Over the last couple of months, many a political drama has been played out. Some good and welcome (Main bhi Anna Hoon) and well, some not (Rahul baba's blink-and-you-miss-it role in the Parliament. Sonia's not-so-secret treatment for a secret illness was missed by Arun Jaitley and Sushmaji. Does the UPA Chief have not trust in the nation's medical infrastructure?
Of course the dichotomous (I hope I got this right as I am not from an elite educational background) dichotomy raised by Mani Shankar to taxonomize St. Stephens and Hans Raj alumni was one more feather on his feathered gaffs!!!!!
One common trend that has emerged over the course of the events in the recent days is - a more egalitarian route towards fame and instant stardom. A force so potent that no army can fight it, a tool so effective that garners mass hysteria - FASTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The fasting regime has been quite a contrarian phenomenon from the ostentations exhibited by our political fraternity just some months ago (refer to my piece on that as well here....).
Some of the fastings have been fiascos in their aim to achieve their ends (Baba Ramdev's great escape was worth its footage on national media). Some have been so effective that it brought the Parliament to it's knees (Anna Hazare).
As I compose this piece - Narendrabhai Modi has galvanized the BJP cadre and ranks to celebrate his 61st birthday with a 3 day fast christened as Sadbhavna. The 3 day extravaganza can hardly merit any egalitarian or spartan perception that the word FAST invokes. Tax payers' money is being spent on lavish buffet for the non fasting celebrities and normal fare for his hired followers.
Though, not getting into the details of this particular fast (it has achieved it's objective though, of projecting Modi as the BJP's prospect at the next General Elections).
Some of the fasts are being planned for the future and for more interesting agenda. Let us sneek a peek into some of the more interesting ones:-
M S Dhoni is planning a fast in the coming days. His fast is a pseudo acknowledgement of the English disaster that his team has recently come out of. Since all options were tried out, the divine intervention in this case is but expected. There will be some ad shoots along the peripheries of the fast with present and past cricket celebrities scheduled to drop in for some friendly matches and free coaching for the wannabes. The event is likely to be telecast live across the world and negotiations are on between BCCI with leading broadcasters.
Suresh Kalmadi is planning a fast unto fie event. He is plannning to have a big extravagant fast with themed English breakfast buffet in UK (preferably Lords) to demand to have the next Olympics (post London) in India. His is currently busy working out the modalities for the same. There is only one small glitch that he is still stuck in Tihar but that is not denting any of his efforts as he seldom fathoms or realizes that he is a jailed undertrial- God bless Amnesia.
Nitin Gadkari is planning a fast before the blast event. This event is on the request of his personal physicians who have warned him that his stomach may just blast apart if he does nothing about it. Gadkari is planning this fast at the lawns of a five star hotel in the capital with some light upvaas khaana (items permitted during religious fastings) like Sabudana khichdi, sabudana wada, faral, sev, aaloowadi (not the famed batata wada of Maharashtra). He plans to be on a strict diet during his fast for one day with consuming only a couple of plates of these savouries.
Not to be left behind, Sharad Pawar is planning a fast. This is for no particular reason but to pray for his betterment and prosperity. Poor chap, he thought he had to disclose what was in his wallet on that day in the Parliament when the PM mandated his ministers to declare their assets. Pawarji checked his wallet and replied 12 crore.
Amidst all these plannings, Sonu Nigam, Arindam Bhattacharya, Kailash Kher and Kiran Bedi are busy preparing themselves to regale the audience who would be thronging these events in the coming days.
Om Puri has already begun stocking up his bar as well!!!!!
When Manmohan Singh was quizzed on these developments and how his Government was planning to tackle the crowds and possible political repercussions that may emerge thereafter, he calmly smiled.
This is what the PMO issued as a communication," Manmohan Singhji has been on maun vrat for so many years now that he has been the PM, what are these small fasts in comparison?"
Something to be taken as a lesson by DigVijay Singh perhaps???
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