BALASAHEB THACKERAY
PASSES AWAY
INDIA today has a huge leadership vacuum.
Mahatma
Gandhi was truly a
WORLD LEADER, who transcended just about every barrier that divides human
psyche from each other – like, nation, country, race, religion, sex, caste,
colour and any other conceivable barrier on earth, of which, there are many
more.
He was admirably, apolitically Political; He was multi-religious,
and therefore no religion could truly claim him or, he could not claim to be of
any single religion. He loved the people he fought with –and he did not fight
against any one. He fought against practices, habits, prejudices, hatreds – not
against people. He wanted power for people – not for himself. I love him as
world leader. He was nothing short of it. And, there is none else like him.
After Gandhi, India had Jawaharlal Nehru as the next, tallest
leader in the Indian political scene. Nehru was a truly International Political
leader, who could see every international and national issue from an international
perspective – and visualize solutions from such international perspective.
India may have been a fledgling, poor country when he was around – but, Nehru
was richly respected as International leader. If Panchsheel became a failure,
It was because of the Chinese, not because of Nehru, who truly wanted a
peaceful, progressive world order.
India did not have a truly international leader after Nehru. Indira
Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi displayed semblances of National leadership, gaining
acceptability all over India, or, at least in most parts of it. They toured the
whole of India, struck a chord among the common masses all over India, using
English and Hindi both in their conversations, as proved convenient.
But that was the last of any National leadership India ever
had. This is my frank opinion. I do not recall any Political leader having ever
tried to reach out to the common man in all parts of India. The BJP’s tallest
leaders, namely, Vajpayee and Advani were great leaders but they always spoke in Hindi in non-Hindi states
also – and were least understood in those states.
No one else, from any Political party ever tried to strike a
chord in the common man’s heart in all parts of India.
So, today, we have Political contenders appealing to small
sections of Population - to vote for them. And, they find that, that much of
vote is enough to make them win! These are hard electoral realities of today.
Only about 50-60% of total electorate actually vote. This is the tragedy of
India and this should change.
As matters stand, therefore, if 3 contestants are
in the fray, whoever can get about 25% of total votes wins comfortably. That is
real tragedy in a country which boasts of Democracy. Almost no one represents
even the majority of actual voters, leave aside the total electorate. If some elected
members have polled more than 50% of the total electorate, I think, their names
need to be listed separately and they need a Big salute from all.
Electoral Candidates appeal for votes on the basis of caste,
or caste groups, or linguistic basis, or religious basis and so on – and if that
is not enough –only if that is not enough - they appeal on a more accommodative basis –
like, this group plus that group! And, many in that and this group fall for
such carrots. People win on that basis! I do not find any one who appeals on a
nationalistic basis beyond all barriers. Forget about international leadership.
Even National leadership is totally – not almost – it is totally absent. Very
rarely, someone like Sachin Tendulkar may say, I am an Indian first; or, Mumbai
belongs to all Indians..and so on. But, he is not a Political leader at all.
Balasaheb Thackeray was a Political leader. He was, in my
opinion, not a Maharashtra leader – but a Maratha leader. His appeal was always
to the Maratha Manoos. But, a leader, he definitely was. And, he was a frank,
outspoken leader with his own clear opinions on many national subjects – all of
which emanated from his Maratha mindset. And, though he was not against any
religion in particular, he was a Hindu Political leader essentially. And,
essentially he was a good human being too.
We all join his party and his family in condoling his demise.
I always wondered, if only Balasaheb Thackeray was a more
Nationalist leader, and if we had more such national leaders across the
country, how fortunate India could be!
I wish that – at least two or three National leaders must
emanate from each Political Party, and transcend the state, religion and caste
barriers totally. They must sing the common man’s song. All of us, you, me and
him – all of us – must wish for it. It can happen. It must happen. For India’s
sake. For our sake. This division on every conceivable basis of all of us – is just
SUICIDAL.
In Congress, Rahul can strive to become a National leader. He
may take a few years for it. But, I think, he can. A few other younger leaders
in Congress also should and they too can – provided, the Congress High command
does not curtail their efforts.
In BJP, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and NM can all become
National leaders – but will they? Will they reach out to the masses across all
states as effectively as Nehru, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi did? They can –
of that, I have no doubt – but will they? Will Sangh Parivar allow them to?
The communist Parties are prisoners of their ideology – and can’t
come out of it. They can’t strike a chord in ALL PEOPLE.
All other parties are avowedly regional – with no thought what so ever of
ever thinking National. Some Parties think of a few people in each village as
their vote Bank and refuse to see the suffering of the rest.
Some Political Parties are based on fighting some imaginary
enemy who is exploiting them – but most
of the so called exploiters they talk of are BELOW POVERTY LINE masses. But,
these Political Parties too succeed in dividing masses and getting a chunk of
the vote bank.
Bhagavad Gita started with the same foolish political
ideology of Dhritarashtra – Me and Mine versus They. “Me and Mine” in Maha Bharat war could not see
that “THEY” were never exploiters. Among "Me and Mine" also, most were innocent –
and they all became scapegoats for the
Political ambitions of the "ME".
The same thing is happening in India from then, till now. Therefore
do I strongly feel that India today needs strong nationalist leaders who think
above all religions, castes, states, languages and other barriers.
Will we have a few of them? We need them - to unite us. We need them - to make India truly a united, prosperous, respected republic of India - in the world arena.
Then will come the time - to expect some international leaders too - from India
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