Gujarat model

Gujarat model of development is being  hotly debated these days.   It  is  neither a  new topic  nor unexpected at this time though.   As NaMo gained prominence politically,  everything related to him also got  hitched automatically.    Predictably,  his detractors cannot be tired of finding fault with everything that is remotely connected to him.     Gujarat was formed in 1960 in its  current geographical extent.  The state   was ruled by Congress party uninterruptedly until 1995.    Although the fact remains that people of Gujarat are entrepreneurial  by nature,  the rate and nature of growth for the 2 periods for the first 48 years (from 1947  to 1995)  and  the subsequent 18 years (from 1995 till date) can throw some insightful data.     The latest 12 years starting   from 2002 come to be  universally and popularly  recognised as  NaMo's  Gujarat model of governance.             

 

All kinds of numbers are being dished out by NaMo's political detractors  comparing  the state of affairs in Gujarat vis-à-vis other states of India, intended to deny any  possible credit going his way.   It is sad if statistical numbers are used to  fool or mislead people.    There is something more to the process of development than mere statistics.  First,  the  feel good factor by general public  which is more than amply demonstrated by 3 consecutive victories by NaMo and his party.    For quite long period since  independence,  entrepreneurs from Gujarat preferred to shift to Mumbai  or areas within Maharashtra adjacent to Gujarat  to set up  their  business.  Better infrastructure in the neighbouring state was the main attraction.   12 years under NaMo, Gujarat is not the state it used to be  - which  is  demonstrated by the reverse-migration of entrepreneurs from Maharashtra to Gujarat.    In the final analysis,  clarity of purpose,  sincere commitment to the goals  are much more important than degrees from IIT or Harward.           

 

It is well documented how Gujarat runs on a well oiled  administration machinery.   NaMo not only coined  the slogan "minimum government, maximum governance" but  also implemented it in reality.  For a relatively large state with 33 districts and a  population of   about 60 million, there are only 26 ministers, which must be one of the lowest sized cabinets in India.   Many  of the social initiatives of Gujarat government are quite novel and have won awards even from Rajiv Gandhi foundation.    Here is a summary of the different activities under which Gujarat model can be analysed, if anyone cares to do it in a non-partisan way.                      

 

- Extensive use of IT is the hallmark of NaMo administration.  A brief visit to Gujarat state government's website (www.gujaratindia.com) will make this point clear.    From whatever I  have seen so far,  this is  one of the finest websites officially uploaded by   a state government.   E-Governance is   NaMo's  key strategic initiative  to  control corruption.      Digitising the administrative  process  reduces manual interference in official work and also minimises    "discretionary powers" at different levels.   NaMo's approach to tackling   corruption is definitely very practical and sincere.  We will realise it when contrasted with Kejrival's approach which seemed more like  knee-jerk reactions and mere publicity stunts.                

- Road and buildings department, as it is called in Gujarat, can easily be a role model for all other states, if anyone cares for  efficient implementation of government's infrastructural  projects.   National & state highways in Gujarat  are by far the best in the country.   Endless other public amenities have also sprung up  all over the state due to sincere efforts of this key  government  department.   

- Balanced growth of the economy focusing on  3 areas – namely  agriculture, industry and service - have been highlighted  as NaMo government's mission.   NaMo's vision statements   are truly inspirational.   His hands on style of management is credited with successful implementation of many fast-track projects of importance to the state.          

- Revival of public sector : It is well documented how  GSFC (Gujarat State Fertiliser Corporation),  a sick state government enterprise  when NaMo took over, was turned around  within a short period of time.   Announcement of   NaMo as PM candidate by BJP has brought hopes to several central PSUs  (not just  the Navratnas but all those which are sick).  They  can definitely  look forward to better days ahead. 

- Water resources management is not just one of those routine departments to float a few government tenders every year and keep blaming  monsoon failure for every other disaster.  In a state like Gujarat which receives scant rainfall  and  does not have the luxury of exclusive access to the captive water resource of  any big river  within its own territory,  it is important to have a clear policy to efficiently manage water as a critical   resource.   Canals carrying Gujarat's share of water from Narmada dam not only bring drinking water to different parts of the state but also fill up several natural ponds on their way, thus replenishing the ground water levels in the surroundings.     As per reports, solar panels were planned to be erected along  the long stretch of  canals.  If implemented,  this scheme  would help to  compensate   loss of ground space lost for construction of canals by allowing its parallel use for generating solar power.    In addition, solar panels will offer some shade to the running canals and minimise loss of water by evaporation.   Government schemes have rarely been so imaginative.   

