POLITICS OF VIOLENCE & HATE

Act 1: MNS MLA’s beat Abu Azmi, Samajwadi Party MLA in the Maharashtra assembly
Reason: For taking oath in Hindi and supposedly insulting the pride of ‘Marathi Manoos’

Act 2: Bal Thackarey warns Sachin Tendulkar in Shiv Sena’s mouth piece ‘Saamna’
Reason: For Sachin considering himself an Indian first instead of a Maharashtrian

Act 3: Shiv Sena goons vandalize IBN office (News Channel) & attack journalists
Reason: For showing true stories of Bal Thackarey’s politics

All the above incidents underline the chilling reality that haunts Maharashtra politics; Politics of Violence

Bal Thackarey has built his political career on the premise of violence & hate for over four decades. It began in the 60’s when he spearheaded the hate campaign against south Indians in Maharashtra. But the real rise of Thackarey was seen in the 90’s when he incited his party workers to kill Muslims in the aftermath of the Babri Mosque demolition. Sadly his party, the Shiv Sena along with ally BJP captured power for the first time in Maharashtra in 1995. This was the first election in the state after the Hindu-Muslim riots of 1992-93 and the 1993 Bombay blast. Known for his controversial politics, Thackarey has through out his political career not only spoken against Muslims, north Indian & south Indian but also appreciated the acts of violence carried out by his party workers.

Following his foot steps is his estranged nephew Raj Thackarey, the supremo of MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena). Raj might have drifted away from his uncle and started his own separate political outfit, but when it comes to violent methods the nephew has surely made his uncle proud. From 2006 onwards Raj’s MNS workers have constantly attacked north Indians (U.Ps & Biharis). And now with his goons also entering the Maharashtra Assembly and demonstrating on the very first day their idea of politics, things do not look any better

The only silver lining has been voters’ rejection of Bal Thackeray’s brand of politics. That is precisely the reason for senior Thackeray’s frustration. Both uncle and nephew are now fighting for the common cause and stooping down to reprehensible violent methods to endorse their ideology. Bal Thackeray is at the fag end of his political journey. All this while he hoped that his son and executive-president of Shiv Sena, Uddav Thackeray would carry forward his legacy. But Uddhav lacked Thackeray Snr charisma which gave his cousin Raj the perfect opportunity to tap.

The biggest factor for the rise of the Thackeray’s is with out any element of doubt the Congress. From the 70’s till date Congress which was always in power deliberately ignored the ring leaders who have led and spearheaded hate campaigns against different communities. Throughout the Congress has acted as a mute spectator.
Come 2006, Raj Thackeray’s MNS restored to the same violent methods The Congress led government remained a mute spectator again. It was only when the situation got out of hand completely and after much criticism not only from different parts of the country but international media did the government arrest Raj. But the Congress eventually succeeded in its goal. By letting Raj grow into a monster it was able to divide the Marathi vote which directly benefited the Congress. Thanks to Raj, Congress-NCP combine is back in power. Today both Shiv Sena and the MNS have the audacity to attack anyone, anywhere in Maharashtra. It doesn’t matter whether you are a student or a taxi driver or a journalist or a corporate worker or a common man. It is all about intimidation and cheap publicity at any cost. So what if Shiv Sena’s influence is eroding? Bal Thackeray still considers himself a tiger against no one can speak but mind you, he can speak against anyone like a dictator. Similarly Raj with just 12% of the vote share holds the right to beat any north Indian for not knowing Marathi or rather not respecting Marathi pride. So is the Congress going to stop them? To kill one monster it has to let the other one grow into an even bigger one!!

Unfortunately, Maharashtra is slowly becoming synonymous with the Thackareys; thanks to their ‘hate’ politics. This state has given India stalwarts from different walks of life. From cricketers like Gavaskar & Tendulkar to artists like Lata Mangeshkar & Madhuri Dixit to social actvists like Medha Patkar, Anna Hazare & Baba Apte to army General Arun Shridhar Vaidya. It’s a sad irony that the man who empowered every Indian with the freedom to speak in any language, follow any religion & work in any region was also a Maharashtrian. That man was none other than the architect of the Indian constitution- Babasaheb Ambedkar.

DANGEROUS POLITICAL GAMES

Indian polity has always been considered the reason for all major problems in the country. History is a testimony that Indian politic’s proximity with religion and money has proved to be the most dangerous. Last week three major controversies occurred in different parts of the country exposing the volatile nature of our polity yet again.

The Koda Scandal-The Madhu Koda case exposes yet again the nexus between politics and corruption. People are not startled or bemused at this exposure as they have got used to these scandals which have been part & parcel of our polity since independence. The only thing to watch out for is that, was Khoda actually involved in the multi crore scam or is he a victim of a political conspiracy.


Investigating agencies claim to have strong evidence to nail Koda and his associates. This investigation might throw up more political names in the days to come.

The Karnataka Shame -The most shameful poltical story of the week was the Karnataka political crisis. The strong Reddy brothers from Bellary held the whole state at ransom for two weeks. Chief Minister Yeddyurappa was stationed in the national capital to save his job. Meanwhile 57 shameless BJP MLAs who were supporting the Reddy brothers were enjoying 5 star luxaries in Hyderabad. All this drama was happening at a time when the state of Karnataka was trying to get back to normalcy after the floods exterminated northern part of the state last month. The floods claimed more than 200 lives and affected 18 lakh people. Instead of working together along with the bureaucacy to rehabilitate the citizens, the Bellary brother were busy in political bargaining with the BJP central leadership in New Delhi. The series of events saw CM Yeddyurappa breaking down in tears in front of the television camera for not been able to work for the flood victims blaming the Reddy brothers. Surprisingly the very next day he was feeding cake to Janardhan Reddy in front of the media after truce was called by the two warring sides. The Reddy brothers played a principal role in this whole reprehensible act but Yeddyurappa’s leadership would have become immortal had he resigned during this period and got back to Karnataka to concentrate on the rehabilitation work. Probably the government would have fallen given that the 57 shamless BJP MLA’s supporting the Reddys would have withdrawn
support from the Yeddyurappa led government but his stature would & credentials would have bolstered several folds. But alas!! These things are only a mirage in Indian politics.

To sing or not to sing?: To sing or not to sing?-Lastly, the most dangerous contorversy of all was the Vande Matram song issue. The issue which emanated again thanks to Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind’s ‘Fatwa’ against ‘the singing of Vande Mataram’. This issue is not new and has been doing rounds in political & religious circles for centuries. According to some Muslim clerics, certain stances in the song ‘Vande Matram’ are against the basic belief of ‘Islam’. In order to avoid this controversy, the Congress had set up a committee after independence which dropped the objectional stances from the song. The issue should have been settled there, but this latest Fatwa was definitely un-called for. Despite knowing right wing Hindu groups’ fascination with the Vande Matram issue the Ulema initiated the controversy. Not only did it create an unwanted controversy which many Muslims don’t agree to but also gave a chance to some elements to raise communal temperature again.

