On Wednesday, Mr. Kumar stepped out of his home in Sagar Colony, Bhopal, to enjoy some morning sunlight. He was shocked to see a short man in a spotless white kurta, smiling as he swept the garbage on the road next to his house. What made the scene even more surprising was that the man was adorned with a political flag, and Mr. Kumar recognized him as a local politician.
Curious about this unusual sight, Mr. Kumar rubbed his eyes a few times and, for a moment, thought the politician, Mr. Chaubay, was actually cleaning his street. Mr. Kumar found himself feeling a sudden softness toward Mr. Chaubay, thinking he had perhaps misjudged the man.
However, Mr. Kumar’s feelings were quickly dashed when he looked behind him and saw a group of photographers on the other side of the road, snapping pictures. After just 30 seconds, the scene came to an abrupt end with Mr. Chaubay exclaiming, “Enough now, I have swept more than two feet already,” as he gestured for his security team to bring his car around.
Reflecting on the incident, Mr. Kumar noted that his brief moment of gratitude and appreciation for a politician was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He said it felt like he had “left Earth and moved to a planet of benevolent, concerned, and corruption-free leaders.”
