Future PM’s Mumbai Darshan

These are some of my random thoughts on Rahul R. Gandhi’s (Future PM of India, courtesy Nehru dynasty) much publicized recent visit to Mumbai:

Rahul R. Gandhi’s PR agent should be given the award of the best PR in India. The recent spurt in the North Indians Vs Maharashtrians issue had actually come up when RSS asked its member volunteers to protect any so called ‘outsider’ Indians from getting harmed on the streets of Mumbai. This was one and perhaps first such strong and unselfish support to the cause of our national unity (earlier Lalu, Nitish and other parties had made noise for political reasons). But it was Rahul R. Gandhi who stole the centre stage, with making the right noises at the right time and at the right place. Today, most of the people think it as Rahul Vs Sena conflict. But actually, Rahul R. Gandhi parachuted himself into the controversy and denied RSS the goodwill from fighting for the right cause.

Shiv Sena miserably failed to stop Rahul R. Gandhi from harvesting his Mumbai visit. And it was very disappointing because there was so much that the party could do just by applying proper strategy at the right time. For example Rahul’s ride over Mumbai local was much publicised as an example of his humility (though from TV footage I noticed that he had travelled in a First Class compartment). What people care about is their own convenience. If Shiv Sena could have asked at least two dozens of its members to just stand in front of the train which had left with Rahul G on board, and mind it that on the busy Mumbai tracks a few minutes of emergency delay of one train would have led to all the subsequent trains getting cumulatively delayed, it would have resulted in souring the mood of Rahul G and his supporters. People would have then cursed the ‘spoilt kid’ Rahul R Gandhi for being too jealous and making a drama which went out of his hands and led to so much commuter inconvenience! If that disruption of rail services could have went through, Mumbaikars would have remembered Rahul’s trip to Mumbai as a let-down! Along with this, no one would have actually blamed Shiv Sena for disrupting the services because people genuinely believed that Shiv Sena had all legitimate rights to protest Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Mumbai with a ‘Mumbai free for all’ agenda in his mind and on the lips.

The Indian Youth, be in Mumbai or elsewhere, lack the long term vision, are judgemental and have no patience. They are easy to be deceived by charisma of a leader. Rahul R Gandhi’s visit to Mumbai was to attract the youth for the youth wing of INC and he was successful in his attempt. He made all the right gestures (e.g. withdrawing money from an ATM for purpose we don’t know; as he could have used debit or credit cards for his spends) which made the youth feel he was one of them. I don’t know if the youth would be able to see that almost all the young faces in the party are sons or daughters of the past generation of politicians who were loyal to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, and hence those who are serious about politics may not have great chance in the party.

People in Mumbai in general have seen much more drama than provided in this trip. They are immune to it too. So I think this trip would not have given the Congress any single more vote. But it would definitely have thrilled and consolidated the Congress’ present vote banks. On the other hand, I don’t see any cheering from the so called ‘outsiders’ too. If the Congress govt in the state could make a safe heaven for Rahul R Gandhi and he could travel and move around easily without anyone harming him, didn’t the aam admi (common man) too had the right to live with dignity? Was not the same Congress govt in power, 2 years back, when the MNS goons insulted and beat the poor taxi-wallas on the streets, or when they tore away the answer sheets and wiped out the bright career of many of those who had come to appear in the competitive exams? The junta knows that no matter how hard Rahul R Gandhi tries to prove himself as ‘one of them’, he would remain blue-eyed because he has Nehru’s genes.

- Rahul