PRITAM SENGUPTA writes from New Delhi: If the decision of the Congress party to field former chief election commissioner Manohar Singh Gill as a candidate for the Rajya Sabha in 2004 was bad enough, the move to make him a member of the Manmohan Singh ministry in the last reshuffle was worse.
Not only had a body blow been struck on the notional independence of the Election Commission, by dangling carrots before its high officers, it had handed a blanket licence to the BJP to impudently follow suit for eternity: “After all, didn’t the Congress do so too…?”
However, Gill’s record as a sports buff provided some comfort. As a mountaineer, he had trained with Everest hero Tenzing Norgay. He was a reasonable cricketer. And, at least, he was not as dogmatic as his predecessor Mani Shankar Aiyar on matters of sport.
Yet, three incidents in the last ten days give three good reasons to ponder:
# Amit Varma reports that on the day Abhinav Bindra won India’s first individual gold medal in 117 years at the Olympics, India’s Cambridge-educated sports minister grandly said on NDTV: “I congratulate myself and every other Indian.”
Yes, myself and every other Indian.
# When “The Goldfinger” returned to Delhi, The Times of India reports that Gill, who chaperoned Bindra around in the capital, suggested that while he should call on Congress president Sonia Gandhi, it was not necessary to visit the leader of the opposition, L.K. Advani.
However, it is Gill’s latest boo-boo that takes the breath away.
# When Saina Nehwal, the women’s badminton quarter-finalist at the Beijing Olympics, paid a courtesy visit on the minister, Gill greeted the Hyderabad lass heartily. But the 72-year-old minister failed to recognise her coach who was alongside.
“Who are you?” Gill is reported to have asked the coach pointblank, leaving all those present dumbstruck and embarrassed.
The coach? Pullela Gopichand, one of only two Indians who have won the All-England Open championships.
Hopefully, when he bumps into Deepika Padukone during one of his many social engagements, Mr Gill won’t ask her father, “Who are you?”
Photograph: courtesy Election Commission
Also read: Say hello to Mani Shankar Aiyar for a real cock-up
Great piece! Well said…………
Forget sportsperson winning medals, India cannot even have a decent Minister of Sports ! With Minister like this one can imagine the quality of sports officials who ‘manage’ the machinery.
We are a sporting nation for sure..we thave the capacity to tolerate sunc morons and take such rubbish and insults quite sportingly !
Age taking its toll, perhaps.
I had some respect for Gill when he was CEC. But, the way he has diminished the staus of that constitutional office by displaying unbridled greed for the fruits of office shows that essentially he is no different from the Laloos and Mulayams of the world. The GIGO concept applies to universities too. Gill is a product of Cambridge. Would have been no different had he gone to an obscure Kanya Putri Pathshala!
Memories fade…
good he didnt think gopi was a bodyguard for saina
Almost two months back when oil prices had sky rocketed, the government had announced a moratorium on foreign tours by ministers.
Shortly thereafter one saw MS Gill beaming in the stands while watching Nadal play that epic Wimbledon final against Federer.
Of course, there weren’t any Indian tennis star for him to cheer this year.
It is doubtful, if he have made the trip in his personal capacity.
The sports ministry is a low-priority portfolio for any political party. So much so that politicians vie with each other to be in BCCI, DCA,MCA,CAB etc (all cricket bodies with BIG MONEY) but not in sports ministry.
Considering the tremendous greed for big-money among some of our competent politicians ; it would be beneficial if the budget for this ministry is made significantly attractive.
That would at least get us a decent minister & maybe some medals in the next olympics.
Sardar!
Why is there a ‘ministry’ for sports?
“Who are YOU?” should every Indian ask GILL. Short sight and long sight – these can be rectified but not such types of sightlessness. God only can save our country if such people are placed in managing sports.
And the irony is that he said it to Gopichand who is both a winner and role model.
‘He won the All England Badminton Open. The second man after our own Prakash.’
‘In 2002, he refused to endorse a soft drink major as it meant that he would be encouraging people to consume a product which he himself thought was unsafe.’
And a guy who comes across as a perfect gentleman on any public occasion.
A good candidate to given the budget and responsibility which is now being used as salaries, benefits, offices etc. for the sports ministry and political officials.
Damn u Gill!!!
A 72 year old and Minister for Youth and Tourism? Are we serious?
All UMPIRES are turn coats for the UPA GOVT at the Center.
Somanath Chaterjee has openly supported the Congress for some much needed favour’s.
MS Gill the ex-election commissionar has been awarded the Sports Ministry again for rigging elections.
Former Army Chief of Staff Joginder Singh is now the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh……. Defence fixtures… Big Budget….
Rangaragan for RBI Governor again fixed as a Governor for a State…
The number is endless..all bureacrats taking over political roless……
Shoe shine boys till death… because they have another 10 generations to feed…..
Kubera’s wealth will not satisfy the hunger of the Corrupt fools..
Terle, you are mistaken. It is a practice to appoint retired generals to governorships in border states, nothing unusual in appointing Gen JJ Singh governor of Ar.P. It helps coordinate with the armed forces and provides continuity amidst changing political winds. And in case of a traitorous legislature, it can be dissolved and the region brought under the army with the governor liaising. In most of India the people are a civilised and progressive lot. But in the Lashmir Valley and the North East there are quite a few malcontents who need to be disciplined. It helps. Dr.Rangarajan again was invited by CBN to AP to help him pitch the state to FIs. it worked very well.
it had handed a blanket licence to the BJP to impudently follow suit for eternity: “After all, didn’t the Congress do so too…?”
Please forgive Gill. It is common polite language in Punjab to ask, “Who are you?” other erudite Punjabi posters can provide the exact translation of the phrase.
Gill might have asked him out of ignorance rather than being rude. Gopichand’s photo does not appear in the newspapers and magazine now and then. So Gill may be excused. After five years or so, if Gill’s photo appears anywhere hundreds of people may think ‘who and what was he!?, What’s his name?
Generally visitors to ministers are cleared by security and they are often briefed by their staff before meeting or even acknowledging others. I wonder if he was asking “How are you?” and it sounded like “Who …”
How-r-u… Hoo-r-u? …. Who-r-u?
kaangeya says ” In most of India the people are a civilised and progressive lot. But in the Lashmir Valley and the North East there are quite a few malcontents who need to be disciplined.”
Civilised term is a misnomer which is used by Pseudo secular elite Indian’s according to their whims and fancies. Then every state needs to be civilised. The Constitution gave little room for Civilisation. Religion,Caste,Linguistic Division,Ethnic minorities etc are divisions created but they must be equal. The term Indian is fragmented. Now every state needs to be ruled by Generals.
We have Civil War in Kashmir and most part of North Eastern India.
Uttar Pradesh,Bihar,Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Karnataka have caste based polarisation and occasional conflicts.
Maharastra,Karnataka,Assam and Tamilnadu have sharp linguistic divisions.
Naxalites dominate in Chattisgarh,Jharkhand,Andhra Pradesh,West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
Gujarat has communal Polarisation.
Now will they need to be taught lessons of civilisation too.
Faldo,
Or maybe:
How-dare-you… Hoo-dr-u?… Who-r-u?
DB,
You mean something like: Kiddan?
That translates to: Whassup?
If someone knows tulu translates to: Daane?
:)
‘X’ Guy, exactly! Also Gill is senile and his ‘madarasi’ prejudices might have been acting up. He was expecting to pass some pleasant time with the nice lady badminton player and out popped the ‘darky’ Gopichand:) So it was Gill’s way of showing some anoyance at the disruption to his fantasy:)