- It is no secret that  congress party and some NGOs "fed" by that  party   have a very clear agenda to ensure that ghosts of 2002 riots keep haunting  NaMo.   For all practical purposes, it has lost steam.   However, it is surprising that even the media conveniently ignores  Gujarat's track record of  riot-free administration in more than a decade  since 2002.    It is sad that our media lacks even  basic courtesy to acknowledge  such rare religious harmony in a state that was witness to many riots at regular intervals, much before 2002.          

- Under NaMo administration, Gujarat   enjoys  the rare distinction of   24 hours power supply in all parts of the state.   Turning Gujarat into power surplus state is no mean achievement, considering the fact that NaMo managed to achieve this within his first term  in office.  

- NaMo demonstrates his vision when he articulates the theory of balanced growth.  According to him, Gujarat's development  model is based on equal focus to 3 areas of interest to state's GDP -   Agriculture,  Industry and Service sector.   Normally, development of one area comes at the cost of another because of inequitable attention.     He has been careful to nurture all important segments of the economy.

- Another  infrastructural initiative  unique to   Gujarat is the Mass Rapid Transport system in Ahmedabad.   This is the  local transport system using normal buses which runs as efficiently as a  Metro.   When we compare the cost and time involved in any metro project, we know why the system in Ahmedabad is so special.            

- Gujarat state is also known for its efficient public grievance redressal system.   Gujarat CM has a laid out a very efficient process to receive and solve public grievances.   It is unfortunate that such sincere  initiatives do not receive the publicity  they deserve, as compared to  the political gimmick of Rahul Gandhi  visiting a dalit household in a remote village.           

- NaMo administration is also credited with technological support to  its  fishermen  which allows them to be more efficient in their  daily efforts in the sea.    This is a small example of hoe a committed administration can bring positive changes in the daily lives of its citizens in many different ways.   

 

There are many more  unique  projects  initiated by NaMo government     -    Proposed statue of Vallabhai Patel,   Sabarmati purification,   Initiatives by Gujarat

Tourism etc.,   

More importantly,  whatever has been achieved  in Gujarat is inspite of a no-holds-barred hostility by central government ruled by UPA for most part of NaMo's tenure in office.   Some individuals flourish and shine under tough  challenges – NaMo is definitely one  such rare, inspiring leader of our times.     

 

 

-ಬಾಪಿ

 

 

 

 

 

Decoding AAP

A lot has been written about AAP, so much so that it has become a word by itself.     Arvind Kejrival was definitely more respectable as a member of  anti corruption  movement.    However, when AAP arrived on the scene with its political avatar, it was very difficult avoid  skepticism   inspite of  conscious efforts to avoid being  judgemental.   I summarise the reasons : 

 

 

- First of all, what could  be the reason for  other respectable members like Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi and a few others  from the original team not identifying themselves with this new political outfit ? Members like Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi and  Santosh Hegde had some strong individual credentials through  their sustained and  proven positive contribution to society well before the  anti corruption  movement started.   The same cannot be said about Kejrival, his Magsaysay award notwithstanding.     His academic  background from IIT and subsequent service in government's revenue department were nothing to  write   home about.   Possibly, he was too dominating or  opinionated or even selfish which made others to stay away.   Perhaps,  there were "other" reasons  which they may not disclose from  ethical considerations.             

- Initially, there were odd reports in the media about  funds collected for anti corruption movement being diverted  by Kejrival.        While the news originated with a video clip of   Anna himself talking about  pilfering of funds,   the   news did not last too long  possibly due to magnanimity of Anna Hazare not to pursue the matter.    Caeser's wife must  be above suspicion.  But Kejrival did not seem to believe so and allowed his sacred halo to take a beating.  

