Why we are where we are Part 2..end.

I had in my previous post spoken about some problems that were easily correctable but not done. Expanding upon the repeated crisis faced in the last few years I share further evidence of how we have self inflicted most problems.

As I mentioned in my previous post, a problem is not a problem unless it is in your control to resolve. If there are heavy rains, you can do nothing to stop it, so it’s not a problem. But if you have flooding in your road every monsoon, it’s a problem since it is in your control to solve it.

That there were issues pertaining to corruption was well known. That there were repeated statements that corruption was unacceptable is also well known. Now one aspect is how sincere is the govt about  fighting corruption and the other how demonstrative are they in showing that opinion.  It is eminently possible for a govt to continue to be corrupt but ensure that they are shown as fighting corruption and ensuring that corruption is better managed. This govt has failed even in this aspect.

The Anna Hazare movement when it started was clear to everyone that it was gathering momentum. I am sure that agencies like state and central intelligence departments kept the govt appraised about the ground situation. Media including social media gave sufficient hints at the gathering storm.  Now what could the government have done, what could certain young leaders have done ?

When Anna started his  fast if I were a Rahul Gandhi or any of his young colleagues I would have joined hands and expressed solidarity with him, his movement and assured the youngsters of India that young netas understood and empathised with them. That would have defanged the movement greatly even if concrete action was not taken.

When the second fast started in Delhi arresting Anna and making a spectacle of themselves was something any idiot would have avoided but then this govt went and did it. If a Rahul Gandhi wanted to sweep the imagination of the youth without making promises that he couldn’t keep, all he had to do was walk on stage with Anna, express solidarity, say that the problem is complex and he would fight against it and sit on a silent fast for 1 day with Anna and go home. Just by expressing solidarity he would have endeared himself to the youth.

Nothing done instead the govt made a perfect ass of themselves at every stage.

Next came the Delhi rape. If ever a case study is written on how NOT  to manage a crisis, how to mismanage a crisis, how to display utter incompetence, in-sensitiveness and  further inflame the situation then this would win hand down.  It was the perfect storm.

When the crowd gathered near the south/north block  the fact that the police/intelligence community did not anticipate it is itself incredulous. However after seeing the crowd any right minded leader especially some one at the level of Prime Minister could have defanged the crowd so easily. Just see how Presidents in USA reach out to the public when there is a crisis and how quickly.  All that the PM needed to do was walk to the balcony of south block, wield a mega phone and speak to the public, communicate with them, empathise with them,  express solidarity, assure action and demonstrate by some actions that were anyway taken subsequently. I have actually seen and also heard of senior officers, netas in the past actually do this to diffuse a restive upset crowd by standing atop a Jeep or Van. If the PM did not want to do this any of his younger leaders especially a Rahul Gandhi should have done this. What they did instead was use lathi charge, water cannons and police to disperse the crowd. 

If the management of the Anna situation was bad, they plumbed fresh depths on this one.

The  cream  on this bitter  cake of incompetence was the fact that the govt had the ability, urgency, power and will to overturn laws and supreme court rulings  be it regarding the RTI act as applicable to political parties or the barring of criminally convicted netas in politics.  Cynicism and arrogance doesn’t go farther than this.

The cherry on this cake was the constant blaming of the opposition for everything. Each of the issues in the 2 parts of this blog had nothing to do with the opposition. It was a situation completely in control of the government and its leaders, but they miserably failed.

The younger set of leaders  in this government albeit from a dynasty have covered themselves with little glory and have infact either attracted negative comment by their behaviour or enjoying the perks of office.  Considering that most have fancy global university degrees they bring disrepute to the argument that educated folks must enter politics.

The inability of this government  to communicate with the public at large has been so glaring that its beats all logic and words fail me to even comment.

Rahul Gandhi touted as the next white hope of this country is stunningly quiet when required and theoretically voluble when practical  demonstration and articulation of ideas is needed. Listening to him speak reminds me of the Microsoft help feature. Perfectly correct answers but of absolutely no use to anybody.  The only young leader who has stood out like a beacon of hope at least from what one observes is Milind Deora.

In a nutshell  while the media has been smart to  use the word policy paralysis which actually lets this government  off the hook, the reality is that this government has been in complete paralysis except when it suited their selfish ends masquerading as benefiting the people.