The Minister who offers rides…

This is a post from when I was in Dharamshala... No clue how I left it without posting...

Minister for International Relations of a government… Wow, what a position, the pomp, the limelight, the fan following (this might not be true, cos it is usually the “chamcha” following)… Anyway, the ministers accompanied with a cavalcade of cars, body guards, secretaries and the public. That’s what a minster is, and what does such a minister has to do with offering car rides? I had heard that J.R.D. Tata used to do that in Mumbai, offering car rides to random people. So did a few other industrialists and a few other common men. But what about a minister?

Yeah, I met a minister who did that. Not only she did it, but it was a gesture on her own, not on the part of our request or our begging. The minister I am speaking about is the Minister for Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration. She was on her way to Delhi, and was supposed to take the same flight as that of Abhay. When she came to know of it from her Secretary, she offered to give him a ride in her car, with her, to the airport. When it was not only Abhay, but me too accompanying him, it was not a wicked smile of invasion of privacy that greeted me, rather I was welcomed with a warm smile full of humility. In our ride of about 45 minutes, the minister spent most of her time speaking with the driver, rather, “conversing” with the driver. Yeah, she was letting him speak and listening to what he had to say. She laughed on his jokes, and expressed concern on his concerns. She spoke with us as well, apologizing for speaking in Tibetan with the driver and her accomplice.

It was beyond my contemplation to believe this… A lady who had represented His Holiness in London, and held high offices, was right in front of us, being an epitome of humility!

Am I bragging so much cos I was with the minister and want to highlight that? Nopes, this is a testimony to the (expected) reality of our politicians!