It's only an article
The Hindustan Times
June 29, 2003 - What's so terrible about this article in
Time magazine?'' asked the lady sitting next to me on the
British Airways flight. We were halfway to London and
travelling in silence. She had buried herself inside a
clutch of magazines and Time was one of them. This was
her way of breaking the ice.
''Why is everyone so worked up? It may be critical and it
may suggest Vajpayee's not up to the job, but so what?
It's only an article.''
''Well,'' I began diffidently. ''They've got important
things wrong.''
''Sure,'' she replied. Her voice had the ring of
authority. ''They've got his age wrong, they've
exaggerated his ailments and they claim he still drinks.
But that's not the end of the world? Would you rant and
rave if someone said you were older than you are?''
''The problem is the article seems biased, as if it's
making a deliberate point. It's written to denigrate.''
''Again, so what?'' She turned to look me square in the
face and I was wilting under the pressure. ''Anyway,
criticism always feels biased to the person under attack.
How could it not? And why shouldn't the author make a
deliberate point? Isn't that what criticism is supposed
to do?''
She was right. It was difficult to defend the
Government's response and I was ready to give up.
''Let me read a bit. Then judge how offensive it is.''
And with that she placed her glasses on her nose and
began.
''He drank heavily in his prime and still enjoys a
nightly whisky or two at 74. India's leader takes
painkillers for his knees (which were replaced due to
arthritis) and has trouble with his bladder, liver and
his one remaining kidney. A taste for fried food and
fatty sweets plays havoc with his cholesterol. He takes a
three-hour snooze every afternoon on doctor's orders and
is given to interminable silences, indecipherable
ramblings and, not infrequently, falling asleep in
meetings.''
Four things struck me. Vajpayee is 77 but the article
claims he's 74. That's an error in the right direction.
It says he enjoys a whisky at night and in his prime
drank heavily. Many of us do but few are ashamed of it.
So, if he drinks, why should Vajpayee be offended? The
article claims he has trouble with his bladder, liver and
one remaining kidney. I'm not sure if that's correct but
I know a man with one kidney could have trouble with his
bladder. Finally, it states he takes a three-hour snooze
every afternoon and even sleeps in meetings. I've heard
Vajpayee naps in the afternoon. I'm not sure about doing
so in meetings. But Deve Gowda did.
The lady turned to look at me – she was peering down her
glasses – as I made these points. She listened carefully
but brushed them aside.
''These are mere details,'' she said. ''The point is
Vajpayee isn't in the best condition to be Prime
Minister. Can you deny that? We laugh when he totters
around, despair when he stops mid-sentence and are
dismayed when he forgets names or can't hear questions at
a press conference. But when Time magazine writes this,
the Government is up in arms. It doesn't make sense.''
She paused but I was loath to butt in. I felt she had
more to say. ''I can't work it out,'' she continued.
''Are we hypocrites? Are we thin-skinned? Or are we so
self-righteous we're above criticism?''
''What do you think?'' I wasn't sure and, anyway, I was
more interested in her answer. ''I don't know. Probably
all three. But the BJP looks silly when it's caught in
one of its periodic fits of moral indignation. Cabinet
ministers, official spokespersons, members of the party
and all their silly hangers-on have worked themselves
into a terrible froth. It wouldn't happen anywhere else
in the world. After all, have you ever heard George Bush
or any American complain about Dubyaman?''
''I suppose this doesn't reflect well on India's image
abroad?'' I knew the answer but couldn't help ask the
question.
''Most certainly not.'' She took her glasses off, sipped
her drink and continued. ''And now they've turned on the
poor journalist. Some stupid nonsense about having two
passports when a British national can have dual
citizenship. It looks like revenge. A crude attempt to
teach him a lesson he won't forget.''
''We're like porcupines,'' I said. The analogy seemed to
flow out of her conversation.
''We're bristling with self-righteousness. We can't see
ourselves and we don't care how others see us either.''
''You know there could be another explanation.'' Her
voice was suddenly softer, almost thoughtful. ''Do you
think the article is right? That Vajpayee is actually
past it? Are they angry because Time magazine has let the
cat out of the bag?''
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Panchaang for 6 Ashadh 5104, Friday, July 4, 2003:
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