There are still miles to go for Rahul Gandhi

If they ask, tell them we are doing brilliantly. In case they probe further and follow up that initial query with searching questions to raise doubts about our claim, don’t argue, do not insist and under no circumstances persist. That’s not our way. We simply go into a denial mode; we say we don’t know. Like Gandhiji’s famous three; let’s hear nothing, see nothing and speak nothing.

We acknowledge that it wasn’t always so in India. Some rulers were voluble, most Gandhis were rather communicative. Mahatma Gandhi was always in dialogue with people. Indira Gandhi was a great sloganeer and Rajiv Gandhi was loquacious; even if it was often misplaced. But times have changed. Now what is the need to communicate? People are in 24/7 touch with us through media and its gladiatorial debates.

Sometimes we are told that in ancient India the king used to go incognito at night into the town to feel the pulse of people. In our opinion such rulers were either insomniacs or paranoid. We hardly stir out even during the day because of Delhi’s chaotic traffic. In any case where should we go at night? Should we go to one of those infamous farm house parties outside Delhi or to some expensive discotheque? We simply don’t have that kind of money.

Some colleagues have been hinting that we should consider going out of the government. That’s easier said than done. They have no idea how slow the wheels of government grind. Just to give one example: if we were to put in our pension papers today, it will take at least two years for the case to be processed. Since we have held many high posts, we need to get no-dues certificate from all of them. In some positions we saw the economic decline of the country like when we were the finance secretary and later the governor of RBI. But like Gandhiji’s three, we take no responsibility for that disastrous period. Our shining moment came when we became the finance minister and miraculously transformed India.

Our big dream of course is the stability of Pakistan We would like that to be our lasting legacy. Some critics say that we should stabilise our prices and cut inflation. But they are narrow minded right wing extremists; they don’t know the basic fundamental of economics which says that the road to lower inflation in India lies directly through Pakistan’s stability. At night we toss restlessly in our bed and pray for peace with Pakistan at any cost, because that would be equivalent to winning a Nobel Prize.

But we digress. We started by talking about talking. And we mentioned in considerable detail our reservations against the idea. Frankly, people should realise that we don’t have the time to talk because we work 18 hours a day. To illustrate; we get up at 6 and by 9 we start work, it is only at 1pm that we break for lunch for 2 hours. Then it is back to the grind up to 7 or 8pm. After that we watch TV to keep in touch with people. Now where is the scope for further debate?

The matter doesn’t end there because if you concede an inch, the opposition demands a yard. Next, they might even say move on and make place for someone young.

Still, being diligent, we called for reports on leaders under similar situation in the world. First example was Fidel Castro; he simply handed over to his brother. We hear Chavez of Venezuela might do the same. But that is their business, how can we produce a brother at this stage in our life.

There are other leaders like that hugely unpronounceable Ahmadinejad. Now, his is hardly an example one should follow. Though there are reports that the fellow may quit sooner or later because of corruption charges against his aide. This simply proves our point that besides having an impossible name like Ahmadi whatever, he is setting a wrong precedent by quitting. He should simply say ‘I don’t know’ and send that aide fellow to jail.
Thankfully there are some leaders of substance still left in the world. They fight to the bitter end for the sanctity of their tenure. Gaddafi is one shining example and that is why we didn’t vote for UN resolution against him. Assad is another one; just as resilient as his father.

Now, is there anything wrong if we insist that the young must wait for their turn. We haven’t even filed the pension papers yet.

— A former ambassador, the writer is a novelist, columnist and an artist