Re-assessing Rahul Gandhi
As most readers of this blog know, I am not a fan of the Gandhi-Nehru family or of Rahul Gandhi.
However, I recently came across several news-reports which prompted me to re-assess my opinion of him. To cite:
First were his reported remarks at a CWC meeting during which he apparently questioned “abstaining from liquor” and “wearing khadi” as being pre-conditions to become Congress party members.
More recently, he was candid enough to admit that: “..there was ‘no internal democracy’ in any political party, including his own…”
Around the same time, “Calling himself “an old person”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi yesterday exhorted youths to join politics and take up leadership roles to strengthen Indian democracy.”
More recently, he apparently refused a cabinet post because he wanted to focus more on organisational matters within the Congress party.
Sadly though, he did a U-turn on Khadi: ”‘I wear khadi daily. I feel comfortable wearing it. I will be the last person to say khadi should not be used..” but I will let that pass.
I hope there are not many more U-Turns..otherwise Rahul will be just like any other politician.
Regardless of what Rahul says and thinks though, his party continues to be plagued by dynasty-driven politics. From a recent critique by Swapan Dasgupta, some excerpts (emphasis mine):
“…Rahul, from all accounts, is fairly representative of most Indians of his class. Somewhat westernised, yet rooted in India, cosmopolitan, fun-loving and neither political nor scholastic, he should have articulated the average rich kid’s view of the world. Unfortunately, the dynastic principle has forced him to be what he is not. Having internalised the idea of India as a family estate, Rahul has to be seen helping and empathising with his less fortunate subjects. His Discover India programme is an aspect of his noblesse oblige.
…It is ironic that dynastic democracy demands a commitment to charity masquerading as socialism. It is prefaced on widespread poverty and vulnerability. This is why it is in conflict with everything modern India should stand for. ”
However, according to this article, Rahul’s moves are part of a carefully choreographed plan and timeline for his eventual ascent to the post of Prime Minister.
Excerpts (emphasis mine)
“…So what kind of prime minister will Rahul Gandhi make? The question is not hypothetical. The process of anointment has begun. Make no mistake about it: the next Congress-led government at the Centre, if it retains office in May 2009, will have Rahul, then 38 years old, in a senior cabinet position. As second-term prime minister, Manmohan Singh, then in his late-70s will gently defer to Rahul on big policy matters while Sonia gracefully assumes the role of empress emeritus.
But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Rahul has to first become a Congress general secretary, which he will do well before 2007. He will have two years to get to know the grassroots Congress cadre and how the party functions nationally as well as get a grip on the intricacies of caste-based Indian politics.
…In 2009, with at least two years as party general secretary under his belt, and assuming a Congress-led coalition retains office, Rahul is certain to join the cabinet in an appropriately junior capacity.…Rahul’s ascension will be far more measured, orderly and crafted. He is unlikely to assume the prime ministership till the middle of the Congress-led government’s next term (again assuming it wins the scheduled 2009 election), replacing Manmohan Singh in 2012 when Singh will be past 80 and Rahul himself just over 40.
…Rahul would then fight the 2014 general election as a Congress prime ministerial candidate in his own right. He would be 44 and have spent a decade in active Indian politics. By now too, Priyanka, her children grown, would be ready to lend her hand as party general secretary. Is this then how Sonia has mentally divided the roles of her children? Rahul taking on a front political role, Priyanka an administrative party role? In 2014, Sonia herself would be nearly 68, a year younger than when her mother-in-law was assassinated 22 years ago.
So, back to the original question: will Rahul make a good prime minister? I believe he will.…This half-Italian, quarter-Parsi, quarter-Kashmiri pandit is modest, bright (but fortunately not too brilliant—always a handicap in most professions), hardworking and shrewd. He knows which buttons to press, who to rely on, the kind of talent to surround himself with. In a young, globalised, forward-looking India, Rahul Gandhi is in the right place at the right time.”
And if anyone is in any doubt about who controls the strings in Congress, this apparently off-the-cuff remark by Sonia Gandhi should put all such doubts to rest:
“I wanted Rahul to be in the government but he declined…”
Sadly, sometimes even Madam Sonia’s wishes don’t come true.
P.S. Have a look at this article which has some intresting tidbits:
“…MAHATMA GANDHI, soon after the British government announced the date by which it would finally renounce all responsibility from the affairs of the subcontinent, reportedly advised that the Indian National Congress be disbanded…
INC bosses, who had other ideas, instantly rejected Gandhi’s idea. “
and
“…But virtually nobody is aware that her (Sonia Gandhi’s) father in law was a politician, who had changed the spelling of his name from the Parsi-Gujarati variant “Gandhy” to the Gujarati Hindu variant “Gandhi” at the time of his marriage with Jawaharlal Nehru’s daughter.”
