Public in republic

Every time I see it, I feel repulsed — so perhaps, as the wise say, the germ lies in me, the problem is mine. But what else do you do when you see perfectly strong, perfectly intelligent, perfectly arrived people bow low and grovel before the khadi clad, who don the white cloth as Goliath or Duryodhana (or even David and Arjuna) may have worn their armour? Walk into any gathering and the politician chief guest, always late, always ready with a humorous line, expects the ingratiating masses to create around him an illusion of reverence, respect, power and fear. People stand up, bend over, ignore the person in front, try to catch the leader’s eye, create a smile...

Opinion in The Indian Express, January 29, 2007