- While Anna's movement had a  clear purpose,  AAP's agenda was never clearly defined in public domain.     Anti corruption theme can be a good launch-pad for a potential vote catching  slogan  but it ends there.  Beyond votes and winning,   a solid institutional mechanism is required to eradicate corruption.    Governing   a large and complex nation like India  with deeply established bureaucratic systems requires some experience.  Knee-jerk responses end up causing more harm than  any good.    While a strong legislation can help in   addressing corruption, there is no quick fix.  It will  definitely require  time and patience.  For example,  each individual will have an opinion on  whether it should be a top down or bottom up process.    It  would be  more professional to think of   studying existing  policies and practices of certified  non-corrupt countries around the  world like Sweden, Newzealand etc., to formulate our own version of a practical mechanism to handle the menace.   It seems,   Kejrival had no vision beyond his initial agenda of sanctioning  subsidies and free power.    He was a man in a hurry who perhaps  believed in charting his own course.   Obviously,   "haste is waste" was not a line of wisdom for him. 

-  AAP indulged in manipulating and harnessing popular public opinion to gain favourable mandate.   It worked well, until other political parties  accumulated  enough ammunition to call  AAP's bluff.    Public referendum was one such gimmick which made people believe that Kejrival would  being democracy to their door steps.   But the same AAP did not care to hold a referendum while deciding to resign as CM.    Hopefully,  Kejrival would have realised short cuts do not  take one too far  in public life.  

- Another big flop show  soon after Kerjrival took over as CM was the embarrassing interview he gave to a team of visiting journalists from Pak.   The team had come with lots of positive expectation to meet someone who was gaining popularity by the day as "politician of the century".   As per  reports,  Kejrival   was glorified   to the extent that Imran Khan,  who has a longer innings in politics,  came to be branded  as Kejrival of Pakistan !  However, Kejrival's  expressed plain ignorance about basic international issues related to  the Indian sub-continent. That  was enough to expose the  real worth of someone who was being projected  in the media as a potential PM of India.      Hype and craze around Kejrival was already on the wane. 

-  By every passing day,   it was  clear that AAP was finding practical administration a tough task and their lack of experience was in full display.    It was not easy for them to do  tight rope walking  to keep their minority government alive.   It was also not practical to meet expectations of  people,  especially after the high moral ground they had taken by painting almost everybody else in the world as corrupt.   That claim sounded hollow when they failed to check the credentials of all the new entrants to their own party.   Afterall,  everyone wanted  to join the bandwagon  when AAP   was at the peak.    One can easily imagine, exodus would be as quick too.

-  AAP seemed to be looking for an escape route  to get out of the governing mess they had got into.     Their hurried exit without the  "trademark"  referendum  earned Kejrival an unenviable code name of AK49.    This is surely going to haunt him for rest of his life.   He may have learnt the hard way by now, all the smartness in the world is not in the exclusive custody of IIT'ans.        

- While even common logic could have suggested that AAP should have made an honest attempt to prove itself in Delhi, its scheme seemed to be different.    Obviously,   AAP was in a tearing hurry to hit the national scene in the  parliamentary elections.    How could a fledgling party of less than a year in existence back itself to arrange funds to fight  over 400 seats all over India ? How could it even find candidates to match its proclaimed high moral standards in such short time ?  Even though everything  sounded so mysterious,  it was highly sacrilegious to even whisper anything  remotely non-complimentary about AAP.   Such was their clout and nexus  in the media.              

- Prashant Bhushan, one of the AAP's founder members,  has never been new to controversies.   On a rare sunny  day while on a  visit to Kashmir,  he got  little too ambitious and tried   to strategically pose himself as the future foreign minister  of a potential AAP government  of India.   He dared to issue a statement favouring a solution through AAP's  single most  preferred route of  referendum.   This  statement sounds  so innocuous at first glance.   But,   when we stitch together   all other  theories around AAP,   we might end up  re-discovering  the wisdom behind age old  proverb   "everything  white is not necessarily milk".   

-  There seems to be slightly more than what meets the eye  and much more than a simple statistical coincidence when we  consider the fact that AAP has simply too many members running NGOs which are funded by multi-national agencies falling "somehow" into  an inter-connected  umbrella.    The names of such individuals and AAP sympathisers  are too well publicised.    We can also see,   many others  who joined AAP without proper scrutiny  and later ended up contesting elections  included  many well meaning, innocent individuals as well.      Hopefully, such nobler souls will distance themselves from AAP soon, but not before burning a big hole in their pockets caused by    election related expenses.   Better late than never, as they say.                     

