Like so many other Indians, including most Members of Parliament, I don’t understand the Nuclear Deal. All the same, I was wondering whether the nation was subjected to the tug of war, that culminated in a vote of confidence in Parliament, because a couple of decades ago, a bright young man was refused admission to an American university. Let me explain why I say this.
When studying for a degree in Economics at Elphinstone College, Mumbai, I got to know another student who I shall refer to as IC, (to protect his privacy). IC was a couple of years senior to me and an active member of the students’ wing of one of the mainstream communist parties.
In fact, during the Emergency, he organized a meeting in the college at which a very prominent Marathi writer lambasted the Government. This invited the wrath of the authorities and I believe IC was lucky not be incarcerated. After graduating, IC continued to be active in politics and from time to time, I would hear of his exploits. He was even arrested for his political activism. Then, for a number of years, I heard nothing about IC.
Imagine my surprise when, a few years ago, a cousin of mine who had taught in a school with IC, mentioned that he had just returned from the US where he had gone to help IC set up a mutual fund! I then came to know that IC had obtained admission to a university in the US and whilst working as a journalist had studied to become a Certified Financial Analyst.
While reading of the events of the recent past, it suddenly struck me that some of the more prominent leaders of the Left were IC’s contemporaries. And I am sure that if IC had continued his political career, he too would have been on some Politburo or Central Committee.
If someone like IC could become a capitalist, then I don’t believe that this stringent anti US stand of these leaders of the Left is only based on ideology. Maybe, some intrepid journalist should investigate whether one of the present leaders of the Left had been denied an admission to a college in the US. That could be the real reason………….
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