Our dear Minister of State for External Affairs Sasi Tharoor had won the last election by a majority of around 1 lakh votes from Trivandrum - the capital of the most literate state in the country. I personally know a few friends who enthusiastically voted for him saying that he was just what the country needed. I am sure all my lady friends out there must be surely thrilled now to hear him call them “hey my little cow!”This is what he said when in his twitter message he said that he would travel in “cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows” clearly targeting the publicity stunts of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi (the holy cows) who opted to travel in economy class and trains in an austerity drive along with the poor common man (clearly - ‘the cattle’). I had wondered if I was wrong, when some time ago before the elections, he had stopped the Indian national anthem in between to proclaim that instead of standing in attention we should place our right hands on our hearts – because that was how the ‘civilized’ Americans did it. Was I wrong when I thought this was one man who would be a blind slave to the American capitalist thought process rather than Indian culture and tradition? I guess not. And again last week when it was discovered he was residing in the 5-star Taj Hotel in New Delhi, citing some repair works going on in the Government Bungalow allotted to him – for the past three months. And the daily rent was only about Rs, 30,000 a day – excluding food and beverages.
Of course he said he paid it from his pocket– which brings us back to the accusations raised by the old evil Communists that he was a binami business partner in some companies in the country.
Really Mr. Tharoor – you almost had us fooled. You could write a second part to your best – seller “the Great Indian Novel” – “The Great Indian Politician”. What would you not do to fool us – the cattle? The poor cows and black buffaloes and, of course, all the donkeys who voted for you.
But thanks again Mr. Tharoor. I was just starting to wonder if my prejudice against you had been just the traditional skepticism of the middle class- Keralite, who opposed every new change in the system. You proved me wrong. You are what I believed you are – a pathetic fame-seeker, born literally with a silver-spoon in your mouth, and thinking you – of all the people - would do anything to alleviate the sufferings of millions of poor people in this country could only be the dream of the worst fools.
