Image via Indiatoday.com
In hindsight, there was a ring of inevitability to it. When Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad had first heard that AAP had exposed him, demanding his dismissal for being on the retainership of Reliance companies even while being part of a joint parliamentary committee on telecom issues (in other words, an Ambani agent), the communications minister had taken it sportingly, even joking about it.
But overnight, his condition deteriorated. A sense of unease had overwhelmed him. It was as though he were battling some inner demon. Many times during the night, he got up as if to say something, only to shake his head sadly and go back to sleep, sources in the Prasad household revealed.
By morning, he was clearly in a bad shape. Prime Minister Modi, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath, Gadkari and other heayweights rushed to the Prasad household to check on their ailing colleague. Needless to say, Rajiv Shukla was there too. It was a wretched site to behold -dark rings had formed around Mr Prasad’s eyes, the ruddy complexion had given way to a ghastly pallor.
Finally, Prime Minister Modi told him to do what needs to be done. “Go on, Ravi Shankar ji. I will not mind one bit,” he gently goaded his Cabinet colleague. Ravi Shankar Prasad nodded, appearing relieved, took a deep breath, and mustering all his lung power, yelled, “I DEMAND MY OWN RESIGNATION….aah that felt so good.” And just like that, the color returned to his face as his cabinet colleagues clapped and cheered.
Mr Prasad is now fully fit and back to being his usual bumbling self. When asked whether he will now accept his own demand, Mr Prasad laughed heartily and retorted: “Dude, when has anyone ever acted on my resignation demands?”
He, however, thanked AAP and Kejriwal profusely for considering him worthy of an expose and being branded an Ambani agent.