The 'New' Delhi

When regimes change, so does Delhi. In fact Delhi is pretty good at changing just before the regime does. There are many indicators. The invites will start drying up; people will slip by without even acknowledging your presence and then there will be the many who will commiserate your loss of power with a glint in their eyes. You will also take longer to get a salute from the doorman of the nearest hotel, as also your domestic help will start rumbling their despair at having to work for a loser. But then the only person who is looking lost in today's 'new' Delhi is not the politician who is out of power: There is a whole support system that disappears. From society ladies who in their prime could invite anyone to their salons to a clutch of experts who find no one has the time for their expertise. But in such times, the silent often find their voices: like Manmohan Singh and those who were pretty articulate suddenly lose theirs when they are in power because they don't need that media support that they were earlier so keen on having.

Which is why Delhi today is startlingly different. To be fair, the Gandhis were royalty. It was famously said of them by one of India's acting legends that it was not he who could choose when Mrs Gandhi would speak to him: it was always the prerogative of the Queen when she would deign to do so and this is what we are seeing in Delhi today. The royals have been stripped of their privy purses and their courtiers. Delhi, like any capital city is bereft of decency and loyalty. I hosted a dinner recently for the British Chancellor at home in Delhi and invited the same lot that has always been at home. There were some former Cabinet ministers but someone was quick and despicably mean to point out to me as to why I had invited them when they were not in power. This same gent would suck up to them when they were in power but then such is the nature of the beast in Delhi. They did of course notice ministers from the present cabinet. But this behaviour does not belong only to those who live on the periphery of power. It also afflicts those who've just come into power. They will become unavailable and difficult to meet. Suddenly they will have become busy. Very busy. But only till the time they are in power. I have often said that Delhi doesn't have louts: they have cruel people as well. Ones who have no decency of purpose and who are so brazen in their unquestioning disloyalty that every one can see through them. You will experience it in the manner in which they even look at you, forget discussing you.

Which is why Modi is a breath of fresh air. This is not a government that is going to support any business house or any NGO and you can take this from me. I have never seen men in power so admittedly quiet.

The media in today's 'new' Delhi is orphaned. No editor can claim to have just come away from meeting Modi. I guess what has helped enormously is the fact that Modi is not a Lutyen Lout. He couldn't be bothered about Delhi or its denizens. He knows these people won't be loyal or trustworthy. I am delighted he has no media advisor. He doesn't need one. If silence is your leitmotif and hard work your badge of honour, you don't need to seek anyone's approval except that of the citizen who has voted you to power. Finally Delhi has been cleansed much before the Ganga will be. And this augurs well for Delhi. And certainly for India. Acche Din for the common man and Bure Din for the manipulators as it should be.