Asif Khan Inc.

Politics

Election time, and the nation of a billion people get to witness the biggest and most gripping reality show ever. What we have now are mere teasers though. Politics has always been something which hasn’t gone down well, specially at this season. After all, it is one of the most ludicrous portrayal of the levels you could see fellow human beings stoop down to.

Youth – the next big thing to take over politics, with euphemisms of every possible manner being bestowed upon them, seem to be the buzzword on everyone’s imagination – after all, isn’t young blood supposed to inject new life? What we rather get to see are videos of incendiary speeches by an LSE grad! All of which is followed by a series of denials and half baked fumbling for excuses. And finally a condemnation by the EC. Is this the kind of youth who aspires to lead our nation, or are we naive enough to be lead by them?

Riots – and nobody likes getting the skeletons out of the closet. Justice though, is imperative. Even though the skeletons in this case may not be as figurative as they usually refer to in the adage. And a political candidate being termed a ‘terrorist’ by a court of law for leading a mob during one of the most heinous pogroms in the nation’s history.

Even then, we don’t get to hear any valid acceptance of a lapse anywhere. Just denials and a stance of being on the defensive. Why is it so difficult to admit that you fucked up? Unless of course, you are rotten fucked.

Amar Singh agrees that they have all been responsible for fielding ‘controversial’ candidates, but now all the criminals belong to Mayawati’s party (NDTV 24×7, Left Right Center, 28 Mar ’09)! Even now, we are not spared the politics of mud slinging. We should really learn how not to leave focus from these guys! Best of all, Ravi Shankar Prasad, while taking out his resentment on Mani Shankar Aiyar, and blaming the Congress for all the ailments afflicting the country, mentions the issue of ‘economic downturn’. What could have anybody, let alone the Congress have done anything to avert this global phenomenon? And what is it that the BJP has on its cards that it thinks would brings the Indian economy (which has still been lucky enough to not have dipped to the levels of other more developed nations)? If it does, Obama’s administration would sure lend more than a listening ear for some sound advice.

Distressing – and disturbing when you think this is just the beginning.