Apparently this name change was done at the behest of Mahatma Gandhi.
Related Posts:
On track for 7, Race Course Rd…
Was Rahul Gandhi really arrested at Boston in 2001?
From: Why did Rahul refuse a Cabinet berth?
***
Separately, on cue:
Asked whether his party would support Rahul Gandhi if he is in a position to be nominated as the leader of the next government, (Praful) Patel shot back: “If the UPA comes with a majority and if the Congress party so chooses, what is the question? Why is this being debated?”
Comment by B Shantanu | April 13, 2008
*** REQUEST for HELP in verification ***
Has anyone here come across this statement by Dr Subramaniam Swamy? I am not able to verify it (with links/references). Thanks
*** STATEMENT by DR SWAMY ***
14th April 2008
Statement of Dr. Subramanian Swamy, President of the Janata Party.
The proposal of the NCP leader Mr. Praful Patel to support Ms. Sonia Gandhi or Mr. Rahul Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister after the next General Elections to the Lok Sabha, is laughable and unimplementable.
Under the reciprocity proviso to Section 5 of the Citizenship Act, Ms.Sonia Gandhi is ineligible for the post of Prime Minister of India because in Italy Indian taking Italian citizenship cannot become the Prime Minister and hence on reciprocity, Italians becoming Indian citizens cannot become Prime Minister of India. It was this proviso which was responsible for the somersault of Ms. Sonia Gandhi, from staking the claim for Prime Ministership on 16th May, 2004, and then withdrawing the same in favour of Dr. Manmohan Singh on May 18th, 2004. Although this proviso has since been deleted by the then outgoing NDA Government, it is however illegal because the said deletion was carried out on an Act passed in January 2004 for NRIs. Under the Objects and Reasons of the Bill moved in Parliament to enact this law does not empower the Government to delete the said proviso to Section 5 of the Citizenship Act. Hence if Ms. Sonia Gandhi stakes her claim to the Prime Ministership of India it is subject to challenge in court along with the challenge to the deletion of the said proviso to the Citizenship Act.
As far as Mr. Rahul Gandhi is concerned, he was born when his mother was still an Italian citizen and hence his name was under Italian Citizenship Act automatically entered in the Citizenship Register maintained by the Italian Government and the Italian Embassy in New Delhi. Mr. Gandhi has never renounced his Italian citizenship and hence the legality of his Indian citizenship can also be challenged since India does not recognize dual citizenship.
Comment by B Shantanu | April 15, 2008
To B Shantanu: “Has anyone here come across this statement by Dr Subramaniam Swamy? I am not able to verify it (with links/references). Thanks”
Here is the link to verify:
April 14, 2008.
PRESS RELEASE
The proposal of the NCP leader Mr. Praful Patel to support Ms.Sonia Gandhi or Mr.Rahul Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister after the next General Elections to the Lok Sabha, is laughable and unimplementable….
As far as Mr.Rahul Gandhi is concerned, he was born when his mother was still an Italian citizen and hence his name was under Italian Citizenship Act automatically entered in the Citizenship Register maintained by the Italian Government and the Italian Embassy in New Delhi. ….
(SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY)
http://www.janataparty.org/pressdetail.asp?rowid=59
Also read and circulate:
Do You Know Your Sonia ?
by Dr. Subramanian Swamy
http://www.janataparty.org/sonia.html
Comment by Bharat | April 15, 2008
There was a reciprocity clause, this HAS been deleted in 2003, and this has been deleted WITHOUT a publicly televised debate in parliament, without consultation, in stealth and with the full complicity of parliament.
You will find the reciprocity proviso under s.5(1)(e) of the Act on this MHA url http://www.mha.nic.in/acts-rules/ic_act55.PDF
You will find this deleted in the amended Act http://www.prsindia.org/docs/acts_new/1167485133_citizenship_amendment.pdf
There is a discussion under “Overseas Citizen of India” on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_nationality_law
Whether the deletion of the proviso was illegal (as Dr Swamy claims) is not clear; what is clearer is that India does not recognize dual citizenship.
Comment by Radha | April 15, 2008
Shantanu,
Here is another (hilarious) somewhat related news item:
Cong snubs Arjun: No vacancy at top
Taking a dim view of HRD minister Arjun Singh’s projection of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi as a future prime ministerial candidate, the party on Tuesday sought to dub the senior leader’s remarks as “sycophancy”.
