Comics in Politics

Some have charitably dismissed it as a mere jumla that was part of poll-time rhetoric. Others are not so charitable, calling it the most disturbing practical joke ever played on the voters of India, while many go to the extent of calling it a well-orchestrated black comedy. No prizes for guessing that the reference is to the 2014 vintage promise of Achhe Din coupled with Rs. 15,00,000/- in every citizen’s bank account as share of the vowed repatriation of black money from Swiss Banks. But, despite the stunning failure of this promise, the comic streak has somehow caught on. And, politics is going to the comics. So what? You might ask. Isn’t it better than going to the dogs? Not really. Dogs are such wronged specie, really. They are loyal. Something you can’t say of the comics-in-politics because they are homo-sapiens, a specie known for its ambition and greed, which nurture treachery.

But, surely, comics couldn’t be so bad? They make people laugh. And that’s one real noble act. Comedians are actually making a nice career in politics. Especially in Punjab, where Jaspal Bhatti (may his soul RIP) pioneered the trend by spoofing politics, politicians and political parties as much on small town Punjab’s plebian pavements as in Chandigarh’s posh plazas, not to mention regional and national TV and cinema. But he remained a non-politician. Not so his successors. AAP’s Bhagwant Mann takes himself very seriously as Neta. What is his contribution to the state’s political thought? What a stupid question to ask, really. Most of our mainstream politicians never ever bother with such irrelevancies. Why harass poor Mann? He is there to entertain the rustics of Punjab. Of course, serious politicians provide comic relief, too.

Take Capt. Amarinder Singh’s Coffee With Captain catchphrase coined by the same person who had famously come up with Narendra Modi’s Chai Pe Charcha. In Punjab, coffee is not an average Punjabi’s first choice beverage. Lassi or, when in an expansive mood, a Patiala Peg is what brings a smile to his face. Coffee is strictly for sissies. The good Captain knows this. So, as a true-blue Punjabi, when he visits the countryside, he adopts rustic lingo and style to connect with the folks. The delicate coffee and cutlery are kept away, like a bunch of flop comedians.

The venerable Parkash Singh Badal’s Sangat Darshans are among the most enchanting cantatas ever devised by a Punjabi politician. He, or someone from his coterie, announces dollops of largesse to anyone who manages to reach his fortified darbar. The designated beneficiaries are favored with a photo-op with the patriarch as an additional perk. Then the Great Benefactor moves on to the next village, without carrying the burden of memories of promises made so large-heartedly. The designated beneficiaries’ wait rivals that of Vladimir and Estragon, without being aware of the name ‘Samuel Beckett’. Tragicomic? Touché!

AAP is convinced that Punjabis like a good laugh. Otherwise, how does one explain Gurpreet Ghuggi’s elevation to the rank of Party Convener and that too as replacement for the seasoned Neta Sucha Singh Chhottepur? Ghuggi is a fine actor and was also a star comedian in his heyday. But, Punjabis don’t find him funny anymore. They do not take his new garb of Neta seriously either. But they are incorrigible optimists. Which explains the busloads of enthusiasts thronging Kejriwal’s recent rally, despite the SAD-BJP doing their damnedest to sabotage it.

Banking on the Punjabis’ love for a hearty laugh, ‘Sixer Sidhu’ – now more famous for his relentless merriment and quirky, impromptu shayari on a comedy show that often leaves one distinctly wincing – has launched the political front called Awaz-e-Punjab. So far, Sidhu has been spectacularly successful in laughing all the way to the bank from the comedy show’s studios, but will he be even half as successful in his gallop towards poll victory? 2017 will tell it all. By the way, the BMC isn’t finding Kapil Sharma’s tweets funny. Is Sharma going to end up as a political joke? Politics is a funny business that’s not always funny.   

Hilarity has its share of dark undercurrents. Lalu Prasad Yadav, the most successful non-professional comic, managed to beguile voters with his rustic bluffness. Neither corruption scandals nor the goonda-raj cry has done much harm to his political stranglehold on the hapless Bihar. His snide swipes have often come in handy during a political predicament. But his sunny image has an ominous lining, which has just stepped out from behind the bars in the person of Mohammad Shahabuddin.

India’s body politic is made of a genuinely stern stuff. Over the years it has managed to survive the naïve and the knave, the pseud and the silly, the crafty and the incompetent. But, for how long?