NK'S POST

NK SINGH It was 32 year ago that journalist Romesh Thapar had coined the acidic phrase to ridicule Rajiv Gandhi administration run by his Doon School cronies --- Baba-Log Government.  The term originally comes from the British period when Indian servants would refer to male children of their white masters as Baba Sa’ab and female children as Missy Sa’ab. The delightful phrase can be re-applied in Madhya Pradesh. Babalog of a different kind, the saffron ones, have been part of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government for the past five years. And it is payback time now, with assembly elections round the corner.  Some Babas are threatening to pull down the government that had nurtured them. Others are demanding their pound of flesh, more share in power. Some of the sadhus have turned renegades and crossed over to the enemy side. The BJP is reaping what it had sown. In what appears to be a well-scripted move, some hidden hand(s) is pulling the strings to o...

NK SINGH The government decision to abolish those flashing red beacons atop ministers’ cars, the most visible symbol of power, can be annoying, at times. When MP government granted the status of Minister of State to Computer Baba, the saffron robed monk pasted a printout on the windscreen of his SUV, announcing his official status. The prominently placed printout proclaims: “Mahamandleshwar Computer Baba, Minister of State status, Member, Public Awareness Campaign Committee, Madhya Pradesh Government.” The Indore-based, 53-year-old monk is as colourful as they come. Born Namdev Tyagi somewhere in UP, he prefers to be known as Computer Baba. He earned the moniker because his followers believe that he is as quick as a computer. Even the official notification appointing him a minister does not carry his real name; it simply identifies the guy as Computer Baba. He became one of the most photographed sadhus in 2016 Simhasth at Ujjain with his matted hair, bare torso and rosar...