Sachin's Parliamentary Innings

 

In the summers of 2012 many of the non-congressite fans of the master blaster bore the brunt of Sachin’s political sixer and looked, their awful devotion dented with the mortal’s deft, humane leg-glance to a political delivery. Sachin accepted Rajya Sabha nomination by the Congress.

Of the millions of diehard fans of the batting God, a young man felt particularly let down. He claimed he was Sachin’s biggest fan in the world. The success and failure of his days was decided by the master’s willow in punishing the bowlers or staying stoic on a day. Sachin was the practical arm of his dreams, to soar his aspirations high in the sky with lofted shots, to pierce his ambition through the rivals with back- and front-footed punches to the fence. But there was an equally strong fact about the young man in that he was rabidly anti-congress. Only the Congress losing a seat somewhere could lit up his dejected face if Sachin’s bat did not speak some day and he got out on zero. His inherited hate for the Congress—his grandfather had been in the Zamindaar League, and his father had actively supported the Jan Sangh and had been to jail during the emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi—had made him shine in DUSU elections and after that a regional party had made him its district youth president to carry out his anti-congress tirade.

But the master blaster this time hit a sixer too high that landed in the pavilion and hurt many fingers and faces, the ball cascading across the sea of heads and faces. With Sachin’s consent to the Congress invitation of nomination to the Rajya Sabha, the young man was trying his level best to retain his worship for the cricketing God, but then political Gods are equally strong. There were many like him who voiced dissent, the erstwhile Sachin fans who criticised, jibed, expressed apprehension, showed soft anger and many like-minded reactions.

One thing was clear. It is almost impossible to be a successful Indian and still not be a politician at some level. Ironically the league of achievers, apart from the clean shirts, includes shadowy characters like big-time criminals, swindlers, tricky scamesters and all those spooky characters who cock snook at law and still be in influential positions. Now, coming back to the clean-shirted successful Indians. Sachin Tendulkar is in the front league of those whose cuts and pulls have helped the masses forget their individual miseries. He has given the Indian masses far too occasions to celebrate and be happy than they could manage with their limited capabilities. There might be a really bad day with any of the Indians but then the news of Sachin hitting another century found him/her taken in by the pleasant and welcoming pools of the sea of Indian humanity lost in the whirlpools of his classy hits. He has been the pain-killer and joy-giver. God bless him! Long live Sachin!

Looking at his apolitical strides on the path of inspiring and influencing millions of destinies, it appeared there were politics-free domains in this country where you can strive for perfection. But then how long an Indian after reaching the highest echelons and still not kiss the political maiden with its tempting pout?! It is just a matter of time. The inevitable countdown! So our Sachin finally surrendered to the temptation. Nothing wrong with that! But eating the political pie while still with gloves on was a bit disappointing. It would have been better with his willow in his restroom. Maybe he would have been in a better position to understand a bit of the Parliamentary game over public issues in the Rajya Sabha. Sachin, but, is Sachin—ever-lorn for new figures, targets and challenges. We agree that he does it for the Indians. Just wonder he will use the same single-minded determination in adding some voice of sanity to some debate over some bill. At least he can think of it when there is no Indian cricketing itinerary and the Parliament session begins.

Indians love him as the son of India. However, in a country where political opinions have the razor-sharp pugnacity to cut down relationships forever, it will be interesting to see whether he will lose some of his diehard fans because now he represents a particular party as well. By the natural law of it, all those who oppose this particular party may find Sachin less affable now. It is one of the toughest challenges in India to maintain a good relationship with a supporter of different political stream. Wonder there won't be a section of Indians who will jump with joy when the great man adds to the number of 0s in his kitty.

We can even surmise that the great man was just fed up with his status of the King of cricketing Gods feasting upon the mass accolades of hallucinated masses fed on rich cricket-opium diet. So just to realise his human avatar he like any of us wants to have some bad neighbours so that by hitting massive fours and sixes he can rub salt on their wounds and thus enjoy the sweet-sour taste of it. Excuse him please! It is just to be human.