Major
General Mrinal Suman
The terrorist attack on
Mumbai once again brought the issue of the quality of Indian political
leadership in focus. Nearly 200 people lost their lives and left the nation
humiliated. Yet, the Home Minister of the state, the man responsible for
security, had the audacity to term it as a small incident. When people came out
in the streets to give vent to their despair, leader of a national party
lampooned them and passed crude remarks. Worse, we had the disgraceful sight of
a Chief Minister of a state ridiculing the father of a martyr who was
undergoing tremendous trauma at the loss of his son. “If it had not been
(Major) Sandeep's house, not even a dog would have glanced that way," was
his contemptible comment.
One gets reminded of two
cartoons that appeared in the press in the wake of the terrorist attack on the
Indian Parliament. One cartoon showed a terrorist trying to dissuade another
terrorist from entering the main hall of the Parliament to lob grenades,
saying, “No, no, don’t kill Indian politicians. That will be a pro-India act”.
Another cartoon showed Indian citizens talking amongst themselves, “These
Pakistani terrorists have let us down. They would have earned Indian gratitude
by ridding us of a few politicians”.
The above mentioned
cartoons are indicative of the poor esteem in which Indian political leadership
is held. “God must be anti-India. He has been cursing India by inflicting such
leaders on it. Sardar Patel died soon after Independence while lesser leaders
survived. Every promising leader dies young while the corrupt oldies go on
forever,” is a common refrain. Most Indians feel disgusted with the quality of
present political leadership.
It is commonly said that
cinema is a true reflection of popular thinking of the society at large.
Villains have been an integral part of Indian cinema since the days of KN Singh.
For the last few years, villainy has become the exclusive domain of political
leaders. The moment a character in ‘khadi’ and white cap appears on the screen,
the audience recognises him as the chief villain. Worse, he is shown to be
occupying the chair of Home Minister. He patronizes criminal gangs, has corrupt
police officers in tow and has no inhibitions in selling the country for money.
He supports widow homes overtly but demands women covertly. He divides people
by instigating religious riots. In short, he is depicted as the most
unscrupulous and devious specimen of humanity. No political leader has disputed
such projection as they all know it to be true.
A few years ago, while
on a visit to Copenhagen an Indian visitor saw the Queen of Denmark doing her
weekly shopping of household requirements in a mall. She was accompanied by a
solitary maid. The Queen was picking up required items from the shelves and the
maid was pushing the cart. Being used to seeing every leader accompanied by a
posse of security personnel causing immense inconvenience to common citizens in
public places, the Indian visitor was quite surprised and quizzed his local
guide. The reply he received was quite an eye-opener - “If a sovereign needs
protection from her own subjects, she might as well abdicate. Why should
citizens pay for the security of a leader who feels insecure amongst her own
people? Only devious leaders feel threatened and Denmark can well do without
them.”
Compare the above with
the prevailing cult in India – importance of a leader is judged by the number
of security men surrounding him, hence the race to extract the highest category
of security. Over 60 percent of NSG commando strength is deployed on personal
security duties. It is an obnoxious sight to see goons masquerading as mass
leaders and surrounded by elite security personnel. Many leaders intentionally
create adversaries by their irresponsible statements and thereafter seek state
protection for personal safety. We have states in which the leader of one party
apprehends a threat from another party and demands Government protection, while
the leader of the second party seeks similar security fearing attack by the
first party. Both leaders (who may be petty gangsters) are provided state
security. There cannot be a bigger misuse of taxpayers’ money.
People find it offensive
when stopped for long periods by rude policemen to make way for the cavalcade
of some self-opinionated and egotistical leader. Many people are of the view
that no security whatsoever should be provided to any leader at national and
state levels - whether in power or otherwise. If a leader is so timid and
cowardly with regard to his personal safety, he might as well stay out of
politics and public life. No one forces them to be in politics.
Some citizens are of the
view that only a disliked leader feels threatened and not a popular one, and a
disliked leader is not worth protecting at the cost of the exchequer.
