On 24 November one young man Harvindersingh went close to Mr. Sharad Pawar and slightly pushed him on his cheek to register his protest for what is going on these days in this unfortunate country. Mr. Pawar also brushed aside the event saying, it was an innocent reaction of a youth. However, our media having an itch to get to anything to start the row spread that insignificant incidence and blew it out of proportion as their habit does. They went on asking people all over to get their reaction to that and began to spread hysteria in the country as if something very horrible has happened.  I saw that event on television and so I may say that I was a tele-witness for that event. From what I saw, it was a clear thing that it was not an attack the way media went on telling to all. We always see even amongst friends on difference of opinion one slaps the other and that is a normal behavior of people to show protest with intimacy but definitely not an attack. One may condemn it as a crude way to protest but certainly not an attack. 

Almost all political personalities when asked for their reaction vehemently insisted to show their disapproval to the crude style of protest. I know they are afraid about that as it may happen to them as well in the future, as all of them are as corrupt as Pawar and other UPA members. All their reactions were clearly showing their fear for themselves. When told to Anna of that, his reaction was quite interesting to me; he exclaimed very innocently to ask; “why only one slap Harvindersigh hit on Pawar”? Of course, later on, he changed the attitude to go with the form he has adopted for the time being and advised that any violent reaction is not good, anyway! I think Anna probably wanted to suggest to Pawar, that he should have produced his, another cheek to be a Gandhian Congressman. Even so as usual, typical critics of Anna conveniently attempted to misinterpret him. 

When I discussed this incidence with many people around me, they were amused and expressed their total approval of what the young man did. I may admit of my observation that at least 80% people approved of what Harvindersingh did. I may say he was as if representing the emotions of the people of India. 

People of some opposition party suggested to Pawar, to think of the happening, to see why Harvinder hit him and learn some lesson from that. The wrong working of the government creates persons like Harvindersingh. If government punishes him, after some time, another Harvindersingh, Jogindersingh, Chattargee, Godse or Pillai will crop up to slab another political leader. This I say because, sometime back another fellow hit Chidambaram with a shoe. That means this is not a solitary happening but is a part of the course of action that is set in motion by the mismanagement of our government. In view of this observation, I feel Congress party and UPA government take seriously the advice given by the opposition party’s leaders. Punishing this man is no solution to this type of problem.       

Raj Thakare objected to the matter on the regional angle and suggested that he should hit Manmohansingh in stead and not a Maratha. All different reactions of these people were exposing them and from that, the whole episode was becoming, all the more, interesting to me.  

In 25 November edition of Mumbai Mirror, Sohel Seth expressed fear for incompetent and corrupt CEOs who shall deceive shareholders by not paying correct dividend. His fear exposed his type. That really amused me. All corrupt people all over the country went into hysteria as if it was they and not Pawar, Harvinder slapped. Guilty conscience was pricking them. My observation suggests to me that all pro-corruption people condemned the slapping event, almost certainly for their guilty conscience.  

While everybody was busy complaining of Harvindersingh, no body grumbled for the damage supporters of corruption caused to the peaceful society. All newspapers are full of news about how the supporters of corruption created fiasco. Road blocking, forced closure of shops, offices and stoning on cars and other properties in the name of protest. Why nobody thinks of arresting these miscreants? No FIR for them after all what they did. When I asked one NCP worker, why they continued the riot when Pawar had told them to keep quiet; he said, “We know his no means, in this context, go ahead and so we continued.”  He further told me, “Pawarsab appreciates if we burn the country in his honor.” Even Sohel Seth who professed the philosophy of non-violence in his article failed to mention and condemn the violent aftermath. These things clearly show two faces of all these critics of Harvindersingh. If action is essential against foolish act of this young man, action on these supporters of corruption becomes all the more essential. 

We should note that in cities out of every four persons, one is pro-corruption and in rural area out of every nine, one is pro-corruption. This is because these people are beneficiaries of some or the other type of corruption. These people, is the strength of black money lobby of UPA. This situation has made fight against corruption difficult. Most of the NCP is pro-corruption and that explains their reaction. All critics of Anna are from this segment of pro-corruption population. This realization helped me in putting their criticism in the correct perspective. Therefore, those criticisms of Anna no more influence me. 

One woman told me, “Mr. Pawar and his government have slapped people several times by destroying our life. If some body slapped him once, why make so much noise? This government deserves many more slaps. Even after that, their punishment will not come to an end. Tolerance of our people is becoming our measure defect and these corrupt people in the government and market are taking full advantage of it.”

I realized on this occasion that principal of tolerance, non-violence has some limits, and when the subject exceeds that, non-tolerance and violence become essential. Democracy does not mean giving free hands to these corrupt politicians to do anything, misusing provisions of laws. People show objection to flogging but we cannot forget that Hindu mythology honors this flogging, as one of the fourteen jewels. 

Sohel Seth’s article is an excellent example of how supporters of corruption justify their corrupt activities using philosophy, and lots of illogical statements, wanting people to keep cool so that these corrupt people continue their corruption unabated; I reckon. 

Justice Capadia of Supreme Court suggested the other day that people give proof of wrong deeds of any judge and he shall take action. This is no new offer. Other previous fellows had also given that offer. The hitch in this offer is very clever. This I say because, our judges and other people from the judiciary and politics commit perfect crime. A perfect crime is that crime when committed no proof, evidence or witness left behind so that proving crime in the court of law becomes impossible. Other corollary of this is creation of persons like Harvindersigh. Perfect crime creates such people by way of reaction from the society. They in turn, give punishment to the culprit in their way. rightly or wrongly.                                  

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