It's high time the youth on and off social media stopped making fun of the Prime Ministerial candidate of the congress, Rahul Gandhi. Wise men are always ridiculed by the uninformed, the ignorant. Wise men are men of few words. RTI, Women empowerment, Lokpal, system count to 5 words, 5 is few enough. Rahul is wise enough. Shall we not stop to think and get 'an insight into how Rahul Gandhi thinks'?
Take for example when he talks about how he thinks when asked whether he is avoiding a face off with Mr. Modi. Isn't it true that to conquer the world or an opponent, the first step is to conquer yourself? Understanding your strength is as important as understanding your opponents weaknesses. People are happy to give a nice nature background and put up such quotes on their office and bedroom (and facebook) walls, but when Rahul implies the same, it becomes a case of avoiding the issue? How cheap have we become? He says that the only thing he sees is that the 'system' needs to change. Of course all the systems are unfair, as he says. Not everyone owns an i7 processor, there are still those who have to be content with a P4 still. Laptops distributed by Jayalalitha might have a better configuration than those distributed by Akhilesh Yadav. Unfair! The eco-system is unfair as well. For every fertile acre of land in the Indo-Gangetic plain, there is the destroyed by mines environments in Hubli and Bellary (damn the BS Yeddy govt!). The reproductive system of the Indian is unfair too, the sex ratio in most states prove this. Clearly these systems need to change. Here lies the answer for Arnab's original question - unfairness in administrative systems: that in Gujarat is far better than those in Rahul's 'stronghold' of the 'Hindi heartland'. Do you think Rahul will shy from taking Modi head-on if the administrative systems were fair everywhere? So Rahul Gandhi nailed the question. 10/10.
Arnab continued his 'through one ear, out the other' form of interviewing. He asks whether Rahul and Congress are wrong to accuse Modi of 2002 when the SIT gave Modi a clean chit? Rahul Gandhi precisely nails the question answering about democratic processes, MNREGA, RTI among other stuff. Isn't it true that if MNREGA were properly implemented, the kar sevaks would have been busy building assets in their villages rather than roaming around in a train and getting burnt? And wouldn't have the subsequent riots been avoided with people busy completing their MNREGA guaranteed work? And if democracy 'had gone to every house', people who rioted would've democratically sat and decided whether they should riot. The voting session would've, as always, faced disruptions and storming the well of the house and the speakers chair and nothing would've come about it and people would've just sat and done nothing. No riots. Similarly with RTI. It doesn't matter that the law came about only few years later. Had RTI been in force in Gujarat RTI activists would've filed RTI applications about Sabarmati Express, found out that there is a chance of the train being arsoned and would have not boarded the train. Thus, clearly, by not having in place MNREGA, RTI and democracy, Modi had discreetly empowered the riots to happen. Rahul's answer 10/10.
And it is true that there is a difference between the 84 and 2002 riots. In 1984, the govt was trying to stop the riots. The famous statement that 'when a big tree falls, the ground shakes' was a clever release to scare the people of a fake earthquake so that the people simply hide under tables instead of venturing on to the streets. Our poor safety training and lack of emergency exits those days is to blame for the people running outside chaotically instead of in an orderly manner, which caused the riots. Compare however with Modi's silence and televised ambiguous tongue-in-cheek appeal to the people to 'maintain peace' confused the people who mistook it for an order and ran out shouting 'you want a "piece" of me?'. Atrocious at minimum. Big difference between 1984 and 2002. Another 10/10 for Rahul.
Rahul Gandhi was again right and to the point when he said that RTI brings in transparency but creates an imbalance of power if political parties are brought under it, as the judiciary media and other components of the system do not have RTI. Arnab says the press does not rule the country. How lame! Every night verdicts are delivered, answers are demanded and accountability is forced in the esteemed bench of Justice Goswami on Times Now at 9 pm. The power wielded by Justice Goswami supercedes that vested in the political parties (even the high command) and judiciary. Thus it is imperative that unless the media is brought under RTI, bringing political parties under its purview will create a huge power imbalance. Bringing the RTI should be done in 'a composite manner'. Meaning that not on 'prime' time but 'composite' manner. The 10/10s continue to pile on for Rahul Gandhi.
