Let us imbibe her message of simplicity and rise above pettiness
Archana Dalmia
Chairperson, Grievance Cell, AICC
The fact that we always have something to talk about or to tweet on these days shows that India is a thriving, thinking nation. What can be worrying though is that in the cacophony that sometimes arises over “issues”, the real message may be lost forever.
For, louder isn’t necessarily logical and logic doesn’t always make sense. The louder the voices become, the more incongruous the arguments.
I am referring to the hullabaloo over Sonia Gandhi
travelling economy class. The fact that the thinking class is actually looking at events with eyes askew was well illustrated by the exact opposite reactions caused by another such event. Let me explain. When External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and Minister of State Shashi Tharoor were found living in five-star hotels, a cry went up berating their sensibilities and calling them insensitive, among other things. When Sonia Gandhi made a conscious decision to travel economy, another sort of war cry arose.
This time they mocked at her measures of being austere. I will not comment on the five-star ministers, but I do want to say something about Sonia Gandhi.
We are being myopic when we do not look at the message she is trying to drive home. The government is concerned over the drought situation. The people in power realise the importance of economising. What better way than to lead by example? When it came to spending money, Sonia Gandhi made sure that her partymen took and showed responsibility. “I can do it, so can you,” was what she meant. In fact, her act said in bold letters, “I can, and you will too.”
Logistics disallow Sonia Gandhi to travel economy every time. Leaders like her and others cannot put their life at risk and travel without elaborate security coverage. If it hurts some one’s sensibilities that the government spends too much on her security, then they must understand that it will hurt us immeasurably if she is harmed. We cannot forget that Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead at a time when terrorists were not even half as active. And he was an austere man. But we would miss the woods for the trees if we did not acknowledge the deep symbolism of his lifestyle.
The same holds true for Sonia Gandhi’s resolve to travel economy. The journey was a symbol, a clarion call for all to realise the “need for austerity”.
It was a message to her partymen to make it their religion. It was purely an internal axiom to be followed by the Congress. But being ridiculed is one of the perils that is a fait accompli with power. Sonia Gandhi has shown that she can revolutionise the way we think and act. She is creating a class of people who can turn into agents of change.
The people of the country also know exactly how politicians use such incidents to flap their wings and make a hue and cry. Ironic for Sonia Gandhi’s detractors, because all that they manage to do is direct attention towards the very person they are trying to take it away from. We know that Sonia Gandhi, who has always conducted herself with grace and dignity, need not resort to gimmicks. She has never been even remotely associated with garish display of wealth. She dresses elegantly and understatedly unlike many other women in politics! Her only daughter was married in a quiet private ceremony. Sonia Gandhi has yet not hosted an Iftar party, a norm in politics. A natural calamity made her abstain from unnecessary expenditure. In this particular case, as in the others, she has emerged as a conscientious leader once again.
A strong signal went out to all the members of the Congress about the responsible behaviour expected from them. It’s amusing that the people who criticised Sonia Gandhi will also have to display a measure of austerity in their lives. That is if they value whatever little political standing they have! Even Rahul Gandhi should be lauded for following the diktat. It is no secret that the ease with which he mingled with the working class played a key role in bringing victory to the party. He was as comfortable sitting on a charpoy in a village as he is in a deluxe suite. Then why the furore when he travels by a chair car? It’s a shame that people were hired to pelt the train with stones. The entire nation witnessed the squirming of the politicians who felt immensely insecure at how Rahul Gandhi went sans fanfare and attendant press to a village in UP, eating and living with the villagers.
This just proves that Sonia Gandhi and her children are beyond tokenism. The press would have gone to sea had they got a whiff of Rahul’s plan and he would have had a healthy dose of publicity. But instead, he won deep respect and admiration. He’s setting a tough example to beat and an excellent one to follow. No wonder their actions set off a riot of cackling voices amidst their detractors. Let us doff our hats at the way these two stellar politicians choose to conduct themselves. Let us imbibe their message of simplicity and rise above pettiness.
