Every time I walk past this rose bush in our garden, and notice the abundant gift of buds and flowers, I think about it as a mystery as the plant has 'so much' to give although a small bush! During the last two years, since it was planted in the garden, its habit is to be ornamental with blooming flowers.
Let me comment on a reconciled relationship between two prominent persons in India, one a senior Journalist and another a senior politician after having been in polarised positions ideologically and perceptively!
Mrs Sonia Gandhi, wife of a former Prime Minister of India, late Mr Rajeev Gandhi, is due to release her memoir, Belonging, A journey of Love on 10th November, 2026.
The first interview on her book appeared in the social media, in which Mr N Ram, a former editor of The Hindu, a national daily news paper, shared excerpts of his interview with Mrs Gandhi on her book.
Mr Ram was the one who called for a national press meet in New Delhi on 12 October, 1989, where he alleged that there were bribes given to middle men to acquire Bofors guns for the Indian army when Mr Rajeev Gandhi was the Prime Minister. I happened to be in the flight that Mr Ram took from New Delhi to Chennai, after this most shocking news conference. During the flight, the press reporters present continued seeking clarifications about this allegation. I overheard the conversation in which Mr Ram was categorical about the involvement of an Italian middle man to secure the defence deal. Mr Ram was sure about the reliability of the source of his information. Following this, the then defence minister, Mr V, P. Singh resigned and rose to rally the opposition parties under his leadership to challenge the leadership of the Prime Minister, Mr Rajeev Gandhi.
This discredited the leadership of Mr Rajeev Gandhi and his party lost the next general election, denying him the chance of returning as the Prime Minister, as he was popular Prime Minister.
It is the same Mr N Ram, who took the interview of Mrs Sonia Gandhi the wife of late Mr Rajeev Gandhi after thirty seven years, to talk about her book. He praised the book and was appreciative of the memoir as a candid and captivating narration of her life.
For Mrs Gandhi to give an interview to Mr Ram, because of whom Mr Rajeev Gandhi was discredited and lost his political prospects is another side of this insightful experience in Indian political history.
As I listened to the briefing of Mr Ram yesterday, on his interview with Mrs Gandhi on her book, I felt that he approached her biographical book with an open mind appreciative of how Mrs Gandhi, after loosing her husband in a terrorist attack in Chennai on 21 May, 1991, stayed in public life as a woman of great stature, leading the congress party for 22 years at a stretch as its president.
This meeting between Mr Ram and Mrs Gandhi after long years of intense estrangement, is a historic message of how conciliation or acceptance is possible even in difficult situations. I sense that, in this gesture of acceptance of each other in an accommodative attitude, lies a message of hope, at a time when the politics in India is in a melting pot.
The political leadership currently governing the country and the opposition parties are now in a confrontal engagement! There are acts of commission and omission that the opposition parties hight light about the government, some of which if they are true, are serious departure from good governance.
Let me present this accommodative attitude that Mrs Gandhi and Mr Ram demonstrated in meeting with each other for an interview, as a lesson to learn from about relational engagement in public life! We are co-travellers and fellow citizens although we have different political optics.
How regretful it is to watch the political revengeful attitude towards others with another point of view in Israel, USA, and in some other countries, where social tensions and confrontations are straining the peaceful ambience of social wellness.
I normally stay away from making any politically related comments in this blogposts.
But this conciliatory public expression by two leaders moved me and I could not but share my reflections on it, to appreciate a dignified adult behaviour of magnanimity, tolerance and respectful regard!
It is this, I hope, can be a message to the Prime Minister of India and the leaders of the opposition parties in the Parliament of India, for them to be more consultative and collaborative!
Three cheers to Mrs Gandhi and Mr Ram for showing the path of accommodation and acceptance after a season of strained relationships.
Let me suggest that each of us has a lot to offer to build communicating relationships beyond the constraints we feel about our differences!
The rose bushes in the two photos make that obvious! It is in giving we fulfil the vocation of our being!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment