Political Diary

New Delhi, 26 December 2009

Andhra Turbulence

IT’S ALL HOT & SLEAZY, HONEY

By Poonam I Kaushish

Sting. The deadly highball which has been intoxicating the public. A potent cocktail of sex and power which has all the ingredients of sexy, salacious sleaze, honey. A blow by blow account of what intoxicates s our Adams and Eves and rouses them to greater heights of ecstasy and glory in the political Garden of Eden!

Welcome to a spanking new Kamasutra set in ‘turbulent’ Andhra.  Delicious indiscretions of a honey trap gone sour, laid bare by ABN Andhra Jyothi TV channel on Friday last. Of 86-year old Governor ND Tiwari caught purportedly with his pyjamas  down --- literally and three naked women ---- one at his legs and the others on his upper torso. A nok-jhok which could make a rose blush!

According to Uttarakhand woman Radhika she sent the women on Tiwari’s request as he had promised her a mining licence and the girls jobs but took sexual favours instead. When he did not uphold his promise, Radhika leaked the video clips.  As the gossip got more raucous all indiscretions were discussed threadbare, including lawyer Rohit Shekhar paternity suit in Delhi’s High Court claiming that he was born out of Tiwari’s alleged relationship and his mother Ujwala Sharma. It didn’t matter that the Court rejected the petition as it was time-barred.

Predictably, all hell broke loose, like it always does. The Raj Bhavan got a High court order restraining the channel from airing the footage. True to form, it also termed the clipping as a 'tissue of lies'. When the Opposition and women groups demanded his removal for shaming the high Constitutional office and the Centre sought a detailed report from the State Government, Tiwari ‘ejected prematurely’ citing health reasons. All heaved sigh of relief.

True to form, politicians of all hues, are coming forward with long sermons on morals. The initial shivers of joy are beginning to give way to concern. Our politicians certainly do not want that exposure. It could hurt too much. Politicisation of crime one can handle. But exposures of ‘pegs and legs’ would leave them nowhere.

The scandal has once again raised the pertinent question: Is the private life of publicmen a concern of the public? Opinions differ. Many claim that we must traditionally continue to be an open society. Consequently, the question of privacy has never risen. That is also why India’s Constitution does not have any provision for privacy, unlike in several European countries.

However, today the ball game is different, calling for new rules and a new outlook. Not a few strongly feel that the private life of a public person necessarily needs transparency. They stand for the strong Gandhian view that a public man has no private parts to shield. That would be a reflection on his character, integrity and values. The Mahatma was clear that a man’s public life could never be clean if his private life was not. The two were indivisible.

Private behaviour does influence public life. That is the thumb rule enforced the world over. After all politicians, bureaucrat and defence personnel who weave our national fabric together are expected to be a notch higher than ordinary mortals. The reason why they are looked upto and respected. Persons who will not easily succumb to human weakness and foibles. Caught they come crashing down. Remember, Clinton who barely escaped impeachment for converting the Presidential Oval office into the oral (sex) office, thanks to Monica Lewinsky. In Britain, skeletons keep tumbling out of ministerial closets to be given the ‘gay’ boot.

Most Congressmen however disagree and argue: “Gandhian values were given a quiet burial even before India won its freedom. We may still ritually pay lip service to him, but we have bastardized his values. How can you talk morals in the land of Khajurao? Sex is a part of our traditional heritage and we shall guard it with all the vigour at our command.” Not a few therefore, prefer to follow Nehru who believed that leaders were entitled to some space and relaxation. He often quoted Kemal Ataturk, who modernized Turkey, in support. Wine, women and song were the Ataturk’s staple diet after dusk. However, this never came in the way of his great work and achievements.

Some of our leaders have even raised an old demand for a law on privacy. In fact, they have started pushing the idea privately. Worried as they are abut Tiwari’s  sexcapade. As also the Kerala High Court’s decision to take cognizance of a former Minister’s involvement in an ice-cream parlor sex scandal, as this could happen to them also. Recall, the delicious indiscretions of a honey gone sour in Ahemadabad when two Punjab Ministers and a Delhi MLA sought to brew a heady cocktail of business and pleasure. They settled for three utterly butterly melt-in-the mouth cheeses. All enjoyed merrily. Or the poetic justice meted out by a UP Minister to his Madhumita.

Arguably, what’s the big deal? Indian politicians romp in the hay is a story as old as the birds and the bees. Given our liberal temperament and all-pervasive forgiving nature, let us not treat it as a case of the grapes having gone sour. The moot point: Can our Constitutional authorities and law makers become law breakers? And will we allow our law enforcers to break the law themselves --- and with impunity? Can we then expect fair justice? Who will judge and who will be judged?

The tragedy of the time is that it is not an issue of Tiwari or XYZ ministers. What is frightening is that it has encompassed all levels of governance --- bureaucrats, policemen and judiciary. Remember the infamous KPS Gill case where the Director General of Punjab Police barely escaped jail for ‘patting’ a senior woman IAS office’s posterior. The ‘pat’ cost him Rs. One lakh fine by the Court.

Who can deny that the political casting couch is worse or better (depending on how one looks at it) than Bollywood’s casting couch. Every party believes in share and share alike. All enjoy their ‘Common Wealth’ and national heritage. Individually or collectively. Such is the state of affairs that political residences are the subject of juicy, salacious gossip!  Remember Kashmir’s political sexual escapades in 2006. Of ‘madam Sabina’ forcing 43 girls into prostitution, a la Vladimir’s Lolita. A peek-a-boo nazariya of the real sex dastaan – of top Congress, NC and PDP netas caught in the act. So sensational were the disclosures that it sent our polity scurrying for cover.

What to speak of 2005’s spicy stories dripping sex to the panting-all, asking for more! Of a former Chief Minister indulging in utterly butterly melt-in-your mouth indiscretions, four MPs enjoying their ‘pegs and legs’ and three Union Cabinet Ministers relishing their latest “hot night” dish. Add to this an officer’s complaint to her boss about an allegedly ‘un’fair pass made by a senior Cabinet Minister. Leaving many at the top ‘red’ in the face.

Haven’t we all enjoyed the ‘defence-less’ Tehelka, judicial Vrindavan, political Jalgaon and Alwar video-tapes, deliciously educating about affairs of the heart? Who doesn’t remember the “hot tandoori night,” which spotlighted for the first time the antics of our lower polity via Naina Sahni and Sushil Sharma?

Today our rulers take it as their birthright to free-load and indulge. Their birthright to garb. They are the Carpetbaggers. The ‘have-not’s who bend the laws to quench their thirst with liquid green. Satiate their appetite with freely plucked flowers. Wash it down with intoxicating power to the sound of music. Once a delicious rendezvous is over, they will ply whatever you want. Lay down any law, bend and rule, change any order, transfer any person and fudge figures. All for a song and a little more.

Importantly, India today is at the moral crossroads. Gandhi’s charkha has come a full circle. Khadi was once symbolic of a true patriot and sacrifice in the struggle for freedom. Today it largely camouflages unabashed opportunism and criminals. Tragically, we are now in an era where our powers-that-be are pulverizing society. It is high time to cry a halt to increasing degradation and start afresh our own experiments with truth. Our leaders must stop using ‘pegs and legs’ to fight their political battles. Or else be prepared to face public sting. ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)