The question of singing or not singing Vande Mataram violates the very basic right of an Indian citizen. The right wing Hindu groups want Muslims to sing Vande Matram to test their loyalty which is absurd. Similarly the Ulema issuing a ‘Fatwa’ not to sing is ridiculuos, especially given that the corrections to objectional parts were made long back. It’s an individual’s right to sing or not to sing. No one can impose its stand on any individual.

All the above issues are a chilling reminder of the vulnerable nature of our Indian polity & society. And it also underlines the fact that no matter how much as a nation India achieves on the global level, the real battle is to conquer these domestic viruses which continue to be our biggest weakness.

DEMOCRACY UNDER ATTACK?

Indian National Congress is on a roll. Congress registered thumping victories in Maharashtra (with ally NCP), Arunachal Pradesh & though it fell short of a majority in Haryana but still managed enough to retain power. But unlike any normal election victory which is bundled with euphoria & celebrations, these latest election results have delivered an appaling message…The vibrant democracy is now getting reduced to an unhealthy boring democracy for reasons more than one.

The Rise of One Party Rule- It began with the Lok Sabha election results in May this year, when the Congress led UPA won a 2nd consecutive term with enhanced political mandate. This was the first time in 30 years that any alliance got a 2nd term on completion of its 5 year term. But more then UPA’s astouding victory the highlight of this election was the depleted ‘Opposition’. The principal opposition BJP lost even more seats in the parliament, while the Left parties fell to the 5th postion with an abysmal 20 seats. The new parliament is turning out to be an open playground for the UPA with the opposition seated clueless with no idea on how to counter the policies of the current government. With the Congress coming back to power in all the 3 states, it is now holds power in 15 states (in some states with allies). The writing is on the wall- NEED A POTENT, UNITED OPPOSITION TO BALANCE THE DEMOCRATIC ACT.

Bad governnace rewarded- The state of Maharashtra epitomises this issue in the best fashion. The Congress- NCP combine is back in power for the 3rd consecutive time. Congress- NCP government’s performance has proabably been one of the worst that any state would have witnessed in the last 10 years. Farmer suicide is going up, power shortage is at its peak, infrastructure development is slowest in the whole country, water shortage is increasing, and the security situation is detoriating coninuously. In the last ten years Mumbai alone witnessed 6 terror attacks.Since 2005, every year during monsoons, Mumbai gets flooded leaving the city reeling under water .Raj Thakarey’s MNS workers have openly attacked north Indians while the government stood silently instead of taking any swift action taken against him ( For obvious political reasons). With this kind of a performance if a party/ alliance still manages to win a 3rd term, then there has to be something miserably wrong with the opposition (BJP-Shiv Sena) , that the people of the state are dreading to give them a second chance.

Urban voting percentage emaciating- During the recent Assembly elections the turn out in Mumbai was an abysmal 46%, while Gurgaon registered 54% in the Haryana assembly elections.The voting percentages of the major metros of India in the Lok Sabha elections in May do not look encouraging at all with an exception of Chennai- Mumbai: 44%, Delhi : 53%, Bangalore : 46%, Chennai : 60%, Hyderabad : 54%...For the assembly elections the Election Commission in an unprecedented move made sure that offices, colleges, malls, theatres were all shut but yet the response was so poor. The problem is that urban India, the middle class, youth & professionals do not feel inspired by the political fraternity to come out & vote. With migration of rural population to urban areas going up, this trend could hamper the overall voting percentage even more in the years to come.

Rise of Naxalism- With the naxal menace getting worse by the day the Indian security situation has become even more volatile. The reprehensible violent methods adopted by naxals are a serious cause of concern. But an even more serious cause of concern is the growing support for these naxals in the rural & tribal areas. Poverty is the main reason behind this growing support which again successive governments have failed to counter. This rise in support underlines another chilling reality - The Indian poor drifting away from Indian democracy. The poor have started loosing faith in the political system to solve their basic issues. In turn they are embracing the even more poisonouse radicals who in the long run could spell devestation for the whole country including them.

After 62 years of independence India is again fighting a battle for democracy. Probably this time it’s not a mass revolution like it was against the british rule, but a more subtle & sustained battle been fought in different corners through different ways by different groups in this country. Its time for the establishement & the civil society to wake up & smell the coffee before the dragon within gets out of control.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES: SPORTS GLORY OR GLORIFIED SHAME?

In sligthly less than a year’s time India would be hosting the 19th Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. After the 1982 Asian games, this would the biggest sporting event to be organized by India. But with the chief of commonwealth games fedaration (CGF), Mike Fennell, raising serious concerns about the preparations, the build up to the games looks very shaky




Just a year back, China stunned the world by hosting argubly the best ever Olympic Games. It was a grand spectacle that left the world staggered and truly proved China’s determination to emerge as the super power of this century. The Olympic Games is a much bigger event in magnitude compared to the Commonwealth Games. Rio de Janerio, Brazil won the bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games setting another example as to how emerging countries are eyeing these major sports events to showcase their mite to the world. India will be only the 2nd Asian nation to host the Commonwealth Games. In what can be termed as a direct competition between the two emerging superpowers of the world, two of the biggest sporting events are happening within a span of two years. The world will watch closely the Delhi Commonwealth games to draw conclusions about India’s mite and capability to host major events.

But the problem is not about competing with China only. Olympic Games & Commonwealth Games are just not sporting events, but an opportunity for nations to showcase themselves to the world. Not to mention the amount of revenues that flow in the form of tourism & business.It also gives an opportunity to bolster the infrastructure of the host city which benefits millions of people living in the city.

The current state of infrastructure required for the games are not at all encouraging. 14 out of 19 stadiums are behind schedule, the airport enhancement program is lagging behind and so is the construction of bridges and roads that will connect the sports village to the various venues. It is expected that after the games are over, Delhi will have 47 fly overs & a full fledged metro service connecting almost the whole of Delhi. The biggest beneficiaries of this infratsructure would eventually be the common man.

But with Fennel settinp up a technical committee to monitor the work progress of the Commonwealth Games is nothing less then an insult for government of India. This clearly indicates the kind of confidence & faith the Commonwealth games federation has in the Olympic committee & the Sports ministry. When the Union Sports Minister MS Gill was quizzed by the media on this issue, surprisingly the Minister, who usually has an opinion (sometimes uncalled for) on everything related to Indian sports, zipped his mouth. If the sports minister of India cannot display confidence & assure that the preparation will be completed meticulously in time then, how can the federation have any faith in the organizing committee?

This is the same minister, who lambasted the greatest woman athlete of this country PT Usha, when she broke down due to the ill-treatment by the Sports Authority of India. This is the same minister, who refused to recognize Formula 1 racing as a sport. How does it matter that the viewership for this sport is one of the highest in the world and has been picking up constantly in India. The sports minister has hardly made any right noises from the time he has taken over.

However this is a golden opportunity for MS Gill to go down in history as a successful ‘Sports minister’ of India by ensuring that the Commonwealth Games are not only organized smoothly but in the best possible manner. Not only is the pride of India riding on the Commonwealth Games but also the future of Indian sports which has been one of the most underdeveloped area of this developing yet ambitious nation.

