Here's the situation as rediff would have it.
Film personalities from Kolkata on Tuesday joined the chorus of protests over Ganguly being kept out of the national squad, as demonstrators conducted signature campaigns and tore tickets of Friday's India-South Africa one-day match.Kapil Dev (Remember him? Yeah, that guy.), after the matter was brought to his notice, had this message for Kolkatans.
Why did you not protest about (Anil) Kumble [who was excluded from the one-day squad] not playing ? Don't you feel bad? It's the same thing.
The time Kolkata people feel bad about Anil Kumble, then I will feel bad about him [Ganguly's exclusion]. When they feel bad about (V V S) Laxman, then I will feel about Sourav Ganguly," he said, in response to a question at an interaction in Bangalore, arranged by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.
Because India comes first, then the State; You cannot think about your State and not think about your country. Country is much more bigger.
Aw golly-gee Kapil, I am not sure if that's a lesson in patriotism or geography, but thanks. Sorry, couldn't resist that.
Seriously though, he's right of course. Conducting a signature campaign to protest the exclusion from the national team of a cricketer that belongs to your state is parochial and indicates misaligned priorities. What's more important, it's stupid. I fail to understand the reason for the fuss. Does having Sourav play on the team improve Bengal economically? Culturally? Spiritually? Nope, negative, and feh. So what gives?
Meanwhile, here's how the All Bengal Signature Campaign Counter (brought to you courtesy of a big business house that wants your money) reads:
Number of signature campaigns to protest Sourav's exclusion, that I know of: 1
Number of signature campaigns to protest the Delhi blasts, as far as I know: 0
It is heartening to note that Bengalis, for one, have their priorities all lined up.
Yes, that's sarcasm.
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