Shiv Kumar Padha
The first generation of the Indian leaders after independence, who adorned the apex constitutional posts of the country and steered the nation on the rout of progress and development, didn’t descend spontaneously from the galaxy of big corporate houses nor did they belong to the prosperous or elite class of the society, rather they came from the poor and middle classes of the society who could reach these positions by dint of their resolve, dedication, honesty and spirit of patriotism. These days an army of political leaders are sprouting out from the Indian soil like the chicks coming out from the incubator which, no doubt, look fat and fleshy, but no match for those coming out from the eggs after 21 days hatching in matters of alertness, swiftness and stamina.
India has seen unprecedented churning since 1987 when the Rajiv Gandhi lead congress government got embroiled in the Bofors scandal. Many faces have emerged in the last 20 years in the political arena than 40 years put together during post independence. In the spate of the current volatility we need the type of Indian politicians who possess certain prerequisite traits for long term success, popularity with the grass root party cadre, importance within the party either as a vote catcher, deal maker, ability to get along with others, boldness of action and ease in front of the electronic media. We feel proud of our second and third generation political leaders who emerged from the Indian soil and brought name and laurels for the country and left an indelible mark on the national and international horizon by dint of their vision wisdom and farsightedness. The names of such politicians are worth mentioning here who reached the highest corridors of power through ranks and not by dropping from the parachute from the sky.
Sushma Swaraj started her political carrier in 70’s and became youngest minister. Parmod Mahajan joined RSS in younger age became leader of student wing of BJP. Known as Chief Architect of BJP Shiv Sena coalition government in Maharashtra, Rajesh Pilot was a leader of backward classes and equally acceptable to both rural and urban voters.
Margret Alva got first break in politics in 1974 when she got her elected in Rajya Sabha.
A K Anthony started his carrier as student leader in late 1960 in Kerala congress and became defiance Minister in UPA 2 government. Nitish Kumar started his political carrier in mid-70, became first time MP in 1989 and also became CM of Bihar. Ram Vilas Paswan created history in 1977 by winning MP election in 1989 with highest victory margin in the world. He is the most popular as low-caste Hindu leader of his generation. Mulayam Singh Yadav started his political carrier from a village level and became Chief Minister of UP and DM of India.
Sita Ram Yeturi represents the new leadership of the CPM. He became leader of communist party of India during his student age. The names of K Kamraj, Sita Ram Kesari and Babu Jagjivan Ram will remain in the minds of countrymen forever as the leaders of poor and down-trodden. Lal Bahadur Shastri, Atal Behari Vajpai and Narender Modi, who belonged to the poor families created history and projected India as a powerful, peaceful and progressive nation in the world. PM Modi has proved his worth as a true, patriot, honest and dedicated son of the land who has surpassed his predecessors in registering his victory on economic, diplomatic, defense fronts and has created a prestigious and honorable platform for the countrymen on the international platform. On defence front India has become so strong that our forces can kill the enemies in their own land and territories. The slogans ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kissan of Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Jai Vigyan of Atal Behari Vajpai and Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas, Make In India and Beti Padao, Beti Bachao have infused life and enthusiasm in the nation.
Ram Nath Kovind 14th President of India was the second person from the Dalit cast after Kocheril Raman Narayanan and first member of Bharatiya Janta Party to hold this office. He belonged to the Koli cast who grew up in a small agrarian village where his father ran a small grocery store. He became governor of Bihar in 2015 and was elected as 14th President of India in 2017. Draupadi Murmu the 15th President of largest democracy and highly populated country, belongs to a tribal family from Jharkhand, started her career from a school teacher, councilor legislator, Governor of a state and finally reached the Raisina Hill. There is an endless list of such national leaders who will be remembered for the centuries for the services they rendered to the nation during their life time.
These days’ politics is considered as profitable industry and business under the pretext of service of the people by the veterans of politics. There is great influx of the youngster in the major national and regional political parties these days. Every political leader, minister and the office bearers of these parties plant their family members on their places before they voluntarily or forcibly relinquish their positions, which, consequently give birth to a new brand of politics called elitist politics. This type of politics shrouds the ground level workers from the sight of the party leadership just like the oily layer on the surface of water hides the bottom of the container. These installed and implanted politicians are brought up in the lap of luxury who have never tasted hunger, faced want and hardships in life. They prefer isolation from poor and the common man and have no idea about their plight. These rich entrants cannot visualize the needs and requirements of a common man because they have their direct access in the higher echelons of power irrespective of the parties they belong to. In order to spread their tentacles the political leaders, ex rulers, the millionaires and corporate houses implant their kith and kin in the political parties which have maximum probability of forming governments in the country as well as in the states. In order to please these incumbents, the top brass of the political parties feel pride in rewarding them with positions, prestigious posts and berths in the governments ignoring the ground level workers who sweat in the summer and shiver in winter in order to disseminate the party policies and programs and ensure its victory in the elections. The political leaders, instead of listening to the woes and hardships of the workers push them to the wall. These leaders think that the ground level workers are meant only for arranging the party public meetings, pitching tents, laying carpets arranging the meals for the leaders rather they should understand that these creamy layer politicians are cunning persons who ‘look busy do nothing and cry more, whereas the grass root level workers are like the foundation stone and backbone without which no organization can stand erect. According to one verse ‘Khasht-E-Awal Choon Had Memaar Kaj- Taa Suraiya Meer Vad Dewar Kaz’, if the first foundation stones of a wall is not placed properly the wall so constructed will never remain straight even if it touches the stars..The creamy layer politicians are like the migratory birds which are always in the quest of wet lands. The real strength of any political party rests with the party workers and not with the speech making leaders. Tel To Tilhon Se Nikalta Hai, Kohlu Se Nahin. The quantity of the oil depends on the quality of the oil seeds and not on the quality of the Kohlu.