RIDING A TIGER

You might think that I became a politician by choice. No. I was forced into it. I am a male nearing 40. I don’t have much education as I hated books. Persuaded by my dad I finished schooling. My dad owned a small farm in our village. The neighbor had a big holding but we managed to live peacefully together. After my dad’s passing, I took over running of the farm. Whereas my dad had been a strict disciplinarian I treated my farm labor with compassion. I was liberal with advancing money in fair play. Small tokens of benevolence were appreciated: for instance a boy who had run away with a chicken and eggs had taken shelter in the railway station. I forgave him. He continues to work for me faithfully. A child of a laborer born deaf mute needed special help which I organized. There was a girl child of a female laborer who was nubile and good looking. She had acted in dramas, in school and was appreciated. I spoke to my neighbor who had kin in film land. He laughed and said “I suppose you had laid her in the…..” He wouldn’t believe I had a clean objective in mind and wasn’t compensating rape. That girl caused some embarrassment. It was said her marriage had been fixed but she had gone to film land. I came to know the girl had impressed the director with her talent and he had started regularly giving her roles.  She wouldn’t come back. As vengeance my TV receiver was damaged by bad elements. I had to get it repaired.

I could write about my many behests touching the have nots.

Word got round about my popularity after I had donated an X-ray machine for the poor. I got a call from someone in the party in power. I went and met the functionary who said “Join my party. You have become popular. You can stand for elections to become a leader”. The suggestion sounded like an order and I couldn’t disobey such an important personage. The party machinery swung into action and within a few months I was elected. It was at this time that I felt my life as a small time farmer were over and I was probably cut out to do more good in many ways to the poor. But soon troubles started.

I had distributed a few pressure cookers to the poor. It so happened that one of them had been packed with explosives to kill people. Fortunately it was discovered in time. The opposition had started aiming to dethrone me. They went ahead with propaganda against me. They announced that the branded pressure cooker apart from cooking was excellent for saboteurs and that I had recommended it. I had been on the way to the airport when I saw a poor old woman lying on the road side. She was obviously ill. I ordered an ambulance to pick her up for treatment. After the woman had been offloaded somebody found a suitcase full of currency notes in the ambulance. It was made public that I was to receive that amount as kickbacks. I was shocked. Then started one more rumor: The girl I had sent to film land had taken the name Juhi. She had become a famous star and had approached me saying I should marry her but I kept her aloof. The rumor went round that she and I were involved in laundering the money in the ambulance.

Then came the reconstruction of an old school which I had noticed was in a dilapidated condition and I felt it should be repaired immediately as otherwise children were in danger. I by passed the finance ministry due to delays and gave tḥe contract for the reconstruction to one of the contractors who had completed assigned works in time. The cost rose above the estimate and I authorized the payment as it was genuine. There was much applause for my effort. Three months later, a portion of a tiled roof of a classroom in a lean to of the school cracked and fell. It was extension of the school where non-school classes were held for outsiders and that area had not been included in the restoration contract. There was a hullabaloo that if the roof collapse could have happened while children were inside. There were allegations that I had allotted the contract to somebody known to me and kickbacks had been paid to me. My argument that the repair of the lean to had not been included in the contract did not cut much ice. An enquiry was launched. Legal brains were harnessed to establish that the scope of the contract included the lean to which should have also been repaird. In fact the lean to was an abandoned part and had been used by the contractor to store construction materials. Its roof had also been used to store heavy items and it had collapsed. I had to face the music so to say. I was accountable for everything that happened. Facing the opposition was very difficult. At the enquiry witnesses who had been bribed swore against me alleging I had received kickbacks. I wanted to resign but the party leader said “We know you’ve worked for the welfare of the people. In the end the enquiry found that you weren’t guilty of the charges. Please continue.”

I said “There is so much hatred against me.”

“Not particularly against you. The opposition is doing its duty. You can face it as you’re still young.”

“I’ll think it over. I feel I’m not up to the challenge.”

“In politics you’ve to be brazen. And once you leave you’ll be forgotten forever.”

I was in the state where Dante was after visiting inferno, purgatory and paradise – “In the middle of the journey of our life, where I came to myself, within a dark wood where a straight way was lost”. I am looking for light on the way. What do I do? I had been in office like riding a tiger- perilous to dismount and unable to ride the beast. The road in the dark woods was lighting up. I was not going to suffer in politics. I sent in my resignation. Aspirants for the post rejoiced. You can’t please everybody. The party leader again dissuaded me. But I was firm in my resolve and retired to my farmhouse.

Recently Juhi again messaged me saying “If you think my acting is the disincentive to marry me I’ll give it up. I want to be with you.”

I am still considering marrying Juhi. The light on that road hasn’t lit up yet!

END