RICH MINISTERS, FAILED MINISTERIES

Open sky is not the limit…Minister of state of Civil Aviation, Praful Patel must be telling himself, but not because of Air India, which is fighting for survival at the moment, but refering to his own personal business. The richest minister of the union government of India is heading the sector which on the verge of a financial collpase.

Praful Patel also runs his Rs 500-crore CeeJay Group & owns one of India’s biggest bidi and tobacco-derivatives businesses. He is also referred as the ‘Bidi King’ in certain parts of Maharshtra. On one hand his business has grown at a tremendous rate, with his revenues increasing each year substantially, and on the other national carrier, Air India which is a public sector unit is struggling to survive. The national carrier has incurred loss of over Rs 7200 crores & accumulated a ‘massive’ Rs 15,000 crores as debt. The problem is that Air India was run comfortably if not profitabily over the past so many decades. The real problem started in the 90’s when a series of irrational steps were taken by the management. But the main trigger point for the speedy downfall was the merger of Air India with the government’s domestic carrier ‘Indian Airline’. Employees in the organization blame the merger as the main cause for the abysmal financial position of Air India.Other major carriers Jet Airways & Kingfisher are also under huge debt and fighting to stay afloat. Many from the industry blame the genuise ‘businessman’ cum minister Praful Patel for not helping the sector to come out of thi mess in any way.

Sharad Pawar the union agriculture minister might be having a tough time fighting the drought that has hit the country but when it come to his own business he has been laughing away to the bank. Though on paper his assets are worth 3.6 crores, but his family has business interest in agricultural land on prime highways which if converted to non agricultural land would fetch a premium of atleast 300%!!! His family also has huge stakes in various projects build around Mumbai & his party controls 70% of the sugar factories in western Maharshtra. According to an article in ‘Covert’ magazine there is a famous joke in Maharashtra about Pawar’s wealth, which people say is enough to run 5 delhis!!!...But yet the state of agriculture is in doldrums.One cannot blame the minister for the drought but what about the steps been taken to reduce the damage. Between 2004 & 2008, from the time Sharad Pawar has been the union agriculture minister, the average number of farmer suicides per year has been 17,513. Assuming that the number will remain the same for this year as well, even though it has been a drought this year, the total number of farmer suicides would be touching 90,000!!

These are just two examples from the current union cabinet of ministers who have been super sucessful businessmen but complete failures in lifting their sectors. The idea is not to target these 2 politicians, as there are many more such names…some of them making wealth illegally. Making personal wealth is not a sin for a politician as long as that is done legitimatly. But when successful businessmen fail to lift their respective sectors as ministers, then it really leaves a big question mark on his ability to deliver.

Sharad Pawar is also the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) president in waiting and has been the successful president of the cash rich Board Control Cricket of India (BCCI). Praful Patel is also on the verge of becoming the president of the All India Football Federation of India (AIFF).Both are known for their business & administration acumen.Then why is that these two ministers have completely failed in their respective sectors???? Aviation ministry was booming 3 years back and is now on the verge of a breakdown. Patel will be blamed for some of the policies and his inabilty to help the sector to fight the crisis. Many would argue that globally the aviation sector is struggling, but then what would one say about Air India, which was atleast able to some how sustain itself till 2 years back. The merger of Air India & Indian airlines (Patel’s brainchild) was implemented against the wishes of many has proved to be a blunder. Similarly, Pawar has failed to device any kind of methods & concrete startegies to help the farmers. It would be unrealistic to completely eradicate farmer suicides in 5 years which has been an ongoing agony for years, but in the last 5 years including the ones in which the rainfall was good, Pawar has failed to bring the number of suicides down. There has been no sign of any williingness to curb this ongoing deadly financial & social virus. In fact in 2006, in the Vidarbha region, which is in his own home state of Maharashtra, 4000 farmers committed suicide. Even if 10% of the revenues which the BCCI generated in the last 5years were invested in helping the farm sector, atleast a few thousand farmers could have been saved.

It would be unfair to generalise all businessmen cum politicians in the same bracket. The Sibals, Marans have atleast proved their agility in their respective sectors.But if changes for these important portfolios are not made soon then it won’t be surprising to see the current UPA government leaving a new legacy behind in the form of ‘Union (Failed ) Minister of successful businesses & sports bodies’.

WILL HE WALK THE TALK?

Last week Rahul Gandhi made a visit to Tamil Nadu in order to rejuvenate the ‘youth Congress’. Ever since the Congress led UPA has come back to power, Rahul Gandhi has constantly mentioned that he has two goals for the Congress party- 1) Build the Youth Congress & 2) Bring in democracy within the Congress..It may sound ironical that the Gandhi scion who himself is a product of ‘dynasty’ politics wants to alter the system on which his family legacy has been build in the last 62 years. But before Rahul Gandhi could even assimilate this idea, his first test has arrived.

The death of the charismatic YSR Reddy has come as a huge shock for the Congress party. And even before it could come to terms with reality, the Congress high command is already facing a huge dilemma. The call for making Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSR’s son) the next chief minister is getting louder in Andhra Pradesh. Under the interim arrangement, K Rosaiah has taken over the chief ministership till a decsion is taken by the Congress high command. Jagan Mohan Reddy is a 4 month old-first time MP, primarily known as YSR’s son. In the last 4 years he has converted his Rs 40 crore business into a massive Rs 5000 crore conglomerate. Being a chief minister’s son made his job easier as inflow of funds & getting projects was not a major hassle. This remains his only success story on the business front.

Similary the upcoming Maharshtra assembly elections is another classic example of dynastic politics.Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde wants a party ticket for his son in law while union Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is eyeing the Latur assembly seat candidature for his son Amit Deshmukh. Amit is not the first one to join politics from this generation as Deskhmkh’s younger son Dilp Deskmukh is already a minister in the current Ashok Chavan cabinet. But it is President Pratibha Patel’s lobbying for son Raosaheb Shekhawat’s candidature from the Amravati seat which is creating the maximum buzz.

Politics is like family business in India. Even in the current Union cabinet there are a plethora of ministers who are an outcome of ‘dynasty politics. Jyothiaditya Scindhia, Sachin Pilot, Jitin Prasada are epitomes of dynastic politics .Congress is not the only party that follows dynasty politics but definitely is the creator of this system which now persists across party lines. Even for the party it is a safe bet to allot ticket to a politician’s child as victory is assured in most cases. Tall leaders enjoy idol worhship & popularity which makes entry for the generation next very easy.

With this kind of a political atmosphere in the country where electoral gain presides over stengthening long term grass root level politics, Rahul Gandhi has a huge task ahead of him. He faces his first litmus test when the Congress party decides on the Andhra Pradesh chief ministership. Though, Rahul has evaded his question till now by stating that he is not part of the decision making body, it is a well know fact that no decision is taken by Sonia Gandhi without Rahul’s consent. He has so far turned down a minister’s post in the Union cabinet in order to set an example. It is not going to be an easy task to deny tickets & political positions for family members of regional leaders who enjoy huge support in their respective regions.

