From the time I got to know about life and death, I also came to know about suicide. Directors of bollywood and other regional films have used the concept of suicide. Having watched most of these movies with half my mouth open with anticipation and excitement (in my teens off course) and having seen characters’ committing suicide, I felt why don’t the movies show politicians committing suicide? Even though many eminent people in the past have gone on hunger strike and eventually on to the brink of death or being assassinated by suicide bombers, I never heard any politician actually committing suicide. Its not that I really want one to commit suicide but I think its a worthy issue to be given a thought.

India is a country of more than 100 crore population and here farmers (and recently weavers in Andhra Pradesh) commit suicide due to financial problems; middle class people generally commit suicide both due to financial and other family problems; students commit suicide due to pressure to perform, celebrities (mostly actors) do it for their own professional reasons. People from different walks of life have been victim to this phenomenon of suicide. But in the great history of India, I could not find any politician going for it. Are these politicians more than normal humans or do they have a different outlook towards their life?

In simple terms suicide is fantasizing about ending one’s life. It might be for many reasons. But whatever be the reason one should have the impulse to go to death. And these days we have newspapers carrying this type of news than what is more relevant. The irony over here is that those who commit suicide see it as an end to all problems but in reality it actually creates more problems. Also if suicide is to be committed for shame or honour then it should be our politicians who should be the first to commit suicide. But they do not take recourse to it. This is a matter to be pondered upon.

Giving doles to families of people who commit suicide may not solve the problem of suicide. Actually it may increase the problem because families may encourage suicide. Further some murder can also be passed off as a suicide. The attitude towards life has to be changed. Only this will help. Moreover when we hear so many people committing suicide due to family problems, we pity them. But when it comes to politicians they also have their families and also have problems. But never did I hear any politicians having problem in their family. There were instances where the family members took for drugs but not suicide. So, this whole question of why politicians don’t commit suicide makes me think and strain my mind more.

Probably being lonely makes one self to commit suicide in the times of depression. So in this context, our politicians are lucky, as they seem to be with a group all the time. Being sociably active is something, which actually is keeping the politicians from the suicide. Also given the position of Indian politics, every person in the politics can polish his lost prestige with some ‘great’ reasons.  Couple it with weak memory of the general public and you find that there is no chance of the politicians fearing any bad outcome. So the question of washed away prestige and fame does not effect these politicians. Same is the case with depression. When you are with so many people round the clock, then there is little chance of getting into depression.Politicians can take failure and not get depressed. Politicians do have some good qualities!

If you thought losing money and fame in politics is something, which makes the politicians to commit suicide, then think again as it is not a new thing for these politicians as there are so many who lost both but could again make more than what they have lost. We cannot stop from admiring these guys for their optimism and positive attitude towards the life (money and name in actual terms). The way they make their money or fame is what keeps many of us in dilemma whether to stamp a particular politician as corrupt or non corrupt. While most of us go for the former one, there is also small hint of message being sent out by these guys that whatever situation one is in one should not lose faith in one self and of course in politics. Thats why politicians are a hardy lot.

Yours Always,