Transparency, commitment to a cause and long-term strategic planning have been the biggest casualties during these nine years of UPA rule. People are now consciously seeking a leader who can deliver
These are tough and complex times for aspiring politicians; both young and old. Indian politics had never before projected such a strong contingent of determined aspirants for the position of the Prime Minister of India.
Mr Manmohan Singh is, as expected, uncertain and unsure. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi — whatever he may say in the open — knows he is the only choice from his party.
A vast majority of Indians spread throughout the country and even abroad have already made a choice in support of the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The party claims it has, in addition to Mr Modi, several worthy individuals like Mr lK Advani, Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, leader of Opposition in lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, party president Rajnath Singh and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who could don the mantle.
The search is no longer confined to the two main national parties. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was the first to throw his hat in the ring. He probably considers Mr Modi the only hindrance in his smooth passage to New Delhi. The bevy of prime ministerial aspirants includes Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav alongside the Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, Mamata Banerjee, J Jayalalithaa, Navin Patnaik respectively, and politicos like Mr Chandrababu Naidu, Mr HD Deve Gowda, Mr lalu Prasad, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan and some others, who are not going to give up easily. And none can afford to ignore Mr Sharad Pawar, who was sure of his suitability some 20 years ago.
The Congress is aware that it is on its way out. Hence, Mr Gandhi can afford to show his disinterest in the Prime Minister’s post. His speech at the Confederation of Indian Industry conclave was the best defence of the present Prime Minister — he just can’t be blamed.
The last nine years have witnessed an unprecedented number of scams and scandals; reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General have indicted the Government for financial impropriety and the establishment’s response to these reports have been shocking; much of the country’s natural resources have been destroyed by the rich and powerful; politicians, their kith and kin have all made unscrupulous forays into the real estate business while the bureaucrat-politician nexus continues to engage in unmitigated corruption.
A true democracy never discards its basic principles, norms and ethics. Not many politicians now give a damn about ethics and morality in their bid to share the bounties of power. In a multi-party system, it is beyond comprehension how regional parties while continuing to criticise the Union Government still give outside support. How a dignified and clean Prime Minister could opt to remain in power depending solely on unprincipled and unethical crutchesIJ
Such ‘exchanges’ at the highest level, have been detrimental to the cause of democracy. Transparency, commitment to a cause and long-term strategic planning have been the biggest casualty during these nine years.
People are now consciously evaluating the suitability of those who can deliver, and have their reasons on why Mr Prasad, Mr Yadav and Ms Mayawati are ‘constrained’ to support the Union Government.
No television channel ever brings sound bytes from a chaupal in Haryana or the presents the views of villagers from Dhenkanal. These places reverberate with animated discussions on who should lead India.
Right from the lounge of India International Centre to my village in a remote rural area, still unconnected by road, everyone is ready to voice his views on Mr Modi. My personal assessment of the Modi phenomenon is simple: The Gujarat Chief Minister must thank, not his stars but his detractors, like activist Teesta Setalvad and Union Minster of State for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari, for heaping uncensored accusations on him and dismissing his development record. Mr Modi’s critics have consistently humiliated the voters of Gujarat. They talk of the 2002 violence but ignore the preceding Godhra train tragedy. Both were inhuman and ghastly. And it is only fair that civilised society hang its head in shame for both.
But by being selective, Mr Modi’s detractors have unwittingly changed the direction of the discourse. Public memory may be short but the Indian voter invariably recalls the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in great detail.
People like Mr Tewari are, in fact, unwittingly inciting people to unearth and analyse the role of Rajiv Gandhi who was the Prime Minister in 1984. The result: Even 20-year olds know all about the 1984, the 1993 and the many other communal riots that this country has suffered.
Discussions about these issues take place in multi-religious groups and there is no bitterness of any kind. Every committed citizen of India wants those who perpetrated violence in Gujarat in 2002 to be punished, and that punishment must be exemplary.
But, no individual should be demonised simply on the basis of pleadings made under ideological and biased considerations. Every Indian must trust the country’s judicial system.