In Andhra Pradesh also YSR supporters want their beloved leader’s son as the next chief minister at any cost.If the party high command decides to turn down their request, it could lead to a split within the state Congress. When Indira Gandhi was assasinated in 1984, the party workers forced Rajiv Gandhi who at that time was a political novice to take over the Prime Ministership. So if Rajiv can then why not Reddy? These are the questions that Rahul Gandhi will have to tackle bearing in mind the reality of today’s politics.

The Congress has suffered in the past when the likes of Sharad Pawar & PA Sangma revolted against the Gandhi family for running the party. And if regional satraps are denied politicaal opportunites for their families, there is a peril of losing ground in their strong holds where the party relies heavily on local leaders. Rahul Gandhi faces his biggest challenge of rewriting the rules of game, which if successful could change the face of Indian politics.

ADVANI- FALL OF THE GIANT

In the beginning of 1990’s when the Ram Mandir movement was at its peak, Advani symbolized ‘Hindutva’, which many thought would change the future course of this country. From being the poster boy of Hindutva to the controversial ‘home minister’ during the NDA regime to being the prime minister in the waiting, Advani has gone through plethora of highs & lows.

But unfortunately for Advani who once described himself as the prime minister in the waiting, that wait has ended on an eternal note. His 60 years political career is almost over on an all time low. The rising star of the BJP in the 90’s has been reduced to a leader minus authority of a directionless party. Advani build the BJP from the scratch to one of the biggest political party that is now struggling to keep afloat.



Over Shadowed by Vajpayee-The BJP from the time of its birth has relied completely on Vajpayee & Advani. Their personalities were quite contrasting from each other but they managed to build the party into a strong political entity. If Advani was the mass leader who created ripples by taking out the Rath yatra in 1990 that bolstered BJP’s electoral prospects, Vajpayee emerged as the liberal face of the right wing party and managed to lead a complex coalition for 6 years that helped BJP taste power for the first time. But there was a major difference between the 2 leaders…

Credibility Factor- What is it that made Vajpayee a more acceptable face even though Advani was considered a more natural leader due to his mass appeal? Vajpayee was a ‘consensus builder’ who had the charisma to not only unify his party but also various political outfits cutting across ideologies & regions. Even though BJP was a rightist, pro- hindutva party, it was Vajpayee’s credibility that brought various centrist & left inclined parties under the NDA government for 6 years. Advani was a respectful leader but not a credible one. And that is what went against him. It was his inconsistencies that led to his downfall rather then factionalism as many would believe.

The Ayodhya failure- During the ‘Ram Rath Yathra’ in the 1990's, Advani kept emphasizing that the Ram temple would be build only at the ‘exact site’ in Ayodhya and no where else. The Babri mosque was demolished in 1992 which he described as a tragic event but that did make him the darling of the hardliners. When the NDA did come to power, many within the BJP wanted him to be the PM to fulfill the Hindutva vision which he had campaigned for all this while. But he was not acceptable to other allies within the NDA due to his hardliner’s image. And when in power, he failed to push any of the promises he made which thrashed the aspirations of many hardliners. He lost their support from that time.

Controversial Administrator- His stint as the Home minister & Deputy PM were marked by controversies. He failed to act during the Gujarat riots when thousands were killed during the communal riots. The state was burning but Advani as the 'home minister' failed to control the situation. This did not go down well with his allies. The Kandahar hijacking was another question mark on his ability to deliver during crunch situations. His inability to act during tough time’s projected his image of a ’weak’ administrator who lacked the potential to lead this country.



The Jinnah Controversy- His Jinnah remarks were yet again another sign of inconsistency. A man who through out lived on the idea of ‘Akhand Bharat’ (Undivided India) suddenly called Jinnah, (the hate symbol for the BJP) a secular person is something that even the most liberal intellectuals couldn’t digest. He had to pay a price by stepping down from the post of BJP president. But this was a big gamble that Advani played in order to change his image among the masses. He knew in order to become PM he had to be a more liberal face like Vajpayee. That gamble failed with the 2009 election defeat. The biggest blow for him was the loss of RSS support, his backbone, which all this while projected him as the 'Mascot' of Hindutva

2009 Election Debacle- He gave his best during the 2009 elections. He raised the political temperature by hitting out directly on Manmohan Singh, who all this while discharged his duties silently. The idea of attacking Manmohan Singh on the personality issue rather than governance also went against him. In the personality clash, Dr Singh emerged as the winner thanks to Congress's thumping victory

The Rise of the Rebels- Advani’s decision to stick around for some more time made his position even more vulnerable. His decision to reward the likes of Jaitleys, Swarajs gave way for rebellion & indiscipline within the party. The rebels questioned his authority which had emaciated within the party.

The Jaswant Fiasco- The final nail in the coffin was the sacking of his old friend & loyalist, Jaswant Singh. Ironically Jaswant Singh was the only one to back him staunchly in 2005 for his Jinnah comments. In all fairness to Advani even if he wanted to defend Jaswant Singh, it was not possible because hardliners like Modi & Katiyar wanted some tough action. And Advani needed their support for survival at least till he makes a gracious exit.

Advani will no doubt be remembered as one of the strongest leaders who changed the face of Indian polity in the 1990's His political career was scripted by the RSS, which made him a hero. While Vajpayee made a gracious exit on his own terms, Advani had to be shown the door in a polite manner by the same RSS. Leaving a stable BJP behind would be the best way to say goodbye to his long & adventurous political career. He is known to be a fighter, but winning this final battle of his political career would be a task…

INTERESTING HISTORY OR BORING REALITY?

The other day I asked a bunch of college students – What is your view about Jinnah? Is it right on our part to blame him entirely for the partition?? The answers I got were - ‘That we really don’t know’…how does it matter now…But the most interesting answer out of all of them was ‘History is a boring subject and we all hated it in school’.

History is a funny subject. It not only gives an understanding about geographies but also creates social & political characters which ironically shape the future our polity. But the problem is that in more than one case, it is ultimately ‘one act’ which ‘makes’ or ‘breaks’ the image of historical characters. Little know Mangal Pandey became a hero after 1857 mutiny, Bhagat Singh became an icon of the freedom struggle after he was hanged by the British. ‘I Have a Dream’, the famous speech of Martin Luther King, Jnr, made his legacy immortal. Historians have always preferred to paint history in black & white. There are glorified heroes & evil ‘villains’ with no place for humans with grey shades. So if Mahatma Gandhi is the hero of independent India’s history, the one who steered us to freedom, history had to find a villain for this story as well!!! And that is Mohd Ali Jinnah, the man who is considered the mastermind for the partition.

History can never be accurate because selective facts are used by the author to supplement his/her interpretation of history. So if the history we studied in school considered ‘Jinnah’ the main culprit for the partition, our peers in Pakistan have been fed with history stating that Nehru- Gandhi were not concerned about Muslims and they would have suffered at the hands of the majority Hindus.

