Rowan Atkinson, well known to most kids as Mr Bean, is a prolific comedian and brilliant actor. He is in a way India’s ‘damaad’ because he was married to an Indian origin lady. Now they have split up. My favourite is the BlackAdder TV serial set in various periods of England’s history in multiple seasons. It is an endless source of biting sometimes nasty wit, sarcasm and of course, useful quotes.
In one of the episodes, BlackAdder, who’s butler to the Prince Regent, is talking to a French nobleman. Set in the French Revolution period, when royals are being guillotined by revolutionaries. Many escape to England. Le Comte de Frou Frou is one such nobleman. BlackAdder (Rowan) wants this guy to help him in some deception.
So he asks him “Would you like to earn some money?”
The Comte replies “No I wouldn’t!” and after a bit of hesitation, adds, “I would like other people to earn it and GIVE it to me!”
You can watch the funny clip in this YouTube link.
You could say this is exactly the attitude of our own Prince Regent. He is too blue-blooded to have to work for the PM chair. And the family has “sacrificed” a lot already, as we are reliably told by eminent historians.
He would naturally prefer others to earn it and give it to him. And India is not short of people that are eminently qualified and willing. Especially those with a degree in African studies, sociology, political “science” or other such esoteric topics that many ugly capitalists find unsuitable for productive jobs.
Those in the media and elsewhere, sniping at Rahulji seem to entirely miss this point. They think he should work for his chair! How preposterous!
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Didi also made this mistake recently. Her remarks, as quoted in The Telegraph.
Continous endeavour is necessary in politics. You can’t be abroad most of the time.
– Mamata Banerjee
Interestingly enough, although she did not name anyone, Congress reacted sharply as if to confirm who spends most of the time holidaying. The thrust of their riposte seems to be that Congress is essential in alliance to defeat BJP. Sibal went to the extent of saying UPA without Congress is without “body and soul”. One wonders if Congress is both body and soul, what the rest were!
Media courtiers have recently taken to attacking RG (not me!) for his alleged relaxed politics and advise him that politics is 24x7x365 and he has to get tough.
Yes, if you haven’t noticed, it’s the same crowd that often attacks Modi for doing politics all year round. But then to this crowd, Tejaswi Yadav flying around Bihar in chartered helicopters during the election campaign is a “young man working hard and deserves a win”.
The concept of useful innocents
I find the term useful idiots derogatory and wont use them. Useful innocents sounds very nice.
Congress and the family understand very well that opposition has no choice but to come knocking on their doors.
Their actions prove this louder than words – they snatched Kanhaiya from the left despite the dubious value he brings, without caring for what the Politburo worthies will think.
Rest of opposition, instead of getting together, running their own race serves them even better.
- Because none will win by themselves, and like gladiators in the arena, more likely fatally injure each other and cut BJP votes even more effectively by confusing the electorate, offering mirage as options.
- So if Left wants to chart its own course, that’s even better.
- If they think there is a great future for a non-Congress, non-Didi, non-<insert some name here> coalition, wish them Godspeed!
- If Arvind Kejriwal thinks he is the Yugpurush, Indians are desperately praying for (although that dream soured in 2014), if I were Congress, I would quietly even fund him.
- And if Didi thinks she is PM material, because she killed BJP in WB, physically as well as politically by “action on the ground” as Sagarika-ji puts it, they will happily humour her, staging mock protests. In fact, Rahul Gandhi has so far not attacked Didi for her remarks.
Because these “useful innocents” going around doing their job saves them the bother.
Finally, when it comes to divvying up the takings, they know they will be at the head of the table. And the “fearless, speaking truth to power” media elites now attacking Rahulji will invent intellectually nuanced reasons why this is exactly the right thing.
All their past sins are forgotten and the gravy train will chug on.
So, BJP has to watch out, not Congress!
Because, they can be fooled by all this Kabuki and assume the worst – that opposition cannot unite so they are safe!
Remember, opposition is disunited because there is nothing to unite over.
Let the glue – power – come somewhere within reach, you will find they will be thick as ..
And when that happens, the entire ecosystem will change tune.
Because the “Idea of India” has triumphed. Now is the time to upgrade from 2BHK to a farm house!
Remember Maharastra?
So that is what it is folks, a race of useful innocents. Who wins this race is pointless. The cup can only go to one person.
And he doesn’t have to run! Like our Le Comte de Frou Frou.
Originally published by the author on substack, republished with permission. You could read the original article here.
