Tryst With Destiny

When Obama became president of the US a banner appeared in Lucknow which read

OBAMA IS PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. NOW IT IS TIME FOR MAYAWATI TO BE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

When I read about it my initial reaction was What a blasphemous thought. Mayawati was no Obama. I went to the point of claiming that I would leave India the day Mayawati would be sworn Prime Minister. This is exactly the reaction she draws from any middle class English speaking middle class person. Yet as the election draws to a close I want to ask myself a question Why Not Mayawati?

She has been ridiculed and demonized by the English media and the elite middle class. Some of the things she is accused of are the following

She is uneducated. Can't speak English.

She is not uneducated. Her educational qualification is BA BEd LLB. She is not sophisticated and is often misunderstood as being uneducated. Yes she can't speak English fluently. I find it funny that not being able to speak Hindi-the national language is not considered a disadvantage for aspiring for the the top post but not being fluent in English is. How much more idiosyncratic can it get?

She is Corrupt

Who is not? I am amused when anyone in the Indian political spectrum is accused of being corrupt. Hawala Scam, Bofors Scam, Telephone Scam, Fodder Scam, this scam, that scam. The list goes on.

She is Casteist

Again who is not. I mean whenever a candidate has to decided for any political seat which political party doesn't take into account the caste calculation. The only difference between now and then is that now the elite is being beaten with the same stick which the elite used to beat the dalits for better part of the last century.

She is autocratic

Again have you looked at Gandhi Dynastic Policy. Is it possible for any congressman to show dissent. Our democratic politics is remarkable for allowing the minimum inner party democracy and view. Decision are always taken unanimously. Isn't AIADMK a personal fiefdom of Jayalalitha or TDP of Chandrababu Naidu or SP of Mulayam Singh.

At least let her come with majority of seats before she becomes the prime minister

This claim by a fellow blogger had me in splits. I mean when was the last time a political party got full majority. If my memory serves me correct it was in 1984. I rest my case on this point here.

She is no Obama

Admitted she is not. Obama is a much more unifying figure but then America is a much more homogeneous nation. India is not America. In America Hillary Clinton couldn't even manage the nomination but here in India Wives, Widows, Daughters of great leaders always gets voted back in. It is here that Mayawati stands out. She has no political lineage. If she makes it to the top spot 25% of India would start believing that they can do it.

She lacks Policy

India is a strange democracy. During the run up to the election no discourse on policy takes place. I mean how is BJP different to Congress. Don't they have identical policy. Is the policy of the Indian government really dependent on anyone political party. Wouldn't it be decided by the coalition's common minimum programme. I mean what was the policy of IK Gujral or Mr. Devegowda.

As pointed out it is not anything that is particularly unique about Mayawati other than she is an unsophisticated lady. She is dalit and she has not been educated in institution we respect. It is that we fear these aspects and as saying it as such would be be understood as casteist, and elitist. We are exactly that but are hypocritical enough not to admit it.