A Padma for Muivah and Ibobi

By:- Sanjay Akoijam *

I was reading this article about Padma obsession and realized just how naive I was about these awards. As we all know, the Bharat Ratna and Padma Shri are awards that the Indian Government confers to her outstanding citizens who have made exemplary and profound contributions in society and public service etc. etc.

It struck me that our own Th Muivah, other UG leaders and O Ibobi too might one day be honoured with such an award by the powers that be in Delhi. Think that I have lost it? Think again after knowing who all have got these awards in the past.

For instance, we have Saif Ali Khan in the list announced on the eve of Republic Day this year. Hey, some teenage girls will say, what's wrong with him getting the award? He's a cute good looking actor. Well, he was charged along with Salman Khan for poaching the endangered black buck (his father has a similar charge).

But hey, the Pataudis are very close to the Gandhi family.

Another name this year is New York based hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal - a tainted person with financial shenanigans involving Indian banks. Compared to Chatwal, Saif's case may be more benign. The list goes on and on, not just from this year but every year when people with dubious distinctions have been awarded the Padma.

Dr K. Khalilullah, ex-Director of Delhi's G.B. Pant Hospital is another awardee of a Padma Shri as well as a Padma Bhusan. Incidentally he has criminal charges for financial fraud while being the Director. Personal whims and political calculations also dictate the selection of these awards.

Rajiv Gandhi gave a Padma Shri to his Doon School Principal. He also gave a posthumous Bharat Ratna (highest civilian award in the country) to M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) to woo Tamil Nadu voters for an important assembly election. This is notwithstanding the fact that MGR was cited for massive tax evasion. VP Singh gave a posthumous Bharat Ratna to Ambedkar to woo OBCs.

President Giani Zail Singh, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and Dr. Manmohan Singh have all given Padma awards to their eye, knee and heart surgeons respectively! Vajpayee even bestowed a Padma to an unknown singer for vocalizing his poems.

Remember, ABV has been one of the most untainted PM we ever had. But of them all, Indira Gandhi takes the cake. She decorated herself with a Bharat Ratna! Perhaps she was patting herself for proclaiming Emergency.

But then, whoever said life is fair or just. Or that only genuinely good and deserving people win awards or get promotions etc.

Forget the Padma, Mahatma Gandhi never won the Nobel Peace Prize. We all know that Bush, Arafat, South Africa's Apartheid ruler etc all got the Nobel.

And of course, Barack Obama this year. Barack himself is on record that he didn't understand why he got the award! There have been cases too, where some said "No" to the Padma. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad refused and laughed off Nehru's recommendation with the famous line - "How can the Government give itself an award?". There have been others too who refused to accept the award, but now I am digressing.

So coming back to the title of this article, Th Muivah stands a good chance to get at least a Padma if he signs some agreement with Delhi this year to bring peace to the northeast. Who cares about all the killings, extortions and bombs.

So go for it, Muivah, grab the chance now. Things have never looked better. This year, Ghulam Mohammed Mir, a surrendered Kashmiri militant leader against whom cases of extortion and murder are pending, have been honored with the Padma Shri for public service.

Someday, Ibobi may also get an award like Saif Ali Khan or Chatwal. Even though he has proved to be the most corrupt and incompetent badass amongst all CMs we ever had, he has perfected the art of cozing up to Smt Sonia and the Gandhi family.

We will all forget about Rabina and the uncountable killings that have taken place ever since he became CM. If the CM does get the award though, I hope he will not forget to invite me for some celebrations and drinks. Serve plenty of drinks, but just make sure that your Cabinet Ministers come to the party without their licensed guns, hic!