Nerve Endings Firing Away

[image source]

A few days ago, a bunch of bloggers (including me) joked about holding the Marathi fort by claiming Rajnikanth. However, I think someone in the Sena Bhavan must have taken us seriously when they similarly claimed Pratibha Patil, the UPA Presidential nominee as representative of the Marathi Manoos. Of course, she is a Patlachi Pori and represented Jalgaon in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on behalf of the Congress. By that logic, Bal Thackeray should be supporting all Maharashtrians in the opposition and in fact must have nothing against his political opponents in local elections. Heck, if a Kalanagar resident stood for the equally ceremonial post of Sheriff of Mumbai, he would support that resident over any other contestant from say, Chinchpokli.

Other misguided folks are supporting Patil’s candidature because she is a woman. Well, if that is indeed the criteria then shouldn’t we look at other more capable women candidates? I am sure we have dozens if not hundreds; even within the UPA fold. In fact, the only reason that the UPA alliance agreed on her choice as a Presidential nominee was because she is a woman. I am sure any deserving woman in her place would find that insulting.

However regionalism and gender biases are the least of it. It seems that Ms.Patil has not only held misguided positions on sterilization a la Sanjay Gandhi but has plenty of skeletons in her financial cupboard. As of now, no one in the mainstream media is demanding answers regarding the 17.5 crore loan that Muktabai Co-Operative Sugar factory, of which Pratibha is the founder-president, has defaulted on. Incidentally the factory was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi.

When you think that you have had enough reasons to renounce support for Ms.Patil as a Presidential candidate, she goes ahead and gives you one more. She claims that she is talking to dead people or rather dead people are talking to her. She claims to have been advised by her long-dead guru (Dada Lekhraj who founded Brahma Kumari sect) through the body of head of Brahma Kumaris World Spritual University, Hridaymohini, also popularly known as ‘dadiji.’ WTF! I know that this Brahmakumari sect is one huge scam and has seriously affected the lives of people. To find that our Presidential nominee is not just a mere follower of this cult but also claims to have supernatural conversations with the dead in the 21st century is astounding.

I am sure if you read news snippets on Pratibha Patil today as she prepares to be voted as our next President, you’ll find something that you disagree with; either on moral, ethical, political, or ever religious grounds. The post of our President is largely ceremonial and is often for lack of a better word, given to a person for a long and distinguished public service career. The least we could ask for is an untarnished reputation and moral uprightness.

In the face of silence from our Indian media, Nitin asks us to put up the above banner if you wish to protest against Patil’s candidature. I am not asking you to blindly follow our lead but if you are even remotely interested then please read up on Pratibha Patil and note down your views on your blog. Let’s get a conversation started and perhaps our thoughts might be heard.