…
Arjun Singh, however, remained unfazed… Singh said he had meant no disrespect to Manmohan Singh. He justified his remarks on Rahul: “What is the harm in what I said about Rahul? I really don’t take back my words.
…
Here is the link:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Cong_snubs_Arjun_No_vacancy_at_top/articleshow/2954891.cms
Hope it helps.
Thanks,
Pragya
Comment by P S | April 16, 2008
Sonia Gandhi became a citizen of India thank to s.5(1)c, i.e. by marriage to an Indian citizen. Even if you wish to detect a conspiracy in the amendment to 5.1.e, this has nothing to do with her.
The amendment to the Citizenship Act was by the BJP and had to do with introducing the novel category of OCI. This has no bearing whatsoever on the Sonia issue…
Comment by More | April 16, 2008
@ Pragya: Thanks for the link…It is hilarious!
I found the confusion even more amusing…
Comment by B Shantanu | April 16, 2008
Anyways, we often criticize the family, but arn’t these spineless leaders like Arjun Singh, Praful Patel et al responsible for makeing the dynasty-driven politics happen?
Btw, I am no big fan of Gandhis too. But will not blame Rajeev, Sonia or Rahul for that either.
There is an old Indian proverb which goes like this:
“My ancestors ate butter. You may smell it from my mouth?”
Comment by P S | April 17, 2008
May be of interest.
Cause of origin of pseudo-secularism in modern India.
http://www.nehrufamily.com/
Comment by Bharat | April 17, 2008
FYI.
Swamy demands Priyanka’s prosecution for visiting Vellore jail
http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7B19983D0D-96E0-428B-8FFC-7A1E2B231792%7D&CATEGORYNAME=CHN
Comment by Bharat | April 23, 2008
@P S: You are right …There is not much point in blaming the “family” for dynasty driven politics…To a large extent, it is a function of their party and their support base…The “dynasty” survives because Congress party workers want it to…and because they see in them, their only chance of getting in power..
Thats just the harsh reality of current day politics in India.
***
@ Bharat: Thanks for the links. I will have a look at them.
Comment by B Shantanu | April 29, 2008
May be of interest.
An LTTE-Sonia family link?
Tuesday April 29 2008 09:35 IST
S Gurumurthy
The LTTE suicide squad did plan and eliminate Rajiv Gandhi. But, why did the LTTE do it? Was there a larger conspiracy that extended beyond the LTTE as the strike force? Was the LTTE the author of the crime or the mercenary for some one else or for some purpose that yielded some benefit to it? These questions persisted even after the actual assassins were brought to book. The Narasimha Rao government appointed the Jain Commission to go into the conspiracy angle to the murder.
In its interim report the commission did exceedingly good work to bring on record evidence about the political forces involved in promoting the LTTE in Tamil Nadu that made the crime possible. Yet it made a mockery of its main work, the conspiracy angle. It floated dubious and wild theories, involving Mossad! CIA! Besides adding confusion, it ended up trivialising a very serious exercise. This also robbed the commission of its credibility.As the commission’s final report proved a flop, the Vajpayee government appointed a Multi- Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) in 1998 to unearth the conspiracy angle.
But the person who first demanded, but, ultimately made, investigation into the conspiracy to murder Rajiv Gandhi irrelevant was none other than his widow Sonia Gandhi. Her attitude to the investigation and suspected actors in the murder dramatically changed. Her conduct in 1997 when she was working to enter active politics was a stark contrast to her attitude after taking over the congress leadership on the Jain Commission issue.
In 1997, she demanded that the DMK which, the Jain commission had said, was part of the conspiracy, be sacked as a partner of the UF alliance and pulled down the government when the demand was not met. Her party insisted the entire facts about the conspiracy be investigated and revealed.
Addressing a meeting at Amethi, Sonia hinted that the DMK was a fan of the LTTE and charged that those who doubted the Jain commission report were diverting the attention from the investigation into the conspiracy to murder Rajiv and demanded that the probe be completed expeditiously (Indian Express 2.2.1998). But, once she took over the party leadership, she not only ceased to evince any interest in pursuing the Rajiv Gandhi murder conspiracy, but also began allying with the alleged conspirators themselves. The developments, put together, reveal a shocking picture.
The year after taking over the Congress, Sonia Gandhi makes a secret move. In the year 1999, she told then President Dr K R Narayanan privately that ‘neither she nor her son and daughter wanted any of the four convicts’ sentenced to death for Rajiv’s assassination ‘to be hanged’, and pleaded that no child should be orphaned by an act of the State. Noted the Indian Express (Nov 20, 1999) that before her plea for mercy to the Rajiv killers the Congress party was the leading opponent of mercy to them. This silenced the party once and for all. What transpired at her private meeting with the President was revealed not by Sonia, but by Mohini Giri (the former chairperson of the National Women’s Commission) and on that basis Nalini’s death sentence was commuted to life. (Frontline Nov 5-18, 2005).