 

 

 

There are many  scary and  scandalous  articles about AAP doing the  rounds in the cyber world, which seem to be not entirely speculative.    As and when  the facts are substantiated,  our countrymen can hope to know  them authentically.   Finally, h

ere is my  summary :  the original word aap  in Hindi was truly  representative of Indian culture – something very unique to our civilization.   It signifies  the divinity we readily see in another person.    It is sad that such a sacred word  should have ended up as an acronym for a political party which did not serve any purpose other than diluting the divinity of the word itself.      

 

 

-ಬಾಪಿ

 

 

 

 

 

NaMo Vs RaGa

Parliament election is no more a  speculation.  The date with ballot  being just a month away,  political heat is set to soar to new highs.       The  never ending campaign cavalcade of the netas  will not allow the dust to settle.   High pitched battle is on the cards and we will be lost in the  shrill microphonic din.    Every inch of visible and coveted public space will be filled  with flex banners amply decorated with   generously grinning netas with  humble folded hands.   Political rhetoric and name-calling are  back.   Catchy slogans from rivals provide  good soundbytes for the press.    The largest  show of democratic process on earth has just begun.    

 

Many pundits have already given their opinions on the electoral prospects  from socio-demographic perspective.  Let us analyse elections from another point of view.   If we sit back and  analyse,  the electoral show around us is analogical to marketing campaigns of  corporate groups fighting for their pie in a given product or service segment.       We have seen pepsi versus cola advertisement war   in the past.     Likewise,    competing political groups are busy building their "brands".  Although political philosophy is about core ideologies,   it has been overshadowed by  other factors, in the current context.       This is understandable because  boundaries between different ideologies are slowly   shrinking.  Wide-spread symmetrical   spectrum ranging from  left to right is now heavily tilted towards  centre to right.     It will be hard to find today any nationally significant  or relevant political  group  practicing  diametrically opposite ideologies, although they may appear to be preaching different things.      In summary,  brand building  includes  articulation of a political group's plan of action (vision) so as to effectively reach out to the electorate.   In other words, it is  all about  salesmanship.     

 

Election season brings windfall gains to promotional industry.  They have an opportunity to gain a share of   huge   promotional funds of rival political camps.     Reaching out 1.2 billion people requires great deal of salesmanship.  Complex political philosophies have to be compressed to meaningful one liners.   As a new trend in  Indian context,  catchy acronyms representing  leaders' pet names  are gaining popularity everyday.    NaMo and RaGa are the trending short names  right now.   If William can be Bill and  Richard can be Dick, why should we object to some  truly Indianised pet names  for a change ?  Now, let me spare some time to analyse our two  current  pet-named leaders.    

 

NaMo has been a trend setter in many ways.  Perhaps, this is the first short form of its kind to capture   popular imagination in India.   Traditional Indian masculine names have always had mythological connections   but NaMo sounds all the more venerable.   Its  Sanskrit origin seems quite  symbolic when the man himself inspires  nationalistic spirit of high order.

 

Converting every adversity to an advantage seems to be the hallmark of NaMo's  personal  style.    Every single day of his tenure as CM of Gujarat must have been an ordeal for him, facing   hostility of  opposition-sponsored individuals and NGOs working collusively  with the  sole agenda of maligning his   public image.  While NaMo seems to have come unscathed from the legal mess so far, opposition still continues with their committed agenda of  scheming against him.  It may not be exaggeration to say that NaMo owes some of his quick popularity  to the likes of Digvijay Singh, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tiwari,   Mani Shankar Iyer etc.,.   NaMo is really smart to use every nasty jibe from opposition camp to create a favourable public opinion for himself.         NaMo has also successfully milked  his "humble" origin  to great advantage in personal brand building.          His  chaiwala tag has provided  a unique and novel theme  adding formidable ammunition to his campaign.  Sensing some opportunity to gain mileage from  this new-found social title,  even a veteran like  Lalu   claimed  his own  inheritance to   chaiwala legacy !  

 

NaMo is often called a dictator by his opponents.  He is also described  as someone who will either  destroy his enemies  or buy them over to his side.   No wonder,  opposition party is  almost non-existent in Gujarat because they have either defected to NaMo's side or given up their fight.    Experts agree that any style to management has to be finally judged by its effectiveness.     When we apply  the practical yardstick of continued  endorsement  by his voters,  NaMo's style  stands vindicated.     If we look at the mess around us,   a well meaning dictator seems to be  need of the hour.   To be fair to the size of our democracy, we can  try to slightly modify  the prescription for  India's future leader  as  an authoritarian statesman.    NaMo readily  fits this requirement.                    