So let’s not get fooled by history which changes color from region to region. There is no harm in seeking the truth, but what is important is to realize that all protagonists of history were human beings. They also possessed grey shades & made mistakes at various stages. The partition was also a result of mistakes committed by leaders on both sides. Jinnah, Nehru, Patel were all humans and possessed grey shades. Their greatness cannot be undermined based on one incident. The fact still remains that all of them fought for the same cause and that was freedom. Had they all not stood together probably we (including Pakistan) would still be saying ‘hail the queen’. So the years of turmoil they all went through, including ‘Jinnah’ prior to independence cannot be discounted by India. Similarly Pakistan cannot discount Nehru’s role, who was instrumental in India’s freedom struggle

History is the best text to draw lessons & ensure not to commit mistakes in the future again. But alas, politicians still like digging the past to reap electoral benefits for power. They don’t understand nor do they want to understand history. It all depends as to which segment of the society are they catering to- Ambedkar for Dalits, Sarvarkar for RSS, Shivaji for Shiv Sena, etc.

So when Jaswant Singh not only tried to undo the ‘history’ of the BJP but the history of India, there was bound to be fireworks. Politicians normally enjoy most privileges but one of the few things that they are not entitled to do is to ‘retrace’ history because the ramifications are severe unless one is a LK Advani. It took Jaswant Singh’s one book to turn his political career upside down and create a havoc in the BJP. Seeking the truth is strictly prohibited for politicians because that can actually disturb the balance of our politics. Their history is determined by vote bank politics. But on the brighter side, as long as intellects including politicians like Jaswant Singh do remarkable scholarly work by exploring the possible realities hidden by many historians, the subject of history could become interesting for at least a few if not all in schools & colleges.

THE GREAT GAMBLER

Manmohan Singh loves to flirt with gambling. Look at his track record.

Gamble 1: In 1991 he was severly criticized for adopting the open market economic model. Many from his own party were against his decision to move from a socio economic model to a much more rightist capitalist driven economic model. It was then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao’s staunch backing for Dr Singh’s bold vision that helped him push those reforms. And rest is history as they say. Today India is the 2nd fastest growing economy in the world. And thanks to the booming economy, India’s reputation as a global power has bolstered.

Gamble 2: In 2005 he played his next big gamble by striking the nuclear deal with the US. This was strongly opposed by the Left & the BJP. Sonia Gandhi’s support this time & some smart political manovering helped the government survive the trust vote in July 2007 & also sealed the deal. Was the deal good? India has joined the elite nuclear club but the real answer will be known only after a decade or so if India is able to generate enough ‘power’ to meet the demand of a growing nation & still retain its foreign policy independence.

Gamble 3: This time he has played the biggest gamble of all. Peace with Pakistan is something which no leader has achived in the past 62 years.Post 26/11; the anti-Pakistan rhetoric is on its peak. But the PM’s meeting with Yosuf Raza Gilani (Pakistan PM) & his controvertial joint statement has put Dr Singh again in the spot.



Critics think that he has given the advantage to Pakistan by ‘delinking terror with the peace dialogue & including Balochistan’ in the statement.

The positives of this gamble:

1) Engaging Pakistan: Dr Singh knows that by taking a monolithic stand of not talking to Pakistan will not take them any where. Pakistan will stick to its stand of asking for more evidence against the likes of LeT & no action will be taken.By appreciating the concerns of Pakistan that encompasses talks on Kashmir & discussing India’s involvement in Balochistan, Dr Singh has made the right move. Engaging Pakistan is the only way to make some concrete progress

2) Two to Tango: It is foolish & impractical to assume that Pakistan will adhere to all conditions of India. For the dialogue to move forward both sides will have to be aprreciate each others concerns and above all act upon them. If India wants terrorists of 26/11 to be brought to justice then India will have to respond to Pakistan’s query of RAW’s involvement in Balochistan. Post the Sharm-el-Shaik meet between the two PMs the immediate results are interesting. For the 1st time since the attack Pakistan has accepted that Ajmal Kasab is indeed a Pakistani national and also arrested 26/11 mastermind Zakhiur Rehman Lakhvi.

3) Less reliance on USA: It is imperative for India to be in a position to push Pakistan to take some tough action. By taking a rigid stand India will have to rely completely on international pressure & especially on USA to pressurize Pakistan.USA’s main concern is Afghanistan not India-Pakistan.

Negatives of the Gamble

1) Gilani is no Musharraf: Trusting Gilani’s quest for peace is not the problem but his ability to deliver is the worrying factor. Army is the biggest player in the state of Pakistan. So even if Gilani wants genuine progress he would need the support of General Kiyani led Pakistan army. It was much more productive to do business with the enigmatic Musharraf who controlled both the army & the government .But for political parties to act themselves is virtually impossible in Pakistan. So will the army support Gilani to take this dialogue forward with an open mind is a big worry

2) Unstable Pakistan: The biggest risk for Dr Singh is the uncertainity attached with Pakistan. History is a testimony that the democractic structure of Pakistan has always remained vulnerable. 3 dictators have ruled the country. So even if some concessions are made by India they back fire if some rightist dictator comes to power in Pakistan.

3) Dismantling terror infrastructrue: Will Pakistan & the ISI eliminate fundamentalist group which were created by the ISI. Unfortunately the groups’ that were nurtured & used by the army during the proxy war against India have become monsters. Any move to dismantle them can cause major casualty to Pakistan itself. So does the state & army have the willingness to cut the giant tree which has deep roots?

Like his previous gambles, Dr Singh is again looking at the long term picture & wants to do business with Gilani. His intentions are very result oriented but the road to achieve that goal is going to be a huge task. Playing with fire is a great spectale but if not handled properly it can casue major injuries. So will the most apolitical PM of India crack the most complex political matrix??? Even the most seasoned gamblers will find it difficult to predict this one.

CRICKETERS V/S POLITICANS: THE POLITICS OF CRICKET

Board Cricket Control of India (BCCI) is the most potent, independent & influential sports body of India. Its influence is not restricted only to India, but across the cricket world. Therefore it’s comes as no surprise that today a plethora of politicians & cricketers are standing in the fray to be a part of this magnanimous cricket body. But their reasons are enitirely different.

Ironically, post independence there has been 21 BCCI presidents, but only 3 of them have played Ranji cricket. Till the 1980’s, politicians didn’t display much enthusiasm in cricket adminitration. Madhavrao Scindia was the only exception. It’s only in 2005 that political heavy weight, Sharad Pawar dived into the politics of cricket. Arun Jaitley (BJP) is one of the VP’s of BCCI, while Union Minister & former chief minister of Maharshtra Vilasrao Deshmukh (Congress) recently became the VP of the Maharashtra Cricket Association.

