Suman K Sharma
Perched on a branch of an ancient gnarled tree standing somewhere in the snow-covered upper reaches of the Himalayas, Kaga Bhushundi spake thus the other day –
“Hearken to me, you of the land of mortals…”
Now Kaga Bhushundi is no ordinary crow. He is a never-dying, all-perceiving, ever-cawing being, one who has been keeping the world abreast of the small and big happenings since the times the scion of the proud clan of the Raghus, Shri Ram Chandra Ji Maharaj vanquished Lanka of the evil Ravana and brought back His divine consort, Sita Mata Ji to Ayodhyapuri.
Bhushundi Ji, of course, has a way of reaching out to anyone who cares to listen. His screeching voice ruffled my eardrums as he went on:
“In the capital city of Bharat Khande, Jambu Dweepe – the land of Bharat in the continent that once was called Jambu Dweep – great things are in the offing. From now on, the denizens there will bask in Arvind’s swaraj – the swaraj will do nothing but what commoners tell it to do. If the janta wants power at the half the rates, tathaastu – so be it. If they don’t want to pay for water, the swaraj will have it delivered to them at state expense. The dwellers of huts and pavements will have proper houses to live in. Foul matter and filth will be a past memory. No longer will women have to fear the lumpen and the evil-minded….
“But Kaga Ji Maharaj….” I tried to interject.
“There is much more to come,” continued Kaga Bhushundi ignoring my interference, “Parents, rich or poor, will be able to send their children to good schools, everyone will have access to best medical care, villages will have their gram sabhas to run their affairs as in the days of the yore and….”
The trouble with crows is that once started, they stop only when they tire of the noises they themselves make. Kaga Bhushundi Ji, paragon of his race that he is, still seemed to have enough wind left in him. He would not rest till he had recited the whole of AAP’s election manifesto. “Corruption, and by that I mean every kind of malfeasance, will be eliminated. All public servants without exception will be held accountable for their deeds. Nagarpala, or the Commissioner of Police, as you call him today, with the compliment of his men, will ensure…. ”
At last I got my break and yelled at the top of my voice before the Kaga could utter another word, “But Bhushundi Ji Maharaj, CP, I mean Commissioner of Delhi Police, is not answerable to Delhi Sarkar. How will then Arvind Kejriwal muster adequate security for women? And to fund cheap energy, free water supply, houses for the poor and so on, how will he arrange money? Dig deeper into government’s coffers and raise taxes, that’s how. Even his cherished dreams of the Swaraj and the Lokpal – which are only institutional reforms requiring no immediate expenditure or additional manpower – are likely to remain unfulfilled without the tacit support of his political rivals. Would they willingly do it to their own detriment? Kejriwal and his men may be good at breaking set norms, but good governance does not seem their cup of tea!”
“Only time will tell,” said the wise Kaga.
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