 

NaMo is  a third time CM of a reasonable big and prosperous state of India.  NaMo's tenure as CM of Gujarat also saw  many achievements for the state, winning many awards for the new initiatives.   Apart from providing 24 hours power supply, good roads, industrial investment etc., his state also witnessed unprecedented harmony in the society with no incidence of any communal violence for 12 long years.    Backed with such statistics, NaMo's claims carry conviction.    

 

NaMo is aggressive but we can hardly find any statements or actions from him that backfire.  He knows what to say, when and to what effect.   He is supposed to have a qualified team of advisors but what seems to work in his favour is that NaMo knows how to make best use of such a team.    Anybody else  would have been  provoked to issue public  statements against Kejrival for the kind of anti-NaMo activities he indulges in everyday.   But NaMo has a unique  ability of ignoring such provocations which results in  not granting legitimacy to such antics.    Such street smartness gives NaMo immense edge over his  opponents and peers as well.      

 

Namo has been wise  enough to ensure that  his not-so-illustrious  academic background and   perceived lack of proficiency in spoken English  do not become  limitations  in  his progress as a politician.       It is no mean task if one can manage to hog limelight at international levels  overcoming   all the practical  hurdles  of   a humble family and educational  backgrounds.   In this sense, he also represents  true power of modern democracy.    It  is  still early to predict  whether NaMo will be PM of India post 2014 elections, but he is the shining example of  a self-made individual who  can inspire a generation.   He will remain a hero for long time for whatever he has achieved in life.   If he has the ambition to be the PM of our country, he definitely  deserves to nurse such an dream.   With the exception of  Lal Bahadur Shastri, Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, we have seen pretty ordinary people occupying the post of PM of this country with disastrous long term implications.  It is time this huge country of over a billion people got a true leader.   

 

At the core of an  individual's confidence is  self-belief.   Judiciously nurtured  confidence  leads to performance.    Finally,  continued performance comes to be recognized as competence.      While almost anybody can be a lame follower,   it requires (apart from competence),  vision,   charisma,  experience, intelligence etc., to be a trendsetter.   NaMo fills this rare category to deserve the title of a  leader in the  real sense.  

 

Now, let us dwell briefly on the profile of  RaGa  who   appears to be a study in contrast.    RaGa  belongs to the so-called political first family of Independent India  where  3  generations of his elders have been  Prime Ministers.    Going by the practice of his party to nominate successive generations from the same family  to the top job whenever elected to power,   RaGa has  earned a parallel title of  shehjada.   Spokespersons of his party have often found it tough to react to this derisive reference    in any other way except falling back on the  standard argument of internal "democratic" process of  electing their leader. 

 

It is debatable whether certain privileges are  a boon or a bane – this seems  particularly  relevant   in  RaGa's case.     All of us have been readily  sympathetic to the fact that RaGa must have had tough time as a teenager to  witness to series of  tragedies in his family.    But RaGa   gives an  impression of being not-so-brave   when he tries  to ride on a sympathy wave by referring to the "martyrdoms" of his elders.   Being born  in a family that brings ready privileges  can have its flip sides too.   Nature has always its fair and balanced package.     Our  countrymen  have already paid due sympathies for the personal tragedies of RaGa's family  and he is   not likely  to be granted  any further mileage  for on account of ancestral martyrdom.    

 

People of our country will readily recognize that  RaGa was  blessed to be born with a proverbial silver spoon in his mouth.     Rare   privilege of growing up as  part of the   political first family of India must have given  invaluable  exposure to the big world through  family discussions and   ring side view of various dignitaries from around the  world  visiting his household.    It is natural that  one's perspective of an issue at hand depends   on the level of exposure.    In RaGa's case, it is not certain  whether such a huge exposure helped him at all.      As I see it,   main problem with RaGa is not being able to  match the expectations of public with his performance.   While he is supposed to be a solution provider because of  his long heritage and connection to those who managed the country's affairs, he has hardly shown any promise in the last 10 years of his active political career  that he can handle any situation with maturity.       

