It is any day better to have power and then get abused than to have no power and still face insults. It’s what keeps many people going even whey are humiliated
My vegetable vendor is a bitter man. He is disgusted with having to digest abuses from customers on a daily basis over the rising price of onions and other items that he peddles. “I have had enough. I want to quit my profession”, he says to me one day. What options does he haveIJ “That is the problem. I have meagre land-holding in the village that will just about help me with two square meals a day. But there are other expenses, and the vegetable shop helps me with income.”
Given the situation, I wonder what his plan of action could be. “It's time to enter politics”, he declares. That comes as a bolt from the blue. Politics! I remind him that politicians are constantly abused, and the humiliation is more than that he presently faces. “Not only do the people from outside abuse them, but even colleagues heap insults. leave alone lesser mortals, even the Prime Minister is rebuked publicly by his party leaders.” I tell him that it's better for the country if he is ticked off as a vegetable vendor than as a lawmaker.
“You don't seem to see the brighter side”, he remarks. “Although an abuse is an abuse, as a politician I can offset it by the benefits I have. Does any amount of insult to the Prime Minister take away the benefits he derives from his postIJ His needs are taken care of, he does not have to bother about a roof over his head — now or later — and he need not pay for his water and electricity connections. He gets the best of medical treatment here and abroad, and does not spend his money on it. At the end of the day, if he is castigated and publicly stripped of dignity, that's a small price to pay.”
I could not agree with him more. As they say, it's better to have money and worries than to have no money but only worries. By extension, it’s better to have power and get abuses than to have no power and still face abuses. But surely he wasn't aiming for the prime ministership, though after Mr Manmohan Singh's performance, one is tempted to believe that nobody, not even a vegetable vendor, can do a worse job. I ask him which party he is aiming to join.
“That's where I need advice. You are a journalist. Guide me.” I am moved by his faith in me, and venture to suggest that he could try the Aam Aadmi Party. “It's in my line”, he remarks approvingly. “The AAP has welcomed auto-rickshaw drivers and many others of the kind. I am sure that vegetable vendors too have joined the party, though I am not sure if any vegetable vendor has got a ticket to contest.”
He is surely aiming for the top. He is not content with just ‘joining' politics but wants a ticket straightaway. “Of course that's true. Are you telling me that people enter politics to do social serviceIJ I need a source of income.” What about the Congress, in that caseIJ The party is virtually led by a youth leader who wants to revolutionise the functioning of his outfit through his youth brigade. And, my vegetable vendor is 28 years old. “I love the way Rahul Gandhi rolls up his sleeves, sneers and says things that don't make much sense. This Jupiter velocity thing… Is Jupiter another Kalavati or whatIJ But, a vegetable vendor has no future in a party of babalogs. It's not like the BJP where a tea vendor can become the party's prime ministerial candidate.”
Then, he must enter the BJP, where he can climb up the ladder. “Are you kiddingIJ I don't want to start by cleaning the floors of party offices and serving tea and samosas. Gen-Next has no patience for such sacrifices. We are movers and shakers.” I move away, shaking with despair.