archive: Sonia Gandhi, as Prime Minister.. Not as yet
Sonia Gandhi, as Prime Minister.. Not as yet
V. K. Srinivasan
The Hindu
June 1, 1999
Title: Sonia Gandhi, as Prime Minister.. Not as yet
Author: V. K. Srinivasan
Publication: The Hindu
Date: June 1, 1999
In the wobbly political situation to which the nation is getting used,
and which it is condemned to bear for the period till October next,
the is-sues raised by Messrs Sharad Pawar, Tariq Anwar and Purno
Sangma on Mrs. Sonia Gandhi's candidature as Prime Minister, as
distinct from the Congress(I) leadership, serve to provide some
excitement that will, by its very nature, not last very long,
notwithstanding their relevance. This is the nature of Indian
politics.
In stating that "it was not possible that a country of 980 million
with a wealth of education, competence and ability can have anyone
other than an Indian, born on Indian soil, to head its Government,"
the three (now expelled) Congress(I) leaders have raised an issue that
is neither new nor narrow. Not unnaturally, the leaders of political
parties other than the Congress(I) had raised it before, indicating
that it could be a key issue in the coming poll.
The reason offered by the trio, for raising the issue in an epistle to
Mrs. Gandhi herself, is that some of them "had" tried to initiate a
discussion on this issue within the party, and that "regretfully,"
this initiative had been thwarted at every stage. As regards the
significance of the issue, the letter claimed that "it is an issue
which affects not just the security, the economic interest and the
international image of India but hits at the core pride of every
Indian." It requested that Mrs. Gandhi herself should take the
initiative in proposing an amendment to the Constitution that the
offices of the President, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister be
held only by a natural-born Indian citizen.
In a melodramatic response, Mrs. Gandhi tendered her resignation as
the president of the Congress(I), declaring vehemently, "though born
in a foreign land I chose India as my country. I am Indian and I will
remain so till my last breath." In an even more characteristic
response, the CWC claimed that it had rejected the proposal of the
three and that it had unanimously resolved to request Mrs. Gandhi to
continue as the party president. There has been an orchestration of
support and sympathy for her from the Congressmen from different parts
of the country.
By raising the issue and investing it with emotive significance, Mr.
Pawar and others, and a section of the BJP and SP leadership have
tried to play on popular sentiments, but Mrs. Gandhi's nativity is not
the only or the most relevant issue in establishing her credentials to
lead the nation. It has been argued by some that persons of Indian
origin have been Prime Ministers and Presidents of other nations in
which they had settled. This only serves to buttress the argument
that the nativity of a person need not be an issue of critical
importance. The Constitution does not bar a naturalised Indian
citizen from holding high offices. Curiously, the U.S., the land of
immigrants, has a constitutional provision that only those born there
can become President, Vice-President and Chief Justice. But the
Indian ethos is built on the Vedic injunction, "Let noble thoughts
come from all directions," and this has been extended to our rulers.
One should perhaps look at the qualities a Prime Ministerial candidate
should possess, and also see what a country such as India needs in a
leader, to keep national interests safe in a competitive and globally
integrated economy. One need to see whether Mrs. Gandhi has, in a
way, demonstrated that she has these qualities and that she has the
ability and maturity to carry through the world's largest democracy.
Sir Ivor Jennings, an authority on parliamentary democracies, has
suggested that "the Prime Minister has to be not only a close student
of public opinion but also an expert in propaganda. He must know what
to say, when to say it, and when not to say anything. He must give
close attention to the newspapers while realising that the views of
journalists or their proprietors, though having some influence on
public opinion, are their own... He must also study the reports which
the party managers receive from the constituencies and the views which
his supporters in Parliament express in the lobbies .... He ought to
have something of the public appeal of a film actor and must take some
care over his make-tip like Baldwin with his pipes, Churchill with his
cigars ... he ought to be a good orator. Even more important perhaps
is his microphone manners for few attend meetings but millions listen
to a broadcast. Finally it is essential that he should be able to
retain the loyalties of his political friends." A tight-lipped,
taciturn and tacit Mrs. Gandhi, nick-named sphinx by the media has,
till recently, maintained an air of aloofness and imperiousness,
lacking the charisma of Indira Gandhi and the cherubic charm of Rajiv
Gandhi. She has just emerged from the shade and is still to let the
public have a closer view of her strengths and weaknesses.
