An Ex Chief Minister & Me

11 September 2009

What do you suppose happens to former Chief Ministers of State who are no longer in the good graces of the government?



I’ll tell you. I have one living on the floor below mine.



Now this X was a CM of a large state in India. During her hey day, she minted money, got apartments as gifts every year, had a minstrelsy singing paeans in her honour, a huge gaggle of dour-looking security personnel…the works. I think I must add, all this was in Delhi, which was NOT where she ruled. Our parking lot was hogged by her various cars, the police protection truck(not van) was perpetually parked in the middle of the lane with the cops sitting on chairs, playing cards, passing comments and lewd looks each time a woman/girl passed by. All in all, they had a gala time. My door bell would constantly ring, sometimes at 11 PM, by those who assumed her flat extended up to the last floor, and, if they’d climbed an extra floor by mistake, they may as well ring the bell at the lone flat there and seek entry. Walking down the stairs (there’s no lift, you see) was a task, maneuvering past those hefty, smelly, guards. X was very particular about people leaving their shoes outside the house; so if you went bumbling down the steps coz you’d stepped over a dozen huge shoes in trying to get past, well, it was your headache.



A huge sense of relief came over all the neighbours when a Mr. Nice guy gifted her with a hi-fi flat in another place. Well, this was not meant to be. X was soon ousted from her position (she’d made some rather rebellious and unforgivable comments against the party seniors). Hell! She came back to live in our vicinity again. The scene hasn’t changed much, really, except for the missing police truck.



Sometimes, I pass her by as she walks with a black dog she has recently acquired (an astrologer told her to feed a black dog for good luck). Her 6 guards in navy blue safari suits walk at a distance behind her, giving each other looks as they shift the weight of their heavy rifles from one shoulder to another. Even the common tailor in a little garage shop nearby wonders why the ex-CM of ABC state is living like a queen in New Delhi. She is a nobody, has achieved absolutely nothing. Why should the common man have to pay for her expensive tastes? Why should her security personnel carry her lapdog around for her? Why should she be even provided with security? Nobody in the world wants to harm her- she’s so shunned & unwanted! Why should everyone stop their cars to let hers pass? What makes this 60 year old renovate her house every 6 months at the cost of public money?



As for me, I refuse to acknowledge her presence. If I chance upon her on the stairs, I look down at my toes and admire them till the stout woman with oily hair, clad in a petticoat and a kurta is safely out of my sight.



I don’t know what I can do at a social level; but at a personal one, I ensure she knows she cannot impact me in any way. No matter what she does to catch my attention(yes, this is what she has stooped to now to get a sense of control), I will not fan her ego with any kind of acknowledgment!

27 Comments, Opinions & What Have you!:

Allergic To People 9/11/2009  

I know what you mean. These so called leaders are good for nothing. We spend crores taking care of them when they should all be sent to the jail.

kaka 9/11/2009  

isnt this the same wat mayawati is doing???:P.....using the public money for their own benefit has been going on for long and even though everyone knows about it they do nothing....u have been tagged...
P.S : check my blog...:)

BardSpeaks 9/11/2009  

@Kaka: Yes, most politicians are like that.
I'll take up your tag one of these days. :D I'm still to get over the terrible time I had trying to take up Kasabian girl's tag!

Arjun 9/11/2009  

oh.. The same thing everywhere.....

Really sick....I can understand the mess she'd be causing being around...

Cheers..!!
Arjun

Jaideep Sobti 9/11/2009  
This comment has been removed by the author.
BardSpeaks 9/11/2009  

@Jaideep: Heh heh..thanks...but then, as the dialogue goes..."show mw the money!" :D

Jaideep Sobti 9/11/2009  

'aw c'mon... skates don't cost too much..

BardSpeaks 9/11/2009  

No, Jai...skates don't...but trips to the hosp would! You see, i dnt knw howta skate! :P

Anahat 9/11/2009  

You seem to be really hanging in there. I'd have gone and complained to the apartment or area authorities.

Sid 9/11/2009  

Whoa. This is sad. Really?

Jaideep Sobti 9/11/2009  

...touché

BardSpeaks 9/11/2009  

@Anahat: Well, all's been tried. Unfortunately, there's no help:-(

@Sid: Yes, really:-(

Pinpaks 9/12/2009  

Ah.. its a pity you live so close to one such politician who beleives people are their servants and not the other way.

you tell me, why should a highly qualified IPS officer or IAS officer act as bodyguard to a politician? Aren't they both civil servants? S
hould each and every politician be allotted so many bodyguards?(who is going to kill them, they already are friends with so many of the darker sect of the society) some who can pull strings, specifically request IAS/IPS officers as their body guards. and then, they are forced to run disgusting errands .. I have personally seen this in AP many times.

As you have rightfully pointed out, at least after retirement they should exercise some restraint. I suppose the thought of coping with power loss and people loss might prove to much for them.. lol..

BardSpeaks 9/12/2009  

@Rohini: Yes, you're right. After that kind of fanatic attention, it's tough for them to come to terms with reality.

Manita 9/12/2009  

My first visit to your blog. Love the way you put your thoughts together.

Keep it up.

Jaideep Sobti 9/12/2009  
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous 9/13/2009  

OMG, I HATE people who are filled with self importance - Good for you for never acknowledging such a parasite.

scarlet pimpernel 9/13/2009  

I sincerely hope she reads this

BardSpeaks 9/13/2009  

@SP: I doubt it. Don't think she can read english:-)

Jaideep Sobti 9/14/2009  
This comment has been removed by the author.
BardSpeaks 9/14/2009  

No sweat, Jai:-)

BALLET NEWS 9/15/2009  

Great post !

Happybirdie 9/16/2009  

very nicely written dear and I always get negative vibes from thz leaders...specially mayawati whz spending 2600 crores on statues..huh!thank God supreme court made a strong decision.
Thumbs up to u dear,Now u hv a new follower in me.

Olive Oyl 9/16/2009  

nice blog! my sympathies are there for your abnormally hard luck. though i presume it's a form of tough luck that we all share in some way or the other. :(

The pale observer 9/18/2009  

Living in Africa I can completely relate!!! The corruption at government level is staggering. The ministers get multiple cars, security, houses, bonuses, benefits etc etc etc.. while the man on the street makes an average of $1 a day.

No money is pumped into roads, sanitation, education etc.

On your personal level you are doing what you can to say 'I'm not impressed - I'm appalled'. Good going:)

And thanks for visiting over at Holli's Ramblings! :)

Pinpaks 9/18/2009  

Something special is waiting for you at my blog.. please come and take a look..

GSai 10/28/2009  

Oh! Look at all the possible things you could do with such an acquaintance!! No.. am not talking about any mileages gained or even 'changing the world'... just think of all the fun that you miss out by neglecting such a character!

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