Pratap Bhanu Mehta of the Centre for Policy Research has a fine piece in today’s Indian Express on the “Chacha Kalam” phenomenon, and tangentially raises the quite delightful prospect of whether the Missile Man could be a future prime minister.
“The standard narrative about A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s immense popularity emphasises the fact that he was an apolitical individual, above the partisanship and pettiness of what we now take to be politics. But there is good reason to think that the opposite is true. What made him appealing to so many was that he offered a different vision of politics; he came to personify what people, in other times and places, expected of their politicians.
“It is politicians who most need to learn from his conduct. Kalam was engaging in politics in the deeper sense of the term: he had an unerring instinct for what the people were looking for, he never criticised but only proposed alternatives, he levelled distinctions between people not by lowering the elite but by raising the aspirations of masses, and he relentlessly called attention to the fact that the Office was a means not an end. It is always possible to probe further into his motives and compromises. But he succeeded not because he was apolitical but because he had a sense of what people want in a politician: the capacity to project a future full of possibilities with conviction and sincerity.”
Read the full article here: Prime Minister Kalam?
Cartoon courtesy: P. Mahmud/ Praja Vani
It is also true that, if one has to excel in Politics, he should have excelled in his profession earlier…
sadly, most our politicians, politics is THE profession! (or failures in other professions)
For APJ, the nation stood first. His mission and vision was the development of the country and its people. He practiced what he preached. Discipline in both the personal as well as professional level was the great asset for him. Because of his humble background he could understand the problems in their proper perspective. The nation always remembers his for his simplicity. Really an Ajathashatru…
When Indian muslims are in the wrong news, there is one, Abdul Kalam, who is seen respected by one and all, not just because he was our president, but for his great self.
Humanity knows no boundaries. Hats off to Kalam who was respected by one and all.
Kalam saab ne paanch saal me kya kamaal kiya Ji ! He has won the hearts of people of India cutting across the barriers of religion, caste , language, region and even age with his simplicity, open heartedness, transparency and grand vision for great India. He will be a dream choice for the prime minister post . He will win hands down if nation` s topmost executive post is to be filled by direct election. But it is only a wishful thinking to expect Will of common people to prevail over the petty interest of the political parties. However Kalam`s reign will remain a sweet memory for years to come .Kalam saab hajaar hajaar salam.
He brought dignity to the president’s office.
The Best ever.
However Kalam did not put the last signature on Afzal Guru Hanging case
Why ?
DG
With Afzal Guru, Kalam was probably restrained by the UPA. Even then, Kalam could have sent some strong message to the community–but with a homeminister like Patil it was probably very difficult…
Dheerendra, He was too busy in packing up his two suitcases and in attending several send off parties with a smile.
Dr Radhakrisnan earned the name as the Philosopher King of India and Sri Abdul Kalam the Peoples King of India!
ERR, the best ever has to Radhakrishnan! Probably Kalam was second best
Let us not go for superlatives. Please do not put this Kalam alongside that great philosopher Prof Radhakrishnan. ‘Peoples King’? I thought that ‘Kings’ do not exist in independent India! I still want to know what Kalam’s contribution is? Don’t say the rockets and missiles as a there is a technologist bunch who did the hardwork and did not get the credit. I agree that he did not upset the apple carts of BJP government and UPA of Sonia. Generation of my father said that students seated Radhakrishnan on a cart and pulled him all the way to Mysore Railway Station when he left Mysore University for Calcutta. The Professor of Eastern Philosophy at Oxford and the person who put his departmental map on the world. A superb orator who mixed philosophical thoughts very subtly with mundane advice to students when he addressed NIE students in its silver jubilee, and the first time hundreds of students who would not compromise listened spellbound (yours truely among them) during the great man’s delivery of words of wisdom. There is only one great President of India for me and that was the Philosopher that the world listened to.
A Country gets the politicians it desrves. No point in blaming our politicians and Political parties. They are a reflection of our society. They come from among us, not outside us. If our Political parties and Politicians are petty it is because, we as a “People” are Petty.
Kalam was a fantastic President. But can he win an election?? In a democratic process , Election is the only means by which “Vox Populi” is heard. Kalam might only win elections if It is conducted through BLOGS on the internet. Also the voting rights needs to be restricted to persons who can speak and read English and have college Education or have attended an elite English Medium school.
For the common man on the street and in our villages, it is still the Deve Gowda’s and SiddaRamaiah’s who capture their aspirations.
So Until more than 70% of our population are educated with a College Degree and are Netizens (well, they should be second or Third Generation of Educated Persons in their families, Like most of us writing on this blog,because the First Generation of Educated Persons still cannot shake off their Umbullical connections) ,there is no way the “Kalam” Brand of politics can become mainstream.
So Until then I am happy with the DeveGowda’s and SiddaRamaiah’s. Jai DeveGowda!!, Jai Siddaramaiah!!