I just do not understand.
What had the former president APJ Abdul Kalam done that at
least one segment of the political class seems to be fawning over him, and has
gone on to indicate its support for him if he agrees to stand for election to
the office of President of India? Kalam makes the position sound as though it
is a burden!
He was, to be uncharitable about it, a bench warmer. That
is, kept the position warm for the next occupant, the sole responsibility of
that constitutional position. And, for that the exchequer (read, tax payers) had
paid through its nose. This has been the eternal boon conferred on the ephemeral
personality, in an unbroken string of has-beens, who occupies that seat at the
end of the bench.
Sure, Kalam had written some books trying to enthuse Indian
youngsters. Big deal. Do we discern any change on the ground? I don’t. You say,
give him time? I say, put a use-by date. Ask Mukesh Ambani. He will do that in
a jiffy. I expect Ratan Tata to come out with his own book when he formally
relinquishes the helm of the Tata Sons ship. So, the second in the series of
uncharitable statements, Kalam is a book salesman.
The man leveraged many things that bordered on frivolity,
his hair style for one. The parallel I can cite is Einstein and his hair. But,
Einstein declined the offer of Israeli government to be anointed that nations’
president. Why didn’t Kalam do likewise? Third uncharitable comment – he is
vanity driven. He liked his hair style too much. The fashion industry was compelled
to offer compliments, which reinforced his vanity.
Kalam did not understand what strength means. Here is a man
who recited from Thirukkural a million times (showing off his literacy?) and
avowed his allegiance to MKG (he could not have helped doing that) and yet said
that “Strength respects strength” within the limited perspective of how going
nuclear and exhibiting one’s strength gains respect for the nation, respect
through fear. MKG’s fight against the colonialist was from the opposite
direction, soft power against hard power, exposing the latter’s vulnerabilities.
Respect through principled positions. The fourth, Kalam understands issues
superficially at best.
I will end this list here.
Raghuram Ekambaram
2 comments:
I think the reason for Kalam's popularity is precisely his ability to quote the Thirukural and other such books. He is a kind of motivational guru and today's young generation loves that kind of stuff. The BJP must be seeing a harmless Muslim in him. It's good to support a harmless Muslim as far as votebank politics is concerned.
I agree with you that India needs a president who knows the meaning and power of that post.
"who knows the meaning and power of that post" - merely to be cynical about the above "not much meaning" and "No power"!
I understand what you mean, of course.
I don't think APKAK has motivated a single Indian. It is he who started this nonsense about water transfer across basins on a national level. He thought it could be done in 15 years! Such stupidity. And, we treat him as a repository of wisdom! gag me with a fork!
RE
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