Now its pure fun - the ‘Demo’cracy at play in India
We have so many highly qualified and dignified leaders and, at times, following in their footsteps becomes so self-motivated, that the inductive orientation outsmarts the trends.
So, yesterday it was the Karnataka assembly Porngate; today it is the Gujarat assembly Porngate.
Naturally, like yesterday, there has been much noise even today and what has ricocheted is the fact that the yesterday’s noise is still echoing, adding to the buzz of the moment. The probe report of the Karnataka Porngate came on March 19. It acquitted two downsizing the esteemed company of the ‘three’. Now that is unfair. Why only one should get all? (In fact, it was on-camera, a living testimony that millions watched, and there was really no need to have a probe!)
But ‘buying time’ – was probably the only way the political brethren could have to give some relief to the innovators – as all innovations are not welcomed in one go – so order a probe and let the time pass making the opponents realize futility of their act.
For the starters, let me tell you of the pure, authentic Indian invention – the Porngate! You might have heard of many ‘-gates’ including the Watergate, the Rushdiegate, the Climategate, the Memogate, but never was there anything like the Porngate. So full credits to the folks!
It happened last month when the mischievous lens of a private TV channel cameraman filmed three members of the Karnataka assembly watching porn while the assembly proceedings were on. It was first of its kind in the proud tradition of the legislatures in India
Soon, it was all over, on airwaves, in newspapers, on websites, and the Porngate term was born. This term indeed was the recognition of the efforts by these political innovators by the news carriers.
(Just to add to the general knowledge, one can visit this Wikipedia page titled List of scandals with "-gate" suffix - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scandals_with_%22-gate%22_suffix – a long list with separate categories of ‘-gates’, and yes, our very own innovation, the Porngate, proudly finds its place there, though the Wikipedia editors are yet to update the Gujarat assembly chapter there while writing this.) Now these efficient Wikipedia editors could become even more efficient if they learn from these innovating Indian politicians of ‘rapidly adopting and assimilating new things’ – so the learning from Karnataka swiftly finds its practitioners in Gujarat .
The scale of the uniqueness of this recent innovation by some hard-working members of the political class can be gauged from the fact that even after doing some good secondary research, you would not be able to find any other similar example. (I could not find one. If you come across, please share. J)
And on the fertile political ground of the Indian polity, the innovators so soon found their early adopters, just in 43 days (February 7 to March 20) of their innovation going public.
The innovation went public on February 7, 2012 when the Karnataka assembly was in session and so soon found its early adopters in the Gujarat assembly on March 20. And it was again some media eyes. Incidentally, some journalists made video clip of two BJP MLAs watching sleaze while the assembly was in session. Now their iPads are seized and a probe is ordered to buy time.
Even the great rural Sociologist and the inventor of the ‘Diffusion of Innovation’ theory, Everett Rogers , would not have expected such a fast diffusion of an idea in a country like India
The first and the foremost prerequisite in being an innovator, is about taking risk. These two, in Gujarat , inspired from the other three in Karnataka, have risked their political careers momentarily while inventing the ‘Porngate’. Characteristically, the theory says innovators are from the highest social class with sound financials. Now the ‘highest social class’ proposition may be dicey with such innovators from the political class in our country but, one thing is sure, they are more than well to do financially. (Politics in India
They know the deep bond of the political brotherhood in this country as well as the guarantee from their deep pockets and will happily weather the criticism for some months, for it has given them the lifetime opportunity to be written in the history books. They know, soon they will be reinstated with full honour, once full potential of their innovation is realized.
Trends say they have been successful with their invention as it is getting its early adopters so soon. Expect more of them as the field of the inductive effect gets stronger. Once it is ensured, other categories of adopters fall in line as expected.
Bravo folks! Keep it up! ‘Demo’cracy is with you!
