Internet is a wonderful place. The democracy here is so high that any and everyone can say whatever comes to their minds and most of the time get away with it without any accountability. And not everything here has to make sense either. That is the beauty of Internet.
Look at Javed Akhtar. Film scriptwriter and lyricist who decided to very randomly let Michelle Obama, wife of former US President Barack Obama, know that he is rooting for her to become the US President and that she should totally not shrug off the responsibility.
Here is what happened. At around 12 PM, sometime between breakfast and lunch, Javed Akhtar reached out to former FLOTUS Michelle Obama. Responding to a tweet on her book tour, Akhtar introduced himself as a 77 year old writer/poet from India.
Dear Ms Michelle Obama , I am not some young crazy fan but a 77 years old writer/ poet from India .hopefully any Indian would know my name . Madame please take my words seriously , not only US but the world needs you in White House . You shouldn’t shrug off this responsibility .
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) October 6, 2022
Akhtar clarifies upfront that he is not some ‘young crazy fan’. He says that he is hopeful ‘any Indian’ would know his name. Akhtar then appealed to Mrs Obama to take his words seriously and asserted that not only the United States but the world needs her in White House. “You shouldn’t shrug off this responsibility,” he told her.
There are a lot of elements to this tweet. The US is not going to elections till 2024, that is, two years from now. So there is no way Michelle Obama could become POTUS now. Secondly, what about Joe Biden? Wasn’t he the ray of hope for all ‘liberals’ in India and abroad who believed he would make the world a better place? In fact, what even about Kamala Harris? Have people lost all their hopes on the woman of Indian origin who is currently the Vice President of US? She has also been a favourite with the ‘liberals’ and believe she would be the first ever woman President of US. One even wonders if this tweet is 6 years late and he mistakenly sent it to Michelle Obama instead of Hillary Clinton who was running for President against Donald Trump in 2016.
Akhtar’s tweet, obviously, triggered a lot of reactions from Indian twitterati.
He should also dedicate ek ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga song to her 😂😂
— Richa #team chai n kishore kumar 🇮🇳 (@Richa31309939) October 6, 2022
Popular Twitter user CoolFunnyTshirt, asked why not make Michelle Obama President of India instead. Mr Keh Ke Pehno’s tweet triggered further reaction on how Akhtar should dedicate a song ‘ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga’ penned by himself to Mrs Obama.
I dont think Joe Biden can handle two wives. Hunter Biden can.
— Facts (@BefittingFacts) October 6, 2022
Twitter user Facts gave a befitting reply and suggested how Joe Biden is very unlikely to be able to handle two wives. Since Akhtar had not specified how he would like to see former FLOTUS in the White House, his statement was quite open to interpretation.
— dimaagkoshot (@dimaagkoshot) October 6, 2022
And then there were memes.
The second hand embarrassment some Indians had was quite amusing, to put it mildly.
This is embarrassing https://t.co/mzORnmd7iu
— Yash Alva (@the_fak3_alva) October 6, 2022
Some even wondered if Akhtar was the alt-account of one Desbandhu.
New Account of Desbandhu ? https://t.co/lQDCUKCOXA
— Suresh Nakhua (सुरेश नाखुआ) 🇮🇳 (@SureshNakhua) October 6, 2022
The 2012 Twitter would remember Desbandhu as a popular Twitter user who would create the tackiest Photoshopped images and gifs and express his adulation for Priyanka Chopra and Michelle Obama on a regular basis. He would express his undying love for Chopra and refer to Mrs Obama as ‘bhabhi’ (sister in law).
He now goes by the user name SP Chaubey on social media and continues to remain Mrs Obama’s fan.
@MichelleObama Many many thanks to dear bhabhi for give me a top fan badge on Facebook. pic.twitter.com/EQPDoxWS0t
— सत्य प्रकाश चौबे @BBC_NewsLIVE (@SP_CHAUBEY) January 26, 2022
Here’s a sample of his other tweets.
@priyankachopra सुबह सबेरे का प्यार भरा नमस्कार सभी बालीवुड मित्रों को. pic.twitter.com/9OZyZq13Es
— सत्य प्रकाश चौबे @BBC_NewsLIVE (@SP_CHAUBEY) October 12, 2015
Meanwhile, some also thought it is perhaps the frustration that since they can’t do anything about the Indian PM, the frustration is spilling over to US politics.
When you finally conclude that despite strong urge from within, you can't change PM in your own country, why not try somewhere else! https://t.co/9RmnsHxW9X
— Rahul Kaushik (@kaushkrahul) October 6, 2022
Javed Akhtar has not really hidden his dislike for the current dispensation in India. In fact, so much deeprooted is his hatred for PM Modi that over the years he has lent his support to ‘activists’ like Teesta Setalvad, who is accused of false testimony in Gujarat riots cases to specifically destroy Narendra Modi’s political career. During 2020 at the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic, Akhtar had indulged in fearmongering about the trains for migrant labourers. Prior to that, he had tried to whitewash crimes of AAP leader Tahir Hussain, an accused in rioting during February 2020 Delhi riots, and claimed that he was being targeted as he was a Muslim. However, the police investigation has revealed his role in the planning and execution of riots.
In fact, Javed Akhtar’s Twitter presence has over time reduced him to a troll. His anti-Gujarati bigotry just because of his dislike for PM Modi, who is a Gujarati, has been out for all to see. Soon after the Pulwama terror attack, displayed his hate for the entire Gujarati community by implying that Gujaratis are hardly there in defence forces. “We have had so many regiments in the Army like the Sikhs, Marathas, Rajputs. But have we ever had a Gujarat regiment? Since our Prime Minister has great love and pride in the Indian Army of late, I would urge him to raise a Gujarat regiment so the swayamsevaks from the region can join the Army,” Akhtar reportedly said. He had said this way, the people from Ahmedabad and Surat should join such regiment.
The irony is that while terrorism and terrorists have no region or religion, the armed forces do. It is rather shameful to try and divide the army and their sacrifices including the martyrdom of soldiers on regional lines.
And just because there is not a ‘Gujarat Regiment’ does not mean that Gujaratis, which have traditionally been a trader and business community, do not join the forces. According to reports, as of March 31 2017, Gujarat had 26,656 ex-servicemen, of which 6,233 are from Ahmedabad. There are 3,517 widows of servicemen and 39 soldiers have been awarded bravery awards for their service to the nation. A village named Kodiyavada in Sabarkantha has a population of 6,500 people. About 80% of the families in this village has at least one member in the armed forces.
Akhtar, now, is rooting for Michelle Obama as US President for 2024, in a country where he has no voting right or locus standi.
