Lok Sabha election 2014: The awards go to…
Sankrant Sanu
15 May 2014
![Lok Sabha election 2014: And the awards go to…]()
15 May 2014
2014 general election had the making of an epic like the Mahabharata or the Ramayana; engaged all of Bharat and forced it to take sides. No one remained unaffected. So here are my epic awards for this election season. Disclaimer: I liberally use characters from the two epics and unabashedly display my political inclination in this election season for this mapping. Also each character is distinct, their inter-relationships do not follow the historical script.
Here are the winners:
Dhritrashtra award – This one is easy. A man characterised by his blind toleration of wrong doing. Perhaps not complicit, but certainly impotent in stopping it, the blind king becomes an irrelevant non-participant in the final battle. Our awardee may not have been blind, but was certainly mute. This election’s Dhritrashtra award goes to Manmohan Singh, the accidental PM.
Matsyagandha award – Matsyagandha is the kingmaker, but her ultimate concern is securing the place for her progeny, ensuring the continuity of her dynasty. A fisherman’s daughter, she makes her place as the Queen mother by dint of her marriage into the dynasty and becomes all powerful. The Matsyagandha award goes to Sonia Gandhi, matashri.
Vibhishana award – Ghar ka bhedi lanka dhaye! Though, part of Ravana’s family, Vibhishana’s conscience is awakened when he sees that he is on the side of wrong. He joins battle with the righteousness, exposes Ravana’s vulnerability and leads to the downfall of the wicked. Vibhishana is expelled in a fit of rage. The Vibhishana award goes to Ashwini Upadhayay, founding member of the AAP family, who crossed sides and spent tireless energy exposing the vulnerabilities of AAP and its founding family.
Krishna award – Krishna has said that he will not take up arms in the battle but it is also clear where his moral force lies. This award rightly belongs to a guru. Ramdev could have been claimant, except that he was wielding all the arms he could muster and was in the thick of the battle. The Krishna award goes to the enigmatic Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a big force behind the IAC movement and considered close to Kejriwal at one point. Without taking up arms, he did give guidance in the battle with the art of the subtle—Lakshmi, he said, can only come riding on a kamal and not on a jhadu.
Shikhandi award – Shikhandi was a woman who took rebirth as a man to avenge her insult at the hand of Bhishma. Our Shikhandi awardee once escaped Delhi police dressed in a woman’s cloth. He was moved by righteousness but also by the insults and the hundreds of court cases that had been heaped upon him by the ruling dynasty. He took up arms in battle, leaving no doubt which side he was on. The shikhandi award goes to Swami Ramdev.
Indrajeet award – Part of Ravana’s family, Indrajit becomes famous as the king-conqueror for his defeat of Indra. He is also known as Meghanad. Unfortunately, he chose the side of adharma and was slain in the final battle. Our awardee too became famous as a king-slayer for defeating Sheila Dikshit in battle but then he took on the wrong foe. His prowess in speech resounded like the nada of the megha. Vanquished in the end, the Indrajeet award goes to Arvind Kejriwal.
Hanuman award – Hanuman is the lead man for Rama. Goes in search of Sita and prepares the ground for the coming of his Lord. Not looking for any glory of his own, all glory belongs to his master. The quintessential sevak! This election’s Hanuman award goes to Amit Shah who looks and acts the part.
Rama award – Wrongfully banished, Rama has to endure years of exile. Even so, he is beloved of the people who await his return. After enduring many hardships, he finally vanquishes his foes and returns triumphant. The nation bursts into the celebration of Diwali. For having endured wrongful charges and a media exile in darkness, fought and (hopefully) returned in victory to celebrating citizens, the Rama award goes to Narendra Modi.
The nearly rans – Rahul Gandhi could get the Duryodhana award as the crown prince of the dynasty but he is not much of a yodha and Duryodhan is not the reluctant prince.
Your turn to weigh in!
(The author Sankrant Sanu can be found on Twitter at @sankrant)