Chetan Bhagat comes before us in multiple avatars. Sometimes he is a novelist, at others he is a columnist. Occasionally we find his name on film posters and for those who watch only general entertainment channels Chetan Bhagat is one of the judges on a dance-based reality show. This week as his new non-fiction title hits the stands, he is sporting the cap of an opinion maker and brings his skills as a motivational speaker to paper.
Described as the voice of entrepreneurial India, Chetan has come up with a collection of essays and columns on “Making India Awesome” (Rupa). Yes, he knows the lingo of the youth and has a piece of advice for everyone. From issuing 17 commandments to Narendra Modi to mocking Rahul Gandhi’s new clothes, nobody and no issue is off Chetan’s radar, and the underlying message for everyone is it is time to look within. “We don’t really want to understand what it is about us that we can be so easily incited to burn trains or to riot,” laments Chetan.
Excerpts from the interview:
In one of your commandments for the Prime Minister you have questioned his frequent foreign visits. How do you see his visit to the UAE?
There is nothing wrong in a PM visiting abroad, and there is no doubt that Middle East relations are important. However, there is balance between spending time on domestic issues and foreign affairs. When BJP lost Delhi for instance, clearly they lost the pulse of the people of Delhi.
Do you feel that the Prime Minister doesn’t understand that communication is a two-way process?
I think he does, and he is a good communicator overall. However, I think he feels constrained to speak on controversial topics as we tend to attack anyone who has a frank opinion. Hence, a strategy of silence serves best for the top leader. Unfortunately, that may make one lose connect.
Don’t you think four per cent is too small a number for caring objective Indians?
It’s too high, if at all. If four per cent of our population care about the country, and are not aligned to one party in their opinions, we would be a much better place. Sadly, most people don’t care, and the rest have taken permanent sides. The true voices of neutrality are rare to find, but we must support them for the sake of the nation.
Don’t you think subjectivity has been our strength as it translates into tolerance? You have touched this issue in the chapter on science and religion…
While everything cannot be objective and cut and dry, subjectivity should not translate to superstition or irrational thinking. In India, the emphasis on scientific thinking is low, even though we push our students to take science. We act in an emotional manner, and hence vote in the same way too. Religion plays a huge role in our life. While there is nothing wrong in having faith, nations that drop scientific thinking don’t progress as much.
In times when most of the urban youth are aspiring to be in private jobs, how do you see their relationship with the government in particular and politics in general? Some analysts feel they will support the corporate lobby to safeguard their interests and in the process the voice of the poor India might get muffled ?
I don’t know why we feel it is a choice between the corporate lobby and poor India. Both can help each other. Corporates create jobs and can create efficient products, and poor people need both. It is disheartening that even in 2015 we think in terms of the big evil corporate and the poor people in conflict, and the politician as the saviour. It is nonsensical, communist propaganda kind of thinking which we can do without. Without a thriving business environment, poor people cannot be uplifted in the country. You can have profits as well as societal welfare, provided businesses are well regulated. Sadly, it is very hard to make people understand that.
How do you see the proliferation of start-ups?
I think the world has changed fast with technology, and India is no exception. It is great that start-ups are coming up, with innovative ideas getting capital funding. We need to get entrepreneurial in order to make India grow fast.
In the section ‘We the Shameless’, you suggest that either we are essentially corrupt or lack the guts to take on the corrupt and have taken names on both sides of the political divide. Where do you stand on the communal vs corrupt debate?
I don’t think you can choose. Both are problems, and if we want our nation to be awesome, we need to get rid of them both. We have to not fall into the ploys of politicians who make us choose this evil or that evil. We need to get rid of both.
Did you get to see a new Rahul Gandhi in the Monsoon session of the Parliament?
A little bit. He seemed more charged up and took on issues. For once, the Congress punched well above its 44 MP strength and made headlines everyday. I wonder if this was a phase or something permanent.
Do you still see AAP as the agent of change in Indian politics?
Well, yes, but in a much milder, watered down manner. They have quickly morphed into a regular party, with a focus on winning and wooing the electorate above anything else. I don’t blame them because they have just become what people want them to be. The people haven’t changed, so expecting AAP to change is a bit much.
From IPL to MSG to advising women, you have an advice on every issue. Some might say that you have made easy generalisations in the book and the reality is much more complex. At 41, are you in the danger of becoming agony uncle…Do you want that space?
I write opinion and editorial pieces for a big English and Hindi newspaper. Part of that job is to give opinions, and I am one of the hundreds of columnists in the country. To question why does a columnist give an opinion is a bit strange. It is my job to do so. I only write two pieces a month so if you feel I have advice on every issue; it probably means my columns are having an impact and not getting lost in the daily newspaper clutter.
Why should the reader take you seriously when you judge a dance-based reality show without having a deep understanding of the medium?
Because I am a real human being who has a serious as well as a fun side. Of course, the dance show is for fun and not to be taken seriously. I did it to build reach in the interiors of the country.
However, when I write about the nation, I take issues seriously and do my best trying to analyse them and propose solutions. I have a motto in life, don’t be serious, be sincere. Ultimately, that is what matters – sincerity.
Corrections and Clarifications:
This article has been edited to correct a factual error.