 

RaGa has seen power from close quarters.    But problem seems to be that he lacks personal experience because he has never handled any democratic  assignment carrying public  accountability even at a pachayat level.    Going by the practice of his family where a next  generation starts at a minimum level of PM,  it is not surprising that RaGa  never chose to accept the gauntlet to be the CM nominee during elections to  the big and politically decisive state of  UP earlier.    Akhilesh Yadav may not have achieved anything yet as  a CM but he is surely far ahead in practical experience of managing a complex state like UP.   I sincerely believe, had RaGa shown the courage to be a CM candidate in UP,  he could have not only won, but  could also carry that advantage for the  natural progression    to PM's post.   For this reason alone, RaGa comes across as a laid back person for whom politics does not seem to be  a full time profession.    

 

RaGa  is also supposed to have been educated in reputed foreign institutions (ignoring   many  contradictory counter claims  to this effect).       In addition,  RaGa has the benefit of access to huge team of  advisors and valuable insights from a host of experienced political administrators from his party.     This again, seems to be a baggage to RaGa rather than a benefit because of his  unenviable task  of having to defend a huge  incumbency factor and be answerable to all the mis-deeds and scams of his partymen.     His  display   of mis-placed activism to protest against decisions of his own government fail to cut any ice with public but  are rather seen as insincere gimmicks for publicity.

 

RaGa seems to have an uncanny knack to miss opportunities coming his way.  He had a golden opportunity to  blunt  public outrage against UPA government when Anna was holding a fast unto death on Jan lokpal bill.  This act alone had the potential to mask the effects of all the scams of UPA regime and give RaGa the  benefit of doubt as a "fresh entrant", a privilege his father managed to harness well in his early days.        Strangely, RaGa  never spoke nor appeared publicly during Anna's movement against  corruption.    If he had taken pro-active role during those days, our country could have been spared  the trouble of having to endure a nuisance called AAP. 

 

It is reported that  RaGa has  a big team of advisors for various issues.  His vocal political advisors include  the famous Rajyasabha gang of Digvijay Singh, Jairam Ramesh, Madhusoodan Mistry among others.  Unfortunately,  very often, these political advisors  demonstrate their lack ability to gauge pulse of the nation accurately who end up ill-advising their boss.  RaGa obviously  lacks   inherent competence to make best use of counsel from external advisors.    Recent (and rare) interview of RaGa  on   prime time TV was an example of how limited can be the role of  advisors in a  leader's life.    This image building exercise ended up as a big flop and actually caused  irrecoverable damage to his image just before  elections.   

 

Finally, let me invoke our traditional charitable line "may the best leader prevail" in the coming elections.   Let me also add a qualifier, NaMo seems to be better than the best at this moment ! Bharatamata deserves more and is waiting for her turn to shine yet again... 

 

-ಬಾಪಿ

 

 

 

 

 

AAP aur hum

Some short forms can be misleading.  In this era when SMS language is quickly gaining legitimacy, we need to look carefully into every letter in the word before trying to decipher it.     AAP seems to be  the latest in-thing.    It was already a word but it has re-invented itself  in a new incarnation  through   an acronym.    AAP has hogged limelight and occupied front pages of national newspapers ever since it was launched.   While the meteoric rise of the fledgling party was unexpected (perhaps even to its own founders),  it was the collective dis-illusionment  of common man that catapulted AAP to its stardom.   However,  within just a few months,  AAP  seems more like a child prodigy which has lost its way   after  the  first breakthrough on stage.    

With the announcement of elections to parliament, I hope this is the best occasion to start a healthy (but heated) debate on  current political scene.      It is also a good excuse to re-start the old blog which had come  to a temporary halt   sometime back !   Here is my  personal take on AAP and its various manifestations.     

***

1.0  Austerity is not the exclusive domain of Arvind Kejriwal. I hope everyone would have heard about the following ex or current premiers of different states of India..

 1.1  Achutanandan, chief minister of kerala in the earlier government led by communists, was known for his simplicity. He was known to go for his morning walks wearing lungi.. 

1.2   Mamata Banerjee is famous for her trademark white Bengali cotton saris and hawai chappals. She still uses a Maruti800 or alto car and lives in her ancestral house in one of the gullies of Kolkatta.   

1.3  Manik Sarkar, who has been elected for 3^rd or 4^th term in Tripura is known to be the most honest chief minister ever. He is from CPI(M).  