It’s only in the last decade or so that the politicans have suddenly started displaying enthusiasm in cricket administration. And why not, when there is an opportunity to control or partially control a body that earns more than 100 billion rupees a year & at the same time has the ability to influence the world of cricket in any fashion it wants. Sharad Pawar known for his shrewdness spotted this opportunity much before his other collegues. In the past 5 years he was much more effective & potent as the President of BCCI (Even after Shashank Manohar took over from him) compared to his stint as the Union Minister of Agriculture. And now every other politician wants to be associated with cricket administration. Lalu Prasad Yadav, Vilasrao Deskmukh, Arun Jaitley are just a few examples. There will be many more politicians jumping into the fray very soon. In an era of twenty 20 cricket they realize the potential of cricket as an enterprise. Power & money are two factors that are entising our politicians.

On the other hand our cricketers who have always remained apprehensive of running for the top administrative posts have also started eyeing those postions. But the reasons for them are very different. History is a testimony that post retirement irrespecive of the startdom & stature any crickter might have achieved it’s his connections with the top bosses that determines his future role in cricket. The best epitomes of this are Sunil Gavaskar & Kapil Dev. Both legends of Indian cricket played togther & enjoyed the almost same degree of success. But post retirement their stories were completely different compared to their playing days. Gavaskar has been a regular member on various committees set up by BCCI & ICC including the post of ‘chairman of the ICC cricket committee. His controvertial remarks which have rubbed other cricket nations the wrong way have not curbed the support he has enjoyed from the BCCI for all these years. On the other hand Kapil Dev never got the same kind of treatment from the BCCI post retirement.He did become the coach of the Indian cricket team in 1999 & also served as chairman of National Cricket Academy. In May 2007, Kapil joined the breakaway Indian Cricket League, which led to his removal from the NCA. But through out Kapil Dev has shared a turbulent relationship with the BCCI.

Sourav Ganguly & Mohammad Azharuddin also faced unfair treatment from the BCCI which sealed their cricket careers. Azhar was banned for life after the 3 member BCCI probe committee found him guilty of match fixing with out any concrete evidnece. Ganguly had to cut short his cricket career after been continously dropped from the squad, even after making one of the strongest comebacks in world cricket. Both cricket legends realized that the only way they can contribute meaningfully to Indian cricket is by taking the ‘political’ route.

Ganguly has made it public that he is interested in running for the post of CAB (Cricket association of Bengal) president. And if he does win, there is a chance for him to run for the post of BCCI president in 2013!!! It would be too naïve to start assuuming that Ganguly would become the BCCI president so easily, but it is a possibility if planned properly. On the other hand, Azhar who was lying low all these years after his life ban suddenly resurrected his cricket prospects by getting elected to the Lok Sabha. And look at the immediate ramifications; two members (Kamal Moraraka & KM Ramaprasad) of the BCCI probe committee that banned Azhar for life now want the life ban to be lifted. It won’t be long before the life ban is lifted given the political clout he now enjoys. And been a cricketer with the tag of a politician has made his position very strong. Probabaly the ban should have been lifted much before, but the only way to make it possible was to take the political route. Ganguly has Azhar as a prime example to plan his future.And he has already got on to the task. The battle between the politicians & cricketers is brewing. For the love of cricket, let’s hope that the cricketers win this one.

Manmohan, Mahendra & The Media

Manmohan Singh & Mahendra Singh Dhoni have two things in common. Their maiden name starts with ‘M’ & they both have the surname ‘Singh’. Their connection with the media (which also happens to start with M) is quite interesting. Both were not considered as natural leaders at the beginning of their leadership tenures. While Dhoni became an instant hit as captain after winning the T20 championship in 2007, it took Manmohan Singh 5 years to prove his mettle as the effective political leader of India.

When Manmohan Singh was picked up by Sonia Gandhi as the Prime Minister in 2004, the media called him the wrong choice. The general view point was that Manmohan Singh was reputed & an amazing economist but he lacks the ability to lead a country. Through out his first tenure as PM,he was constantly referred as a ‘weak’ prime minister who was following the directions of 10 Janpath (Sonia Gandhi’s residence). The turn around came in July 2008 when Dr Singh threatened to step down as PM if the nuclear deal bill was not passed. He got full support from Sonia Gandhi and eventually he did manage to achieve the most important goal he had set out in his first tenure as PM. Post the nuclear deal suddenly the media started regarding Dr Singh as a good leader. Congress named Dr Singh as the official prime ministerial candidate for 2009 elections & a direct battle with LK Advani was set (the official PM candidate of the NDA). The media thought he lacked the oratory skills of Advani & would lose a head to head contest. But election 2009 was the turning point for Manmohan Singh’s image. Suddenly he emerged as the darling of the media. In the last few months, many media houses named him as one of the best prime ministers ever!! These are the same media houses which laballed him as the weakest ever just a year back. His opinion amongst the masses saw a dramatic turnaround. Suddenly he was referred as the man who can lead as stronger India in the future. He officially earned the title of ‘Singh is King’.

MS Dhoni had a much easier time becoming the heartthrob of the same media. His 183 against Pakistan brought him under the lime light. But he achieved super stardom by captaining India to a spectacular victory at the T20 championships in 2007. The media declared him as the uncrowned ‘King of India’ after the one day victories in Australia and Sri Lanka and the comprehensive Test victory against Australia. He was proclaimed as the best captain of India by the media in a span of 1 year. But one series changed it all for MSD. The loss at T20 championships in England last month transformed his persona overnight. From ‘Captain Cool’ he became ‘Captain Fool’& ‘Arrogant Dhoni’. Some media channels that use to carry his promotional campaign till a few days back, now wanted him to be dropped as the T20 captain.

These two cases clearly reflect the inconsistent approach of the media. Certain sections of the media have played a very irresponsible role, especially in the case of MSD. Yes, we all are disappointed that India lost and above all played miserably. But that does not mean that they can carry a malicious campaign against a particular individual. One victory cannot discount the 2 years of tremendous leadership that MSD has displayed. Cricket thrives on passion in India and makes a good story for any media house. But when they add more fuel to fire by questioning the ability of an individual based on just 5 matches then it can only be termed as ‘obnoxious journalism’. Similarly the same media had arrived at the conclusion that Manmohan Singh is a weak PM even before he took the oath. One has to give time to a person to prove his calibre. Just because one politician is so unlike his counter parts by not indulging in only lip service but instead believes in doing genuine work with utmost honesty, he cannot be termed ‘weak’. In Dr Singh’s case one thing that has emerged very clear, is that actions speak louder than words.

The media has to be more responsible. It’s a section of the media which creates and twists people’s image day to day based on the event. Like no one series can determine a good captain, similarly certain traits (like ordinary oratory skills) cannot undermine an individual’s potential. Manmohan Singh & MSD both have contributed substantially in their respective fields. Obviously their fields can’t be compared but their commitment & intentions can never be doubted. People & specially the media should be more forth coming and practical. Winning all the time is not possible and cannot be the bottom line all the time. A curious defeat at times is a much bigger victory.

IPL Vs IPL

The summer of 2009 was truly special for televison viewers. The two biggest television events of India took place at the same time. The Indian Premier League in South Africa & the Indian Political League (Elections 2009) kept the audience enthralled from April to May. What made this even more interesting was the fact that, there was a huge clash between the two in March, which saw IPL shifting to South Africa due to security concerns. There was a huge debate on whether it was the right decision to move IPL out of India. It was interesing to see both the reality events clash with each other on the small screen. But who won this battle?



