Wanted Leaders

The first time Delhi gave its mandate, though a cautious one, to Mr Arvind Kejriwal, he let down the people by abandoning his responsibility. Delhi not only forgave him but also extended the mandate with a shocking majority. Once again, his party seems to be letting down the people.

The bickering going on within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is not at all entertaining for the people of Delhi. Delhiites had huge expectations from the Party as proved by the votes given to it. Even before the honeymoon is over the partners have started bloating their egos. What has happened already is a terrible let-down for Delhiites as well as for many other people who had hoped for a better alternative in the party.

The situation in Indian politics vis-a-vis leadership is rather pathetic. Mr Narendra Modi has good leadership skills but is too parochial in thinking to be the leader of a country like India which has more diversity than his imagination can absorb. His emergence as the Prime Minister led to many unholy attacks on religious places, on people’s identities in the name of ghar vapsi, and on the very history of the nation itself. In all probability, Mr Modi will leave the nation twisted and distorted in many ways by the time his tenure as PM is over. He may, however, bring in more economic development at least to one section of the population: the section that is capable of competing in the system of Modian laissez-faire. Some of the others may learn to tap the so-called trickle-down benefits. Those who are not fit to deal with the system have no right to survive. Even their food will be taken away from them in the name of certain holy cows.

The crown prince of the Dynasty is absconding when he is needed the most. He chose to sit under some Bodhi tree in introspection and contemplation when his presence in the Lok Sabha was very important. Will he emerge as an enlightened Platonic philosopher-prince or as an avatar of the mystical Buddha? We don’t know. From whatever we have seen so far, we may deduce that politics does not seem to be his cup of tea.

A country with one-seventh of the world’s population in it does not have at least a handful of efficient and humane leaders! This is a tragic situation indeed.

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