[Reader-list] Feudalism in Pakistan

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Rajen jee

I think the BJP has a tough time to actually adapt itself at an ideological
level with the complexities rather than the Congress, which actually doesn't
talk a lot about these complexities in most of the cases (on a case-specific
basis), and thereby gets the impression of being a party for all. That is
why they ironically got some votes from quite a no. of castes in both Uttar
Pradesh and Assam, and to a smaller extent in many other states as well,
even if they have lost. The BJP won't be in that kind of position.

Therefore, the BJP is on a much difficult terrain.

And for the NDA regime, it should have thought about these things long back.
If they would have taken the steps of introducing the RTI, the NREGA and the
RTF then itself,  the goodwill it could have gained would have been
tremendous. Instead, except for the highways, there are hardly any
achievements for which the NDA is known. (Kargil was first an intelligence
failure and then a success, that too because of the jawans, not because of
our intelligence certainly. As for Godhra and its aftermath, defence scams,
UTI scam, PDS failures, Kandahar fiasco, Parliament attacks, and Akshardham
attack, as well as POTA and POTO, the record speaks for itself)

Secondly, considering the leadership or the PM of India. The PM is an
elitist concern for the middle class and the rich corporates. And the reason
for this is that if someone like Mayawati, or Mulayam (who are corrupt in
their eyes, and I agree here) become the PM, or a tribal (who may be not
corrupt at all and may have no accusations against his/her name) becomes the
PM, then the person may not fit the image of being a PM in the sense of
being someone who the corporate sector and the middle class can be proud of.
It's ironic that many people wanted Kalam to get a second term because he
fitted the image of a President, while Pratibha Patil didn't. And this is
strange because without having tested someone for the President's post, it's
difficult to ascertain whether someone fitted the 'image' or not.

So I perceive and feel that the middle class has an image problem, and that
is not correct because this by definition won't like certain kind of people
to become PM. Only a suave, western-educated or western-style adapting
person, who looks smart and good when in talks with other PM's, would be
liked by this class to be the PM.

My larger concern also is that it's not the PM who determines how things go
in today's times, but the administration. Even Vajpayee couldn't prevent the
Parliament attack,or even Kandahar for that matter, but the point is that
even if Prophet Muhammad or Lord Ram were in their place, they would have
failed as well because of the Indian administration, the Indian Civil
Service and the Indian Police Service, coupled with the other facets of the
administration.

Therefore, our larger concern should be to reform the administration, not to
bicker upon who is the PM. Shastri, I believe, was certainly the People's
Man (PM), which is what a PM should be. Manmohan on the other hand, is
someone who always has his raga to sing rather than look at issues properly.
And of course, he doesn't have the backing to remove 'tainted' ministers
from his cabinet, which of course even Vajpayee didn't have. (Vajpayee
infact protected them by stating that he had a right to choose his council
of ministers.)

Regards

Rakesh