One image could effectively convey many a things that could be explained through words, either written or spoken, and even those feelings that could never be explained.
The image of one former union minister V Narayanasamy holding his footwear offering them to the leader who had no credentials of his own, but for his pedigree, was a really disturbing one in many respects. It shows the nation of more than a billion people had to evolve yet to be called a decent nation, where people can be considered equal, even at notional level – because in absolute terms, there is no equality, except in utopia.
First, the occasion was to see and gauge the suffering of ordinary people, who had witnessed the unexpected fury of the nature. Rahul Gandhi could have done an aerial survey, like the prime minister did, which he cannot afford due to the fact that he is in opposition and needs to connect with people. Correct! But, when he was visiting people, whose houses were submerged in the water, how can he expect to move around without wetting his feet. He did what any sane person does, he simply removed his shoes. Till now, there is no problem. Immediately, V Narayanasamy, one of his sycophants removed his footwear and held it for the young leader, who was standing on a piece of rock.
Frankly, I don’t have a problem with Rahul Gandhi in this episode. Anyone who was in his position would simply prefer to have the slippers rather than walking in the mud barefoot.
For one, the organizers could’ve brought another pair of slippers. OK. Congress is not exactly known for such detailed planning. But, in his eagerness to entertain the prince, former union minister offered his slippers, in front of – of all the things, before media.
When there was an outcry, V Narayanasamy even justified his action saying it was only out of courtesy he did what he did. Hmmm!!! Nice display of sycophancy.
For two days I wondered what Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Ambedkar and Subhas Chandra Bose would have thought of this fellow, had they been alive today. They would have realized the futility of independence to India, given the fact that even nearly after seven decades of independence, Indians have largely remained Slaves. Slaves to their own minds and thoughts.
It is common knowledge that even panchayat ward members (not even serpents) treat their fellow people shabbily, so expecting such decency towards a common citizen of India, might have shown the glorious side of V Narayanasamy ‘s humility. However, dressed in spotless whites, visiting the flood victims, his action of holding slippers for his leader who was nearly twenty years younger to him is a fact that doesn’t speak of his magnanimity, but lack of free spirit in his sycophantic mind that was always controlled by greed, and only greed.
More than the perpetrator, it was the victim who was responsible if the crime is repeated, for they don’t stand up. If a person of former union minister stature can stoop to such a low in his life, what can one expect from regular citizens? In any regular party, people follow blindly their so called leaders, for their own profits. In all cases, except in high profile ones, these profits might be only one time meals or some financial help or a job. All political activists, who claim they are ‘social workers’ are nothing but parasites that feast on the body of their leaders.
What can we expect in a country, where everybody criticises ‘corruption’, but was ready to pay for his berth in the train or for his son’s employment in the police?
I recollected the young boy whom I met in the railway station of Nanded, in earlier nineties. He was with a diploma in engineering but jobless. On queried why he remained jobless, he replied “By bad luck, I was born a Brahmin and so have no reservation to get a job”.
I fired that fellow then and there. I told him that he cannot be a Brahmin, because, come what may a Brahmin would never cringe and cry and blame others – for his own failures. All those who believe in themselves and struggle against all odds are Brahmins and not those simply born in particular families.
However, when I introspect the discussion, at a later date, I realized how rotten our society had become. It is generally believed Brahmins were proud, arrogant and here was a boy – all of twenty years of age, with all his future ahead of him – with such a pessimistic thinking. Then, what can be said of others, who live in this country, facing even larger problems. That particular boy might not have represented the general thinking of neither Brahmins nor others. But he represented the approach of a vast majority of people of India, who are subjected to one or the other form of inferiority, which resulted into self-degradation.
As many a great men said, if one is not free from the clutches of his mind, he remained a slave, wherever he was. And V Narayanasamy proved that as a nation, we still remained a people whose collective attitude is simply slavish.
Yes, majority of the people of the country were branded as followers of Hinduism, surprisingly a Persian word used in a derogatory way – and we hear the slogan “Garv se kaho Hindu hain”. Though the word might have been used by invaders for centuries, either Mughals or the British, I fail to understand why Indian Government – ruling a sovereign state conducts census based on this religion. In fact, this word is etched too strongly in the constitution, it takes a great will to change the terminology. Of course, the Government was a secular one, and technically – there never was a demand. None of the majority population cared even; they were busy in exploiting their own weaker brethren. And funnily enough, even the right wingers claim to represent the so called majority religion didn’t have anything original to call themselves. Only bright spot in the entire episode was the Supreme Court ruling that called Hinduism not a religion, but only a way of living. Please take note of the fact, even the revered and learned judges didn’t venture to debate whether it should be called Hinduism or not!
So, when will the people of this independent nation will have minds that can cater to independent thoughts? Only time will tell. Till then we sit tight with not only fingers, but hands and legs crossed!