Gen X MPs

For the TV and the main stream media, the Gen-X of Indian politics are the sons and daughters of political heavyweights: the "Amul babies" that entered parliament from the constituencies they inherited from their big shot parents. The TV channels are running endless debates on them, getting the young MPs to the news rooms, making maximum use of their glamour quotient. Today one discussion was going on in some channel, conducted where else but the educational capital of elitist Indians: the St. Stephens College campus! Majority of the Gen X MPs studied there (after attending Doon school, and before going to Oxbridge or Ivy League).

(My roommate tells he is proud of the Shashi Tharoor's British accent, even though he knows that Tharoor did not live in UK long enough to get the accent, and also that even beggars in UK speak the accent. He was even happy when Tharoor told in an interview that he got the "fake" accent from Stephens! Like the cliche goes, Gimme a break dude!!).

But why I am cribbing about this! Because I feel that the amul babies are a sad lot compared to their big shot parents who hard earned their positions. A politician (non Gen-X), who rose from an ordinary man to start working for a party, who stood elections and won, who worked day and night for his politics and its victory, who visited people and houses, marriages and funerals, saying very little no to the people who come to ask for help, and actually getting involved in many of those positively.... That's how they rose in the ranks and reached what they are/were! The country grew with them, they had grass root knowledge of its villages and cities, and people queued up when they were in town. When the nationalised banks hesitate to give loans to the poor, the politician comes into picture. When the power in an area goes due to lightning and torrential rain, the politician is in the forefront to get it back on track. When the bureaucrats want to increase the price for electricity and diesel to rice and bus/train charges, and gain on the balance sheet, the politician comes into picture. I can go on and on.

Not that they are perfect. Far from it. Starting from corruption and nepotism, the negatives are far too many. But just imagine: an MLA in our country - not of the Gen-X or retired/resigned bureaucrat variety, but an actual politician - is too busy every single day, running around and trying to please (or help) people. Much more than an IAS officer. Or any other bureaucrat. He helps a lot of people. He directly impacts their lives. When the police shot down 5 people near Bheemapalli in Trivandrum, the politician entrusted them with suspensions, much to the protests from the DGP.

But the Gen-X know nothing of this. They are amul babies. When the anchor asked the Gen X reps at St. Stephens about their plans for development, the suckers were telling - "I want to change the image of Rohtak from an majorly agricultural area to the educational capital of India", and another MP from a small town in Orissa: "I created an educational boom in my constituency" (1st quote from Cong MP, 2nd from BJP guy, I think). These people, what do they think! That they have such grand godfathers that they can get away with their foolishness on the self-proclaimed "National TV"? What would their politician fathers would have told if this question was put to them? Do the Gen X MPs have any idea about the people who voted for them, or the total citizenry of their constituency, what their needs and aspirations are? And why the discussions in media gets carried away along the lines of these crap!

Oh God, or my dear media, I am so fond of saying, "Gimme a break".