Will you ever see our PM/President like this?
…I mean holding their own umbrella?
Image courtesy: TIME Magazine
US President Barack Obama tries to speak in a driving rainstorm during Memorial Day observances at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery near Elwood, Illinois, USA, 31 May 2010. Memorial Day is observed in honor of U.S. service men and women who have sacrificed their lives for their country.
Tannen Murray / EPA
Comments, thoughts welcome.
By the way, President Obama is not alone:
More…!
Few yrs back on a consulting assignment i had to routinely travel 30 KMs a day to reach the factory of a large client. I used their pool bus rather than the car for which i was eligible. I was seen as eccentric.
till date for short distances i walk rather than drive. scooter for medium distances and only small car within the city. people laugh at me.
Use of SUV for single individual within city is mandatory. even if you dont have parking space in your house park it on the road. The road (euphemism) may be so narrow that it might barely accommodate your SUV. The SUV would be bought on loan with few installments unpaid. No Problem!
if this is the status of a private citizen do you expect the HoG to act differently? what i have realised is doing your own work is seen as a sign of weakness.
rgds/sridhar
We had Dr. Kalam as the president of India who didn’t bother about protocols and precedents. We have had simple and very humble prime ministers/presidents. Very act of holding your own umbrella shouldnt suggest anything.
May be in 22nd century.never when feudal congress is ruling ,full of remnants of feudalistic elements of british empire.
It’s possible that we may see it if the person delivering the speech is either SoniaG or RahulG. There will be gushing front-page news about it in all sections of the media ranging from the semi-pornographic ToI to the lunatic-fringe Tehelka: “Risking life from thunderbolts, lightening and flash floods, Sonia delivers rousing speech”. Except that a vital fact will probably go unmentioned: that the person holding the umbrella is Dr Manmohan Singh.
Very true, I will never dream of our PM or President doing this for minimum of next 25 years . . . because thats the time I expect will take take for me to become the prime minister . . . then u can surely expect. . . but in the corollary I have one more story. I dont remember, somewhere in 1990s when Mr. K. R. Narayanan was our president on 26th Jauary during pared our army chief was holding umbrella for him . . . it was an issue of discussion in Pakistan – can you expect this in Pakistan?
Shantanu,
Our leaders cant do this sir. They are too old to get out in rain, their hands are not likely to have strength to hold the umbrella.
Yes, there is a hope. The 40 year old young leaders can do it only after calling up all news channels to show this act of humbleness. But then rain doesn’t come planned does it ?
yes, if and when he’s dumped by the dynasty and people are allowed to greet him with alternatives to garlands!
@cricfan (#7),
🙂 I appreciate that. I came to comment the same thing and realized that you already did it.
Yes, we see our leaders like this. Especially, the projected super prime minister, travels like a common man in mumbai train, lifts water pots along with rural women.
What else do you want !!!!!
Jai HO.
Haven’t seen anybody bending backwards for Narendra Modi or LK Advani.
The Kkkangress have patented a lot of bull.
Boot them out for 25 years and see the difference.