Monday, September 10, 2007

A very humane Chief Minister

Politicians in India have come to acquire a rather nasty image. In such a scenario, images of the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar come out strikingly different.

Soon after his coming to power, the Patna West MLA and a close friend of Nitish Kumar, Naveen Kumar Sinha passed away. The pictures taken at the time showed a tearful Nitish as he attended his creamation. Nitish lost his wife a couple of months back due to pneumonia complications. People saw a grieving CM captured weeping inconsolably on TV as he took her for her last rites. Just a couple of days back, there was the sudden death of the Bihar Education Secretary on whom Nitish was relying very heavily to bring in reforms in the education system. Picutres of Nitish were published with visibly moist eyes as he went to pay his last respects.

Conditioned as we are by the culture of the modern Indian metros (and away from the rural culture of India), we may find such public display of emotion rather odd. The western culture even considers tears in the eyes of an adult male as a sign of wekaness. However, expression of such genuine human emotions can only come from a man deeply imbued in humanism. Only a person who is confident will not feel shy to show his emotions even under the glare of media. It feels great that even today, such a humanist is able to hold his own in rough and tumble of Indian politics. This certianly fills me with a lot of hope and optimism.

4 comments:

KA said...

TVS, this could come only from you. Very touching.

Wonder where our "cosmopolitan" media is. They have enough time for concepts like "metro/cosmo" man from bollywood but why not politicians or "statesman"

Ajit Chouhan said...

Nice one tvs,good that you spoke about the softer part of our CM.Sometimes in the rush of the things we forget that they are mere mortals like us.

TV said...

Indeed Atul, we desperately need an alternate media. You are right Ajit, we are quite severe on public figures and expect them to be super human.

rajbihari said...

T E A R S W A T C H
We Cry in despearation ~ Your Cry is humane sir(Sri.Nitish Kumar).

Yes undoubtedly he is a person with a humane touch.A very sensitive human being,a powerful CM moving ahead silently.

For the first time Ministers of Bihar are also in tears, but not to give company to Nitish babu, but due to the School Principal like handling of the Ministers & Babus by the erstwhile CM.Govt officers reaching on time was a NEWS.

Will he be able to fight the viciousness of the under current against the iron hand approach towards achieving proper corruption free adminisatration?

Handling a spastic is easier than manging a spoilt child.

Sorry to say Bihar is the spoilt child and moreover lots of people ,rather the country is biased to it.Even in govt backed events i have my self experienced.

THOSE TEARS ....Crocodile tears... PM , FM and Presidential passionate claims and great helping hand declarations never have a lastmile to trek.Lack of political will and absolute non syn between beneficiaries and administration gives rise to a stand still and impasse of the negative kinds ... blame not the people .................Men who are going to get there daughter married next year is jubliant about getting his first job at 4x yrs .. a primary school teacher..thanks to ???? Mass appointments !!He will get salary... imagine What will the child get ??
All cries are not humane.

Yet to meet him, inspite ofmany people wanting me to do so ...as i fear Ministers and Secretaries who meets and says something then ...shut into the shell protected by his PA,security ....Saheb tour par hain ,meeting me hein, e.mails has no value and bound to be not answered.Fear of a stale mate puts me off.