Reading all the reviews pouring on MS under the topic has been a refreshing change from the otherwise regular staple diet of Bollywood movie reviews. It was an interesting experience to read the plethora of views expressed on this topic, though I might not agree with or subscribe to all of them.
Then why write a review so late, when the issue is already dead & the dust settled? The answer is that the discussion has brought forth a couple of interesting issues/topics that I can no longer keep my mouth-shut about.
And yes... my ’’inner voice’’ did speak to me ;-)
Can a Person of Foreign-Origin rule a country?
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This is a ’’can’’ that can open a can of worms. An emotive issue that can lead to shouting matches with both sides sticking to their guns. From the examples of 3 previous examples of foreigners ruling other countries - Fiji, Brazil & Sikkim, which ended in disasters for themselves & the countries; to Advani being a refugee from parts of current-day Pakistan ( BTW... Musharaf was born in Delhi... does that make him eligible too?).
What does the law states in USA, the worlds oldest democracy & faces the dilema of most citizens not being natives of the land? (today & not in some fictional tomorrow). NO PERSON BORN OUTSIDE U.S.A CAN BE US PRESIDENT though he/she happens to be a citizen! Now we are talking about a country & not about some state like California (who would care if Sonia had become CM of Bihar?).
Why can a child born to Indian parents (at least in theory) become the President of US, but not it’s naturalized parents? There-in lies the roots of the nation-hood.
When you are born in country -
1) You are supposed to be loyal to it
2) Hold it above your affiliations to any other country
3) Be proud of the country where you were born ( I come from here)
4) You are considered more loyal than those who changed their citizenship for reasons like money, better life or marriage (isn’t that true?)
5) Being born here, the country is a part of your identity. you have nowhere else to go (even if you want/try to)
This being true irrespective of what color, race, caste, creed & sex the person belongs to!
Can’t then foreigners be leaders of other countries? Yes, they can. If they show exceptional capabilities , skills, achievements & great love to their adopted country.
Sonia Maino-Gandhis Bios
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So far from reading about Sonias bios from respected sources like (Rediff.com), the highlights of her career have been
1) Being a waitress in a Greek restaurant in Cambridge, before marrying Rajiv.
Did she do that to support education? What education? She is not even a graduate! (read point2)
2) Her entry into Lok Sabhas ’Whos Who’ claims she is a graduate from Cambridge in English language. While Cambridge university has expressly denied offering any such ’’English’’ course & ever having had Sonia Maino as it’s student! (as reported by Times).
Agreed (almost) all politicians are liars. But a pathetic liar is a greater liability.
3) It is debatable whether she really fled to Italy during Bangladesh war or took refuge in Italian embassy when Indira Gandhi lost power. But one thing is sure, after marrying Rajiv all that she did till he was assassinated was to cook pasta for her family (a la Rabri devi).
Come to think of it... at least Lalooji participated in anti-emergency movement of JP in those days
4) It is an undeniable fact which even the most ardent Sonia-fan cannot refute (without appearing a nincompoop) is that she didn’t apply for Indian Citizenship (though eligible) for whole 15 years! And when she did, it was the time Rajiv was poised to become the PM of India & the Indian PM having an Italian wife was going to be a political quagmire for Congress.
This is the love of a lady termed as ’Mother of the nation’ by congress MP Govinda. If she indeed be the mother, then we are all orphans.
5) She belongs to Nehru dynasty. Daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi, widow of Rajiv Gandhi, mother of Rahul & Priyanka Gandhi
Who cares??!!
6) When we can have H.D. Devegowda as PM, why not Sonia as PM? Is native Gowda better than foreign-born Sonia?
I am surprised by the choice of person Sonia-loyalists choose to justify her PM candidature! True while Gowda & Giani ’’Sweeper’’ Zail Singh have been PM & Presidents of our unfortunate country, it is also true that these august positions have been graced by the likes of Lal Bahadur Shastri & Babu Rajendra Prasad.
It is only in mathematics that two negatives make a positive & not in real-life. This argument is like ’Okay... you had rotten tomatoes on your face. Now be ready to bear the stink the rotten eggs’.
Moreover making an objective analysis of Sonia vs. Gowda
1) Gowda has a mechanical engineering diploma, while Sonia is just high-school pass
2) Gowda has more political experience (decades) compared to Sonia
3) He was the CM of a state (administrative experience) before becoming PM of the nation
The only things that people found objectionable about him were - He is rustic & behaves like a villager.
Let us not forget that the highly-respectable mandate Sonia-ji & her allies received comes mostly from these very same rustic villagers & their cousins dwelling in slums in metropolitan cities.
My opinions about Lok Sabha & the current political scenario
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If you are still interested in knowing my views on Lok Sabha. I feel the whole borrowed out-dated apparatus should be disbanded, the costly-drama played every couple of years at tax-payers expenses ended & the rule handed over to our capable President APJ Abdul Kalam for the next 25-35 years, till a more educated & better thinking generation (which doesn’t get swayed by promises of free power & cheaper rice) takes over.
Thanks for reading & let your ’’Undar ki Baat’’ (inner voice) flow into the comments section
Jai Hind