The Julius Caesars of India.

A British historian writes how Julius Caesar came to the senate on that fateful day of 15 March, 44 BC even though he must have sensed mortal danger. A former British Foreign Secretary has named it 'the hubris syndrome', in which a person in power becomes convinced that he or she is infallible. Julius Caesar died at the height of his fame and power so he has become a legend. If Pompey the Great had died when he had fallen seriously ill he would not have lost the battle against Caesar and forced to fall on his sword. Abraham Lincoln was killed after winning the civil war, before it became apparent that blacks were still treated very badly in Confederate states and John Kennedy was killed before his numerous affairs became public. Politicians today suffer from similar hubris and do not know when to go. If Margaret Thatcher had stepped down in 1987 she would not have been humiliated and if Tony Blair had kept his promise to step down in 1994 he would not have become a war criminal. In India no politician would ever dream of stepping down. Around 34% of our esteemed MPs have serious criminal charges, including murder, kidnapping and extortion, against them and the parliament is a safe place to hide. You get great opportunities to steal money and never go to jail, like former Telecom Minister Sukh Ram who was caught with pillows stuffed with notes, because cases continue forever in our legal system. Sukh Ram recently celebrated his son's swearing in as a minister in the Congress government of Himachal. Lalu Prasad Yadav is campaigning in the Bihar election while out on bail in the fodder scam, protected by the very police who are supposed to jail him. Two of his sons are candidates in the coming assembly elections. A politician's son guilty of murder is granted furlough, which is leave granted to soldiers, to get married. Then there is the adulation. When Ms Jayalalithaa was jailed many killed themselves. No wonder that all charges against her were dismissed, the judge ruling that she did not gain Rs 66.65 crores but only a few crores. Hope we will also be allowed to go free if we amass just a few crores from dubious sources. Members of Parliament get huge perks, plus added bonuses of chartered flights arranged by 'friends'. Those that are thrown out by the people at elections get themselves into the dumpyard of the Rajya Sabha, from where they maybe appointed prime minister. It is a gravy train, not just for life, but for generations. The prime example is The Family which is clinging on since 1947. That is why politicians will stoop to any level to get noticed. And when you have creepy crawlies you have a Caesar.