Then, in February 2004, there were reports, editorially commented by the Island newspaper in Colombo on Feb 20, 2004, that Eduardo Faleiro, her emissary, had a secret meeting with the LTTE chief Prabhakaran at Killinochi. Island had also referred to reports that Sonia’s mother Ms Paula Maino had met Anton Balasingham, LTTE’s point man in London, in connection with the electoral alliance between the DMK and the Congress. While Eduardo Faleiro at least made a feeble attempt to deny the meeting, Paulo Maino would not even deny that.
Third, the Paulo Maino meeting preceded, and the Faleiro meeting succeeded, the unbelievable U-turn of Sonia Gandhi to forge alliance with the DMK which was accused by her own party in 1997 of being part of the conspiracy to murder her husband. The DMK-Congress alliance seems to have been agreed upon sometime in December 2003. In January 2004, Sonia met the DMK chief and concretised the alliance. The coming together of one of the alleged conspirators and the victim of the conspiracy made a mockery of any further investigation into Rajiv Gandhi murder. For the last four years there is not a single word spoken by Sonia on pursuing the Rajiv Gandhi murderers and on unearthing the conspiracy or for the extradition of Prabhakaran or Pottu Amman.
This is despite the fact that, when, on April 10, 2002, Prabhakaran met the press at Killinochi, he did not even deny that LTTE was involved in Rajiv assassination. Fourth, the LTTE too responded favourably to signals from Sonia that she was not against LTTE. On January 27, 2006, Anton Balasingham, told an Indian TV news channel that the Rajiv killing was ‘monumental tragedy’ and asked the people of India to be ‘magnanimous to put the past behind’ and deal with the LTTE.
Fifth, Sonia did not object to the inclusion of the DMK woman MP in whose house Sivarasan the main killer of Rajiv Gandhi had stayed for which she was detained under the TADA, as a minister in the UPA government. Sixth, the MDMA which was appointed by the NDA government after Sonia rejected the Action Taken Report on the Jain Commission, has virtually become defunct under the UPA regime. Since 2004, she has not uttered a single word asking what the MDMA is doing. And finally now in March 2008, Priyanka Vadra, Sonia’s daughter makes a secret visit to Vellore jail and meets the first accused in the murder of Rajiv, for over an hour.
Media reports say that they sat by each other’s side, cried and professed goodwill towards each other! No one knows what transpired between them. The meeting clearly illegal, looks almost a conspiracy, would have remained a secret had the media not exposed it. Priyanka said that neither Sonia nor Rahul or Priyanka believe in hate or anger, and that the visit was her way of coming to terms with the Rajiv Gandhi murder.
Moral high ground seems to be a cover for undisclosed political strategies. But where was this high moral ground when Sonia angrily pulled down the UF government on the ground that DMK, a suspected co-conspirator with LTTE, was part of the alliance? Is Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination a personal affair between the Sonia Gandhi family and the LTTE for the former to punish or pardon the latter? LTTE has neither confessed nor regretted its action for the Gandhis to pardon. The LTTE is even today unrepenting.
The prosecution case is that the LTTE supremo decided to avenge Rajiv Gandhi for sending IPKF to Sri Lanka and betraying the LTTE. But that was no personal decision of Rajiv Gandhi. The assassination was an act against the state of India.
This is how it should be seen and pursued. Neither Sonia nor Priyanka nor the Congress has the right to pardon the criminals who have challenged the sovereignty of India.
QED: Sonia Gandhi family and the LTTE connection is mysterious. Is the maverick Dr Subramanian Swamy right after all in his theory that LTTE and the Maino family have had links before?
comment@gurumurthy.net
S. Gurumurthy is a commentator on political and economic issues.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEM20080428231348&Title=Main+Article&rLink=0
Comment by Bharat | April 30, 2008
Personally, I see this as fabricated stories against Gandhi family. Politically they may be rivals to anybody but in matter of family, I see genuine efforts to over come hatered and anger towards anyone. They are uplifting spritually them selves to come to the term with their daily life. I dont see any truth in all these stories.
Comment by Indian | May 1, 2008
Who is Raul Vinci?
You heard of The Da Vinci Code, the worldwide bestseller mystery/detective novel by US author Dan Brown. Did you heard of Raul Vinci Chronicles? Discover it and Enjoy.
