They say it's all in the timing. For without it, Antony's speech wouldn't have packed a punch, the LHC would have turned into a monumental disaster, and Charlie Sheen would not be winning. Of course, the choice is yours as always, whether you like to make hay or to go absolutely berserk. It is therefore appropriate to examine the nuances of some of the exceptionally-timed incidents in the recent week.
Before I begin, India played an absolute roller-coaster of a match against Australia. Of course, we managed to make it tempestuous and alerting. At one point, my heart plunged with grief, feeling for the agony of the GOD of cricket, who for all good reasons might have played his last world cup match that Thursday. Now he has 2 more! Also on the World cup, the English finally decided that enough is enough and decided to execute a tame return to the pond. It is understandable that the mental fatigue arising out of a prolonged overseas tour, which encompassed a triumphant Ashes campaign and an unexpected 6-1 drubbing in the ODIs, can be too much to overcome for even the toughest of athletes. Kudos to the English team, and we are grateful for the memories.
Moving on, if there is something the Congress cannot control, yet, it is the media and its freedom to publish and dig up graves at the wrong time. Still reeling under the incessant attack on its governance and executive integrity, the publication in The Hindu of a Wikileaks cable describing the bargain deal on offer to the opposition MPs, all but confirmed the dark face of politics an average Indian reminisces in his heart. What ensued were full-frontal attacks on MMS by the opposition (the united BJP-Left attack was a joy to watch) and calls for his resignation. Of course, it might be hard to believe that confidential information passed between the emissaries of a foreign government can be held accountable under the law, it none the less gave an opportunity to Dr. Singh to press his authority over the affairs of his government. In what was perhaps the best we have seen from him in the parliament, Dr. Singh delivered a timely and well-nuanced rebuttal to opposition demands, silencing the opposition benches. He, however, crossed the line somewhere along the ride, when he denounced Advani and his pining for the PM's post as an expectation from a birthright. Oh my! Talk about hypocrisy. Talk of birthright and easy access to the top of India's governing ladder, when the scion of the ruling political dynasty is lurking in the background.
I don't know about you, but I find it extremely insulting and derogating that the post of the prime minister of India has come to be decided by blood lines rather than by intelligent democracy. What Dr. Singh enjoys is seen as largesse on the behest of Mrs. Gandhi, who harped the note of sacrifice to take the less-visible, behind-the-scenes, remote control of India's policy in her hands. Well, maybe not as veiled, since she chairs the National advisory council of India, a council which for reasons not understood, acts as a 'bridge' between the government and public aspiration! Again, why do we put in so much time and energy to elect our local representatives? We must be incompetent as hell, if it requires a council to promulgate the public's wishes and demands. The eventuality of Rahul Gandhi cashing upon his ticket to the PM chair makes me squirm, because the post of India's PM should mean much more. It should mean that we elect wisely and be governed by reason. That India's oldest political party should look inwards and see where it is pushing the country to, and how far. Servile party workers rob the common man of his hope, because all they do is dance to the tune their masters orchestrate. Therefore, nobody from a democratically-elected party setup complained or raised a voice when their party's government was embroiled in a quagmire. And it also means that the opposition needs to practice what it preaches, and abolish dynastic politics within its setup as well.
Ill-timed or not, the V.K. Shunglu committee report on the Commonwealth games mess, which definitely confirmed the skepticism in the minds of the western media, that in India, the wedding procession is as important as the groom, has raised strong objections to the manner in which the games were organised. Also on display are 1001 ways in which you can launder public money. Quite a tempting offer! However, positive as we always try to be, this report will be erased from the public memory because it chanced to be tabled in the midst of the euphoric cricket festival. A corner of an eye to these happenings should serve us well. For now, all eyes at the mother of all matches, India vs Pakistan at Mohali.
Till then, keep thinking!
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