This is about the climate, the political climate. After
the recent Assembly elections in 5 States, there are many who have written the
Congress’ epitaph, and also gone ga-ga (or should I say blah-blah) about AAP’s
rising graph. In the midst of the media hype, especially the electronic
variety, we need to sit back and put on our thinking caps.
THE
SUN
Other
than some devotees in Eastern U.P. and Bihar, who perform Chhat Puja for the
setting sun, most people worship the Rising Sun - the Surya Namaskar. So it is
not unexpected that many of our country folk are making a beeline for Kejriwal,
the Rising Son of India (pun intended). As a person, I salute Kejriwal for his
resoluteness in fighting corruption. His unexpected debut in Delhi has
rewritten all political equations. More importantly, it has shaken all other
political parties out of their stupor, or comfort zones; especially of caste,
creed, class and ethnicity. So far so good.
But
there is a yawning gap between street protests, and actually delivering on good
governance. Only time will tell if Kejriwal can really deliver on his many
promises. He is being projected as being something new and different. He is
supposed to be simple, humble and honest. I would be happy to believe that. Is
he the first, or only such political leader? Certainly not.
When
George Fernandes was Railway Minister, with additional charge of Jammu &
Kashmir, I could walk straight into his living room. He used to wash his own
clothes. Madhu Dandwate, when he was Finance Minister of India, possessed just
an ordinary Black & White TV. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh owns just
an ordinary Maruti 800. Manik Sarkar, the four times re-elected Chief Minister
of Tripura, donates his salary to his party, the CPM, and lives on a monthly
allowance of Rs 5000/-. On the world scenario, the man with the largest
following, Pope Francis, lives in a two-room guesthouse, and uses a small car.
His namesake, French President Francois Hollande reportedly uses a scooter to
drive through Paris at night, albeit for quietly visiting a lady friend! So let
us not get carried away by rhetoric, or media hype.
As
for delivery on promises, there seem to be many riders on Kejriwal’s racehorse
called Bijli-Paani (pun again intended). Delhi-ites are slowly beginning to
read the fine print, that “Terms & Conditions Apply”! Does India really
have 545 honest, selfless leaders (one for each parliamentary constituency),
who will apply to AAP for a Lok Sabha ticket? I have my reservations.
In
my hometown of Kanpur, there was a mad scramble for the party’s membership,
including by known criminals caught on camera. Rejects or also-rans from the
Congress, SP and Independents were falling over each other to join AAP. To cap
it all (but not with AAP’s trademark Gandhi cap) top industrialists and wealthy
nursing home owners (doctors) organised a dinner party in an upscale restaurant
for the AAP observers. There was unabashed jostling for the party ticket. Since
many of the top AAP functionaries in Kanpur are well known to me, I immediately
phoned them, to caution them against falling prey to money bags or honey traps.
Right now it is too early to say how AAP will evolve. Much will depend on the
resolve of Kejriwal and Yogendra Yadav, his trusted ideologue. This is still
the honeymoon period for the sun.
THE
MOON
So
let us move to the moon. When expectations are inordinately high we counter
them by saying, “Are you asking for the moon”? India has literally gone to the
moon, is on its way to Mars, and its cryogenic GSAT rocket has been
successfully launched. Our missile technology is world class and our software
engineers are world-beaters. Obama feels threatened by Bangalore, and British
trade unionists object to India grabbing their jobs. The American Govt shut
down for 15 days because of a political logjam, but the UPA coalition Govt has
as good as completed 10 years in office. There have been no major communal
disturbances or recurring terrorist strikes. We were able to forewarn, and
subsequently take adequate precautions, to minimize the loss of lives in the
Orissa cyclone.
Yes
prices went up. So did earnings, and the stock market. Lavish spending at
weddings has not diminished. The Nano had to eat humble pie because we big fat
Indians found it too cheap! Almost everybody, except me, has a Smart Phone, and
will soon have their Smart Cards for direct cash benefit transfers. Despite a
global economic meltdown, we weathered the storm. Are we still not happy? Are
we asking for the moon?
It
is now being bandied about that youngistan is unhappy with the current
political dispensation, and is looking at AAP with great expectation.
Youngistan wants jobs in MNCs and shopping in glitzy malls; forgetting that AAP
is against FDI and “crony capitalism”, whatever that means. Nothing is as
simple as it seems. Yet, like the pernicious Arnab Goswami, I will ask a simple
question. “Given a choice, in which city in India would you like to live and
work”? The answers will be obvious – Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune,
Gurgaon and Delhi. All these are situated in States ruled by the Congress,
barring Delhi, which recently slipped out of its grip. Why doesn’t youngistan
opt for Modi’s Ahmedabad, Akhilesh’s Lucknow, Mamta’s Kolkata, or
Jayalalithaa’s Chennai? Is there not a lesson to be learnt from this simple
exercise? Belabouring the point would make me sound partisan. Suffice it to say
that good governance gives good jobs, which is what youngistan wants.
We
talk of people’s power. That has already been provided for in the 73rd
Amendment to the Constitution for Panchayati Raj, and the 74th
Amendment for urban self-rule, way back in 1992. It was left to the States to
implement these provisions. As for the “flawed democratic process” who are we
comparing ourselves with - America and Europe? They have had a head start, but
we are catching up. Look around at our neighbours, who attained Independence at
about the same time that we did. Are we not better off than Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Srilanka, Nepal and Myanmar? Most of Africa and the Middle East has
struggled with democracy, or is under the spell of theocratic monarchies. Why
do we whine all the time, eventhough we continue to wine and dine?
No
doubt we have many more promises to keep, before we sleep; but I would rather see
the glass half full than half empty.
THE
CLOUDS
They
can blot out both the sun and the moon. We cannot deny that there are many
clouds on the political horizon. Most of the Clouds also begin with the letter
C – Corruption, Communalism, Casteism etc. They hardly need elaboration, so I
will not burden you with adding my two-pice to the debate.
As
the adage goes, “Every cloud has a silver lining”. We need to blow the clouds
away, for which we need a strong wind. That will blow firm and true if we, as
mature Indians, look at the big picture that is India, our motherland. Let us
look around for good candidates, no matter to which party they belong. Let us
check their credentials for honesty, integrity, diligence and service to the
nation. When D Day dawns let each of us ensure that we have that indelible mark
on our fingers, so that we may proudly proclaim that we have participated in
the world’s biggest festival – the dance of Indian democracy. Let us not be
like the old lady who said “I have already made up my mind, don’t confuse me
with the facts”! JAI HIND!
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