Sad for Saddam?

I suppose this was expected. Protests against the hanging of Saddam led to various incidents of violence and clashes all over the country. The Samajwadi Party attacked tourists in Agra, injuring several Indians. They tried to whitewash this by claiming that it was a mistake and that they thought the occupants of the bus were foreigners. Aha, that justifies the attacks. As usual, not much transpired in the days immediately following the execution. New Year's eve was coming up and that was enough to put important things like this on the back burner.

Twenty one days later a 12- year old boy was killed in police firing when a mob turned unruly, forcing the cops to open fire.

A 12-year-old boy was killed and 22 people were injured when police opened fire in Bangalore on Sunday to control a rampaging mob that was apparently provoked by a group of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's supporters. [...] Meanwhile, at the rally held under the banner of 'People's Front' at the Shivajinagar stadium, leaders of various political parties from the state, including Congress leaders CK Jaffar Sharief and former chief minister N Dharam Singh and Samajwadi Party leader S Bangarappa, attacked the Iraq policy of the US.

Nothing spontaneous about it. Just like there was none during the staged Dalit train burning. The usual suspects were there. Communal parties? Check. Minority members of Secular parties? Check. Social justice wallahs? Check. Who lost his life? A 12-year old boy.

Now, I am not going to get into the realm of international politics like the socialists do. I think it is silly to use international incidents to gain political leverage at home. Let me just quote a small passage here:

According to Janabi, Odai's rape victims were as young as 12 and powerless to resist him. After a visiting Russian ballerina resisted Odai's advances in 1994, Odai had his men secretly film her making love with her trainer, Janabi said, then invited her to a party and told her he had a surprise. "He showed her the film. And he raped her after that." said Janabi. Latif Yahia, who for years served as Odai's security double, says Odai found violence sexually exciting. "He love to hear the woman scream.... He love the rape.... He's a sadist." Yahia described, in detail, nighttime scenes in Baghdad of group sex and violent acts. He said he once saw Odai beat and rape a pregnant woman. "Odai, he can't sleep with a woman if he don't hit her and see the blood coming out of her," he said.

Indeed, Saddam's death has saddened many in India, like this cook from Kerala. At least six boys all over the world hanged themselves to death trying to mimic the Saddam hanging snuff video.

You see, India's economic interests in the Gulf region makes it a stark choice for both our politicians and people to stick to their famous non-aligned stance, so hailed by Arundhati Roy. We Indians sure know how to put our mouth where the money is.

At least Saddam kept his shirt on, unlike Gandhi and Nehru who donned the silly dresses as if it gave them some sort of moral superiority. These dudes were educated in the West and never wore anything other than full western regalia before joining the nationalist movement. Immediately after independence these fellows firmly embedded themselves in the textbooks. Indeed it would be hard to determine if there are more symbols in the names of Nehru and Gandhi in India than the numerous statues of Saddam in Iraq.

These poseurs have done irrepairable harm to our politics. Fakeness is the de facto norm. Our politics is more fake than reality TV shows.

Saddam was honest in other ways too. He wanted to be a dictator and said so openly. Nehru, the champion of democracy, kept power for 17-years. If he didn't die, he would perhaps still hold on to the throne of India. Term limits anyone? Thankfully, Nehru had a daughter and not a son. Mrs. Gandhi was enough of a dictator but I suppose she was naturally disadvantaged to do the sort of damage to women and girls that Odai Hussain did.

The dictatorial traits would later fully manifest in the grandson, Sanjay Gandhi. Rumor has it that he used to abduct girls from New Delhi streets. It is still hotly debated whether the plane crash that did him was an act of conspiracy.

I just feel sad for the 12-year old boy. And the 12-year old girls.