Money can buy anything, from a poor man’s kidney to a rich person’s conscience,” Mr Right said pointing to the newspaper fluttering in my hands.
“You must be talking about the people who love to find a buyer in the name of democracy and politics, “I looked at him. “Today’s newspaper is full of stories about who bought whom and on what price.”“They include all the bigwigs, former ministers and ex-chief ministers, peers and sages,” Mr Right smiled. “Politics is no better than a mad house where everybody seems to have lost his head.”
“Well, Sir, I think politics is also a game like cricket where you make big money,” I said. “Cricketers have started their premier leagues like IPL and BPL very recently, but politicians have been playing their Political Premier League (PPL) for a long time.”“They have their own superstars, heroes and crowd-pullers who are bought and sold for huge sums of money,” Mr Right stressed. “The king or his men are ready to pay any price for the chosen players in the auction.”
“The list of beneficiaries is astounding,” I pointed out. “It includes many favourites of the masses, champions of piety and lions of democracy.”“This shows that protectors of the country are never oblivious of the financial needs of all those people who are ever ready to offer their unconditional services for noble causes,” Mr Right said. “On a previous occasion, they succeeded in preventing a woman from ruling over men because they thought it was better for the country.”
“But all that is history now,” I said. “What was the need to resurrect that case? Don’t you think it is a wrong time to promote the uniformed men’s money-making talent when they are busy in restoring peace in many areas of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Balochistan?”“On the contrary, I think this is the right time to highlight their talent of raising enormous funds for national causes,” Mr Right argued. “Earlier they offered money to the people who helped them install a new government. This time they should raise money and distribute it among the people who want to bring down every government.”
“Although the court is yet to give its verdict on the army’s generous ‘hand-outs’ to some of the top players in PPL, many of them have started pleading for their innocence,” I said. “The followers of one of the leaders even distributed sweets after it was revealed by an insider that he had refused to accept the money offered to him.”“It’s really very shameful for all of us,” Mr Right said. “Honesty is so scarce now that you like to worship him if you stumble on one honest person.”“Do your really think that there is a dearth of pious people now?” I asked.
“Well, it looks as if we will have to induce people to become pious,” Mr Right replied. “Protectors of the country can do this meticulously. They should now make their ‘money-for-everybody’ exercise a yearly feature. This will be a litmus test for honesty. The man who chooses to turn down the offer must be given the title of ‘Mr Pious’ like the title of ‘Mr Pakistan’ conferred on bodybuilders.”
“This is a great idea indeed,” I said. “Mr Pious Contest to be conducted secretly will make the people realise that money can be used for honest purposes as well.”“But don’t think money can buy everything,” Mr Right cautioned. “As sages say money can buy a house, but not a home. It can buy a clock, but not time. It can buy a book, but no knowledge.“But the worst thing about it is that it can buy our leaders,” I said.“Yes, but not democracy, that’s the people’s will, you know,” Mr Right grinned. – Khaleejnews
