Some Thinking!

I had always come across politics as a mean of earning affluence and personal enrichment. But after reading Benazir Bhutto’s autobiography, watching Jaswant Singh’s interview, reading about Suu Kyi ; politics is taking different turns and its meanings is in the verge of change. Benazir Bhutto became the prime minister of Pakistan at the age of 35 to become one of the youngest executives of the World and first lady ruler of a Muslim country. This lady tolerated so much pain , that too after coming from one of the oldest and richest family of that country. Its very painful to think about her years of detention after imagining her as the bright president of London debate society in Oxford ,debating and impressing her way out. Life has taken such a twist for her. Throughout the book I was wondering from where she gathered such courage and vigour? What gives her so much strength to spend her golden twenties in jail leaving behind a luxurious life that too alone. Is it the hatred towards Zia? Is it the feeling of revenge? She answered my question towards the end of her book. She said “hatred cant drive people for so long, its the concern for a better tomorrow that’s driving her through her days”. I found her statement a little hard to digest because of my prejudiced thinking. I took the reason to be either her never ending love for her father and the feeling of revenge towards Zia. But after few days I came across some information about Suu Kyi. This lady got some striking similarities with Benazir Bhutto apart from sharing birthdays in the same month ( Suu Kyi 19 th June and Benazir Bhutto 21 st June). The years of detention, the pain, the eagerness for democracy and the genuine concern for the people of the land are some strings that attach them together in two different lands. Suu Kyi was not driven by any hatred. It is the genuine concern for the people that drives her and gives her strength to survive the years of detention and yet, keep alive the fire of hope within. The other day watching Jaswant Singh ji’s press conference was another good experience. A visibly emotional and shaken Jaswant Singh’s very diplomatic speech conveyed me that this person bore deep wound in his heart. His eyes, his too patient behaviour, his carefully choosen speech bore testimony to the fact that he enjoyed politics and got a mission and vision. All these things compelled me to give a new perspective to my views on politics. Mein Kampf is my new destination. Let’s see how the book effects me after years of postering negative opinion about politics.
ZINDAGI MIGZARA!!!