Archana Dalmia
Chairperson, Grievance Cell, AICC
The fact that we always have something to talk about or to tweet on these days shows that India is a thriving, thinking nation. What can be worrying though is that in the cacophony that sometimes arises over “issues”, the real message may be lost forever.
For, louder isn’t necessarily logical and logic doesn’t always make sense. The louder the voices become, the more incongruous the arguments.
I am referring to the hullabaloo over Sonia Gandhi
travelling economy class. The fact that the thinking class is actually looking at events with eyes askew was well illustrated by the exact opposite reactions caused by another such event. Let me explain. When External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and Minister of State Shashi Tharoor were found living in five-star hotels, a cry went up berating their sensibilities and calling them insensitive, among other things. When Sonia Gandhi made a conscious decision to travel economy, another sort of war cry arose.This time they mocked at her measures of being austere. I will not comment on the five-star ministers, but I do want to say something about Sonia Gandhi.
We are being myopic when we do not look at the message she is trying to drive home. The government is concerned over the drought situation. The people in power realise the importance of economising. What better way than to lead by example? When it came to spending money, Sonia Gandhi made sure that her partymen took and showed responsibility. “I can do it, so can you,” was what she meant. In fact, her act said in bold letters, “I can, and you will too.”
Logistics disallow Sonia Gandhi to travel economy every time. Leaders like her and others cannot put their life at risk and travel without elaborate security coverage. If it hurts some one’s sensibilities that the government spends too much on her security, then they must understand that it will hurt us immeasurably if she is harmed. We cannot forget that Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead at a time when terrorists were not even half as active. And he was an austere man. But we would miss the woods for the trees if we did not acknowledge the deep symbolism of his lifestyle.
The same holds true for Sonia Gandhi’s resolve to travel economy. The journey was a symbol, a clarion call for all to realise the “need for austerity”.
It was a message to her partymen to make it their religion. It was purely an internal axiom to be followed by the Congress. But being ridiculed is one of the perils that is a fait accompli with power. Sonia Gandhi has shown that she can revolutionise the way we think and act. She is creating a class of people who can turn into agents of change.
The people of the country also know exactly how politicians use such incidents to flap their wings and make a hue and cry. Ironic for Sonia Gandhi’s detractors, because all that they manage to do is direct attention towards the very person they are trying to take it away from. We know that Sonia Gandhi, who has always conducted herself with grace and dignity, need not resort to gimmicks. She has never been even remotely associated with garish display of wealth. She dresses elegantly and understatedly unlike many other women in politics! Her only daughter was married in a quiet private ceremony. Sonia Gandhi has yet not hosted an Iftar party, a norm in politics. A natural calamity made her abstain from unnecessary expenditure. In this particular case, as in the others, she has emerged as a conscientious leader once again.
A strong signal went out to all the members of the Congress about the responsible behaviour expected from them. It’s amusing that the people who criticised Sonia Gandhi will also have to display a measure of austerity in their lives. That is if they value whatever little political standing they have! Even Rahul Gandhi should be lauded for following the diktat. It is no secret that the ease with which he mingled with the working class played a key role in bringing victory to the party. He was as comfortable sitting on a charpoy in a village as he is in a deluxe suite. Then why the furore when he travels by a chair car? It’s a shame that people were hired to pelt the train with stones. The entire nation witnessed the squirming of the politicians who felt immensely insecure at how Rahul Gandhi went sans fanfare and attendant press to a village in UP, eating and living with the villagers.
This just proves that Sonia Gandhi and her children are beyond tokenism. The press would have gone to sea had they got a whiff of Rahul’s plan and he would have had a healthy dose of publicity. But instead, he won deep respect and admiration. He’s setting a tough example to beat and an excellent one to follow. No wonder their actions set off a riot of cackling voices amidst their detractors. Let us doff our hats at the way these two stellar politicians choose to conduct themselves. Let us imbibe their message of simplicity and rise above pettiness.
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009
An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative
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