Last year, in an almost Raja-esque style, he was driven down the streets of Rampur in a Victorian era buggy, imported from London. Cheering school children had lined up his route. At the stroke of midnight, he brandished his cake knife to cut a 75 feet high cake, driving his supporters into a state of frenzy. After all, it is not always that the patriarch of Samajwadi party, the Kingpin of UP politics and an ex-Kingmaker of national politics Mulayam Singh Yadav, urf Netaji turns 75 years of age. You could not be blamed for believing that this would be a one time thing, especially because Mulayam’s bête noire, Mayawati was widely excoriated for turning her birthdays into gala events, where she would emerge on the stage, decked in the pinkest of colors, adorning kilos of Gold jewelry. Sadly, Mulayam’s 76th birthday, celebrated yesterday, outdid even the outlandish celebration held last year. As of now, it is safe to assume that if there is one thing that is preventing Uttar Pradesh from becoming Uttam Pradesh, it is the sheer volume of public money that is spent in celebrating its leaders’ birthdays.
If last year, it was Azam Khan’s fiefdom of Rampur that hosted Yadav senior, this year, Mulayam Singh Yadav was feted in his family backwater of Saifai. The likes of AR Rahman, Hariharan, HardKaur and many others showcased their talent as Mulayam Singh Yadav brought down the knife on a 5 tier, 77 Kg cake. With this, the 3-day extravaganza came to a close. Akhilesh showered glowing tributes upon his father, his cabinet members sang panes to the glory of the patriarch, and the assembled dignitaries spoke of the greatness of the man at the center stage. Mulayam Singh Yadav returned the compliments with his characteristic unintelligible gabble. Media covered the event dispassionately as they should have. There were no “The nation wants to know” nor any incendiary articles by enraged leftists. The world remained as it was. Next day, Saifai reverted to its original state- a dirty, god forsaken village that had enjoyed its brief moment in the sun. No one, for even a moment, pondered over the irony of a Samajwadi government presiding over a lavish extravaganza such as this. No one tut-tutted over the hollowness of the “Gaon, Gareeb aur Kisan” slogan that Samajwadis yell from rooftops. No one even expressed bemusement at the fact that the Samajwadi government was celebrating Mulayam’s birthday lavishly as Samta Diwas.
For the record, UP has declared drought in 50 of its 70 or so districts. In almost all parameters that are used to calculate the economic and social well being of a State, Uttar Pradesh continues to lag behind. Women’s safety is in God’s hands, communal violence is on the rise, Goonda politics, which Mayawati had curbed is back in full swing and yet the state coffers are being emptied to celebrate the greatness of a man who not so long ago had defended rapists as “Boys will be boys, they make mistakes” and had incredulously asked “is it possible for four men to rape a woman“? In fact, 3000 security personnels were diverted from other districts to protect Mulayam Singh Yadav and his entourage, without any thought to the security of the denizens in other parts of the state. What has Mulayam done to deserve grandiose celebrations for his birthday? One must examine his contribution to the state and national politics closely. Mulayam’s rise in Indian politics stems from post Mandal politics, wherein Mulayam, like Laloo, emerged as someone who forged caste based fronts deftly to emerge victorious and was wooed by other political parties. In fact, in terms of corruption, maladministration, lack of development, the two Yadav Chieftains have much in common.
What is most shocking about this splurge of public money is not the ostentatiousness of it all, nor is it the obsequiousness shown by political leaders in hailing Mulayam Singh Yadav as the messiah, nor is it the blatant mockery of Samajwadi ideals, but the studied silence maintained by our “intellectual classes” that not so long ago had suffered excessive diarrhea at the rise of intolerance in the country. How can the moral compasses of our country maintain silence and remain calm at this profligacy in one of India’s poorest state? Should there not be any candle marches, fiery interviews, or angry denouncements of Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son’s government? At least someone should return an award received from UP government citing this waste of public money? Or are these gestures reserved only during electioneering?
Best wishes for your 76th Birthday, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav. May you live to see a disastrous electoral defeat at the hands of the Janata who you have been fooling for the last 4 years!