Perhaps, the strongest reason trotted out by the Congressmen in favour
of Mrs. Gandhi is that the Nehru-Gandhi family had made great
sacrifices in the service of the nation, and that Mrs. Gandhi, as "the
bahu "of the family, is the right person to carry the Nehru-Gandhi
tradition. Public memory may be short but there is history to tell
that Nehru had a long run as Prime Minister (from 1947-1964) and that
Indira Gandhi had two spells from 1965 to 1977 and from 1980 to 1984
and later Rajiv Gandhi from 1984 to 1989. Together, the Nehru-Gandhi
family had a run of the country for 40 years. Even if one is obliged
to concede that ministerial position is the just reward for
participation in the Independence struggle, the Nehru family's 40
years is more than adequate recompense. None of the children or grand
children of Gandhiji, Sardar Patel, C. Rajagopalachari, Dr. Rajendra
Prasad and Subhash Chandra Bose has been put in public position, with
such specious arguments as have been offered by the Congress
sycophants.
It is also noteworthy that if there was anyone who came to Indira
Gandhi's rescue in politics in days of trouble it was Sanjay Gandhi
and not Rajiv. That neither Sanjay, who took to the streets his
mother's issue, with his chosen army of young politicians, nor Mrs.
Maneka Gandhi, who went to the people and got voted to Parliament, is
offered as a candidate for carrying the Nehru-Gandhi mantle, is a
curious commentary on the Congress(I) politics.
If Sanjay was considered arrogant and autocratic and Mrs. Maneka
Gandhi petulant, they had at least gone to the people, the ultimate
arbiters in a democracy. That Mrs. Gandhi did not choose the rough
and tumble of politics while her sister-in-law, Mrs. Maneka Gandhi
chose to go to the people, despite her alienation from the ruling
family preserves and perks, and won more than once, at the hustings,
is a contrast that one should not ignore.
The ten years of protection given to her as the widow of a former
Prime Minister under the S.P.G. Act and the control Of trusts,
generously funded by the Government, are more than adequate
recognition of the Nehru-Gandhi contribution to Indian politics.
However, the distasteful manner in which the former President, Dr. S.
D. Sharma, and Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao were eased out of the
trusteeship of these bodies and the manner in which Mr. Sitaram Kesri
was removed as the party president have shown Mrs. Gandhi and the
party in a poor light. An upset and hurt Mrs. Gandhi is reported to
have asked her partymen, "What have 1 done to deserve this?" She
should only recall the treatment meted out to the senior leaders, Mr.
P. V. Narasimha Rao and Mr. Sitaram Kesri.
One cannot fault Mrs. Gandhi for choosing to remain in the cloisters
of the Prime Minister household, except for occasional public
appearances. That she served two Prime Ministers well in attending to
the needs of her mother-in-law and her husband, is ample testimony to
her qualities as a bahu and a devoted wife, but this could not be a
commendation to her Prime Ministerial candidature. It was perhaps
keeping with her temperament that she chose not to be a political
apprentice under her shrewd mother-in-law or a political aide to her
husband. The choices she had made in the Seventies and the Eighties
do render her present credentials for Prime Ministership rather weak.
Mrs. Gandhi has chosen to be surrounded by persons such as Mr. Arjun
Singh, who has been twice rejected by the electorate, and Mr. Pranab
Mukherjee, who has never faced the electorate. She has appeared to be
more than a willing participant in the political games initiated by
such men. This is only an indication of her political naivete. It
was on the advice of this coterie that she made that preposterous
claim before the President and the media that she had the support of
272 MPs when she could not muster more than 233 MPs even after an
indulgent President so graciously, and yet so unconstitutionally,
allowed her time to cobble together support. The resultant loss of
credibility is no great testimonial to Mrs. Gandhi's grasp of
parliamentary politics and skills of negotiation.
One may also recall yet another gaffe. In a public appearance in
Amethi in 1995, Mrs. Gandhi chose to charge the then Government, run
by her own partymen, with tardiness in the investigation and trial of
persons accused of assassinating her husband. It did not matter to
her that the subject was handled by Mr. P. Chidambaram, a
lawyer-politician considered close to her husband. Subsequent
judicial proceedings proved that her charge was misplaced.
Mrs. Gandhi lacked then as also now any administrative and legal
back-ground. She has unfortunately been showing a tendency to speak
and act on cues from script-writers and her coterie. She needs to
demonstrate that she has a mind of her own to be considered for Prime
Ministership. However, it is not just her desire to keep away from
politics, nor her political naivete that renders her credentials weak,
but a much more serious deficiency - lack of administrative
experience. The leviathan the Government of India is, needs a person
of experience, learning and political savvy, to be its head. Mrs.
Gandhi needs to acquire some experience and knowledge of public
administration before she takes up the reins of the Government.
Despite all her commendable qualities of reticence, patience,
preference for privacy and the like, and some electoral success after
her recent reluctant foray into public affairs, Mrs. Gandhi is not yet
politically mature to be a Prime Minister. She has miles to go. That
happens to be the simple truth. The issue of nativity whether raised
by the BJP or the three expelled Congress(I) leaders them-selves need
not take the nation's time.
Back
Top
|
