Vishal Dadlani's public apology to Sri Tarun Sagar: An act of humility or mark of a true politician?

George Bernard Shaw wrote in Major Barbara, "He knows nothing; and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career." Well if, GB Shaw's definition of a politician is anything to go by, then Vishal Dadlani has successfully graduated to becoming a politician.

On Wednesday (September 21), Dadlani met Jain monk Sri Tarun Sagar in Chandigarh and sought apology for his 'sarcastic' tweets. Sagar has, reportedly, forgiven Dadlani, and has been quoted as saying, "I have forgiven Vishal Dadlani and the Jain Samaj should also forgive him."

Sri Tarun Sagar forgiving Vishal Dadlani on Wednesday (September 21)

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To put things in context, a FIR was lodged against Dadlani by the police of Ambala cantonment, Haryana, for hurting religious sentiments. When Digambara monk Sri Tarun Sagar appeared in the Haryana assembly on August 26 and delivered a lecture called 'Kadve Parvachan' (harsh words), in nude, he drew brickbats, not only for his lack of clothes but his assertion that politics is the wife to religion, which plays husband.

Dadlani, was among the many on Twitter, who slammed the decision to invite Sri Tarun Sagar to the Haryana assembly.

This tweet has since been deleted

Consequently, he was shamed by the huge Jain community on Twitter, followed by Delhi CM and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal himself, till he was forced to apologise a record 32 times.

Finally he quit all affiliation with the Aam Aadmi Party.

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Now, Dadlani has had his buddy moment with Sri Tarun Sagar. He was quoted as saying, "I regret whatever I had said earlier. Unknowingly, I had commented about guru ji. But after hearing his kadve parvachan (bitter words), I found them sweet." Aww.

By the way, said 'kadve parvachan' included Sri Tarun Sagar publicly endorsing the intertwining of religion and politics, something Dadlani publicly wrote against on Twitter in his apologies for hurting Jain sentiments.

Sri Tarun Sagar, was quoted by The Indian Express on Friday 26, as saying, "Rajniti par dharam ka ankush zaroori hai. Dharam pati hai, rajneeti patni. Har pati ki yeh duty hoti hai apni patni ko samrakshan de. Har patni ka dharam hota hai ki woh pati ke anushasan ko sweekar kare. Agar rajneeti par dharam ka ankush na ho toh woh magan-mast haathi ki tarah... ho jaati hai (The control of dharma over politics is essential. Dharma is the husband, politics is the wife. It is the duty of every husband to protect his wife. It is the duty of every wife to accept the discipline of her husband. If there is no control of dharma over politics, it will be like an elephant out of control)."

Now, Vishal Dadlani held his ears and made a public show of apologising to Sri Tarun Sagar. It's only a matter of days before the singer who fancies himself as a political activist is back in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the case filed against him in Haryana will either be dropped or mysteriously, settled.

Vishal, was quoted by reporters on Wednesday, as saying, "Guruji accepted my apology, he has forgiven me and I think we've also developed a bond of friendship."

He also said, "My eyes are now opened by coming here and I have learned so much."

What Vishal has actually learned is that religion is indeed the husband in India and whatever he tweets in outrage will fall flat the moment you screw around with the unicorn called 'religious sentiments'. What Vishal has learned is that if he remained stubborn and stuck to his secular, rational views (which were indeed shortlived because he began fumbling and mumbling on Twitter the moment the backlash began), he would be taken for a ride by the Haryana police, and with no AAP to back him, things would get kadve for him.

Vishal Dadlani is no Rage Against the Machine or Sex Pistols. We have no culture of substantial political popular music in India. And even if there is, Vishal does not fall into the category. He never did.

As much as he did campaign for AAP during 2015's Delhi assembly polls, Kejriwal did not hesitate to distance himself and his party from Vishal, following the 'hurtful' tweets, because AAP has to win the assembly elections next year in Gujarat, which has a sizeable Jain population. Here, there is no ideology at work. There is only opportunism. So, Dadlani did the smart thing by apologising to Sri Tarun Sagar. However, by doing so, he has proved that like all politicians, Dadlani too is not immune to taking U-turns and betraying his true self to appease people he does not fundamentally agree with.

To a large number of fans who have known Dadlani from his Pentagram days and who are aware of his irreverent self, both in public view and on Twitter, Dadlani's apology comes as a rude shock. Perhaps, he was really humbled by Sri Tarun Sagar's generosity, who dismissed Dadlani's rants and supported his rights to disagree with Jain views. Perhaps, he was indeed ashamed of himself, who knows. Even if that is the case, Dadlani, as a public figure and opinion-maker, and not just an entertainer, should be more responsible.

Talking out of your posterior and later, eating your words is the sign of being a politician. Are you a politician, Mr Dadlani?

( The writer tweets as @devarsighosh )