India’s Obama moment….not yet!

Himanshu Shekhar Maryada Purushottam Ram – is back in reckoning. All thanks to the world’s largest democracy going to polls. I had been hoping against hope that at last the time has come when India would go to polls with agendas like development, economy, health care, and security. With the world’s eyes set on India because of its sheer size and population, elections 2009 are being looked upon as a platform, which would give young India a chance to showcase its vision. With parties emphasizing on young leaders and campaigners – take for example the case of Mahua Mitra who quit her JP Morgan vice president post to help Rahul Gandhi fight Left in its own bastion - West Bengal or Prodyut Bora the IT professional, who handles Lal Krishna Advani’s internet campaign - there was optimism in the air. It made me think that very soon India will have its Obama moment. Alas! My dreams came crashing down when a bright young Gandhi (or the Other Gandhi), English speaking and suave, decided to take the short cut to political recognition. This time it was not LK Advani, who invoked Ram, neither was it Narendra Modi or Bal Thackrey, but a young man, who is ironically not just the outsider in his own family, but also in his party of choice. When Varun Gandhi decided to carve his place among the political who’s who, he allegedly decided to target a community and later on dragged in Ram with slogans like ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in his closing speech. In a way it was in stark contrast to the original Gandhi – the Mahatma’s ‘Hey Ram’. The similarities between him and the Mahatma or even the better known Gandhi family, end with the title. When Bapu said ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram…’ all heads bowed in reverence regardless of whether they were Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Christians, but when Varun remembered Ram, it was for murdering the very ethos which Lord Ram stood for. Pilibhit’s BJP candidate argues that the comments attributed to him were not his and the tapes were doctored, but even then, it is a clear case of publicity hunting, in which this 29- year old son of Sanjay and Maneka Gandhi has been immensely successful. For BJP, the whole thing has come at the worst possible time. Just when the party’s very own man Lal Krishna Advani was busy posturing himself as modern, moderate and IT friendly man, slowly burying hi past antecedents to gradually come out of Vajpayee’s shadow – a ghost from his past has come back to haunt him, courtesy Varun. After the Election Commission’s notice the onus was on Advani to take a call on the issue, but considering the larger Hindu vote bank in mind he and his party has been reluctant in taking a decisive call as of now. BJP is caught in a dilemma and it is obvious to understand party’s dilemma in backing Varun. Advani has a tightrope to walk upon. A soft stand on the other hand will certainly hurt Advani’s acceptability for the nation’s top job post elections. Allies like JD (U) have already expressed their displeasure on BJP’s stand on the issue. Adding to party’s miseries, Varun also went on to add that Muslims had propped up a Sikh….thus alienating a second minority community, which BJP keeps trying to woo and has partnership with in Punjab. Advani will have to check all these permutations and combinations that come with involving Lord Ram in elections- as any miscalculation at this stage may prove fatal. Advani has a chance to do an Obama, minus his age, who when confronted by his pastor’s belligerent comments, went on to clear the air on race and religion, but I have my reservations on whether Advani would ever be able to do that. For an ordinary voter, living in such times can be harrowing. For identifying the right candidate is the biggest challenge. As a voter, I have many questions. Should one vote for the person who one thinks is the right person to solve the problems of his/her area? Or should one vote for a person one wants to see as the Prime Minister of the entire country? But then there is a larger question of sentiment. The question which I should ask is, is there anyone who has the copyright on Ram? Or for that matter who has the exclusive prerogative of championing minority causes? There is still a deep rooted faith that one fine day we shall overcome the casteist rift, the religious biases, the dynastic inclinations, the regional prejudices and think of India as a truly democratic nation. That will truly be India’s Obama moment!