Additionally, no leader is so indispensable that one odd unfortunate incident
of misdemeanor by a hot-head should be a cause of undue concern. Like common
citizens, leaders should also learn to live with day to day trepidations and
risks.
No one joins politics
for public service. It is the most lucrative profession and has acquired traits
of family business. Earlier, all parents dreamt of their progeny joining civil
services or becoming engineers and doctors. Today, all sensible and far-sighted
parents want their children (especially if they are good for nothing else) to
join politics. It is commonly said that a single tenure even at the municipal
corporation level is good enough to cater for the next three generations. A
corporator carries enough clout to extract his pound of flesh before allowing
any work to progress in his ward. If one looks around, the present crop of
political leaders started as petty traders and today command wealth worth
hundreds of crores of rupees. In no other profession can so much be amassed in
so short a time.
Unfortunately in India,
politics have come to be identified with everything immoral and decadent. The
standing of politicians in India is at its lowest ebb today. They are being
derided in media and public gatherings. One wonders what effect this public
contempt has on the psyche of political leaders. Do they ever feel guilty and
shamed? According to most observers, the present leadership is too thick
skinned and quite brazen. They have no conscience. They are banking on short
public memory to be back in the business of politicking. To them, only votes
and power matter. Self introspection regarding their public image is not an
exercise they ever like to indulge in.
The
Way Forward
It is often said that
people get the leadership they deserve. Why does India deserve such poor
quality of leaders? Where have the Indians gone wrong? Do they have any
alternative? When people go to vote, there is not a single name that inspires
confidence and the whole exercise gets reduced to electing the lesser devil.
Due to poor leadership, even after sixty years of Independence we are worst off
governance-wise.
Undoubtedly, there is an
urgent need to improve the quality of Indian leadership. Although there is no
quick-fix solution, a beginning can certainly be made by exercising our
franchise and ensuring that the leaders we elect are deserving of our
confidence. All leaders over 65 years of age must be rejected outright. Has not
the current crop of senior leaders ruled and ruined India enough? Any leader
promoting his progeny must also be shunned. Dynasty politics is the bane of
India. Parties functioning as family fiefdoms are an anathema to the concept of
democracy. Moreover, no leader should be allowed more than two tenures of
Parliament (both houses put together) and state assemblies.
Any leader who seeks
votes in the name of caste, religion and region must be considered as an enemy
of the nation and meted out the treatment accordingly. Politicians threatening
the fabric of India’s social cohesion by playing vote bank politics should
never be tolerated. Any party that gives tickets to anti-social elements and
criminals must be boycotted as a whole. Finally, the solution lies in forcing
all political parties to put up candidates with unquestioned integrity and
unblemished track record. Parties must be made to fear the wrath of awakened
public. Our current disgust with our political leadership must force a change. Our
faith in democracy can never be allowed to waver.
After sixty six years of Neta-Babudom in the Quota-Corruption Raj, it is impossible to conceive that persons of integrity and competence who are more committed to the good of all Indians than power, welfare and pelf of themselves and their camp followers will ever be allowed to rise in India. Starting point? Simple, whittle down the "Constitution" to its plagiarised roots, "The Government of India Act (1935)". abolish all enactments post 1947. Invite the Head of the Commonwealth to appoint a Governor General whose remit shall now include the pursuit, inca rceration of all criminals (including, most particularly the corrupt) and the confiscation of their assets wheresoever they may, over land air or sea for application to the Public weal.
ReplyDeleteAfter sixty six years of Neta-Babudom in the Quota-Corruption Raj, it is impossible to conceive that persons of integrity and competence who are more committed to the good of all Indians than power, welfare and pelf of themselves and their camp followers will ever be allowed to rise in India. Starting point? Simple, whittle down the "Constitution" to its plagiarised roots, "The Government of India Act (1935)". abolish all enactments post 1947. Invite the Head of the Commonwealth to appoint a Governor General whose remit shall now include the pursuit, inca rceration of all criminals (including, most particularly the corrupt) and the confiscation of their assets wheresoever they may, over land air or sea for application to the Public weal.
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