Whenever a natural, or a manmade, disaster takes places, what is the Pavlovian response of our netas? It’s to take to the skies for an aerial survey. What they see from those heights, we don’t know, but ostensibly this is to assure the agitated masses that your neta is up there keeping an eye on you. So it was heartening to see that some of our leaders are a little more down to earth.
CPI leader AB Bardhan leapt astride the pillion of a motorcycle recently to visit those affected by the violence over the Posco project in Orissa. And I&B Minister PR Dasmunsi hit the road on a similar vehicle to visit the flood-affected in Midnapore. Now for Mr Bardhan, clearly, recollections of his iconic ideological cousin Che Guevara must have sprung to mind. While his swing around Midnapore is not in the same class as the legendary Marxist leader’s motorcycle journey through Latin America, Mr Bardhan probably wanted to show people that he can still rev it up with the best of them. But wait a minute. Should any leader be tootling about on a gas-guzzling motorbike when fuel prices are sky high?
We recommend a more earthy way of getting around. Let’s roll out the old bullock cart. It’s fuel efficient, homegrown and is bound to be a hit with the aam admi. This is the best way to keep the wheels of governance moving.
{{/usCountry}}We recommend a more earthy way of getting around. Let’s roll out the old bullock cart. It’s fuel efficient, homegrown and is bound to be a hit with the aam admi. This is the best way to keep the wheels of governance moving.
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