Events witnessed last week were nauseating. The bizarre expulsion of Somnath Chatterjee from the party by the CPI(M) after leaving to him the question of his resignation as Speaker. Constant noisy interruptions preventing the Prime Minister from making his speech in Parliament on the nuclear deal with the USA, a matter of great concern to the nation. This was most deplorable. The nation was denied the opportunity of hearing the PM and watching his expressions as he lambasted the Left for treating him like its bonded slave and asked Advani to change his astrologers since he cannot change his thinking. These strong expressions are uncharacteristic of the PM but at long last the Sardar in him came to the fore. Then the climax. Allegations of MPs being bribed for voting or abstaining on the trust motion and currency notes floating around on the floor of the House to substantiate these allegations. Vociferous demands were made that the sting operation carried out by a reputable news channel, CNN-IBN, and recorded on a DVD be publicly aired. The whole scene resembled a James Bond movie. One feature which clearly emerged is the pressure successfully exercised by small parties to secure or rather extort ministerial berths, with Shibu Soren leading the pack. In future, when speaking at international conferences I will refrain from describing India as a model vibrant democracy.Craze for StatuesPsychologists may well ponder about the reasons which impel heads of state for erection of their expensive statues. Is it because of a subconscious feeling of inferiority or insecurity or, is it a bid to attain immortality? It is reported that Chief Minister Mayawati is thinking of commissioning a huge statue of herself that draws inspiration from Queen Victoria’s statue in Kolkata and she has placed an order worth Rs 60 crores. Pray, where will these 60 crores come from? Presumably these are accumulated gifts from loyal supporters and party workers. Could not these 60 crores be spent for the welfare of the depressed Dalits whose cause she tirelessly champions? But these are irrelevant considerations in her tryst with immortality. However, in fairness to Mayawati she is not alone in this craze. Nkrumah of Ghana and Saddam Hussein harboured similar delusions. Their statues now lie crumbled in the dust. Incidentally, Mulayam Singh has threatened to demolish Mayawati’s statues when Samajwadi Party comes to power. I am reminded of Shelly’s sonnet, Ozymandias of Egypt: “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings;/ Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!/ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay/ Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,/ The lone and level sands stretch far away.” A proper Hindi translation can be arranged for Mayawati. Innovative Saudi MalesDifferent people have allergies and preferences for different animals. Some are allergic to dogs but are fond of cats. There are a few who share their bed with dogs. The reasons for their allergy and preference may be religious or psychological. Recently, Saudi Arabia’s religious police have announced a ban on selling both cats and dogs as pets or walking them in public in the capital. No doubt they have honourably observed the principle of non-discrimination. But what is the reason for the ban? Is it for reasons of health or hygiene or national security? Nothing of the sort. According to Othman al-Othman, head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Riyadh, known as the Muttawa, the ban was based on an old religious edit. And the reason for its recent enforcement is that it had become a fashion among some men using pets in public to make passes at women. There is an infinite variety of ways in which men resort to making passes: singing, whistling, making audible naughty remarks or romantic gestures et al. But no animals have been so far involved except perhaps pigeons for carrying erotic messages. Apparently, Saudi males are not old fashioned nor conventional. They are innovative and far ahead of their counterparts in other countries when it comes to making passes at women.
