Slapping of Sharad Pawar - is is frustration expressed ?

Slapgate – is it the Nation’s fury ?

Whether it is Harbhajan Singh or little known Harvinder Singh – a slap garners all attention and makes it to the headlines of most National newspapers and vernacular papers.  

Sharad Pawar (left) and Sukhram (R]

A slap or "smack" is a broad stroke made with the open hand or the back of the hand, as opposed to a punch that is made with a closed fist. Slaps are frequently made across the face, but can be also made across hands or any other body part, and can use either the palm of the hand or the back of the hand.  It may not cause grievous hurt but can sully damage one’s reputation.

Yesterday an angry youth slapped Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.  The incident took place at the NDMC centre in Delhi,  where Pawar had arrived as a chief guest for a function.

Harvinder Singh, a transporter from west Delhi's Rohini, got through the meagre  security and landed a slap on the minister's cheek, shouting "sab chor hain (all are thieves)". Pawar lost his balance for a moment but regained his composure and made a quick exit. Asked why he'd done it, Singh said, "Aur kya karoon, jab dekho... ghotala, ghotala, ghotala (what else do I do? There's corruption everywhere)."

Singh had made a similar attempt on Saturday when he tried to attack former telecom minister Sukh Ram outside the Rohini court, after the latter's sentencing in a bribery case.  It was felt that the sentence was not severe coming as it did after so many years and with Sukhram being  very old now. Another case of bolting the stables after horses have fled.

Sukh Ram was Union communications minister in Indian National Congress Government having been elected from Mandi constituency of Himachal Pradesh. The Central Bureau of Investigation in 1996 seized Rs. 3.6 lakh in cash concealed in bags and suitcases from his official residence. The cash was allegedly collected by him committing irregularities in awarding a telecom contract. He was convicted and sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment by a Delhi court in 2002.  Sukh Ram's conviction and his incarceration on a 5-year rigourous imprisonment pronounced on November 19, 2011 has nothing to do with the present 2G scam.   Sukhram stands convicted and sentenced by different courts in three different but related cases.

This morning as I drove to office, there was a talk show in a popular FM channel (106.4) – where RJ posted on whether the people of the Nation think that the slapping was an expression of the frustration of otherwise docile Indian common man – though this may not be the outright expression of all – none of the callers (till I heard last) condemned the incident but expressed their views that such politicians deserve more than a slap…….

Regards – S. Sampathkumar.