To judge the winner of the television battle would be tough, if we go by the day to day data for both the events.But if we pick up the two most important days for both the events- 16th May, the day elections results were announced & 24th May, the day IPL 2 final was played, then it would be a fair comparison. There are broadly two parameters to judge the success of a event/program on television- 1) Total viewership – the total number of people that tuned in to catch the event & 2) TVR ( Televison Viewership Rating)- This also includes the ‘amount of time spend’ by the audience watching the event. From a commercial perspective, TVR is more important for an advertiser than the total viewership.

The total viewership for Election 2009 results on 16th May, according to, TAM Peoplemeter System (Televison Viewership Agency) was 60 million. Close to 45 million watched the coverage on Hindi news channels, while the remaining 15 million witnessed the political drama unfolding on English news channels. On the otherhand, the IPL 2 final on 24th May, according to aMap (Televison Viewership Agency) was 11.7 million. This was higher than last year’s IPL final.



The TVR for Election 2009 final (16th May) was 10% on Hindi channels & 1.08% on English channels. The combined total for both Hindi & English news channels comes up to 11.08%. Now, the TVR for IPL 2 grand final was 8.3%, slightly lower than last year’s IPL final.Surprisingly for many, Election 2009 emerged as the clear winner in the television battle.
Though one major difference between the two remains that, Elections 2009 threw one clear winner, in the form of UPA. IPL 2, on the other hand had two winners- Deccan Chargers & Lalit Modi (Thanks to the moolah IPL 2 earned).


Published on - http://behindindia.com/india-news-stories/article/ipl-03-06-09-1.html

WINNER & LOSER : ELECTIONS 2009

Election 2009 was special for more than one reason. In this blog, I am listing out the biggest winners & losers of this election. The winners are those , who will have a enduring impact in Indian polity. And the losers are those, who had very high stakes & have suffered a major setback

THE BIGGEST WINNERS OF ELECTIONS 2009

Manmohan Singh
SINGH IS KING: Election 2009 was the mandate for Manmohan Singh. His honest and decent image, along with the unshakable stand on the nuclear deal, made him emerge, as one of the best prime minister ever. He is the face of reforms & progress that can give India a better future.


Rahul Gandhi
THE SAVIOUR: He has emerged as the messiah of the poor & youth. The youth wanted a leader who was forward looking and could lead them in the future, while the poor wanted a leader who can fulfil their needs and aspiratons. Rahul Gandhi is that leader. His decision of going alone in UP was the turning point for the Congress.


Sonia Gandhi
THE UNDISPUTED LEADER: This election puts to rest, as to who is the strongest leader of this great nation. The manner in which she held the UPA coalition together was nothing short of remarkable. Her faith in Manmohan Singh as the prime ministerial candidate & Rahul Gandhi to lead the Congress campaign paid huge dividends. The Congress has been revived, thanks to her relentless efforts.

Nitish Kumar
THE PERFORMER: In an election that saw the power of regional leaders emaciating, he emerged as the strongest regional leader. His performance as the chief minister of Bihar has won him accolades across party lines and his popularity has surged across North India. His success underscores the fact, that people want development over caste & communal politics.

Mamata Banerjee
THE REBEL: Finally after 3 decades the ‘Left’ hegomony in West Bengal has been broken. Not only has she challenged the future of the 'Left' in their strong hold, but has also emerged as the ‘Voice of Bengal’.

The Indian Voter
THE KING: The Indian Voter has emerged as the King maker and chosen its own destiny. By choosing a secular, stable & strong government, it has proved that India is not only the biggest but the most powerful & vibrant democracy of the world.

Election Commission
THE UNSUNG HEROS: The most under-rated people of this election. Election Commission has proved that in this complex country, beset by terrorism & dirty politics, it is still possible to hold free & fair elections. The EC’s meticulous planning and execution is remarkable. A round of applause, for the team, that made this excercise a resounding success.

THE BIGGEST LOSERS
L.K Advani
END OF THE ROAD: His dream of becoming the prime minister crashed. The milestones of his great political career included the formation of BJP & the ‘Ram Mandir’ campaign which bolstered his popularity among the Hindu harliners. But he lacked the charisma and acceptability that Vajpayee enjoyed.


Narendra Modi
THE FAILED CHARMER: Many thought that the BJP had found the charismatic personality in him which was missing post Vajpayee. But his charm & magic was restricted to Gujarat. The star campaigner of the BJP failed to garner any extra support outside his stronghold. His unacceptability among other NDA parties, may dash his hopes of becoming the prime minister.


J Jayalalitha
OVER CONFIDENCE: Her overconfidence before elections was one of the biggest factors for not posting an impresssive performance. People were incredulous about the promises she made with regards to the ‘Tamil’ issue in Sri Lanka. Even a strong pre poll alliance could not help her to register a huge victory.

Mayawati
DELHI IS FAR AWAY: This election was a reality check for Mayawati. She still has a long way to travel, before she reaches Delhi. During the UP assembly elections, her ‘social enginneering’ earned her a thumping victory. But her failure to live up to their expectations, led to a disappointing performance this time around

The Yadavs (Mulayam, Lalu Prasad & Ram Vilas Paswan)
NO WHERE TO GO: Their selfish and arrogant aprroach pre elections has cost them dearly. Not only did they loose badly, but also lost out on an opportunity, of becoming a part of a stronger government at the centre. With all three out of power both at the centre & state, the future looks bleak.

Prakash Karat
BROUGH T TO THE GROUND: His dogmatic attitude and ideology, which is out of tune with reality has brought him & his party to the ground. His stand on the nuclear deal, which he potrayed as ‘anti- national’ and continous blackmailing during the UPA regime back fired. The masses taught him & his party a lesson.

Published on http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/slideshows/election-winners/manmohan-singh.html - 21st May 2009

http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/slideshows/election-losers/l-k-advani.html - - 21st May 2009

POST DIVORSE, ITS MARRIAGE TIME

With the last leg of campaigning for the elections getting over, the season of marriage proposals begins. Unlike a normal marriage, Indian politics is about divorse followed by marriage. Congress & the Left were at loggerheads for the past one year. Left was responsible for bringing the UPA government on the brink of collapse last year. It was a bitter divorse which ended on a highly sour note. But one year down the line, Congress is playing the role of the groom and trying to woo the probable bride. The only difference this time around is that there are multiple brides which it is trying to woo. The kind of vibes the groom (Congress) has been sending over the last few days does not reflect any vestige of the rocky marriage that the Left and Congress shared for the past 4 years. But the proposal is not restricted only to the Left. The Congress also wants Jayalalitha & Nitish Kumar to be a part of this marriage.
The biggest advantage the Congress has at this junction is that it is the most viable option for most regional parties. But the biggest negative for the Congress is that if it wants AIADMK & JD (U) to join its allaince, then it will have to break ties with its close associates of the UPA- Lalu Prasad’s RJD & Karunanidhi’s DMK.Barring Nitish led JD(U), no party would be comfortable alligning with the BJP due to it’s communal image. Even for the Left the biggest problem is that it cannot form a third front government without the Congress’s support.




