The many Rupees that govern Indian politics

The letter ‘R’ and also the words pronounced similarly, ‘hour’ and ‘our’ have highly unpredictable as well as extremely predictable association with Indian politics, from melodrama, lobbying, campaigning and to that of rhetoric. One is tempted to say the same about the political heights being visualised for Rahul Gandhi. But hold on, this would have been the case even if the letter ‘R’ was not linked with his name. The same was true about his father Rajeev Gandhi’s sudden entry into politics. Rigorous adulation by rote and politicking is ensured for Rahul to play a greater role in coming days. The letter ‘R’ has sneaked in, inviting deliberations on Rahul’s role.

Otherwise, the letter ‘R’ plays a greater role in using religious and regional cards. When the religious card is not played in selecting candidates for the offices of president and vice-president, the regional card is played. The outgoing president Pratibha Patil hails from western India. Interestingly, both candidates who contested the elections to succeed her, Pranab Mukherjee and PA Sangma are from the East. As Patil was preceded by a Muslim, APJ Abdul Kalam from South India, politically the time was not yet appropriate to nominate a Muslim as her successor on both religious and regional grounds. It may be recalled that the religious card was given greater importance when Kalam was endorsed as the presidential candidate by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. Certainly, critics of the BJP’s communal and anti-Muslim stand were fairly stunned at Kalam being nominated as the presidential candidate. But then the BJP was desperate to keep its secular allies together and improve its secular credentials at home and abroad.

The current Congress government used the religious card by nominating a Muslim, Hamid Ansari, as the vice-president. His term ends this year on August 10. Before Ansari’s selection, aspirants hopeful for the Muslim card being played again for this post tried their best to win the Congress high command’s approval. Senior Congress leader Saifuddeen Soz and the National Conference’s Farooq Abdullah — both from Jammu and Kashmir — lobbied hard for this position.

Earlier, speculation prevailed that the regional card may be given greater preference in nominating a vice presidential candidate. In a bid to counter presidential candidate Sangma’s claims for support on ground of his being from a tribal region, there were expectations that the Congress may nominate a tribal candidate for vice president. But the UPA has given in to the religions card by nominating Ansari for the second term as vice-president.

Scams and stings, largely linked with corruption, have added importance to another ‘R’ in the Indian political scenario, which is ironically not easily available. Even if this R prevails, the political trend is to ignore it and make noise over that which only contradicts this R. Not too many Mr or Ms Rights are easily visible in political circles. Besides, their existence matters little to those keen on exciting political frenzy and ‘breaking news.’ Thus, ‘news’ is usually focused on the wrongdoings of Mr and Ms Wrongs.
Interestingly, the regional card in Mukherjee’s favour as Congress candidate for the presidential post may not have worked if everything gave the impression of going in the right direction during his stint as finance minister. Political gossip indicates that rather than blame Mukherjee for inflation and other economic problems, which is also fair as he is not totally and absolutely responsible for the same, the Congress high command opted for a safer course.

Elevate his political stature to constitutionally the highest office in the country and thus pave the way for his graceful retirement from active politics. His ‘hour’ in active politics is thus over.

The right course would be to give importance to yet another ‘R’ for quite a few who have played a long innings in Indian politics. Yes, the time has come when room should be made for retirement from politics of elderly ones, whose political ‘hour’ appears to have reached the end. Paradoxically, there is yet another ‘R’ because of which the retirement-issue is least likely to be ever considered in the political game. There prevails the trend among most to carry on till they actually breathe their last. They are guided by the perception that they are needed in politics whether for regional, regional or as politically right persons. Refusing to even consider retirement, most are firmly addicted to an Indian political code that states, ‘Our hour has not yet come.’

The writer is a senior columnist with specialisation in communication studies and nuclear diplomacy
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