The Cattle Class Furore

Quite a bit of air time and news print have already been spent on this particular phrase - Cattle Class, during the last couple of weeks. I thought...why not add to that myself.

Just for those who are oblivious of the whole subject........this was a remark made by Shashi Tharoor (MoS External Affairs) on Twitter while depicting his thoughts on the sudden austerity drive of the ministers and politicians of the ruling coalition, especially for their urge to travel in economy class. Unfortunately, the remark created a national furore and he was promptly snubbed by his own party and finally had to apologize.

I strongly believe that Shashi Tharoor is a man in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is educated, tech savvy, suave and has served as the Under Secretary General of the UN. Indian politics, which is full of uneducated, power hungry, money lusting old haggards, is not yet ready for a politician of this nature. There are only a handful of educated, young politicians who are gradually coming up the ranks, but mostly descendants of dynastic politics. It will be really a long way for Mr. Tharoor to make a place for himself in this filth of Indian politics.

Cattle Class is a very commonly used terminology in the western world that is directed towards airlines for stuffing people like cattle in the economy class. May be it's a mistake to expect that our grand old netas would appreciate this kind of a humour.......especially when most of them do not even understand basic English.

Moreover, what is this austerity drive all about? Are we saying that travelling in economy class, taking a 20% wage cut, living in Govt. bungalows with only basic amenities etc. are going to make people's life in this country better? Come on....let's get real. These austerity measures are not going to make our netas and ministers less corrupt. They will keep on minting money, amassing assets by sucking blood of the common people of the country. There are farmers in various parts of the country who are committing suicide everyday, majority of the population of the country still do not have access to safe drinking water, basic health care and sanitation, basic primary education. In the financial capital of the country itself, there are lakhs of people, including women, who address their everyday nature's call out in the open streets. The other day there was a news report showing a farmer who has got a cheque of Rs. 163 as drought relief from the govt. The poor soul has actually preserved it as a memento. And this is after the govt. declares thousands of crores for drought relief. Where do the money finally goes...if not to these poor farmers? Those actually go in the coffers of these money lusting netas who in the forefront goes gaga over austerity.

The current austerity drive is nothing but a farce. Most of the ministers are following it just to be in the good books of Madam Gandhi and powerful people close to her like Pranab Mukherjee. Living a so called austere life should be ones choice and who would be able to live it by example. What we as common folk really want is what one delivers as a minister. This is definitely not for people like Sharad Pawar who is perhaps one of the most corrupt politicians around.

I surely admire Shashi Tharoor for the man he is in declaring boldly that he lives in a 5 star hotel by paying from his own pocket. So what's wrong in that. The man has made honest money by being successful in whatever profession he had been in and is living life on his own terms. And on the other hand we have this so called lady called Mayawati who is busy building statues and parks by using tax payers' hard earned money. And when she is questioned on that, the law of our land actually gives her the right to challenge that question in a court of law. This when I really feel ashamed to be an Indian. A shameless creature like her should be immediately stripped of her powers.

So, Mr. Tharoor, life is going to be tough for you in this filth. You can hardly be candid, sense of humour is not going to work, you have to act to be austere because that is what matters and not what you deliver as a minister. Performance is the last in the agenda.

Hence, your choices are really cut down here. Either you learn the game and join the band wagon or you really try to make a difference and fight it out. As a young passionate Indian, I will urge you to go for the second option......but unfortunately that's the toughest one. All the best.....!!!!