New, Improved India
A lot has already been said and written on the subject of an Italian-born potentially becoming the Prime Minister of India. When it was still a probability, people all over the nation started discussing how “shameful” it would be if a country with a billion people would not have a single son-of-the-soil to choose from, as its PM. (Some ministers even resigned in protest !) Me? I just don’t get what all the fuss is about.
I find it surprising that perfectly educated and intelligent folks get so stuck-up about issues like “native born” and “of foreign descent” ! I have read some of the stuff that is being written about on this matter : And, as one blogger points out, Ms. Sonia Gandhi has spent more of her life in India than many of the so-called “Indians” who are now objecting to her assuming prime importance on grounds of being “foreign”. In any case, what makes us more entitled to (or capable of) a post in the government, simply by virtue of being born in the country?
Whether it’s politics or personal security that has made Sonia “denounce” her right to the PM’s post, I simply don’t care. I would evaluate it only in light of what it has meant for the country as a whole. The bottom line is that, in the past 50 years or so since Independence, the greatest economic development I can think of for India was during the time a certain Dr. Manmohan Singh became the country’s Finance Minister and opened up the country to Globalisation and Liberalisation (early 1990s). To an extent, the only other truly “liberal” individual to carry that burden through was Mr. Chidambaram when he joined the ranks of India’s finance ministers sometime between mid- and late- 1990s.
Today, Dr. Manmohan Singh has been elected as the Prime Minister and he has chosen Mr. Chidambaram as his Finance Minister.
Sure, I would ideally want someone less than 74 years of age of be the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports ! But, on the whole, could we have asked for a better deal?
Update : June 2009
Having seen the developments in India over the past five years, and also witnessed the return of the Congress and Manmohan Singh to power in 2009, I now have a different view on this subject. Two posts by Atanu Dey of Deeshaa (1 and 2) have also helped shape my present thinking to conclude that we could have, indeed, asked for a better deal.
I am in complete agreement with you on this issue.as a nation we have elected scoundrels to various positions in the past and did little or nothing to evoke rightful indignation.while this controversy over sonia was raging, a mail was in circulation on the net asking citizens to express their protest by signing a petition.did we not think about such measures to combat corruption and other nefarious practices in our society like dowry,female infanticide and brutality behind bars?We are silly to be debating sonia’s ascent to the highest office when she has emerged victorious through a democratic process that we take pride in..I am very pleased to see dr manmohan singh as prime minister and chidambaram as his able finance minister.Even I was surprised to see Sunil Dutt in that ministry!