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Monday, May 7, 2012

India’s President: A Rubber Stamp Or Worse?

John Quincy Adams said: If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

Does that sound like any of our Presidents? Other than Rajendra Prasad or APJ Kalam, no one fits the description. Leaders are supposed to lead and inspire. If they cannot do so then they should at least look the part. Even a basket case and failed country like Pakistan had a man like Zardari who presents a much more impressive picture than Pratibha Patil (his extreme corrupt past notwithstanding). I am only talking about the way they look while standing next to other leaders.

But let us move beyond looks. In my memory, other than President APJ Kalam, we have never had a president whom we could call President with any degree of pride. Kalam does not look good either. However, in every other way, the man is extremely impressive and inspiring. He was a worthy leader of the nation. He is someone who defines the term – President. However, the Congress definition of president is entirely different. For them, a President is someone who can help the Congress manipulate our Democratic set up to their advantage (at best) or completely subvert Democracy (at worst). After Rajendra Prasad, Kalam was the only worthy man. The rest were the kind to do Congress’ bidding is bringing down non Congress state governments, help impose emergency, manipulate the mandate in Loksabha, manipulate the elections to Congress’ advantage etc. Mrs. Indira Gandhi was a master manipulator of the system. The system still continues as we can see.

To suit their needs, the Congress has always looked for loyalists to install in the President’s chair. Qualifications range from extreme loyalty to making Paratha’s for the Gandhi family ( as has been alleged in case of Pratibha Patil). Giani Zail Singh could not even speak coherently in public. The current President is as impressive as a wet cardboard box and is only known for racking up huge travel bills and helping her son build up his fortune. Of course, another qualification is that the candidate cement the secular credentials of the Congress. It is sickening. Why do we have to have a Muslim or some other minority in the President’ chair? The noise from the likes of Mulayam Yadav and the Communists is amazing. One needs to ask if Mulayam Yadav would ever consider a Muslim leader as a Chief Minister of UP? If not, then why is he hell bent on imposing one on the nation especially some pliant Gandhi Family loyalist like Hamid Ansari?

Indian President is a rubber stamp and a farcical leader. That post is being made into a bigger farce by our political parties with their selfish agendas and brazen pseudo-secularism. Of course I should grow a tail before expecting our leaders to do the right thing.

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