Wanted: Leaders with vision

By

Randeep Wadehra

When the Union Law Minister and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid described Rahul Gandhi’s role in UP during the last assembly elections as “cameo” perhaps he hadn’t anticipated the storm it would kick off. Many political analysts were mystified by his uncharacteristic remarks, because this was contrary to the Congress culture where every inhalation and exhalation has to be cleared by the High Command. Although Khurshid used the clichéd “I was misquoted” alibi to wriggle out of the contretemps it only ended up as a comical denouement of sorts. Nevertheless, Khurshid’s remarks have unwittingly thrown light on a very serious aspect of the current political scenario – paucity of genuine leadership.

The term “politician” often conjures up the image of a crafty netaji who is devoid of scruples and spine. His main, or rather, sole quest is power and pelf. But that is not what a political leader is supposed to be – in fact such caricatures catch media attention so fast and with such intensity that one is left wondering whether the traditional leader actually ever existed. The late British Prime Minister Harold Wilson had once observed, “A constant effort to keep his party together, without sacrificing either principle or the essentials of basic strategy, is the very stuff of political leadership.” We had such leaders – not one, not two, but a whole brigade of them. And that too across the political spectrum. Men and women of vision, with strong convictions and a deep commitment to nation building as well as a desire for promoting general welfare. They may not have been exactly world-renouncing ascetics but knew where to draw the line when it came to separating personal/parochial interests from the national. Unfortunately, genuine political leadership is on the endangered species list in India. We have rent seekers, wheeler-dealers and highly amoral set of politicos doing immense damage to the country’s political structures and ethos. Look at the way the likes of Mamata Bannerjee and Mayawati change their stances vis-à-vis the Congress Party. Then, there is the Yeddyurappa cantata going on in Karnataka – giving blushes to the leadership of the “party with a difference”. Till yesterday Bihar’s CM Nitish Kumar had no problem with BJP, but today he finds the same party tainted with Narendra Modi – as if the latter had joined the party only now. One doesn’t hold any brief for BJP whose leadership had no compunction while admitting Kushwaha to its fold, only to earn flak; the point is, our political parties have discarded all pretensions to possessing and practicing fundamental morality.

There was much media hype when some younger politicians took over the reins of governments/ministries in some states or the centre. But they merely flattered to disappoint. If one looks at what is happening in Uttar Pradesh, which has an educated and young Akhilesh Yadav at the helm, one realizes how damaging partisan politics can be to the basic structures and instruments of governance. But it would be unfair to single out UP. No other state or central ministry has thrown up new talent, let alone a trail-blazing leader. The younger lot, comprising the Pilots and Scindias et al, at the centre has preferred to keep low profile in order to avoid being suspected of impinging upon Rahul Gandhi’s place in the limelight.

Dr. Manmohan Singh is credited with lifting the Indian economy from the morass of Hindu rate of growth and near bankruptcy to the market economy driven vibrancy. During his second term as the Prime Minister he seems to have lost his touch and perhaps enthusiasm for reforms. It is time he redeemed himself and told the Time magazine’s editors to jump into the Hudson River. He doesn’t need to be reminded that the UPA had promised to usher in socio-economic reforms including in the field of governance, a period of general economic prosperity and less politico-bureaucratic interference. But, soon after coming to power the UPA-II regressed into the 20^th century populist mode that didn’t do any good to the poor; it only reinforced the general economic slowdown. Worse, most of the reforms today remain stuck with one GoM or another while populist measures – MNREGA for example – are being used as fig leaf of sorts. When political leadership fails to lead, and timidly attempts to follow the mobs, it loses its credibility, reminding one of  what the French lawyer and politician Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin had reputedly said, “Let me pass, I have to follow them, I am their leader.” He was trying to force his way through a mob during the Revolution of 1848, of which he was one of the chief instigators.

Whatever one may say of ideology its one major advantage was its ability to lend a distinct character to a political party. You knew where a party subscribing to a specific ideology stood vis-à-vis other political parties as well as the public at large. Now, ideology has been reduced to a mere partisan shibboleth mouthed during election campaigns and printed below the party symbol that, again, does not tell us anything about the party’s political ideology, its economic philosophy or social agenda. So, it becomes alright for a leftist party to join hands with the right wingers merely to embarrass its political friend turned foe. Perhaps, time has come to formally bury deep all ideology and leave it in an unmarked tomb so that it may never be resurrected again. Perhaps, a new set of political ethics needs to be codified, which would be more in tune with the common man’s aspirations. We do need good governance, a secure lifestyle with a high index of happiness for all. The traditional political parties and their ideologies have failed miserably to deliver the same. The 21^st century India is crying out for a new leadership endowed with avant-garde vision and the ability and will to lead India to its rightful place among the top echelons of the comity of nations.

Is this asking for too much?

Published in the Daily Post dated July 15, 2012