Yesterday, PM Modi shared a photo on social media, wearing Maybach sunglasses, which, according to some claims, costs almost 1.6 lakh rupees. Immediately, there was furore over social media, especially among the left-liberal cabal, over the price of the black goggles sported by the Prime Minister.
Like many Indians, I was enthusiastic about #solareclipse2019.
Unfortunately, I could not see the Sun due to cloud cover but I did catch glimpses of the eclipse in Kozhikode and other parts on live stream. Also enriched my knowledge on the subject by interacting with experts. pic.twitter.com/EI1dcIWRIz
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/DesiPoliticks/status/1210104583638441984?s=20
https://twitter.com/one_by_two/status/1210119073687670784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1210119073687670784&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.freepressjournal.in%2Fentertainment%2Fatul-khatri-wonders-if-modis-maybach-glasses-come-free-with-the-car-kubbra-sait-has-epic-reply
If you are living a German dream, see it through German sunglasses. Maybach Worth 1.6 Lac #BrandedFakeer pic.twitter.com/3pgVsfA1di
— Rofl Gandhi 2.0 🏹 (@RoflGandhi_) December 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/AmyshubhamRai/status/1210116601548165120?s=20
This furore gives us an opportunity to introspect into an important phenomenon in Indian politics that is, selling poverty to masses.
Almost all the so called pro-poor politicians, activists, and journalists, who made a career out of selling poverty, strives for enjoying luxurious life in private. But in public, they want to look poor, or pretend like poor. Lalu Yadav, one of most famous people who made a career by selling poverty, and whose every rally are named – Garib (Poor) rally, has assets worth crores in the name of his family.
Almost all the pro poor politicians, from Mayawati to Lalu Yadav, were involved in one or other corruption case.
The list of politicians booked under disproportionate assets- more assets than legitimate sources of income- is very long, and includes people from almost all the ‘socialist’ parties.
In the post-independence period, almost all the parties except the Swatantra Party led by Rajgopalachari, officially adhered to ‘Socialist ideology’. The rise of ‘socialist politicians’, who once enjoyed near monopoly on the ideological spectrum, took the country into vicious cycle of ‘povertarian politics’.
Whenever the policy makers strive to build world class infrastructure, the pro-poor activists, politicians, and journalists who enjoy foreign made whiskey in posh Delhi parties, whine about the rampant poverty in the country.
When Delhi Metro was proposed, they whined ‘What about the poor’; when the Modi government proposed the Bullet train programme, they whined about the poor farmers; when the Statue of Unity was built, the complaints of pro-poor activists were the same.
When the US Presidents visit India, plethora of articles are published about their car, their Gym (as witnessed in Obama’s case), their aeroplane, their official residence, i.e., White House and all the other luxuries enjoyed by them.
But, when an Indian politician dresses suit worth lakhs, sports branded sunglasses, or enjoys luxurious life; it is matter of great exasperation for the left-liberal establishment.
It is important to note that PM Modi had been the Chief Minister of Gujarat for more than a decade, and has been the Prime Minister of the country for more than 5 years. He has worked hard for his journey from a tea seller to the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy, like any entrepreneur. PM Modi might be called a political entrepreneur.
He is paid handsomely for the job, and has no dependent to support. Why can’t he sport a branded watch, sunglasses, and suit worth lakhs, despite the fact that he earns in lakhs?
The politics of Povertarianism, which started with lapsed socialist ideals, must end. A country which idealizes or sells poverty, or whose politicians sell poverty, can never be rich. And therefore, if India strives to become the largest economy in the world, as it has been for millennia, the vicious cycle of ‘Povertarianism’ must end.
