Indian Politics of Entertainment

9 Feb. Indian politics never fails to entertain the media. From corruption to violation of human dignity (be it women, children, minorities or anybody else!), from land grabbing to criminalization (outright nexus with mafia), from paid news to paid votes, from throwing chairs & mikes in Parliament/ Assemblies to watching porn in the temple of democracy: Assembly! It’s never boring! At least to our media!
Ministers-caught-red-handed say, they did not do anything wrong! Watching sleaze in the Assembly, (that too when the Assembly is debating serious issues of drought in the state!) is no crime, it seems! Would they apply the same yard stick to ordinary citizens? Or, is the immunity given to elected representatives makes them not deserve our faith and respect? Would an ordinary worker be tolerated if s/he did something similar in his/her office, during office hours? And specially in Vidhana Soudha?
It’s interesting to see politician’s reactions: Kapil Sibal of Congress says, BJP fellows have all sorts of entertainment! Sushma Swaraj of BJP says, she is ashamed that it happened in BJP!!! (with a stress on BJP!), Eswarappa says ‘no question of dismissing from party or Assembly!), culprits say they did not do anything wrong at all!, and the chief minister sets up a committee to investigate, when every evidence is there in front of them (he knows well committees are the easiest way to escape responsibility!)

Now, there is another issue: the media have gone to town saying Gujarat chief minister is seemingly let off the hook by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). Nirmala Seetharam of BJP says wonders what if a mass murderer given legitimacy! She finds no problem with it. Mani Shankar Iyyer of Congress says Sajjan Kumar of Congress is innocent of the massacre of innocent Sikhs, and could be given ticket; but Modi should not be, for the very reason, Nirmala says! Dasgupta (“senior” journalist) says Modi should take “personal credit” for Gujarat’s responsibility. and that is when Teesta (the untiring fighter for justice to victims of Gujarat massacre) intervenes, “Modi should take personal credit for Gujarat’s ‘development’, but not for ‘Gujarat’s mass murder!’” Well said!
In the meantime, -amidst the cross fire- TRPs are expected to go up!