No Vodka tonite, Smirnoff for Raj Babbar

If he had not joined politics, he would perhaps be doing a Smirnoff advertisement for TV. Had he not fought with Mulayam Singh Yadav, he would have still remained a politician on periphery in the Samajwadi Party. But thanks to Amar Singh’s alleged high-handedness in party affairs, Raj Babbar is now aiming for a stature higher than Amar Singh himself and perhaps at par with Mulayakm, so what if Mulayam continues to say that he pays no attention to Raj Babbar’s and VP Singh’s rhetoric.
Raj Babbar was at his candid best when he confronted the onslaught from media garrisons in Lucknow recently. He spoke from the heart and not mind. Though the conference was on the pitiable state of farmers in the country, further led to nadir (and not Nadira) in Mulayam’s regime, he got visibly perturbed when asked about the death sentence awarded to Afzal Guru. Babbar’s response was an emotional one, saying that this question is getting political overtones because Guru was a Muslim. He categorically stated that he was against all death sentences, be they Hindus or Muslims.
Stating that he was in favour of the strictest sentence to Afzal Guru, Babbar said that not only he but every civilized man of the world is against awarding of death sentence. “It is not the death of that convicted person, but it is the death of the jallad who puts that person to death. It is we who allows such a person to roam in the society.”
Raj Babbar lambasted the Mulayam regime saying that he did not want the Mulayam regime to listen to what he was saying in public; at least they should pay attention to the manifesto on the basis of which SP came to power.
Babbar also said that it was a pity that ex-soldier’s in the state have not received pensions since April this year, as no officer has been posted to take care of the department. This is so even when the Chief Minister has enjoyed the portfolio of Defence Minister earlier.
Babbar lamented that the Mulayam regime did not allow them to enter Hapur tehseel for a month. The value of the land, taken from farmers at Rs. 150, was shown at Rs. 5700 to obtain loan from bank, he said, adding that the Government has bowed to the moneyed class.
Further speaking on the plight of the farmers, Babbar gave the example of Ramnagar, where 150 acres of farming land was taken over in the name of a sugar mill. “First the government sold the mill at throw away prices and to further please the new owner, also gave a huge piece of land.”
After shedding tears on the pitiful plight of farmers, courtesy the nexus between politicians and corporate world, it was time to return to daily routine for Raj Babbar as Mukesh Singh, the man who saw arrangements for the evening, was seen running to make arrangements for the evening drinks for him. ‘Not Vodka but Smirnoff’ was what Mr. Babbar preferred to have that evening!