And in a nut-shell he described what MLAs do. The MLA doesn't make laws but only pushes buttons. Be it watching porn in the Karnataka Assembly or opening a new building by video-conference, the MLAs and ministers push buttons. Rahul pushed the right buttons when he said this. Yeah, you guessed it - 10/10.
Arnab continues to wash dry-cleaned clothes when he wants to know whether Rahul should have spoken up much earlier about corruption by Congress ministers. But Rahul has done his duty. He told he has reported those to the Prime Minister. The real issue is the participation of people in politics and opening up the political system to them. If that is done, neither Rahul nor anyone needs to speak up. They can just speak in their usual volume and those interested can just walk in and see who's corrupting how. Since the political system is now OPEN. We should not be happy with 500 people running the entire country. Imagine having to share one big hall with 499 other people. In a system that is meant to be closed, given the acoustics, if everyone even speaks, loud sound induced vibrations can induce resonance and lead to collapse of the system and 500 deaths and injuries. However when the system is open, everyone can speak without needing to worry about structural dynamics and vibration theories. His second contention is about political system being controlled by too few people and the lack of transparency. It is true. If just about anyone has control over the system, they can just go see changes things the way the like. Is there a need for Rahul or anyone to speak up then? It would solve everything wouldn't it. Rahul rightly complains that no is talking about these issues. I don't have to mention the obvious 10/10 anymore do I?
Arnab asks whether Rahul is compromising to make alliances? But Rahul honestly says that he is an alliance with an ideas and views and not the party. Isn't that true for any political party? Shouldn't a seasoned journo know this? Any party who has ideas to return the UPA to power are welcome in the alliance. Just like any party would align with parties that have an idea of getting that alliance to power. No idea? Get idea! And whats a better idea than aligning with parties that can get you to power. What a joke of a journalist you are, Arnab! I lost count of the 10/10s I have given Rahul.
Rahul Gandhi talks of women empowerment when questioned on price rise and LPG? The LPG connection in my house is in my mother's name. A woman's name. If she can't get her LPG cylinder that month she will panick. She will feel less empowered. Similarly if she can't buy her favorite veggies. Cooking is what most household mothers in India do best (not being misogynist here, women are agreedly good at alot other things too) and when they can't cook due to price they feel less empowered. Arnab says Rahul woke up to this late. Be reasonable Arnab! Rahul is not a woman. Neither does his mother cook (waitresses don't necessarily cook) nor is he married. From where is he to have realised this immediately? Rahul's answer, thus, is a valid excuse why he didn't wake up to it earlier. Oh and the 10/10.
And why should Rahul Gandhi answer those who question his vote winning ability, Arnab? Actions speak louder than words don't it? Another of those pearls of wisdom one likes to pin up everywhere but scoff when it is actually preached. Look at MS Dhoni, same fate. India wins he is hailed a hero, but when loses he is the cause of it. Rahul says he needs to look at the way the Congress party is organized and structured. Isn't it the same people who ask MSD to re-organize the Indian team by dropping Raina, Ishant and Rohit? Now mocking Rahul when he speaks of reorganisation. Why different yardsticks for different people? Rahul Gandhi couldn't have given a more relevant answer. 10/10.
Rahul didn't choose to be born in his family. If being born in a ruling family is a dynast so be it. Question is, is he a good dynast or a bad dynast? Like he said it happens in every answer. But see how he wants to be a good dynast when he says he wants to 'try and improve something' rather than 'take over the world'. How is this answer worth being criticized.
And that answer were he responds to why he is being attacked. Because he is questioning the system, thinking deep and long term, how he and his men will keep doing it even if they are attacked with stones, and wont let go. How can someone not cry (like Sonia might have been at this point of her son's interview) after this emotional eloquence? Stone-hearted!
Look at the depths we have sunk to. Making fun of someone because of our prejudiced closeted minds. Is there no place for honest, earnest, wise, selfless men like Rahul anymore? Is being arrogant and dismissive like Arnab today's fashion? It's time we reflect. And apologise to Rahul.
