Varun Gandhi has been in the news a lot lately, for all the wrong reasons. For someone who's exactly as old as a 29 year old male, one expects more maturity and sanity during public appearances, especially during these days of national election when a foul fart from a political hole can trigger an animated news anchor to choke over his spit and froth in front of a giant tv screen. Varun ofcourse belongs to a national party that is not exactly moderate in its views, to put it mildly. That notwithstanding, one can't blurt out hate speeches against large communities and get away with it so easy.
But hold on for a moment. When I put myself in Varun's shoes (empathy being the universal catch-word now), despite all of his 29 years as part of a high-profile political family, it is but natural that every once in a while he gets influenced by those hormonal rushes that is so characteristic of us youngsters. Add to that the euphoric anticipation of his speech, the large stage, the mesmerising feel of holding a rapt audience and the eagerness to please the hopeful masses. It isn't too difficult to get carried away by it all, is it?
Now, you or I could get away with this with only a few dents to our ego. Not poor Varun, for he happens to be part of a high-profile political family. Moreover his affiliations are towards a party that has always been one of the largest, if not the largest, pains in the behind of the ruling party. And in our politics, like I said before, a foul fart can tilt the cart in your favor. Who would let go of such a golden opportunity to go one up in the eyes of the 'secular' public?
Ofcourse, by now one would think that I sympathise with Varun. But no, I don't. Youth, immaturity and hormones cannot be an excuse for such hate speeches. And they should be punished severely, atleast to set an example, if not for anything else.
Anyway, that is not the point that I wanted to make today. It is about Varun's mention of another policy for the Indian public - that of compulsory military service in the country. And this time I am with the poor chap. I completely agree, albeit with the hope that the military will be able to instill its discipline on the average Indian, rather than the other way round. Just think of the possibilities with an even slightly more disciplined Indian public. More road sense for one. Respect for public rules would be another. Courage to stand up against a public crime, instead of ignoring or running away from it would be a third. And ofcourse, all that Old Monk and Old Cask that would enter the reseller market.
But more importantly, there would be a whole new generation of fitter, healthier and stronger citizens. For centuries we have been one of the unfittest set of people in the whole world. Our stamina, strength, health and even eating habits have been one of the poorest in the world. (these are ofcourse my own conceptions and have absolutely no research backing them). If we're over thirty, there is atleast one nagging body part in most of us (mine is the brain). Don't we all agree? (not about my brain, I meant about the previous point). A compulsory military service would bring in some fitness consciousness into our heaps-of-rice-and-dal fed brains (oh, get over the brain, will you). The Indian genetic lineage could be saved from mutating into nothing more than a very brainy blubber of fat.