 

Can we find any reasonable explanation why only Kejrival's style of austerity catches media's attention and no other  chief ministers listed above  get any publicity ? Isnt it obvious that  they are either not charming enough to lure the journalists for juicy soundbytes everyday ?   perhaps also  because they do not want to publicise their simplicity  as a virtue but they practice it as a part of their   inner belief.   I don't think they were or are too naïve not to know the mileage they will get out of this..  but public will watch people in public life anyway and give them  the respect they deserve..  that is how noble souls are expected to behave.  

 

2.0   Austerity and honesty are enough to make a mark in life ?

2.1   Defence Minister Antony is known to carry his resignation letter in his pocket because   he is supposed to be ready to resign anytime, should anyone point any fingers at him.    Unfortunately, it is also true that he is better known for his indecisiveness and inefficiency. 

2.2  I have also read reports about the personal integrity of Prithviraj Chauhan, current chief minister of Maharashtra.   It is also reported that nothing moves in his government because he is too cautious to take any decision, lest his government get any bad name related to some new  scams.

2.3   Enough has been written about the great "Maun" Mohan Singh, who should have peacefully retired 10 years ago  which would have allowed  history to remember him as a great economist for the good job he did under Narasimha Rao.  Nobody will talk about his honesty anymore but he will go down the public memory as someone who set India back by several decades because of his mis-governance.  

 

3.0  Leadership requires vision, clarity and  decisiveness ..

3.1  Singapore is a city nation.  It is also known for its cleanliness and corruption free regime.  It is better known as a business friendly destination with a bustling economy.  By the way, it   is also a democracy.   I don't think, any party wins there  by offering subsidies. 

3.2  Malaysia is another shining example in our own neighbourhood as to how one leader's vision can transform a country within a brief period.  This country is not among the top of the chart of  corruption-free nations.  But  it seems,  Malaysia  has  legalized corruption to bring it under control.   This means, funds get used  for the purpose they are intended for but somebody can make a cut out of it, in a controlled and leagal way.   It is like paying a sales commission. It is not the best way but definitely better than what most other countries  have.  

3.3  Ratan Tata could have well tried out the gimmick of driving nano car to his office.   It would have fetched him some instant publicity. But it ends there.  Finally, people will buy his car only if they find any value in it.   Nobody will complain if he drives  a Mercedes but his company contributes to the society and nation.  Some privileges are legitimate.  So, if a chief minister denies a facility that he is entitled to, he need  not become a hero only on that account.   We need to see beyond that limited viewpoint of simplicity alone. If a facility can augment a minister's efficiency and allow him to contribute more, the expense is worthwhile.          

 

 

3.4  IIT qualification and seemingly good intentions  are not enough to be a good leader. If that was the case, every IITan should have been heading every available  corporate top slot. Most entrepreneurs are college drop outs but they have some abilities which others do not have !  

 

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I do not hesitate   to openly say that I want AAP experiment to fail (atleast temporarily). Not because I am blinded by my admiration for Modi  but because I want AAP team to re-discover their priorities.  It seems that instant success has made them arrogant. If they are committed and show enough patience, they can always come back and they are all young too.    Afterall, their contribution will not go unnoticed,  because their  impact is already being felt across the parties and many are already making their best efforts to follow suit – be it cutting down the number of escort vehicles,  cutting down costs etc.,  These are all welcome changes in public life.   

 

I consciously tried to  make sure that   my point of view on AAP is not negative or skeptical.  On the contrary, I see a bigger chance of their failure because they are likely to collapse on the weight of expectations from public. This is their own fault. And if they fail,  dis-illusionment with public, especially the young voters who form bulk of their sympathizers,  will be very damaging for democracy in the long run.     Presence of members like Medha Petkar whose only claim to fame is leading protests all over the country and achieving nothing else,  also makes AAP a questionable  entity as a team.  They will attract  more such elements who want a platform to get noticed.  AAP will need time to allow the dust to settle in more ways than one.    

