Sonia Who?
On occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, which is being marked as the International Day of Non Violence by the United Nations this year, Sonia Gandhi today addressed the UN General Assembly.
Normally UN addresses are made by heads of state. So we’re guessing that she must be the prime minister of India. Or at least the president.
But hold on, the prime minister is Manmohan Singh, and the president is Pratibha Patil. So who is this Sonia Gandhi who is representing India at this forum? And who is her son, Rahul Gandhi who is so famously accompanying her on the trip?
Is the president of the Congress party a bigger deal than the official leaders of the country? Oh wait…it’s because she was married into the family that owns India?
Now we understand. Silly us.
Protest and hunger strike in Newyork
Pro Hindu fanatics protesting against Sonia’s visit
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It was embarrassing to watch Sonia speak, specially in the Italian accent, someone who was representing India. I kept thinking what do the other countries think, are they laughing at us. I don’t hate her, its just that I feel embarrassed about her.
As for Rahul, they say he is being groomed to be a PM, and frankly that is a thought that just terrifies me! I hope our electorate shows sense…they showed some recently in UP when he didn’t do well.
Nita,
You can bet your last penny on Rahul being your next PM (or the next one). And you can also bet that he will be more populist than his parents. The elite always seem to find it natural and trendy to be leftist in their politics.
Completely agree on the embarrassment factor. What embarrasses me more is the fact that the Congress party just cannot find any worthy leader in the entire country, but just have to go running to the Gandhis for everything. More so, when the contribution of this family to the country’s progress (or lack of it) is, lets just say, debatable.
When is this going to end? Can we have someone leading the country based on merit and not DNA?
AD: Good post but I am not sure I understood why you are upset by this..
Is it her fault that she gets invited to speak at an assembly of international leaders? Did she somehow orchestrate to get the invitation? Was it, to borrow from Sen Clinton’s past words, a vast “right wing” conspiracy to make the PM and the President appear like ullus?
Besides the functional aspects, the signalling of a role is equally important.
For instance, in the last few months of Tony Blair’s PM-ship, Gordon Brown went globe-hopping as the anointed PM, while TB made himself busy with issues such as job interviews for his next role. I think enough people invited GB assuming he will be next PM.
So if Sonia is invited to speak at the UN General Assembly, perhaps it says something about the poor signalling from the offices of the PM and the President, no?
And if it bothers enough people, I hope they will get out and vote. After all in a democracy, people get the leadership they deserve. If it does not bother them, well who can forcibly change that?
Politics is as much about people as about populism. As long as the electorate remains largely illiterate, issue-based politics in India will largely remain a dream, while personality-based politics remains the norm.
My tuppence. Thanks.
Shefaly – thanks for the comments.
I am not upset by her, but rather by the congress. But then, i also dont like her at all. I dont like king makers.
She could really have become PM. but she made Manmohan singh the PM. Now thats one very intelligent person who can really turn things around for India, but his hands are tied because he is powerless – the congress only listens to what Madam says.
Then there was the issue of the presidential elections…that could be another post altogether
I think that it is just disrespectful to the nation that there is somebody who is officially nothing yet her powers exceed those of the heads of state.
AD – Thanks.
“I think that it is just disrespectful to the nation that there is somebody who is officially nothing yet her powers exceed those of the heads of state.”
And I agree, absolutely.
I do think however that the position holders should claim their legitimate roles too. This sort of shenanigans damage what could be quaintly referred to as the ‘garima’ of the positions..
Thanks.
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