The sitting row issue of Congress president Rahul Gandhi on republic day celebration of 2018 has shown the mindset of present Indian Governors. The congress media spokesperson, Randeep Singh surjewala says , “ The arrogant rulers deliberately seated congress president Rahul Gandhi in the fourth row, then the sixth row, on Republic Day, discarding all convention .”
Before this, there had been a convention that the Congress president Smt. Sonia Gandhi had been given a seat in the front row. However , Contrary to Rahul Gandhi, the BJP president Amit Shah was accorded a berth in the front row. Why so discrimination between the presidents of two major National Parties? “ I am not bothered about where I am sitting”, -in a statement to NDTV, Rahul Gandhi said.
Did the BJP leaders behave in the same manner, had they given the same treatment? NDTV reminds 2012, “ In 2012 when Congress was in power at the center, the BJP had threatened to boycott functions at Rashtrapati Bhavan because its leaders were not seated at the main table with the President during an At Home that he hosted.”
The great political thinker, Italian diplomat, politician, historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer of the Renaissance period, Niccolo Machiavelli has elaborated how a ruler can gain power and keep it in spite of his enemies. In his political guidebook, The Prince (1513 ), Machiavelli is not concerned with what is morally right, but with what is politically right and effective. Are the present day rulers of our country following the Machiavelli path? This question once again has raised the eyebrows of the political thinkers in the present day scenario.
Does Rahul Gandhi fit into the qualities of a leader as stated by Machiavelli? Let us see what Machiavelli says. To succeed in such a wicked world, Machiavelli says, a prince must be strong as a lion and shrewd as a fox. Following Machiavelli’s theory, the prince (ruler ) might have to trick his enemies and even his own (?) people for the good of the state. He points out that most people think it is praiseworthy in a prince to keep his word and live with integrity.
Machiavelli ‘s arguments equally hold good in the present scenario that in the real world of power and politics, a prince must sometimes mislead the people and lie to his opponents. Kala Dhan Ayega, Sabke Khaton Mein 15-15 Lakh Jama home. Black money will come and every body’s account will be credited with Rs. 15 lacs each.
He adds –For it may be said of men in general that they are ungrateful, voluble, dissemblers, anxious to avoid danger and covetous of gain; as long as you benefit them, they are entirely yours ; they offer you their blood, their goods, their life and their children, when the necessity is remote ; but when it approaches, they revolt . And the prince who has relied solely on their words, without making preparations, is ruined. Giving a clear-cut line, he writes that most people are selfish, fickle and corrupt.
The present-day ruling politicians are just showing the way to the public instead of letting them eat . Have they enlightened by the Machiavellian theory? But can Rahul Gandhi inculcate these qualities of a prince in his style and nature? Perhaps not. That is why he misfits against Modi.
By: JAG MOHAN THAKEN
