IN ‘THE Maharaja,’ the famous novel of Manohar Moolgaonkar written almost two decades back, the story revolves around a commoner who becomes a Neta after abolishing of princely states in independent India. The actual Maharaja gets reduced to a nonentity. The netaji very quickly acquires all the material goodies and some more sans the responsibility, which the erstwhile Maharaja had for his subjects. The theme of the book is that if democracy in India meant perpetuating another dynastic rule then what was wrong with original feudal system. At least it had evolved and had pedigree.
Today, when we talk of dynastic rule in independent India, straight away fingers are pointed to a particular political party. Reams of pages have been written in media as to how the prince in waiting is being groomed by the doting mother, meanwhile the seat of the prime minister is kept warm by stop gap arrangements. This may or may not be true but the fact of the matter is that all those who are doing finger pointing are themselves involved in the same game.
It is all right for those regional political parties where the chief Netaji was the founder of the party. One can understand these political parties, managed like family concerns with the family members becoming patrons and hogging all the limelight as also the plum posts. Young or old, all party workers joining and supporting such parties do so with full knowledge that they will always remain the second rung leaders. They are aware that their advancement will be dependent on loyalty to the said family concern. Unfortunately this virus is now affecting those mainstream political parties also which till now had a good record of grassroots leaders coming up through the rough and tumble of the street politics.
Recently, a very senior political big wig of a mainstream political party, throwing ideology and what have you to winds, left his party in a huff and joined his opponent of decades .The reason for this annoyance of netaji was his son being denied a parliament nomination for the general elections 2009, while another netaji of the same party got his son nominated. Janta Ki Sewa or not, one appreciates that, netaji is also human and ‘Putra Moh’ is something in India on which even Dhratrashtra the Kaurava King could not remain objective resulting in Mahabharata being fought. Nevertheless some norms on induction and propagation of such Neta Putras must now be defined. After all, as people’s nominee in democracy they will be representing the interests of a large majority of people. They must be capable.
The problem in Indian politics is that most of these Putras are not inducted because of their capability but are foisted. The neta putra does his initial education in a very shielded environment mostly outside the country. There he may not even be a member of the college level union. However, on his return, he overnight becomes leader of the youth brigade or some such thing of the Pitaji’s party without going through the rough and tumble of the Indian politics. The biggest irony is that except for mainstream parties all other regional satraps who today are leading lights in their respective parties have themselves come up the hard way? So why not their precious putras?
Today, India is the youngest country in the world. 640 million of its population is between 18 to 30 years age bracket. The education quotient is also highest in this age bracket. In the elections 2009 for the first time in the history of India this large young majority will now be voting. Out of this youth, more than 40 million will be voting for the first time. This youth of India has different priorities to the Pitajis and Taujis who are still bent upon contesting the elections as leaders. Thus, there is big asymmetry in the in the mental make up and beliefs of the leaders and the led. Current netajis at an average age of 60 plus, have a typical mind set and have outlived their utility. Unfortunately instead of retiring and giving way to generation next, they still want to cling on to power.
The Aam Admi, this polity of dynamic youth with all their ambitions and dreams yet to be fulfilled are being led by people who have passed their prime. This older generation, averse to any more risk taking is happy with what is currently going on and loathe to any change. What surprise then that goons of these old timer netas, the Taus and Pitajis beat girls in the pub or misbehave with young couples on Valentine day? All in the name of Indian culture as they had seen it in their lifetime.
Time has now come for Indian youth to assert itself. When the polity is so young, the political parties must be made to field young candidates to represent them and not infirm old timers. These people must be made to retire having played their innings. Only the young leaders will be able to properly empathise with the aspirations of the young population. Then only the correct solutions in keeping with the changed time and environment will emerge. Right thing to will be to have a judicious mix of young and old. The young netas must originate from the mass, a bottom up approach and not top down. The Pitajis wanting their wards to become politicians must induct them as a simple party worker. Let them rise through the ranks and learn the rope.
As for real leadership, if the Pitajis really want their sons to serve the country then they should opt for their wards to serve in the armed forces for a period of five years before joining politics. If not in the regular army then in the territorial army, as the famous cricketier Kapil Deo has recently shown the way. This will inculcate discipline and love for the country in the aspiring Netaji. This will also groom the budding netaji to face the trials, tribulations and hardships with the men he leads, enabling him to be a real leader of men.
It is worth mentioning here that the British have a tradition even today that the King in waiting has to serve in their armed forces for sometime. America, the world’s most prosperous and evolved democracy had General Eisenhower as its president and General Colin Powell as its secretary of state. The current Obama cabinet has two ministers, who are ex army generals. There are so many senators in US who are war veterans. In politics it should be deserving Bhomi Putras not Neta Putras who should be leading.
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