I entered politics for Rajiv Gandhi: Azharuddin

The life of Mohammad Azharuddin seems to follow the script of an Indian movie in which the hero, when at the peak of his career, falls into a massive controversy. However, fighting all odds, the hero rises from the rubble and leads a life in which everybody-lives-happily-ever-after. One of the best captains the Indian cricket team ever had, Azharuddin, saw many ups and downs in his life. At the start of a new innings in politic, in an exclusive conversation with Swati Chaturvedi of Zeenews.com in Kahiye Janab, Azhar reveals his thoughts on what made him join politics.Swati: Now that you have entered politics, when do we see yourself in khadi clothes? Azhar: I will wear it when and where it is necessary. Swati: It is known that you are a very quite personality. You do not talk much. But politics requires a politician to be a good orator so that he can communicate and connect well with the public. How will Azharuddin, a man of very few words, do it? Azhar: I’ll talk when and where it is necessary. I believe if you talk much in a situation where it is not required, you often end up saying something which may not be appreciated by the people surrounding you. I believe, one must always talk correctly. Swati: It is seen that the actors or cricketers who enter politics just add glamour and star-value to the field and do nothing substantial for the party, constituency or the country. I can cite you the example of Dharmender who has visited his constituency just once; Govinda, who has a record of attending the Parliament sessions just twice in the entire season. There are a lot many people who have made a mockery of themselves after joining politics. How do you aim to be different from them? Azhar: I always take a decision after putting a lot of thought into it and politics is serious business for me. I do not want to compare myself with the rest as I have always been against comparisons. I put my heart and soul into whatever I do. And so, I do not think I’ll do what the other people did. Swati: But these people do not set a good example for the country. People wonder why at all they entered politics. Azhar: It is a good opportunity for me so that I learn from their mistakes and do not repeat what they did. After listening to you, I do not think I would want to be like them. I haven’t entered politics to be in conflict with anybody. I wish to do something for my party and my country. I do not have any other interest in my mind. Swati: One question which everybody would like to ask you is, why at all did you enter politics? Azhar: I entered politics hoping I can do something for my country. I travel a lot and whenever I pass by a village, I feel that the people living in those areas do not lead a life as comfortable as ours. So I want to work for them. Also, I feel that for a country to develop, Education and Health are very important. Thus, I also want to work towards improving the quality of education and healthcare in our country.Swati: If you go by the figures of the World Bank, or any international organization for that matter, you would notice that poverty is a big issue in India. How much can a single Azharuddin do to eradicate this evil in this country? Azhar: I do not say that I can change the situation in country completely. If I can improve even half the situation, I think it’ll be a great achievement for me. If I can change even a single person’s life, I’ll be more than happy. Swati: Who finally convinced you to join politics? Azhar: Some of my close friends had been trying to convince me. Earlier, I wasn’t that keen to join politics. But after much persuasion by my friends, I gave it a serious thought and finally decided to step in. I usually do not get convinced that easily. I do not do anything unless I am 100 per cent sure about it. My friends have played a major role in convincing me. I thought, if this is the way in which I can serve my nation, then why not? Swati: What aspect of Congress’ ideology inspires you the most? Azhar: Congress is one of the oldest political parties. Its members have struggled a lot during our fight for freedom. The sacrifices made by them are commendable. I am inspired by our late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. I was a big fan of his. I have also met him a couple of times. In fact, he was the first one to give me a call when I broke the record (scoring three centuries in his debut series). I remember, I had to walk right across the field to the commentary box to receive a trunk call by him, who had called to congratulate me. I was quite close to him then. He inspired me a lot. He is one of the reasons I joined politics. Swati: During the match fixing row, you had once said that in India, the minority communities have always been a victim of injustice. Is that true? Azhar: No, that’s a lie. I never said that. Swati: You were at the peak of your career when the controversy struck you. Since then you have not been exonerated. Azhar: The case is pending in the court. People will come to know who is right and who is wrong once the result comes out. Swati: But as a human being, how did you feel? Azhar: I am a very patient human being. I do not know what actually happened and why it happened. If you look at my captaincy records, you’ll know what is true and what is not. The public knows it and they still love me. Swati: In India, cricket is a religion, and for some, it is more than that. People, who bestow you with love and affection, feel a sense of betrayal. How do you react? Azhar: I did no wrong. So I don’t feel bad. I go about doing my daily chores everyday. Even 9 years after I quit, people still treat me the same way. Some have even asked me to take up cricket again.Swati: Be it cricket or politics, every person nurtures a desire or an ambition. What do you desire? Azhar: My ambition is to serve the public. If I can do it, I’ll be happy. Swati: Cricket is your passion. Don’t you want to get formally associated with the team in any capacity? Azhar: I am ready for it if the Board (BCCI) wants. Swati: Do we allow our cricketers a graceful exit? Azhar: According to me, Ganguly and Kumble made great exits. The BCCI also felicitated them. Swati: But what about the pressure they are under? For example, the Greg Chappell controversy. How harmful is it for cricket? Azhar: Pressure is always there in cricket. But if you are playing well, you don’t need to worry. You then need not think about retirement. The decision to retire is personal. But I do not know how it feels because I was never given the opportunity to retire.Adapted by: Sudeshna Guha Roy