‘Though this be madness yet there is method in it’ 

– ‘Hamlett’, Shakespeare

 

The 2014 elections aren’t merely about changing the government. The rhetoric ahead of the polls makes one believe that it’s an attempt at once to change historical narratives handed down to successive generation of Indians. And the man in the forefront of it all is the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

 –  11/11/2013 Blogs-Hindustan Times

I.

Wordsmiths of the world need to put in their heads or pull in their socks (you may say) to coin a new word which can rather resonate with what goes on in this part of South Asia in the name of political speeches. Should one call it ‘polifiction’ or ‘politainment’ or some similar word.

Perhaps a word exists and this poor pen pusher is ignorant about it.

Anyway, the matter has become bit urgent with the feverish preparations which are going on here for the battle royale which would take place in the year 2014 and the not so silent emergence of NaMo on the national scene and the daily dose of half truths, fiction and complete distortion which goes under the name of oratory.

His recent speech in Gujarat which he delivered while inaugurating a hospital could be considered the pinnacle of his ‘polifiction’. In the said speech he claimed that Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, was a ‘great son of Gujarat and had built India house in London’ He also claimed that this ‘great son of Gujarat was in regular dialogue with Vivekanand and Dayanand Saraswati’  and in his usual penchant for taking credits ‘it was his good fortune to be able to bring back the ashthi (ashes) of Mukherjee from Geneva in 2003.’

(Complete text available at : http://nsi-delhi.blogspot.in/2013/11/an-idiot-for-pm-nonsense-of-history-in.html#more)