TALES OF TRAVESTY
DR. JITENDRA SINGH
Was it Jefferson who wrote a century ago that men look for privilege even if it is that of being the chief mourner at a funeral! Hardly could have the Victorian author realised that he would also be read in the land of India where men of a different genre, called the political class, vie for a privilege even after death. Now, if a recently mooted proposal is made into law, the special-category status our “Netas” enjoy will continue even after their earthly existence has come to an end. The proposal suggests setting up of exclusive crematoriums for VIPs and VVIPs so that they are not made to wait their turn along with lesser mortals for their final rites to be performed.
A phenomenon unique to India is that VIP politicians, particularly from the ruling party, enjoy all the imaginable privileges as if this is their unquestionable due. They are provided with palatial bungalows, fleet of security guards, free air and rail travel, foreign junkets and most conspicuously the flashing becon lights on top of their cars to advertise, nay forwarn, the world of their VIP status. This helps make our VIP leader “larger than life” but if the new proposal comes into effect, it will make the VIP leader “larger than death” as well.
Unfortunately, a VIP or a VVIP, however “important” or “very important” he or she may be, enjoys access to all the earthly privileges accept the privilege to choose on which part of earth or planet he or she would be born. Obviously, therefore, our VIPs reserve their right to choose the part of earth or planet to be cremated or buried. Remember, for example, former Prime Minister Charan Singh by his own will, preferring to have his “Samadhi” named “Kisan Ghat” in the national capital of New Delhi instead of being consigned to flames in the dust of Uttar Pradesh which was his political pitch or among the “Kisan” brethren who were his political constituency. Same also was the case of former President Giani Zail Singh whose family insisted on retaining him in Delhi rather than sending him back to Punjab after death with a cremation memorial called “Ekta Sthal”.
65 years of democracy is perhaps not long enough a period for an Indian nation to get over its feudal past conditioned by the aura of English King and clout of native Maharaja. We, therefore, religiously contiue to follow the tradition of seeking immortalisation for the biggies who ruled over us and in that attempt we continue to do crazy acts like, for example, turning the residence of a deceased political leader into a hallowed shrine to which common citizenry make regular pilgrimages. No wonder, most noteably, the capital city of New Delhi is turning into a hub of spacious sprawling homes-turned-museums of former Prime Ministers and former Ministers even as millions sleep beneath the open sky for want of a roof.
Be that is it may, just as the Indian Airports offer separate and exclusive entry for VIPs boarding an Air flight, what is wrong in also creating for them a similar exclusive entry to board the ultimate flight to “Heaven” after death thus marking a well-deserved elevation from higher to highest plane with Umapathy poetically quipping “Sahib-e-Mehfil, Phir Sahib-e-Jahan, Phir Sahib-e-Kaenaat….” And while there is no respite for a poor commoner incessantly waiting in queue all his life and even after death, the “larger than life” VIP promises to continue as “larger than death” VIP.
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