Rambo Revisited

Pic courtesy TOI

I always wanted a desi version of Stallone - muscular, determined with long flowing mane and a steely resolve. Flashes of Rambo were brilliantly evoked when transfixed to my telly, I gazed at the spirited Ram-bo-dev precariously dangling out of the DTC window with a black bandana across his forehead. Every muscle in his body had a purpose, every gesture was inspiring.
 
When one karwachauth has me begging for water, imagine the resolve of a man who had not eaten a morsel or sipped a drop of water for the past four days in Delhi humidity? All for the sake of kaala dhan stashed away in faraway lockers. Or was it for the independence of the CBI? Or eradication of corruption? Whatever!

No wonder they say it is dangerous to dance around a yogi who is sleeping on a bed of nails.

If Anna’s strength was in his will, Ramdev’s resolve was in his ability to pull crowds. Look at the huge crowds the yogic Pied Piper managed to gather on a week-day despite the thundering clouds and energy sapping humidity. Who were these thousands of people swaying to the Pied Pipers yogic tunes? Why were they ready to brave lathis lest the situation went out of control?

The political leaders can dismiss Ramdev at their own peril and feign ignorance. ‘Who is Ramdev?’ His detractors can call him a ‘businessman’. His adversaries can question his motives for ‘desh bachao’. Regardless, the yoga strongman has become a nemesis for tax evaders, swindlers and money launderers. For those who see him as a pawn in the BJP’s hands, should have seen it coming.

See, when you play politics in a jungle with two dominant tigers, and when one tiger is ready to pounce on you with ED notices or CBI raids you are bound to jump in the protective arms of the opponent. And with the crowd support Ramdev had, the opponent tiger was more than willing to embrace him with open paws. As it happened, the entire piggyback brigade jumped on Baba’s bandwagon. Win-win.

Wonder why the stage was used by Sharad Yadav ji to bash Chidambaram’s penchant for using the colonial language? Don’t we all admire Baba’s felicity for Angrezi when he speaks to Arnab on ‘Times Now’ or when he addresses his followers on his gifted island abroad? And who can deny that when Baba wielded a shining sword on stage, it appeared as if all desh drohis will be vanquished in one fell coup.

This August, Delhi was in the iron grip of Baba's fist. Those who wanted to visit G B Pant Hospital could wait while Baba was flexing his muscles atop a DTC bus.

Being Ramdev’s most ardent fan, watching him sway in political abandon was a feat for eyes looking to fill the vacuum created by political parties. It is so reassuring to know that now Ramdev is going to tell me who I should vote for.Honestly, with elections looming on the horizon I was really confused.

We are a nation of iconoclasts. We wait for a messiah to arrive and guide us through all our problems. If political leaders fail to instill confidence, the political space will be filled by more such social crusaders. I only hope such crusaders have nations best interests at heart.

For me, during those five days of Ramdev’s agitation, vengeance was the popular Rambo-esque emotion which played on my telly. But there was a twist. It was not filmy, it was political. And this was only a glimpse of 'First Blood Part I'. The second part hits theaters in 2014.