Why Hema Malini's Insensitive Tweet Doesn't Surprise Me

This may sound like a typical click bait headline but the answer is she simply doesn't care enough. Or at least so it seems.

It reminds me of a rally in her constituency last year. It was not a small show. It was the rally which kick-started the week long programme celebrating one year of Modi Government.

RSS ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay's village Nagla Chandrabhan was chosen to be the venue.

It was a hot summer day with temperature being comfortably above 45 degrees and the ground was filled to capacity.

There was still some time before Prime Minister would arrive, so the entire state leadership which was present on the stage was trying to keep the crowd engaged.

The local MP and celebrity Hema Malini was also asked to address her constituency. She started of well by getting the crowd to chant Radhe Radhe, for remember this is the temple town of Radhe-Krishna, but then came the more difficult part.

She had no clue about the programmes started in the area, nor was she aware of the money sanctioned. She continued in generalities, almost embarrassing the party leadership present on the stage and those sitting with the media in front of the podium.

Mahesh Sharma tried to come to her rescue, telling her about the Rs 120 crore sanctioned for the twin town of Mathura and Vrindavan. But alas, the stage microphone caught the voice.

Still later, she had to be prompted about Mahesh Sharma's name too! Mind you he was MoS Tourism then.

After about 10 minutes of struggle she vacated the podium and that's when the Gautambudhnagar MP came and announced the details of all the central plans for Mathura.

If an MP doesn't know the schemes launched by her government for her constituency, she isn't setting a really high standard, isn't it?

We were flummoxed by her speech, and asked some senior leaders of the area about her activity in the constituency. The reply we got confirmed what we were fearing.

A senior Sangh leader kept a straight face and said ' irrespective of whether an individual is working or not, the Sangh is always there for the people'

For me, this loosely meant, we are trying to cover up for her. But this is not just a Hema Malini phenomenon.

Across the country wherever celebrities are brought in to contest, 9 out of 10 times they have failed to perform for the people.

Whether it is Dev or Moonmoon Sen in Bengal or Dharmender, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan in areas across the country.

But the political parties still feel that on a sticky wicket, where there isn't a strong local candidate, celebrities have a high strike rate. Would this thought change?

Not until the strike rate shows some sort of a decline. And for that, we the voters will have to learn. But would we? Doubts, doubts is all that I have.