The objective of
writing this blog is simple. If something is the biggest event of this year,
the most talked about by the badgering journalists and intellectual Political
Scientists, is who will rule the office at 7, Race Course Road in 2014 . Will
it be the young Rahul Gandhi or shrewd clairvoyant Narendra Modi. For me as layman,
this is just the start of the real democratic values, where I have a option to
speak and vote against two candidates with different personalities and
attributes, with well defined Policies. But I will not compare this debate or
analysis with Romney vs Obama or David Cameron vs Gordon Brown ,as we indians
are still naive enough to understand the key issues,debate and retrospect to
vote even after sixty years of Independence. But the question which still lies ,and bangs our head,day in and day out and the utmost important and valuable for all of us “Who will lead India in 2014 ”
Rahul Gandhi, the scion of Gandhi-Nehru Dynasty is not new to us.
Every five years, after Nehru’s Death, it has been a holy law,a Gandhi pushed from the top, who has channelized policies for India, made the strategic
vision and decided the fate of 1.22 billion people for a growing economy. From
Nehruvian Socialist ideology to Open Liberal Economic Policies, India has certainly
came a long way, from Jawahar to Rajiv and now ManMohan Singh(the other
Non-Gandhi at highest post after Narsimha Rao) .
My first analysis would be to evaluate our candidates(Rahul &
Modi) and leave the decision to you as a voter to understand,analyse and
interpret both persona and thinking patterns, so that you can decide who should
lead our country in future.
The objective is as a voter there should not be iota of doubt in your mind about the Candidates and finally yes the decision is yours, as your decision is going to effect the millions of people and your stamp to the predication that India will overtake China as a growing economy by 2030, with its economic and public policies.
So here we are, looking into absolute postmortem of qualities
of two great men, one representative of the age old party of India and other
being the harbinger of development plank at Gujarat.
Rahul Gandhi, the only
son of Rajiv and Sonia , shot into fame, during the period of 1994, when he
took the name Raul Vinci while studying at Trinity College Cambridge.
The media
paparazzi was always interested in the first family, wanted every hot scoop to
be served and with every dimension of media opened in India, Gandhis were easy
targets. Rahul was no different. He and his sister Priyanka always
remained the cynosure of Indian Media and whatever happened in their Coterie,
even the best of their loyalists were busy giving scoops to media.
After his dad’s death,
The whole Gandhi family was shattered. Noone thought and understood and felt
that the crown of thorns(BEING PM), has more liabilities than good words
to serve. Rajiv and Indira both had to pay a price for the position they carried
for years. Rahul was no different. He wanted to learn and achieve, not
in a fast way but much slower way. Rahul’s target was very clear.
He materialized the “Youth Congress” the base of Congress to make sure that lot
many more youths join the organization, which was loathed hated and
ignored by middle class for not following up with their torturous life and
falling economy.
The Indian middle class(
Which is prime importance to me, as the rich dont vote and the poor dont have a
perception) considers any Gandhi to be a stooge where the background work is
being done by the administrative officers or the capable people of Congress who
shot fame on daily basis in Congress karyakarini meetings. Apparently,Rahul was ready to roll on the path of Politics and his time had came, that’s
what his loyalists said for 2014.
But lets analyse Rahul for what he has been and not in the perspective of what has been projected by media.
1. The first and foremost part is your interest and understanding of Indian Politics which actually comes from the daily happening debates in Parliament. if you are not regular in debates and have low presence , shows your lousiness and ineffectiveness as a leader.
Some of the major facts which were noted and never came in Media about Rahul Gandhi ;-
-The national MP attendance average in the
parliament is 77%. Rahul Gandhi's attendance is 47%.
- National average for questions asked by MPs in parliament is 119. Rahul Gandhi asked ZERO questions.
- The national average for Debates attended by MPs is 15.6. Rahul Gandhi attended ZERO debates.
- National average for questions asked by MPs in parliament is 119. Rahul Gandhi asked ZERO questions.
- The national average for Debates attended by MPs is 15.6. Rahul Gandhi attended ZERO debates.
source: PRS Legislative
2. Recently he spoke nothing as big as issue of FDI retail. The FDI was such a important topic of discussion over the years, and BJP was so obstinate of not passing the bill. Rahul Gandhi never came forward to discuss on such in-chief issues.
3. The final baramoter is the place where you
have been voted/ elected. Last I remember is his visit to Amethi, his favorite
destination which has been the den of Gandhis for all over the years.
There are few facts of Amethi about development
:-
Some developmental indicators:
-Amethi has 39.5% literacy level (national
average being around 65%),
-Around 50% population is below poverty line
-Only 15% population has access to electricity
-Vaccination level is below 16%
-Around 16% of children die below age of 5 years
-Vaccination level is below 16%
-Around 16% of children die below age of 5 years
I think Amethi is not Singapore or Hong Kong. Rahul had the biggest disaster UP where he used his full-forced machinery to woo the voters, but failed. Most of the times, he was seen tearing off papers or giving a nincompoop speech which was so taken as a jibe by media and mostly by Twiterrati, his fan club.
Recently, he made his debut in the last day of elections in Gujarat. He compared Rs 3 Kilo Potato prices with Rs 10 Kilo Chips. May be 10 years before, the world would have accepted his Big Bang theory but India is more Intellectual and Intelligent. You cannot pop up your non-sense and expect that people will vote just because you are a heir of the biggest political party in India.
Having Said so, I still feel Rahul has the energy and motivation
to be the future of India. But he needs time and experience.He needs to establish and
prove himself(like the others) ,by experienced ones, to understand India.He
needs first to fire his loyal coterie service and read what common man thinks and want.Then only he can feel the need of
the billion Indians and can lead them with full support.
