‘Spirituality is impossible in politics’

Amar Singh, Samajwadi Party MP.

What does spirituality mean to you?

So many people I know go on pilgrimages, or attend ceremonies in temples, or listen to some saintly discourse and then do exactly the contrary of all those nice things and engage in the dirtiest dealings. That is not spirituality to me, it is hypocrisy of the first order. On the other hand, one can appreciate wine, wealth and women and be spiritual, as Krishna showed us. And as he said, spirituality is about performing your duty honestly, with your heart, mind and tongue working uniformly. But in the profession I am in, it is impossible to have those three things aligned, usually there is something in the mind, and something else in the heart, and yet a third thing in words. Otherwise people would think you are insane and asking for trouble! So I guess I am not a spiritually correct person right now.

Do you believe you are guided and protected by a superior force?

Absolutely, I must be protected by some force because nothing came to me in life thanks to my family. I had no legacy to inherit, I am a first generation politician and industrialist, I fought for every inch of recognition I ever got. I come from the gutters and this is actually my biggest strength. No matter where I am and how low others may try to push me, I will still be higher than that lowest point. And somewhere, I feel it is all thanks to God’s will.

Do you believe you have a special mission or purpose in this life?

Part of spirituality is to accomplish your karma, your duty. But even though it may not be wise to admit it, I am yet to have really found the meaning of my life. I am not unsuccessful as a politician or as a businessman but I am not where I would have aspired to be. When I started in politics I was fascinated by it as an instrument of change — today I am largely disgusted by it. Enemies are enemies and friends are jealous, you have to fight on all fronts. So the inner churning has begun and something will come out of it.

What is spirituality for you in your day to day life?

I do certain rituals or recite certain mantras, but not for their spiritual power, rather because it gives me mental peace and tranquillity in a quite stressful day to day life.

What has been the role of spirituality in your public life?

Spirituality is about a clear conscience and non hypocrisy. But it is just impossible in the world I am in. If I did not do certain things I dislike, or tolerate others which are completely wrong, I could not survive in it. So I am brutally frank in admitting that at the moment spirituality is rather dormant in me. But maybe one day it will get emancipated and the political compulsion instead will be suppressed.

What have been your main spiritual inspirations?

Lord Hanuman has been my biggest inspiration, especially in times of adversity, teaching me how to transform the latter into an advantage. I call it the Hanuman theory of management, in the way he burnt a whole town when his tail was burnt by Ravan. Basically, do not cross anybody’s path, but if someone is unnecessarily provoking you and burning your tail, make sure that his entire kingdom is ruined, make sure that your problem becomes his. I have practiced it a number of times with great success.

If you were to be reincarnated, what would you like to be reincarnated as?

I’d like to be a journalist. It is a funny life. You do a post-mortem on someone and then you shamelessly say: “I have done it for the audience, to get more eyeballs, so please do not mind…” So I would like to be an editor like Shekhar Gupta with a lethal capacity to make or mark people.

What is your idea of happiness?

You should be able to forget your good deeds and forgive your enemies’ bad deeds. Because if you do some good and that person turns his back once you are in distress, you cannot be at peace. And I have to say I am not at peace on that account because I can neither forgive nor forget. I am a struggler and I have fought hard for everything I achieved. That may explain why I am more demanding, more assertive and also more aggressive and volatile. And it probably is not good…