees, NSS, and Mathrubhoomi all lining up behind it. But seeing even you KPJ, one of the most ardent Left-hater, hesitant to vote UDF, LDF can have some hope.

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  10. I have a feeling Achumamma would be a different proposition the second term, if voted to power. His hands were tied during the first term, in spite of which he survived five years without compromising on certain basic values. He even boldly ventured into certain actions no politician would dare to take. I cannot help feeling that we could have seen wonders if he had the party behind him the last five years. If LDF were to come back, the CPI(M) too would be transformed beyond recognition with the party congress due this year.

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  11. Talking about voting - I would say that everyone should vote. And if there are no valid candidates - then you should put in a null vote - just mark all the candidates. There is a movement going on to get a ruling that if a constituency gets more than a % of votes as invalid, then all the candidates are disqualified for that term. I think this is a valid element of democracy that needs to be implemented.

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