I hate politicians.
I say I hate politicians not because they have come to epitomize the corruption, got the culture of courtiers, chamchas and goons into the mainstream, split the entire country deep down on lines of caste, religion, creed, what not! I say I hate politicians not because the only thing they know is to ‘save their a##’, and behave as if they are God sent and forget that they are in their political seats of power because of the silent voters who vote them in (and out of power if things go way out of control) and try snub them at every given opportunity. They behave as if the common man is a cockroach, and once in 5 years as a ‘vote bank’. They, for their own personal ends and means, just because they have to get their opponents from within his own party and because they have to end those people’s political careers can go to whatever extent. Here, let me talk about our ‘Robin hood’ who gathers goons, thugs, and people beyond law; pack them into lorries, vans, jeeps, and get them into a city a good 250 odd km away, and orchestrate riots, the worst riots and thankfully the last big ones till date that this city has seen. He threw those opponents out of power and in doing so, threw his own political party out of power. Then, he got into the drivers seat of power of his party, and take on a ‘Nero’. While our ‘Nero’ was busy wooing the white skinned people creating a ‘cyber land’, this ‘Robin hood’ sat calmly, with a smile on his face which at times was really provoking a fight when his opponents had objections on his way of work. This Robin Hood is truly of a feudal mould. Born in a rich feudal and most importantly a factionist family, from an agrarian background, never had to think about money. He, after all, was born with not just a golden spoon but with a golden spoon studded with diamonds. The amount of land his family owned was counted as only ‘as far as your eye can see’ and could not, and still cannot be measured in acres. It still is so. Some of it own and earned property, some of it encroached government land, some of it handed down by his ancestors, and some just ‘gifted’ by people you know who. This Robin Hood was one of the youngest taxpayers from that part of the land. Being from a feudal background, was also well educated, a professional doctor at that. Feudal and factionism took the better and also, probably a thought that an extension to the power is politics. At that time, ages ago, Robin Hood met Nero, both as comrades, as partners, as friends started their careers. Nero, due to factors beyond anything, and initially by virtue of sentiments associated with his wedlock, has moved on to the tent of the best theatric and by far the most enigmatic leaders of the place. Robin Hood stuck to the roots, quite literally, not just to the political affiliations but also to the rustic rural background. Cut the picture to over a decade, Robin Hood, as mentioned, has become the head of his unit (with a little help with the goons, thugs, sprinkled with a few riots, faction feuds, and all) and Nero, after cutting from the ‘umbilical chord’ of his charismatic pap-in-law (and what a way he cut that chord… it was so bloody, that Nero’s thrown was washed with blood) has become the ‘king’ of the land. But, Nero being Nero was not satisfied with the Rome he had at his disposal, but, wanted to build his own Rome in cyber land, totally forgetting that his kingdom remains intact by virtue of the real votes of the real Romans, and not by the virtual Romans of his virtual land. But, Robin Hood being Robin Hood, though had every wealth, with all the power in his backyard ‘estate’ was aspiring for more. Aspiring is one thing, but walking for 1500 km directly onto the thrown of the land was a thing of awe. Being a doctor by profession, Robin Hood knew the ‘pulse’ of Romans and much better than Nero himself. To try and give a panacea for these Romans, he tried giving things, essentials and at times non-essentials too. But, at the same time, he gave things to his courtiers too and also ended up creating a mini ‘Sanjay’ in his own family. He also tried selling parts of Rome to serve people and also his people. But, at the end of the day, Romans never ceased to be in awe of this Robin Hood. But that is not just why I hate politicians of the day, or do I have to say, of the recent past (though it is not still that very believable to talk in the past tense in this story).
Both Robin Hood and Nero loved to hate each other and hated to love each other. That is the most simplistic way to put things across. But, that is the fact. They never left an opportunity to swear at each other. Robin Hood was on record in saying that Nero would feel ashamed of being born to his mother if all the truth comes out about the past. Nero was not far behind when he accused Robin Hood of being a cold-blooded murderer. Both of them stooped downed to newer lows by the day. But at the end of the day they were still friends and it is the best-kept secret. I get reminded of the lines that transpire between King Priam and Achillies, which go something, like this… ‘If I let you walk out of here, if I let you take him, it doesn’t change anything. You are still my enemy in the morning’ to which King Priam retorts ‘you are still my enemy tonight. But even enemies can show respect’. And here, the issue is between opponents, and not enemies when I talk about Robin Hood and Nero. They lived in Rome, which, thankfully, was still a democracy. Two small anecdotes based on which I can vouch for the fact that both were good friends, though opponents in the public eye. Nero had made enemies while trying to build his cyber land and those were called the ‘red shirts’ and these ‘red shirts’ plotted to kill Nero but thankfully, he survived the attempt on his life. It is said that among the first one to call Nero was Robin Hood to enquire about his well-being. Also, the other incident was when Robin Hood went walking to know the pulse of Romans, as it was long strenuous walk in mid summer, he had sunstroke and at that time, it was Nero who sent his personal set of doctors and good facilities to the doorsteps of Robin Hood. Enemies don’t do that. Opponents also cannot do that. It is only friends who can do that kind of a thing.
I hate politicians precisely because of this. To take a leaf from a very colorful and most eloquent ruler of another country, ‘Politicians also have personal lives’. But not for public consumption I guess. Never could the friends meet. Now, they never can. I hate politicians because of not the other reasons, but because of the sheer absence of humanity, a personal touch for their own, just because they are compelled to act to the gallery. And the gallery does not approve of friendship between Nero and Robin Hood.
This is for the Robin Hood, who lost his life because of bad weather, because of rains. The same rains about which he joked a while back that the rain God has joined his fold and that is the reason that there never was a drought in the land from the time he took to the realm. And he Robin Hood vanished in the forests, close to the rural folks that he claimed to be his. And he had to be brought back to the city after taking help from an ambulance network service, which he has been instrumental in getting wider and to serve the common man. He died while on his way to take a walk, this time only to take a walk for a place in history.
I hate all politicians equally, but, at the same time, I have no objection to admitting and approving the small ‘blips’ of good work that they do… few and far between.
I guess you, the reader would know who the Nero, Robin Hood and the other characters are in this story.
