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Get up Mr Prime Minister..!

Robert Clements. Dated: 6/1/2012 4:43:24 PM

I hope the Prime Minister watches TV. Not replays of what happens in Parliament, but other programmes, and if he does, I hope he watched the IPL final.
“Why should I watch the IPL final Bob?”
“Because sir it is time you get up and fight! Scams have pushed you onto the mat, Mamata Bannerjee has done the same, and the opposition parties are now all over you baying for your blood, and like a boxer who’s taken one too many hits, you lie in the ring wounded watching the referee counting and you hope he’ll count so slowly that you can lie there and get up in two years in time for the next elections.
But it’s time you got ups sir, not just for the voters who voted for your government, but for a nation that is moving into recession because of a sleeping, nay a badly wounded government.
Which is why I hoped you had watched the IPL sir!”
“One hundred and ninety!” I said with disdain as I saw Dhoni and his men walk off the field, “it’s over for Shah Rukh Khan!”
Famous last words. I’m sure many glued to their TV sets, said the same. After all it was Mr Cool who was leading the winning team, the captain of the World Cup winners, and against him was just one good batsman and a team of more or less okay guys and of course one film actor who had already eaten dirt a few days earlier in another stadium.
That one good batsman, Gambhir, also got out, and I switched off my TV in disgust and heard cheering a few minutes later. “Dhoni must have won!” I said, as I wearily put on my set to show my wife how prophetic my words were, and saw her jumping with glee. That’s what Shah Rukh does to women, “They are fighting back!” she cried.
And how they did.
My eyes went to Mr Khan, it was like time was standing still for him, I looked at a determination silently willing his team on. His team, I’m sure, looked up every once in a while and saw the lone, figure of their owner, silhouetted against the backdrop of the crowd, silently egging them on, ‘the fight ain’t over yet,’ said every inch of his body, as sixes and fours and cheeky singles obeyed his quiet command.
They won, and for those who watched the match, heard about it the next day, or are hearing about it today, it’s a lesson. Get up and fight Mr Prime Minister, there’s still breath in you I am sure. Now bring in the reforms we need, win other parties over and stop lying on the mat waiting for the elections in 2014.