Of course leaders are important as they answer the call of the hour by stepping up and inspiring the masses and achieving goals. Most of them, especially political ones, are founded on certain philosophies, thoughts, ideologies and then they just use their personal attributes (superior than others) to execute and propagate. Now not always are these philosophies noble or aligned with 100% of the masses, or even historic precedent, but they still use their superior human traits to further those for various reasons; radical, right wing agenda being one of those. Case in point Hitler, Trump etc.. you get the point. Thomas Jeff, John Adams, Washington, Churchill, Sher Shah Suri, Akbar,all were great leaders who answered the call and addressed the issues at hand.. being the founding fathers of USA, fighting the Brits, Winning a war against a maniac, establishing the first major highways of medieval India, spreading religious tolerance and prosperity in general etc etc.
What’s India’s need of the hour? We have one of the best constitutions, our legal, legislature, executive branches are very well defined and articulated, the local governance right from village to block to district level is well laid out and copiously defined and we have one of the biggest public educational system at all levels.. all that’s missing is effective, disciplined, honest administration at all the rungs of the society and leaders to inspire such administrators, leaders who do not have any hidden agenda and leaders who are not mouth pieces or puppets of a radical institution..leaders who execute to “serve” rather than to “rule”. But alas! Our political system is a breeding ground for power hungry politicians who are out there to make the most in the little period they think they will survive and therefore will do whatever to capture the vote bank and thus prolong their stay in “power”.
Now to Modi. There are two aspects to the man.. the administrator/COO/CMO hat, which he dons very well and on the other hand a shockingly weak leader who is unable to shake off the burden (or duty/joy) of being the mouthpiece of the sangh-parivaar or the image of one who is going around securing vote banks by spreading fear that without BJP Hinduism, as we know it, will seize to exist. I love his discipline, the swachha bharat movement.. he is a great marketeer and probably an even greater administrator, but just like you judge a man by the company he keeps, a leader cannot be judged in isolation.. one has to look at his/her base that he empowers, the sentiments he helps millions harbor in their minds and what he chooses to ignore/not do. Unfortunately, Modi’s base comprises Hindu (that too upper class/castes) nationalists, who believe that he is going to “Make Hinduism Great Again”. Yes, there are strong parallels between what we are witnessing here in the US and India. Give me a BJP and Modi without this aforesaid baggage of hidden agenda and I will gladly embrace him. That would turn BJP into an AAP.. ain;t it (LOL).
Coming to AAP and to Anup’s question. Their priorities are very clearly defined/tracked here: http://www.aaptracker.in/projects (and there is no hidden agenda). If they fail, due to missteps, they fail, but at least their goals address 100% of their base, which probably happens to be 100% of the electorate they serve. I tried googling for something similar for BJP and found this: http://www.electionpromisestracker.in/governments/central-government/. BUT.. and sadly enough, the reason for their downfall (if and when that happens), and what they are most associated with (by national and international media) does not even figure in their list of promises or goals and that’t the part I hate the most about BJP and its leaders. Again.. strong parallels between T and M.
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