Choose Your Heroes Wisely

As the wrestlers’ protest lingers on unheeded and underreported, yet another proud ‘calling’ in India gets insensitively rebuffed, after the Farmers Protest (following the sneaky passing of Farm Bills) and Veterans (after short delivering OROP promises). There is an entire State and partisan machinery and ecosystem with unmatched resources to ridicule, cast aspersions and defend-the-indefensible each time someone protests – and this ensuing drama is no different.

Along with the ‘Jawan’ and the ‘Kissan’, it is perhaps only the sportspersons who have done so much for the dignity of the nation, against all odds. Yet they brave the elements on the symbolic Jantar Mantar and endure indignities and incredulous accusations of ostensibly ‘tarnishing the image of the nation’, by one of their ‘own’ i.e., PT Usha.

Beyond the conveniently forgotten spiel of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ (save girl child and the educate girl child), the counterattack to the protesting sportsperson is publicly fronted (knowingly or unknowingly) by invoking names of distinguished sportspersons like PT Usha, Mary Kom etc., It is a rote formulaic approach seen in each of the earlier protests – fire from one of their ‘own’ shoulders.

A protest in India can no longer be simply apolitical, even if it only wanted to ‘voice’ discontent beyond partisan lines. These sports persons had tried to shun support from politicians earlier, only to realise that they were essentially left to fend for themselves.

Today, by opening their doors to anybody and everybody from across the partisan lines, these sportspersons have shamed many from within the ruling dispensation, as not one politician of any consequence has even managed a squeak of meek support. They are clearly exposed and guilty by their personal fears of consequences in lending any semblance of support, for an otherwise garrulous, verbose, and very aggressive, motormouth.

Meanwhile, the Opposition politicians have only joined in to further their own political position and perceptions, though their own independence and ability to challenge the missteps by their own leaderships is as disappointing, in similar situations.

Politicians are politicians, be it amongst the ruling or opposition ranks. Leaving the politicians aside, the real angst ought to be against those from within the sporting communities itself who have either taken up the cudgels on behalf of the dispensation as ‘political mouthpieces’, or equally regrettably, by the deafening silence of many.

Very grudgingly, one can even understand the situational conundrum of a P. T. Usha, even though as President of Indian Olympic Association and as an exceptional woman athlete herself, she would be versed with the tribulations of athletes and the entitled ways of politicians who inexplicably lord over sporting associations.

In this case, the laundry list of charges against the main accused preceding the current allegations, as also the apolitical composition of the protestors ought to have moved her to assume a neutral stand (if not openly supportive, but that is perhaps expecting too much in today’s day and time). She could have restored the majesty of her position that had got sullied after the likes of Suresh Kalmadi, from the other side of the political fence.

As a woman athlete of eminence and one who is well past her sporting prime, she could have fearlessly used the current opportunity to go down in history as the one who called the bluff of politicians in sporting associations and transformed the realm for posterity. Instead, she chose to do two things: first, shockingly accuse protestors for ‘tarnishing the image of the country’ (towards the now-standard portents of ‘anti-national’) and second, she willy-nilly defended Brij Bhushan Singh. Period.

However, it took Neeraj Chopra and Abhinav Bindra, the two genuinely super-achievers and the only two individual Olympic Gold Medalists ever (again with no political background) to call a spade a spade. Abhinav's gut-wrenching lament, “deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets… my heart goes out to all those who have been affected” was downplayed by the shrill and “hyper-nationalist” TV anchors.

Even Neeraj Chopra who has always maintained a restrained posture and rectitude when many were simply falling over themselves to ingratiate themselves with the powers-that-be, made sure his unhappiness was visible, stating, “What’s happening should never happen”.

Incidentally, both Abhinav and Neeraj are from the earthy sporting belt of Haryana-Punjab which populates the ranks of protesting sportspersons (as also the farming community and the Veterans). It was moving to see the cricketer of yesteryears, Kapil Dev (again, from the same region) lend his support to the protestors, as he too is apolitical and has always worn his patriotism on his sleeve, albeit, in a manner befitting a National Captain of a World Cup Winning Team.

Neeraj, Abhinav and Kapil have not just achieved the highest success in their respective sports but all three also belong to the ‘Uniformed’ fraternity (Neeraj is from Rajputana Rifles, Abhinav a Territorial Army Lt Col (Sikh Regiment) and Lt Col Kapil Dev is from the Punjab Regiment.

However, as the country is in the throes of the very commercial IPL cricket tournament, it is the frequent sighting of a ‘Bharat Ratna’ (the highest civilian award) on TV screens, Sachin Tendulkar, which rails against the parallel optics of the humiliation meted out to his fellow protesting sportsperson.

To contextualise the freight of the ‘Bharat Ratna’, it is important to understand the list of those who didn’t get it. It has been denied to the likes of Dhyan Chand, Homi Bhaba, Field Marshal KM Cariappa, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Bhagat Singh etc.

But it was bestowed on the ‘little master’ Sachin Tendulkar, for his brilliant statistics and skills. He was also made a member of the Rajya Sabha according to the Fourth Schedule (Article 4(1) and 80(2)) of the Constitution. Sachin also earned the honorary rank of Group Captain in the Air Force – ostensibly as an inspiring ‘icon’ for the institution.

Perfunctory wishes aside, the ‘icon’ of the Armed Forces has never taken a stand for the institution or its causes, and his attendance record in the Parliament was appalling. He never participated in any debate or tabled a Private Members Bill – not for sports, not for Armed Forces, and not for any societal cause!

While undoubtedly a genius as a cricketer, multiple ‘ambassadorships’ of the highest order afforded by the sovereign have not led to the expected reciprocity of honouring the same. Sachin’s attendance at the Sanctum Santorum of democracy, Rajya Sabha or the Upper House of the Parliament, has been outright dismal (8% attendance in six-year term!) with no contrarian position assumed or espousal of any cause, sporting or otherwise.

Also, a rare civilian honoured with the right to bear a ‘rank’ and ‘uniform’, both his participation and articulation of any meaningful cause (save condescending greetings) has been invisible and only for photo-ops. As amongst the greatest living sportsmen who is looked up to by so many and is able to transform moments of deep significance for the better – is it too much to expect support and ‘voice’, in such times?

It must never be forgotten that when the onus is on speaking up, then silence tantamounts to complicity. It is not that he is inarticulate, reserved or innately reclusive, as he has accepted positions of responsibility and yet only speaks on forums that entail commercial gratification.

He had ingloriously but proactively sought to seek waiver from paying import duty for his Ferrari and even objected to a RTI seeking information on his house under the RTI Act (allegedly for building property without necessary clearances). So, while he is certainly entitled to his selective silence or to his own personal views (which may not even agree with that of the protesting sportsperson) or harbour a way of doing things, but there is a disconcerting, consistent and frankly selfish pattern, and track record of performance (in the cricket field, in public positions of responsibility, and even as a selected ‘icon’).

That said, he has earned the right to his own conduct, the issue is for the citizenry to smell the coffee and choose their heroes and ‘icons’ wisely. Forget the silence of ruling politicians or the opportunism of the opposition, look within the fraternity and there is major disappointment written all over.

Lt General Bhopinder Singh (Retd), is the Former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry. Views expressed are the writer’s own.