This excahnge among Shashi Samundra ji , Navtej gill and me brought back to me the question of why is there such hostility towards people holding even a powerless though high profile position like mine. I thouht I might invite friends views and reactions to get a more reliable clue to understanding this phenomenon. ( This is being reproduced here with due apologies to Shash ji and Navtej , on the flimsy excuse that the exchange is already in public domain , having been conducted on facebook. Neverthelss, I do pray that Shshi ji and Navtej Gll ( both of whom don't personally or know only as much as they know me -- through Facebook.) would not take unkindly to my act.
ਨਵਤੇਜ ਸਿੱਧੂ
Mr. Bains, I just started to know you a bit and I feel the pain you have in these songs...tum bin jiwan kise bita... and please do tell about your fetish with Vahida Rehman, one of these days....
BTW: until yesterday I had no idea who you we...re... saw that news paper stuff and come to realize who I been talking with. to me you were just another FB friend...I am honored. :)See More9 hours ago ·LikeUnlike
Shashi Samundra Navtej jeeeeeeeeee ! you are putting ALL of us-ordinary Fb ppl- down...What have we done to dishonour you ?
ਨਵਤੇਜ ਸਿੱਧੂ @Shashi Ji: I never thought any govt. related people will be on FB. You need to give respect where it is due...HB earned it. and who knows, I may have to call on him for a favor...:)
2 hours ago ·UnlikeLike · 1 personLoading...
Shashi Samundra: Yes Navtej ji, I agree abt asking favors. The whole Indian system works that way...One never knows when he/she may need the help. ATLEAST, he is the one that U'll not be able to bribe. But, then, u won't need to do it anyways;being his close Fb FRIEND !
about an hour ago ·LikeUnlike · 1 personਨਵਤੇਜ ਸਿੱਧੂ likes this.
Harcharan Bains :
Shashi ji: You do know how high an esteem I hold you in. I have always followed your posts with keein interest and generally found them remarkable for ther sanity and sobriety.
When I say ths about you, i do not mean any disrespect ...to any one else on facebook.
There are young people on face facebook -- young enough to be my children --who can truly put me on their fans list -- I really respect what they carry in ther minds and souls. I can immediately name two of them: Pukhraj Singh and Harman ( the poet) That they love me back is an unexpected and to some extent somewhat undeserved bonus. They are such pure and brilliant souls.
But Neither their love for me nor my idolising them is meant to be a disrespct to anyone else on facebook.
As for what Navtej says, in fact I am the one honoured by his comment because it gave me the much needed assurance that someone found me free from "stink" of any arrogance or fake values or vanity or stuff like that - you know what I mean.
And although it is so gracious of him to say what he says, it speaks more about his honest decency and culture than mine. And I was also so relieved that on discovering who I am ( for whatever that is worth)navtej did not welcome me with the hostility that some friends generally extend towards people in my - or similar -- position. This spoke of Navtej's own self assurance .
Simply put, I think Navtej was paying me a litle commpliment there and that to my mind was surely not meant to be a disrespect to anyone else -- least of all to you, whom I hold in such high esteem.And in a lighter vein, Shashi ji, do allow me a little moment of good will and admiration; its rare that I get it these days, especially on facebook. That soothed my nerves, generally wracked by criticism of some extremely btter nature .
And dear Navtej, I am so honoured by your words. i will be praying I do not disappoint you ever. And Shashi JI, as for favours and bribes, fortunately for me, yyou seem to know already that both are out in my way of living. That is becasue the bribes someone in my postion has a right to expect are too precious for everyone to pay. And yet I get paid - there is no bribe more precious than love and care. I have always received these in abundance. And Navetj has already bribed me.
The favours I do are also extraordinary: I offer love before I receive it and befoire I am asked , and I never run out of doing these favours.
But if the tone of Navtej's post is heard closely, it is clear to me what favours he has in mind, and he has received those already, unasked.
As for the other kind of bribes, Shashi ji, i am so lucky no one has ever insulted me with an offer of that kind. The day someone does make an offer, i will have to look closely at myself and probably rush to some loving and caring soul to find out whats gone wrong with me.
And I promise you, Shashi ji, that I don't insult others by describing genuine help or justice as a favour. A large number of people come to me with work. Only some of them have ever expected anything other than justice out of me. i could give you concrete instances, but I wouldn't becasue that is a sacred pact between me and those who need me , and those whom I need -- on purely human basis. I put you also in the same category as mine - and I flatter myself with that thought . Regards.
4 minutes ago
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