January 22, 2025

Although most political parties in India have co-opted members from the field of performing arts, some professional politicians still hold them in low esteem. This was demonstrated in the way BJP’s latest recruit, Naresh Agrawal, tired to rubbish Jaya Bachchan as just a “film wali.” When asked about the reasons for leaving Samajwadi Party, Agrawal said that he left because the party reduced his status to even below that of a film wali and gave his Rajya Sabha ticket to her.

He was immediately taken to task by top women leaders in the BJP. Sushma Swaraj termed his remarks “unacceptable” while Smriti Irani said that “when a women’s honour is challenged, we stand as one in our condemnation, irrespective of our politics.” BJP spokesman Sambit Patra distanced the party from Agrawal’s remarks saying that it was his own opinion. Although Agrawal has now expressed regret, the damage he has done to his own as well as his party’s image cannot be undone.

People like Agrawal, hailing from the Jat belt in north India, are perfect examples of what a patriarchal society does to most men in the country. Born and brought up in a society that believes in male supremacy and omits women from all their calculations (except sex, rearing children and managing the household), Agrawal did not even think about Jaya Bachchan’s status is society as well as parliament before making that disgusting remark. In fact, if at all, it should be Jaya Bachchan who should be offended if ever her status was to be reduced below that of people like Agrawal.

Politics is a field that attracts people from all walks of life. From retired generals to retired bureaucrats, from economists to social workers, from sadhus and maulvis to transgenders, from businesspersons to housewives all take the plunge to make a difference. Some succeed, others do not. But it cannot be said that professional politicians are better at their work then people who enter politics at a later stage in life or are co-opted by parties. Agrawal should have remembered that down south, several film personalities have ruled two states with a fair degree of competence and at least two more are now making waves. For these film personalities, it is the failure of politicians to provide a dignified living to the people of India that is making them take the plunge. So who is to say whose status is more elevated?

image courtesy: zeenews