Narendra Modi
On the contrast,
Narendra Bhai DamodarDas Modi is a RSS swamsevak, and third of son of Damodardas
Mulchand Modi and his wife Heeraben. His fame, when he
became the right hand man of Lal Krishna Advani during 1990, for his Ayodhya
Yatra. This time Gujarat was going through a change in Politics. Shankar Singh
Vhagela who had a amazing camaraderie with Modi had left BJP and Keshu Bhai
Patel had become the CM. Modi was given responsibility of National Secretary
that helped the organization to develop beautifully in various parts of India.
He was called a cool- and composed administrator. In 2001, Modi was made for
the big role. He became CM as Keshubhai left the post. Gujarat BJP at that time
was a political arena between its own people, somewhat what we see for the
Central BJP today. Modi not only gave the party a direction but also helped in
growing Gujarat. Gujarat never stopped in the leadership of Modi.
1. Modi's presence in Gujarat assembly has never been questioned. He has been present in all important debates and discussions in Gujarat assembly.
2. Gujarat Economic facts :-
There was a research paper on :-
“Economic Growth in Gujarat in Relation to the Nation and
Other States in Recent Times”
- Gujarat has
outperformed Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra in growing
crops and setting up industries, but is a laggard when growth in service sector
is concerned.
- The unique feature of
Gujarat’s Growth Story is how the state has maintained high per capita income
with an equally robust manufacturing rate, states the paper. It arrived at the
deduction by studying agriculture, manufacturing and services in two different
phases , 1992-94 to 2003-04 and the period thereafter, after policy reforms in
1991.
- Vast migrations to Gujarat and
increasing use of capital intensive machinery have allowed the state to
maintain its advantage, mentions the paper. Efficient water management and
supply of quality power to industrial consumers are credited equally for the positive
growth story.
The paper
by Bibekdeb Roy(Economist) which made him lose his job, is a
amazing analysis where Gujarat stands in contradiction to other states.
Disaster Management :-
When Modi was handed Gujarat, Gujarat was fighting with its own existence. The disastrous Earthquake had jolted Gujarat and had moved its development back to ages. Gujarat was going through the process of rehabilitation. Not only Modi had developed a strategic vision for Gujarat but also made sure that BJP as a party coexisted with its own leaders. He gave a vision to party and state and became the most workaholic leader.
While Modi was going beautifully with Gujarat, his administration came to pressure in 2002 when Ghodhra carnage happened. That lead to riots all over the state killing innocent people and many homeless. Modi was taken aback when minorities protested against his double standard attitude against the mob who killed many civilians.
Modi had two new challenges at that point of time :-
1. To
first establish his credibility to Muslims in the state with good growth and
development.
2. To fight against the media which was in continuous process of degrading his reputation and badmouthing his “
Vibrant Story “ .
He made the development
in Rural Gujarat where the real Gujarati lived, and he was assured that Modi
was really special for him. Even the Muslims in Gujarat felt the change and the
unhealed wounds of 2002 were soon taken by dreams and vision of growth and prosperity.No
doubt the speech of Vastanvi praise was a not a political gimmick but as a
result of his continuous growth efforts with the Sadhbhavna Mission
(17th September 2011) for three days which caught many
eye balls of Scoop-hungry Media, was on bulls eye,the hearts of people.The critics thought
it was just a political gameplan of shedding the crocodile tears to get vote, others felt that it was a way for Modi to make
a space for himself in minority hearts who have actually lost too much in 2002.
Today Gujarat has
changed. It may be Google+ hangout or his 3D chat , everyone speaks about
Gujarat. Every proactive CM follows Modi’s success story. Modi has started this
new barometer of competition of growth and economy of why "My state
is better than yours". People perspective has changed. He is the fresh new
breeze. He is the hope.
No doubt, I and you will
decide in 2014, who will change the fate of India. On one side, I have a leader
who has vast experience and the talent to run
a successful administration. On other side, we have a naive,newbie
Dynasty scion, who has lot to learn and explore.
We as a nation have gone
through lot many disasters.From Emergency to Falling Economy,we have faced
many wrong faiths and juggernaut where we have
been dependent on advice and direction of
few sycophants having no requisite knowledge of the situation.
Now, We are constantly
in glitch of falling World Economy. We need someone who can channelize progress
and faith, trust and growth ,belief and unity. This India needs to decide and
it will be on 2014 , the day you caste your vote and we will decide on the parameters spoken
above but also remember as I say so, we need both Rahul and Modi for
smooth functioning of Democracy and cant work alone. We need both sides to be understood well.
Remember the ad of Tata
Tea where the protagonist speaks to a leader on his question about qualification and mocks "What Qualification to be a Neta" and he says with confidence "The Qualification needed to run my country".
Thats what we need in our leader, that degree of Experience and knowledge and
Clairvoyance and commitment.
Rahul, I would say, its not like India is negative about you, but you need first to learn and experience, the real Indian. Wake up some day, have just Vadapau, take a government bus, travel to a slum, find how people live there, start living like them few days, understand what "Hunger" and being " Hungry" means, and then u understand what Indians do to fulfill their need, and the day you do it, without anyone noticing it, you will understand a Indian. To add further, I would reinstate and reiterate again what Nitish Kumar said long back " Run a state, get experience, then Run my country".
Conclude by what Akbar said to his siphasalar(Commander) when he won the first war " To rule a country, you need to rule the hearts of the people first and understand their needs." Hope my country selects a better leader tomorrow.
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