By T.J.S. George
In the normal course of things, people feel jealous of Mukesh Ambani for the phenomenal wealth he commands. I feel sorry for him. What is the use of wealth if it restricts your freedom? He has more money than I have, but less freedom. I can have fun driving around in my car, continuously wondering about the old gear civilisation and today’s automatic culture. Ambani has a fleet of cars, but enjoying them is something else. You can enjoy a car, but you cannot enjoy an armoured vehicle, can you?
Ambani has to cope with a fleet of secured heavy vehicles such as his Benz S600. This is a “car” that can withstand automatic firing from different angles. Grenades and land mines cannot harm it. It is bullet-proof, of course. It has 7-speed automatic transmission. It can run on flat tyres. It costs Rs. 10 crore.
An ordinary gun is enough to shoot down my car. Everyone knows this and therefore nobody fires at me. A flat tyre can immobilise me; I don’t even know how to change tyres. The tyres know this and therefore they never go flat on me. I am safer than Narendra Modi because people know that I am harmless and they provide protection of the kind the Prime Minister cannot expect. This is the privilege of the Citizen Ordinaire. This privilege is more enjoyable than the privileges the Prime Minister has. There are conditions attached to what Narendra Modi enjoys. No conditions restrain ordinary citizens other than being citizens proud of their country.
Ambani cannot be a free bird like me. To be too rich must be quite a nuisance. He will never know whether his friends are his friends because of him or because of his money. He will never have the time that I have to spend with the family.
Scholars say: “A rich person often finds himself thinking about money, leaving him with no time to pursue hobby interests or to travel.” That must be true even for those who ensure that their families do not get a raw deal. They ensure the family’s security as a matter of routine, but concentrate their creative energies on how to multiply their wealth. No, I wouldn’t like to be a member of the Ambani family. Some may say this is sour-grapism. So be it. I will enjoy my grapes, separating the sour from the sweet.
Being satisfied with what you have is the key to happiness in life. Like all truisms, this can be interpreted positively or negatively. It can be used as an excuse to do nothing, or as an invitation to strive for the betterment of oneself and one’s surroundings. This is when normal human standards apply. When normal political standards take over, things turn upside down, of course.
What a farce the Narayan Rane conundrum created in Maharashtra last week? Charging Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray of not knowing the year of Indian Independence, Rane said that if he was present on the occasion he would have given Thackeray “a tight slap.” A rush of FIRs were lodged against Rane across the State. Shiv Sena activists clashed with BJP activists, pelting stones and braving Police lathi-charge. Indian democracy was at its chaotic best when Rane, a Union Minister, was arrested.
BJP leaders were quick to condemn the State Government and the “violation of constitutional values.” The State’s leading war horse, Sharad Pawar, is allied to ruling party and therefore took a predictable stance. Rane acted according to his sanskar, he said.
Sanskar is the thing. Samskara. Culture. From Bal Thackeray’s time, Shiv Sena’s Samskara had been heavily personality-oriented, the bossman’s personality superceding all others. Rane was still a worshipper of Bal Thackeray when he wrote a letter to Uddhav questioning his ways. Father Thackeray promptly expelled Rane, creating a permanent enemy. And no ordinary enemy. Narayan Rane had begun as leader of the Harya-Narya street gang in Bombay’s suburb, Chembur. Today he is a member of Narendra Modi’s Cabinet in Delhi.
I have never been a member of a street gang. So there is no hope of me joining the Modi Cabinet ever. Which raises the ultimate question: What is samskara all about? How do we distinguish culture from non-culture when the latter controls the levers of power? Does it mean that the cultured will never have power, and that the un-cultured will always be in charge? Unhappy thoughts. Perhaps, Ambani has got it right. May be it is time for me to start feeling jealous.
The author seems to have very serious bias issue that he can never see anything beyond what he wants to see. Let me explain!
Is it not stupid that a Chief minister does not know the year of Independence of India and he is the chief guest?
Yes, Rane had a loose tongue and he deserved some punishment! But from the same token how many people have abused a popular PM like Modi? and even the same CM Uddav had said that the CM Yogi Adityanath needed to be beaten with Chappals. You dont seem to mid those comments and they dont seem important to you! When BJP leaders said ‘“violation of constitutional values” you were quick to ridicule, but where was your values when Arnab was dragged out of his home without an FIR and tortured for a week in Prison until SC intervened? You are also in media and should have shown some professionalism to support Arnab especially when he was exposing a series of murders. And Kangana’s home was demolished when she criticized the CM. You were the champion of women’s rights too right and she did not look like a woman?? and do you think Rane is a bigger gang leader than Uddav or his son? I can promise you, if you criticized Uddav or his team, you may not be all that safe . They may not even spare you at 93, I am sure, especially if you are in Maharashtra or even Belgaum!! Of course with your bias, you are safe!
I know it is too late for you to be fair after having a lifetime of practicing the bias against Hindus and trying to be look god as secular(pseudo)!
I can’t preach fairness at this stage of your life! At your age, you should be at least having a conscience once in a while!! Nobody should exit with such a lifetime of negative baggage!
The definition of ‘Happiness’ differs from one person to another, irrespective of their social-economic condition. Your definition of ‘Happiness’ cannot be applied or compared to others. He is enjoying and happy in his own world and his success is proof of that. Why do you have to intentionally drag ‘Modi’ & ‘BJP’ in your article? Your thoughts reveal how lonely and sadist you are!!! Grow wise!
The definition of ‘Happiness’ differs from one person to another, irrespective of their social-economic condition. Your definition of ‘Happiness’ cannot be applied or compared to others. He is enjoying and happy in his own world and his success is proof of that. Why do you have to intentionally drag ‘Modi’ & ‘BJP’ in your article? Your thoughts reveal how lonely and sadist you are!
You will always stay a chamcha of the corrupt congress and even congress will not select you for any post. So stop whining and enjoy a common person’s victory over your elite and corrupt congress culture
PS: How is your pappu leader?
In India, one cannot become very rich without corrupt practices, which includes money laundering and tax evasion and greasing the palms of politicians. Businessman like Ambani has exploited the above with good measure, When confronted he will say, he knows many politicians in Congress and BJP, and indeed regional parties like DMK, are as rich as he is, with their hidden wealth acquired through pure corrupt practices.
For example, Kengal in early 1950s, through contracts awarded to construct the Vidhana Soundha made crores -the enquiry set up by him exonerated him as that committee was packed with his cronies.. The late Karunanidhi, the ex-CM of Tamil Nadu was super rich. Nijalingappa, the ex-PM of Karnataka, died very rich, Jayalaliathaa , the ex-CM of Tamilnadu died very rich-accumulated several Kgs of gold, silver, and tens of watches, scores of houses in three states etc.. That was just the visible assessment!
This is independent India, gained independence to practice corruption at every level-Institution, politics and societal.
Now, Rupees as a currency is worthless, because too much Rupees are circulated. How else, one will account the price of 1 litre of edible oil for Rs200, a 100kg of rice for Rs 4000 , the list goes on. Businessman like Ambani, and tech industry heads who run coding sweat shops, earn billions of Rupees, millions of USD stashed safely, and that is the reality of Independent India!