One morning, a cheerful gentleman arrived at my house and introduced himself as an employee of Bank of India. He persuaded me to open a savings account and promised flawless service. His appearance resembled somebody very familiar but I was unable to place him. His demeanor and behaviour revealed a fine upbringing rooted in culture and refinement. I agreed to open an account with his bank. A few days later, I had to visit the bank on some work. Like other customers, I had to wait for a really long time. At last, he arrived, and profusely apologized for arriving late. Without blaming anybody, he said he was delayed by the Delhi public transport. He knew the bank’s reputation would eventually suffer, and he said he had applied for a loan in his bank to buy a scooter. In a few minutes, he briskly dispensed with the queue with quiet efficiency. Long-time customers of the bank didn’t seem to mind this. I confided in a customer that he reminded me of somebody very familiar. He replied, "his behaviour is exemplary, befitting his position as the son of a great man." I didn’t understand. My confidant said the clerk was Sunil Shastri, son of Lal Bahadur Shastri. I later learnt that Lal Bahadur Shastri had forbidden his children from using his name and/or position to secure employment or benefits of any kind.

This is a very loose translation of a real life incident that S.L. Bhyrappa narrates in his autobiography. There’s something deeply sinister about the collective psyche of India to develop amnesia about a man like Lal Bahadur Shastri. The widespread perception of the man is that he was meek thanks to his diminutive physical appearance. His life in itself is a study in principled living. Shastri’s life showcases an important principle that a public figure should try not to escape accountability citing personal reasons–you know, my kids are bad, etc. It reminds us of another, similar principled politician, Theodore Roosevelt.

All this has a connection with Prannoy Roy’s spin lieutenants. His impotent fury at Modi’s victory (link courtesy Gaurav) transcends reason as it is wont to:

’’It’s not that he [Modi] has disowned Vadnagar. He does work for the town, just does not believe in extending personal favours to his family,’’ said Arvind.

What’d Prannoy Roy say about Lal Bahadur Shastri…hell, about Mahatma Gandhi? Gandhi’s negligence of his children is well documented…