Selfie or a self-goal?
By- Pamarty Venkataramana
When my Editor asked me to send a selfie from the swearing ceremony venue, I was taken aback. And, with due humility, I sent him a picture of the imposing dome of the Rashtrapathi Bhawan. He responded saying -‘I asked for your selfie in the historic occasion and not of the Presidential House’ !
Not having an appropriate answer to give and in the rush of things, I stayed calm. But now as I seek to call it a day at quarter past two in the late hours, I begin to wonder on the right and wrong of a selfie-world.
I always protested this globally recognised disorder of human behaviour and thought it was beyond the level of narcissism or self-appreciation bordering even beyond compulsive obsessive disorder (almost a third stage of ‘dementia’).
But then, did I score a self-goal by refusing the selfie-contribution?
This got me thinking.
After all, the elected representatives of the billion plus nation were clicking their selfies within premises of the Parliament yesterday and it is a fad to click selfies – left, right and centre!
When you put the thinking-cap on,you notice the unseen. But then, a selfie is supposed to show off the unseen. More the emotions behind the expression and less about the click itself. Just as all we who voted in blazing heat and long queues by pressing the button of an electronic voting machine did click a selfie of expression. We cast a vote for an identity of a certain political outfit. But then were the party-tickets it allotted on criteria of caste and economic ability to beat the heat of competition? And, among the multitudes of aspirants from a given caste, was not the chosen candidate the one with maximum mileage? More selfies, more bytes, more media glare? Be it a hit dweller M.P. or a jet-setter M.P, the selfies made or broke their fortunes. Gone are the days of the autographs and the handshakes or a traditional Namastey, and here are days of the candidates obliging a selfie or even reportedly losing a whole political fortune even!
What hides the selfies of chosen ministers is the moot question rankling one’s mind as the bow-bow brigade of mass-media half-baked journos speculate aloud the portfolios to be allocated to the anointed. What is lost behind all the circus shows is the charade and facade of ‘picking the best man for the right job’ .
How?
For instance, how many are aware of certain moles having made it to the topmost ranks (apparently through the festival of democracy) but by concealment of murky past associations with overseas espionage outfits in election affidavits and by hobnobbing with shady funds in the past years,building up much publicised think-tank bodies and currently eyeing to wield baton of crucial economic and finance departments.
Or, of evil Dracula m-like creatures haunting corridors of power. This Honourable Prime Minister had in the very first Red Fort speech declared the ‘existence of several corridors of power within the corridors of power of the Government ‘.
Have these labyrinths of power been explored and plugged adequately or not?
Have intelligence reports on every member of the cabinet (especially heirs of past political masters of Government) in this country been meticulously vetted by the Head of State as well as the Head of Government? If not, why not?
Also, is it not perilous to accept any recommendation of galaxy of coalition parties to become privy to secrets of State (without vetting their past alliances with foreign businesses and brokers of weapons or aircraft) merely because they got elected by local electorate?
Is a national government needed to dislodge notional Governance? Such are the posers a simple selfie can generate.
Alas, to most die-hard believers of fiction of Demi-god Governance systems, this selfie-question seems to be a self-goal by the essayist.
Almost every major portfolio holding aspirant-Minister has hidden background of wealth and reach hidden by the smiling face in the selfies. This is the danger which a zealous Prime Minister must not overlook or ignore. The long hours and hard labour of patriots must not go waste. This generation ought to become a game changer for bright destiny of the next and future generations.
So, focus on dismissing ineligible and shallow performers without hesitating (even within the first month of induction).
That alone will be a lesson for moles hiding in other institutions of the country.
Time shall tell the truth behind all selfies but then previous lifetimes ought not to be wasted by the time prophecies are revealed to be true.
Satyameva Jayate. Truth alone shall triumph. This is the motto of the Government of the Sovereign,socialist,secular,democratic Republic of the People of India 🇮🇳!
Jai Hind 🙏
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