When I was small many people would ask me what I wanted to become once I grow up and I used to think up lots of interesting profession to impress them. Astronomer and scientists topped the list while pilot and doctor closely followed (a friend of mine wanted to become gynaecologist and we laughed our hearts out). Never once in my life I imagined that I will be becoming a software engineer. I guess that has happened to most of the people around me (life is like couples sitting on a round table during dinner when all the couples think that the partner of their friend is better than theirs – same way as you think that your friends job is better than yours).
But hearing something like “I want to become a politician” is as obsolete as a road devoid of cow dung in India I thought a lot over this and I didn’t realize why was it that people didn’t want to become politicians. I mean you have got a good job where there is a definite job security (it is more secure than your marriage I assure you – I am sure that your job would never run away with your driver) no matter how hard you try not to work. I don’t know if you have noticed or not but the governments change quite often but the bureaucracy remains where it is. The financial security is also promised (what can be more pleasurable than after retiring you get a pension till you die and you don’t have to pay a single penny as tax). There is a bit of back pain when you have to bend your back a little while receiving money under the table but hell, that’s bearable. You get chauffeured driven car (although it is a roomy ambassador – but they designed it specifically for the ever expanding politician’s family who have a propensity to overtake their predecessors in the number of children they produce and also the amount of bribe they accept), free travel in trains all over India, get to make as many promises as you want without the pressure of fulfilling them (people don’t expect you to keep your word), you have the facility to buy your pet cows fodder worth 900 crore dollars and then when you retire you can earn those extra bucks by writing an autobiography. Aint it wonderful?
But still politicians are looked upon as some filthy creatures. I used to compare politicians with my old AC which makes a lot of noise but delivers very little. The truth is that 90% of the politicians give the rest 10% a bad name. not all the devils….sorry politicians are bad. Why just look at our Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Honoured with the title of the most honest politician he did make a difference in the Indian television industry. Without him several mimic artists would go hungry and we, without a laugh (my friend once had loose motions and he could frequently relieve himself midway of the prime ministers speech without missing a word – the advertisement companies have a ball when he is delivering).
But they tend to change often. I once asked my little sibling the name of the current PM and he said who cares remembering them when they behave like Indian batsmen in worldcup wherein you barely begin recognizing their names that they are gone. However it is necessary I think. Changing leaders do prevent stagnation of ideas. In fact I think politicians and diapers have something in common – they should be changed often and for the same reason.
But I do encourage my smaller siblings to take interest in politics and one day change the face of India however I am speechless when they ask me why I didn’t choose that line of career (its never too late for anything except when you have a locked bathroom door).
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedy.
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