In all likelihood which ever alliance comes to power, the two most practical marriages possible are- 1) A Congress led government at the centre along with the Left, where Congress is the groom and Left is the bride. 2) A Left led third front government with Left as the groom along with various brides (smaller parties) & the Congress plays the priest’s role by blessing the marriage (support the government from the outside). Given that there is going to be a fractured mandate, Congress & the Left will have to work together in some way or the other to keep the BJP out of power.
The other probable marriage which no one is talking about at the moment is between the BJP & Mayawati. This couple might just shock everyone by tying the knot. As Manmohan Singh says ‘Politics is the art of the possible’. This possibilty could just underline Dr.Singh’s statement.

Published on- http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/article/election-2009-01.html

THE GRAND OLD PRIME MINISTER OF YOUNG INDIA

Elections 2009 are around the corner, setting the buzz as to who would be the next Prime Minister of India. L k Advani is the prime ministerial candidate for the BJP lead NDA, while Dr. Manmohan Singh is all set to be projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Congress lead UPA. It won’t be fair to conclude that these elections will be Advani V/S Manmohan, as Indian elections are not about personalities but diverse issues spearheaded by a plethora of political parties. And in the age of coalition politics, the 3rd name that has emerged as the possible contender for thePrime Minister’s post is Mayawati, the undisputed leader of the Bhahujan Samaj Party and the front runner to be the prime ministerial candidate of the BSP-Left lead third front. In this blog I won’t be elaborating on how much chance does each candidate fancy of occupying the most important political portfolio, but want to throw light at the age profile of the primeministerial candidates.
Dr.Manmohan Singh is going to be 77 in 2009. No doubt he has been an honest leader, argubly the most qualified leader in the world to lead a nation. In 2004, when this humble ex-finance minister of India, went on to become the accidental prime minister, he was 72. This was around the same time when the India rising wave had started making noise across the world. And during his tenure, India made its presence felt across the globe like never before. The biggest nations of the world went on to appreciate that India would surely emerge as the ‘Super power’ of the 21st century along wit China. This would also mark the end of US dominance and European pseudo super power.The main reason attributed for India to attain this new global status was because of its ‘youth’ power.
LK Advani is 5 years older to Dr Singh. He will be completing 82 this year. If Lk Advani does become the Prime Minister this year, he will go on to become the oldest politician to be elected as a leader of a country and the 2nd oldest leader in the world. If one looks at the list of oldest leaders of the world, there are only ‘two’ legitimate elected leaders- 1)Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal , who is going to be 83 this year ( he was elected in 2000 at the age of 74 and re-elected at the age of 81 in 2007)and 2)Dr Singh who is 77. Mayawati is probably the only young face among the three candidates aiming for the top post. She could become the Prime Minister at the age of 53. But she can’t be considered a candidate yet because she has no official support yet from any party. So that leaves us with two official candidates running for the top government post of the country.
Ironically, as mentioned earlier, India’s youth power is considered as its USP to become a super power. The 20th century super power USA’s population age is ‘65’. By 2030 1 out of every 5 Americans would be 65 and above. And yet they elected Barak Obama who is 47.Much younger than the current population age projected. He went on to defeat John Mcain who is 72. If we look at the other major global leaders, they all are much younger than their Indian counterparts. E.g. Gordon Brownof Britain is 57, Nicolas Sarkozy of France is 54, Angela Merkel of Germany is 54 etc. In India 54% of the population is below ‘35’ and yet the average age of the top two leaders is ‘80’!!!!
The last time India had a Prime Minister below the age of 60 was in 1989, when VP Singh became the prime minister at the age of 59 for less than a year. Rajiv Gandhi can be considered as the only young Prime Minister this nation got.He won a landslide victory (Post Indira Gandhi assassination) in 1984 and became the prime minister at the age of 40. At a time when majority of the countries are electing young and dynamic leaders to tackle the contemporary global issues, the probable super power of this century might go on to elect the oldest prime minister ever!!!
The average age of an Indian MP is 53. 14% of the MPs are above the age of 65, while only 6.5% are below the age of 35. A country with 54% of the population below the age of 35 has only 34 MPs of the same age group in the parliament. The root of the problem lies here, of not having young politicians contesting elections. Its easier said then done because not a single party encourages young people to contest election unless he/she comes with a political lineage.So forget getting a prime minister below the age of 35, getting more MPs and more people young people contesting election is the most fundamental way to inject some youth in Indian politics. Lack of dynamic leaders is another problem that parties are not able to project young leaders who can match the average age of an Indian MP (53). In BJP there is already major infighting between the second generation leaders. After Advani ,Narendra Modi who is touching 59 is considered the favorite to lead the party in the next elections. But here again without venturing in the personality issue, he too by the time become a prime ministerial candidate would be in his mid 60’s.
Pragmatic thinking and given the dimensions of Indian politics there are only two scenarios in which India can get a young prime minister in the near future. One if Mayawati with help of small minded parties comes to power. She at the age of 53 will be considered a young prime minister. But this whole Old V/s young issue is not merely restricted to the age factor. A‘Young leader ‘is asscociated with newer ideas and a fresh outlook, which I am afraid Mayawati lacks completely. She hasn’t displayed an iota of new age ideologies, but instead new age electoral politics which focuses on social engineering.
The second possible senario,for India to get a young prime minister in the immediate future is Rahul Gandhi . For the up coming elections, a faction of the Congress (sycophants) were demanding that he be named the prime ministerial candidate. But Sonia Gandhi’s faith in Manmohan Singh to lead for one more term along with giving Rahul Gandhi more time to gear up for the major role, delayed this declaration. Without deviating from the main point, the irony remains that the only way India can get a young leader with some amount of faith and credibility in the next few years is through ‘dynastic’ politics. People won’t have a major problem in accepting him as a prime minister since he is educated and comes across more sincere, but the problem is that this reiterates the fact that only power, money, political lineage and years of sycophancy can lead one to rise the ladder. This leaves not much scope for a free, liberal and fresh young thinking politican to rise to the top post in this country without any political lineage or divisive political ideology.
Janagran and Tata have initiated an awarness campaign asking younger people to sign up for voting. It’s a valiant effort and appreciative one also. It’s a good start to involve youth in todays political system. India does not need just one ‘Obama’ type personality to resurrect the political inclination in today’s generation. For that to happen Indian polity requires new faces and fresh ideoligies clubbed with new ideas that they can relate to. It needs leaders who can connect with this set of audience and raise new issues, not the ones we have been hearing for the past 6 decades. And if the steps are not taken soon, the average age of an Indian MP will remain the same for years to come. And we would still be choosing leaders for the top post with an average age of 80.!!!While Janagran would have launched a new campiagn called ‘jawan pradhan mantri chahiye’ abhiyan, there would still be many of us without voter id cards....

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