 

Governing a nation requires lots of vision.   It also requires administrative and managerial experience.  With their manifesto of subsidies, it is clear that AAP wants to appease the poor or create a permanent vote bank.  Social welfare schemes are there in some developed countries as well but that requires some solid foundation of resources.   We cannot distribute anything for free   unless we have that resource in plenty    -  AAP promised to give free, particularly   those commodities (water and electricity) which are in short supply !  So, priority should have been to rectify leakages, lay pipelines and improve supply at reasonable cost. But obviously, AAP team is  in a hurry and wants to create an illusion that   they can do magic.     This shud be enough the fool people from slums as congress has been doing for decades.  But then how is an IITan different from others ? Perhaps, AAP wants to free India of corruption but also wants to keep India poor (and offer subsidies forever).   This is not the combination any Indian can be proud of.    Everyone wants to see a progressive and prosperous India.   No one would cherish the idea of India going back to the forgettable past of Soviet union which survived  on  subsidies. Therefore, corruption is  an important issue but not the only or "the issue" of top most priority.   AAP's policies seem to be  regressive.  

 

General perception of AAP would have been different if other   members of original Anna team had joined the party.  For example, Kiran Bedi could have added substantially to the credibility factor of the party because of her administrative experience and professional achievements.   By the way, where was  Arvind Kejrival before he was seen sharing stage with Anna ? The sequence of events leading to his "official bungalow" drama   is a big eye opener on his virtues.   He refused government bungalow at first,   later  accepted a 2 storey  building   defending that public should compare his house to the mansion which was used by Sheila Dixit !  But when he was confronted with adverse reaction from public, he refused to move into the allotted bungalow.   This  shows that his so-called nobleness  is very  suspect.   Pursuance of  one's virtue cannot be   subject to public  opinion or reaction  !  .   

 

For now, I only hope wisdom will prevail on AAP  leadership (if there is any) to focus on Delhi where they have a chance to prove themselves.   If they succeed, country's electorate will welcome them.  But success should be hard earned. Instant success does not last.  Nelson Mandela fought hard for many decades to achieve his goal.  His commitment was time-tested. That is why he will be remembered.. Same is the story with Ang San Sui Kii of Burma.   Arvind Kejrival can be our hero  but he has to acquire another virtue called patience.   His patience or lack of it  will decide how history will remember him.    

 

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There are already signs of AAP falling apart with one of its founding members parting ways.  There is something more disturbing.   I happened to read Prof Vaidyanathan's (a Prof in IIMB) article in a local daily where he outlined  outcome of his findings related to source of funding to AAP.   This revelation  is very disturbing.  According to the article,  Ford Foundation (which is the front end of CIA) has been funding many NGOs and individuals who could play  important roles in public life  or carry  the potential to influence public opinion.  As per the article,  among other beneficiaries of Ford foundation are  NGOs run by Mallika Sarabhai, Medha Petkar, Teesta Setalvad etc.,.  So, it seems  not a mere coincidence that such motley crowd of individuals have come together under the umbrella of AAP.   Obviously, there is no clear programme or vision for the entity as a whole.  The only hidden agenda seems to be to keep Modi away from power. There is no prize for guessing that Narendra Modi is not a favourite of US administration.           

 

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Let me end this write up on lighter note by reproducing a compilation of comparisons drawn between possible  policies of Modi and Kejriwal :

 

Kejriwal: Nobody can go to schools and colleges in Delhi unless they are born here!

Modi: We will set up an IIT, IIM, AIIM in EVERY city in India! Anyone can attend any school they want, where they want, they can also go to the best institutions in the world.

 

Kejriwal: FDI is not welcome.

Modi: We will make India the number one destination for FDI.

 

Kejriwal: We will nationalize airports, ban privatization of public utilities. We will make every city in India end up like Kolkatta!

Modi: We will encourage privatization. We will build 100 smart cities in India that will be the envy of the world!

 

Kejriwal: We will fight corruption from the bottom up. We will make every man, woman, and child

become a spy and come to us with videos of sting operations.

Modi: We will fight corruption from the top down. We will run anti-corruption exercises based on well-proven administration processes that have worked well in Gujarat for the last 10 years.

 

Kejriwal: We will catch constables who are taking 10-50 Rupee bribes!

Modi: We will bring back the trillions of rupees stolen by politicians over the last seven decades and stashed away in the banks of Switzerland and the Cayman Islands!

 

Kejriwal: We will give away Kashmir if the Muslims of Kashmir say so.

Modi: We will not allow the enemy to even step on an inch of our Motherland.

 

Kejriwal: Naxalites are also welcome in our party.

Modi: Naxalites will be rooted out and destroyed.

 

Kejriwal: We are supported by the Congress party and we are for the Congress!

Modi: CONGRESS-FREE INDIA IS OUR GOAL! 

 

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-ಬಾಪಿ