Honey, it’s sexy & steamy

Predictably, this deadly highball of sex and power (of our Lordships) has sent shockwaves across hoi polloi and powers-that-be. Primarily, this is the first time that the sacrosanct third pillar of our democracy, judiciary has been tarnished by immoral turpitude

“You know that I'm attracted to you, don't you? You must be thinking, what, this old man is getting drunk and saying such things. But I really like you, I love you….” “When I tried to move away, he kissed my arm and repeated that he loved me….”

“He placed his hand on my lower back….he put his right arm around me, kissed me on my left shoulder…I was shocked…..This was unwelcome physical contact and sexual advances….. Subsequently he asked me if I would be comfortable travelling with him and staying in hotel rooms.”

Sleazy and steamy sentences from a sex novel, raunchy scenes from a porn movie, a “choli ke peeche” guftagu between two lovers, kiss-and-tell of Bollywood’s casting couch?

Alas, none of these but two sordid tales of our judiciary aroused. Blow-by-blow accounts of what intoxicated and fired up Our Lordships and propelled them to greater heights of ecstasy and glory. Nok-jhoks which would make a rose blush!

It all started with a complaint filed against former Supreme Court judge and West Bengal Human Rights Commission Chairman A K Ganguly by an ex-intern. Taking cognizance, the Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam, appointed a three-judge panel to probe the incident which concluded there was merit in the woman's allegations.

Yet, the apex court expressed helplessness in taking action against Ganguly as the “sexapade” had taken place after his retirement and the woman wasn't attached to it. Subsequently, of course, thanks to public pressure, Ganguly quit as the head of the West Bengal human rights panel last week. And the Court heaved a sigh of relief.

Still, another scandalous saga came tumbling out about one more ex-Supreme Court judge and Chairman of the National Green Tribunal, Swatanter Kumar. In her complaint to Chief Justice Sathasivam, the former student of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata, has accused Kumar of sexual harassment when she interned with him while he was an apex court judge. Like his predecessor Ganguly, Justice Kumar, too, has denied the allegations are false and totally incorrect. Sic.

Predictably, this deadly highball of sex and power has sent shockwaves across the hoi polloi and powers-that-be. Primarily, as this is the first time that the sacrosanct third pillar of our democracy, judiciary has been tarnished by immoral turpitude.

Specially against the backdrop that the judiciary is considered the last bastion of morality and probity. Of ‘Your Lordships’ who are considered a notch above ordinary mortals for us to look up to and respect. People who will not easily succumb to human weaknesses and foibles.

Till date we have become accustomed to our desi Adams and Eves in the political Garden of Eden, an ongoing saga of the rulers paarde-ke-piche-choli-ke-neeche antics caught with their pyjamas, dhotis or lungis down literally. That promises to take one to even greater heights of ecstasy and glory.

In fact, many who thrive on the latter wonder how in the land of Vatsayan’s Kamasutra and Khajuraho, both Ganguly and Swatantra Kumar stand indicted. Such is the state of affairs that political residences are the subject of juicy, salacious gossip! Haven’t we all enjoyed the defence‘less’ Tehelka, judicial Vrindavan, political Jalgaon and Alwar video-tapes which were so deliciously educating about affairs of the heart!

Recall the delicious indiscretions of a honey gone sour in Ahmadabad when two Punjab Ministers and a Delhi MLA sought to brew a heady cocktail of business and pleasure. Or the poetic justice meted out by a UP Minister to his Madhumita. A former CM and four MPs enjoying their ‘pegs and legs’ and three ex- Union Ministers relishing their latest “hot night” dish.

Who can deny that the political casting couch is worse or better (depending on how one looks at it) than Bollywood’s casting couch. A spicy tale dripping sex to the panting of politicians asking for more. What to speak of women being crucial comrades-in-arms for scaling the heights of various political Everests'.

What to say of a former PM and his “foster” family, a gay Chief Minister, Union Ministers who are chronic womanizers, a ex-Dy CM’s bigamous marriage and another’s involvement in an ice-cream parlour sex scandal in Kerala. Who doesn’t remember the “hot tandoori night,” which spotlighted for the first time the antics of our lower polity via Naina Sahni and Sushil Sharma?

We too boast of our Christine Keelers and our desi Marilyn Monroes. Besides aren’t the netas today pastmasters in top-pling. Nor are we squeamish when it comes to a romp in the haystack. We are secular socialists – willing to share and vow with one and all.

Notably, most claim that given our traditionally open society sex is a part of our heritage and needs to be guarded with all the vigour at our command. Consequently, the question of privacy has never arisen. The reason why the Constitution does not have any provision for privacy, unlike other countries.

Questionably, raising a moot point: What is the line between a judge, politician, and bureaucrat’s public and personal life? Can he be ethical in public if he is unethical in private? Is his private life any concern of the people? Has politics become too personal or should our Lordships and Right Honourables expect intense media scrutiny of their affairs? Do we have unrealistic expectations of our leaders? Is private life of publicmen a concern of the public?

Some strongly feel that the private life of a public person necessarily needs transparency. They stand for the strong Gandhian view that a public man has no private parts to shield. That would be a reflection on his character, integrity and values. The Mahatma was clear that a man’s public life could never be clean if his private life was not. The two were indivisible.

Most of our netagan disagree and argue: “Gandhian values were given a quiet burial long time ago. We ritually pay lip service to him, but we have bastardised his values.” Not a few prefer to follow Nehru who believed that leaders were entitled to some space and relaxation. He often quoted Kemal Ataturk, who modernized Turkey, in support. Wine, women and song were the Ataturk’s staple diet after dusk. However, this never came in the way of his great work and achievements.

Sadly, this approach flung open the doors for corruption, licentiousness and immorality, wherein not only have scams become passé over decades, worse is our rulers’ blasé attitude. It is their birthright to free-load, grab and indulge at our expense. Accustomed as we are to our law-makers being law-breakers and ruling by law.

The new Carpetbaggers. Who will ply whatever you want. Lay down any law, bend any rule, change any order, transfer any person and fudge figures. All for a song and the sexiest of two-legged sizzlers. Today, entertainment and all the goodies (!) are viewed as perks of the job they handle.

India today is at the moral crossroads. We are in an era where our powers-that-be are pulverizing society. Worse, devoid of an effective vetting process of the real chaal, charitra & chehra of our rulers have made matters worse. Time to cry a halt to increasing degradation, else we lay the foundation for a weak and pliable leadership. Pegs and legs be damned!