The post COVID season in India was a turbulent season with economic distress, price rise, explosive unemployment, communal politics of the ruling party and thoughts of despair about the future of democratic governance in India.
It was in that context, Mr Gandhi surprised the nation with his preparation for 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', which he undertook by walking from Kanyakumari to Kashmir with the message of 'uniting the country'. In a communally polarised nation, he demonstrated the message opening the door of 'living by loving each other' while he walked the distance with thousands joining him in this missional walk.
It was his second 'yatra' earlier this year, which began from Manipur and ending in Bombay, which articulated the message of social justice. His party picked up that theme for their election campaign in the election held in April and May this year. The election results announced on 4th June gave his coalition of political parties an opportunity to deny the ruling party its majority. Now the ruling party is seeking to form an alliance with two other parties to get the majority in the parliament. Even then it might not reach the half way mark to govern.
I send the three bunches of flowers to Mr Rahul Gandhi, each representing a message of significance for politics of service!
The Lily plant gives flowers two ore three times a year. During the rest of the time, lily plants are in gestation. It took about two years for Mr Gandhi to evolve a political narrative to present to the nation, which found acceptance with people, although it did not give him the majority to govern the nation. The focus to plan and prepare is what is needed if one has to convert the practice of politics from entitlement to serving those who elect the parliamentarians.The two time of Prime Minister of this country did not care to visit or do anything proactively when the ethnic conflict in Manipur devastated that state for about 18 months now. He is accused of allowing a particular community to have its sway on others to displace them from their dwelling places in the hilly side of Manipur. There is even a rumour that the ruling dispensation had an eye on the mineral wealth of the hills for which they wanted the hills to be vacated from human habitation! The roots of evil is within us and and around us. The voice of reason, justice and opportunity for all, would need time to replace the social disharmony and communal mind set! Three cheers to Mr Rahul Gandhi, who took the lead to initiate this change process through his two Yatra .
The second bunch of white Plumeria flowers is perennial. During most of the year the flowers adorn the garden. Mr Rahul Gandhi represents a vision of change for the weaker sections in the society and presented several schemes to make a difference in their lives. With the economic distress affecting the bottom of the pyramid adversely, ad-hoc measures and long term initiatives are needed to mobilise the bottom of our society upward socially and economically. Following the liberalisation starting in 1991, many moved to enjoy the benefits of being in the upper middle class. A corresponding upward mobility from the lower income group to be in the middle class did not occur. It is during the recent electioneering, Mr Rahul Gandhi has been most articulate to propose corrective action to help the lowest in the society to have a dream of better days ahead. The perennial nature of the Plumeria flowers is a symbol of hope and wellness that Mr Gandhi articulates for the poor among us.
Let me greet Mr Rahul Gandhi with a third bunch of spider Lily, the third photo above. The stem and petals are fragile. The plant is rooted in soil and protects the fragile life of its flowers. Every nation offers such a nourishing ambience for all its people. The differences between people on account of religion, languages they speak or regions where they live or social practices they follow are all held together to create social harmony of neighbourly feeling towards each other. Mr Rahul Gandhi having experienced the pain of assassination of his grandmother and father, has emerged to feel the pain of people and to bring politics of service as a reality for people to make them feel cared for and accompanied.
The three bunches of flowers above from our garden, sent to greet Mr Rahul Gandhi carry one message! When one lives predominantly thinking of others and feeling their pain, it is a sure way to bring social change. He covered about 10,000 kilometres during his two yatra, more than half of that on foot, about which he once said, 'It was an inner journey to find himself. I am no more the Rahul Gandhi you were used to. I feel different because, people of India now live in my inner landscape'!
I remember one instance during Mr Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatrea. He met two children who came to greet him, shivering and wearing torn clothes. The winter had set in. He embraced both of them and held them close. A few days later, the whole procession of people walking with him, were in their winter attire, while he continued wearing a T-shirt without any winter clothes. A press reporter asked him, 'how is that he is without winter clothes'? Referring to the two children, whom he noticed to be shivering when he embraced them, he said: 'Till I can feel their distress without the winter clothes, I shall continue wearing ordinary clothes'. He became transformed from securing his wellness to seeking to feel the pain of others by exposing himself to the conditions that others face in their lives. It was this which led him to meet the porters in the railway station and carry a head load, go to the farm to transplant paddy or harvest the grain, visit the roadside two wheeler mechanic shop, engage in carpentry in a carpenter's shop, eat from wayside eateries during his travels, or visit homes unannounced.....! When he came to the end of his yatra in Kashmir in winter, he wore only a T shirt till it started snowing. This amazed many as he seems to deliberately stay vulnerable to feel with those who are disadvantaged. An unusual experience, for a politician to give least attention to his creature comfort!
The only time I met Mr Rahul Gandhi personally was when he visited the Christian Medical College, Vellore in 2009, when he was entering into active politics. He came to meet the students and faculty to 'listen' to the aspirations of medical students and doctors. On his way out after the meeting I met him at the exit gate. While shaking his hands, I said, 'Good wishes to make a change in politics in India', to which he responded, ' I want to discover how change can be brought about' ! He smiled, paused and looked at me, before he moved on to greet others.
Let me suggest that Mr Rahul Gandhi since then experienced some humiliating experiences in his political career including loosing his membership of the parliament for having criticised the prime minister of India.
He emerged from humiliation and orchestrated efforts to denigrate him by the ruling political party and the media, with resilience, large heartedness and ready to engage in politics as means of service.
At 52 years, still unmarried, Mr Rahul Gandhi surprises us by his thoughts and actions. He carried a copy of the constitution of India in his hand during the election rallies and raised it, holding it in his hand for others to see, while he spoke of India as a republic of federal states. That was a symbol of his belief on the foundational view of India as a nation! It brought inspiration to many us. He changed the narrative of the election to a wholesome view of people of India, when the ruling party was campaigning by a communal flavour to the extent of hurting a particular religious community!
As the government formation is taking place, I still do not get a sense of a corrective posture from the ruling party! The prime minster is about 'everything' else than a heart of mindfulness towards people who are disadvantaged. I wait to hear some compliments that he has for others!
It is a long journey to freedom for people in India who live at the bottom of the pyramid. There is a lavish display of wealth! The mark of one's identity seems to come from how much one possesses.
It is a welcome change when Mr Rahul Gandhi lives with a feeling heart. When I saw him play with his dogs at home in a video, I realised that he cultivates the habit of mindfulness through the practice of caring acts!
A caring politician is different from a pompous politician!
Let me send a bunch of jasmine flowers from our garden to Ms. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was a charismatic election campaigner during the recent elections meetings. Her human touch of thoughtfulness, articulating skills, communicating how she feels for those who are disadvantaged, and skills to lift the image of a united India in her listener's mind were extra-ordinary. People listened to her and responded to her love by cheering her warmly. How she awakened her listeners to have a dream of prospects for their future !
The following plant of flowers from our garden is to greet all the caring politicians in India!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment