Away from the corridors of power, the political rallies and the comfort of a Union minister’s office, he has picked up books to make his stay within the four walls of his Tihar jail cell soothing. The 10-month stay at the Tihar jail, it seems, has transformed this seasoned politician into a philosopher. “The Tihar experience has cultivated my personality— both personally and professionally,” former telecom minister and the key accused in the 2G spectrum scam, A Raja, said when this reporter met him in the courtroom today.
“Life has given me 12 years as an MP and now it is almost 12 months of this new life. There are things to learn from both. One has to be able to switch over,” he said, before adding he was gearing up for another battle.
So, is there going to be a book on the 2G spectrum scam from the man himself? Raja said he was waiting for the day he’s acquitted. “When I will talk, many others will have to go to jail. I am keeping note of everything that is happening. You don’t suppose I will be in jail forever,” he said, laughing. But adds, “Let the leader (Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi) be out first, then I can think of applying for bail.”
Raja, the only one among the 14 accused in the 2G case not to have applied for a bail, spends time reading, writing and doing pranayama (breathing exercises). He even displayed pranayama to this reporter at the trial court. He said he has read 14-15 books during his stay in Tihar. His love for sociology has made way for books such as Breaking India by Rajiv Malhotra into his shelf.
When asked how the Tihar experience has shaped the politician in him, he said it has made him a better leader. Insisting he is no criminal and has not done anything wrong, he pointed out that as a political leader, “If I do anything wrong, I will correct it”. “When you are leaving your wife and daughter for this long and in circumstances such as this, it can play with one’s mind,” he added.
Showing utter surprise at Anna Hazare’s reported reaction to cabinet minister Sharad Pawar being slapped yesterday, he said being a Gandhian, Hazare should not have made the comment.
As one reminds him of the last Christmas when he was at the CBI headquarters, facing the volley of questions by the investigative officers, it rings a bell in his mind. “Time flies. It is also a great healer, ” he said in a philosophic way.
