Why Big B should not be made President of India

News is pouring in about some political parties' intention to make Bollywood's First Superstar from the Hindi heartland Mr. Amitabh Bachchan the next President of India. The TDP, SP, AIADMK etc have already given their nod for Big B.

Hitherto, unlike in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, the general public or common man has been indifferent about who gets elected to become the President of India, mainly because the President is elected by an electoral college and not directly by the public.

Also, the persons proposed by political parties for the high post have always been senior statesmen of high repute from the political, educational, art, or scientific firmament.

There is no precedent of a figure from the filmland, however respected he may be in the eyes of the people of India, having been brought into the reckoning for the Presidency.

Thus, the present scenario brings with it a rare touch, both for the common man and the Presidential post.

With Mr. Bachchan's proposed candidature the common man is faced with the prospect of getting emotionally involved in a presidential candidate's election. This will unleash a plethora of thoughts and counter thoughts on the pros and cons of having a Bollywood Superstar for president of this great democracy. Left to himself we all know where the common man's loyalties might tilt.

That is where the whole rub is. By proposing Big B's name the parties like TDP and AIADMK have shown little regard to the intrinsic complexities involved in the post of president. There are persons more qualified and famous and even intellectually gifted than Mr. Bachchan is, in this country; persons who can rise to any occasion that the nation might be called upon to face in these difficult times.

To make a filmstar the Head of State of a country like India at this juncture is as bad as belittling the task of supervising the constitutional duties of the executive.

I am an ardent Big B fan and admirer. But I do not think there is a dearth of better candidates for the post of President of India.

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