All the Indian media can talk about is Shashi Tharoor and the IPL scandal. The head honchos of Indian politics are ready to make important decisions about his suitability as a Minister, and everyone’s horrified at the “inappropriate” behavior. Wow – you think that there may be some shady dealings in the IPL ? In the BCCI ? In Indian politics ? Oooh, big surprise !
It is difficult for one thing to watch Barkha Dutt, straight-faced, declaring that the PM and Sonia Gandhi will be foretelling Tharoor’s fate soon. And right after that newsbyte, the next is how hot it is in India now, when it not even peak summer. So hot that poor people who have no access to water are left to hunt for muddy water. Cut to a shot of a woman digging a hole in the ground, and cupping out dirty, muddy water into a vessel for her use.
Now it is an accepted fact that Mr. Tharoor doesn’t hold his horses when he writes or tweets. It probably also is apparent now that he hasn’t quite grown into the thick skin that most Indian politicians accquire (as a gift from the grand old republic of India, maybe ?) when they take office. Nor is he aware of how to hide the evidence (if there is indeed any truth to what the media reports as his “wrongdoing”) or appear unfazed when charges of corruption are thrown at you. He would do well to take a leaf out of his fellow politician’s books, a little desi tutelage maybe ?
Now Tharoor has been persuaded by the “core group” of politicians to tender his resignation. His political head on a platter. To be served to the opposition. This one the governement loses, and the Prime Minister must intervene to save face. Sunanada Pushkar gives up her claims on the 70 crore booty, and her representative tells us how “hurt” she is to have been misunderstood. Yes, really, we all commiserate.
And what of Lalit “Altruist” Modi and his ilk ? Business as usual after all this has blown over ? Because it will blow over. Once the people tire off it, once it has saturated the media waves. Also because as long as the cricket lover has his fix of the game, who really cares who made how much money ? Because they all are. It mighty be shady or murky or whatever you choose to call it, but that is the name of the game.
While one has no clue whether Tharoor did it or not, one does know that several public functionaries in higher offices do much worse, and are never brought to book. Plus there’s always a problem in public perception, with the idea of making money. With the IPL, frankly, I couldn’t care less – it’s free enterprise. It’s work and it’s moneymaking stem from “recreational” activities, and it’s not taxpayer money. They are providing a service where there was an opportunity. It is a (cash) cow, and it is being milked. By Modi, by the BCCI, by the various nameless consortiums that are stakeholders in it. The IPL is a business, even if India attaches a great fervor and emotion to it, because it involves cricket. And from that point of view, there’s nothing really wrong with it. Yes, one could argue that there must be transparency, blah, blah, blah, but then one must argue that before there is transparency in the IPL, there must be transparency in the government, and in the various ministeries which purport to have high standards (The right to education ! For all children ! Really ? Well, I never . . .) but do nothing about accomplishing them
On the other had, when the government decides to spend tax-payer money on building useless monuments, or bureacratic white-washing like changing names of cities, while people scrabble for muddy water in the dirt, it’s problematic (to put it mildly), and actually where the real questions should be raised.Yes, and while everyone is hyped up on cleaning up this mess, it would do well to remember, that there are several messes to clean up, and this one is probably one of the least consequential of the lot.