1. The Raul Vinci Chronicles
http://offstumped.nationalinterest.in/2008/05/03/the-raul-vinci-chronicles/
2. Restraint is the hallmark of Indian political discourse
Swapan Dasgupta
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040507/asp/opinion/story_3209523.asp
…how was Rahul awarded an MPhil without a basic graduate degree?
Comment by Bharat | May 4, 2008
Bharat: Thanks for the excellent set of links.
Some of the points made in Offstumped’s post are worth reproducing here. Excerpts below:
*** From Offstumped’s blog ***
First what exactly did Rahul Gandhi claim in his election affidavit ?
Rahul Gandhi’s election affidavit can be found here. Page 4 lists his educational qualifications. Here is what Page 4 has to say about his term at University of Cambridge.
M-Phil [Development Economics], Trinity College, Cambridge University in 1995
Offstumped obtained 3 official copies (2 physical and 1 electronic) of Raul Vinci a.k.a Rahul Gandhi’s Transcripts from Cambridge University and it is clear that his election affidavit mis-represents facts.
Misrepresentation #1 - The official copy of Raul Vinci’s transcript states that he read for an MPhil in “Development Studies” and not in “Development Economcis”.
Why is this significant ?
It is significant because these are two different programs.
MPhil in Development Studies is administered by the Development Studies Committee at Cambridge. There is no MPhil in Development Economics at Cambridge. There is a MPhil in Economics In fact Offstumped confirmed with the Faculty of Economics at Cambridge University that Raul Vinci’s MPhil was not administered by that department.
…
Misrepresentation #2 - All 3 official copies of his transcript (2 physical and 1 electronic) state that his MPhil was during the years 2004-2005.
This inconsistency between the transcript and the election affidavit may or may not be significant. It was unclear from enquiries conducted by Offstumped if Raul Vinci’s MPhil was not completed in 1995 and if as stated in the transcript he went on to complete it in 2004-2005 in the wake of the controversy that errupted during the Lok Sabha election.
…
But here is the rub on the question of competency. The transcript details Raul Vinci’s academic performance which raises pertinent questions on his fitness to be a candidate for the office of Prime Minister.
The MPhil Development Studies program requires 4 full papers to be completed and it lists 60% as a pass, 65% as eligible for an entry to PhD and 75% as a Distinction.
Raul Vinci a.k.a Rahul Gandhi while not earning any distinctions in any of the 4 papers barely managed an overall pass percentage of 62.8%.
But the real shocker is in the Paper on “National Economic Planning & Policy” he scored 58% which is not even considered a Pass.
*** End of Excerpts ***
I also have questions about his “work experience” with the consulting firm Monitor Company in London.
Some of you may know that Monitor is in the premier league of strategy consulting firms and I am told that the recruitment process is rigorous and the selection criteria are based on high standards.
But perhaps he was hired for reasons other than academic brilliance or qualifications…?
Also recommended: Was Rahul Gandhi really arrested at Boston in 2001?
Comment by B Shantanu | May 4, 2008
FYI.
Rahul accused of indulging in caste politics
Rourkela (Orissa): Ruling Biju Janata Dal on Monday accused AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi of introducing caste-based politics in Orissa and said peace-loving people of the state will reject the move to teach Congress a lesson in the next elections.
“After his (Rahul’s) failure in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi is coming to Orissa to divide the people on caste lines. But people of the peaceful state like Orissa will realilse the motive of Gandhi family and reject them,” BJD President of Rourkela, Anand Mohanty told newspersons here.
“People of Orissa do not believe in caste politics, Rahul should realise it and refrain from dividing them on caste basis,” he said while criticising the young Congress MP.
Rahul Gandhi, during his last visit to Orissa, arranged meetings specially for separate lower caste people in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar where people belonging to other castes, even the Congress leaders, were not allowed.
© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved.
http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1402304
Comment by Bharat | May 19, 2008
Top marks for honesty:
From Rahul wants to end dynasty politics
Comment by B Shantanu | October 21, 2008
Dear Sir,
I totally beg to differ with Shri. Rahul. It has been even mentioned in the most secular paper and by the most secular media that in th CPI and the BJP no relations of any sort can make you come to the top, it is sheer hard work.
Regards,
vck
Comment by v.c.krishnan | October 21, 2008
Good point vck!!
Comment by B Shantanu | October 21, 2008
Can he say that honestly about his degree and false affidavit?. He said truth wht he knws cannot hide, about being in politics, that was the obvious answer.
Comment by Indian | October 21, 2008