Cross Talk
Taking a leaf from Rahul's book
I hope it doesn't run the risk of being misunderstood as an Indian sympathiser to say that Rahul Gandhi's visit to Bangladesh was a breath of fresh air. We saw a 38-year-old dapper young man, scion of the longest ruling family in the largest democracy in the world, whose great-grandfather, grandmother, father and mother, all have been the leading lights of Indian politics. It was impressive to know that he was taking interest in poverty alleviation and rural development. So far, our experience has been to the contrary. Young leaders and their cabals of sidekicks have ruthlessly plundered this country.
It was a breath of fresh air for more than one reason. For one, it showed how a Harvard-educated man turned to the call of destiny in the footsteps of his ancestors. It also showed that he was committed to address two of the most vital issues of his country. Poverty alleviation and rural development lie at the heart of India's challenge in the 21st century. More than 770 million Indians live in the villages, and at least 80% of them have an average daily income of Rs.20, or roughly half a dollar. The future looks bleak. A great majority of them is likely to remain below an income of $1 per day even after another decade.
As an aspiring leader, Rahul is willing to do what it takes. He flies to remote villages by helicopter and spends time with the huddled masses of India who are struggling to scrape three square meals in a day. It has been reported that he often spends the night in these villages, sleeping in huts and eating with villagers. There's no doubt that he is being groomed for the future. And that future he has been grooming in the rural India.
So, the future leader of India came to see and learn, not business, not politics, but a very special thing. He came to learn how human spirit can be ignited with hope so that it fights to crash over its condition. And he came to us, because insomuch as we are afflicted by poverty, we are also credited for creating its antidote. Our very own son-of-the-soil Nobel Laureate proclaimed in his Nobel acceptance speech: "We can put poverty in the museum."
This is where Rahul's visit looms as didactic. It forced us to compare and contrast our own leaders. Horrendous stories have been heard about them, like bats flapping out of dark basements through trapdoors of greed. They stole and amassed wealth with no consideration, either for their country or their people.
In 1958, Jagdish Bhagwati introduced the concept of Immiserising Growth, particularly in connection with international trade. For example, if growth is heavily export biased it will lead to a fall in the terms of trade of the exporting country. It's a situation where economic growth could result in a country being worse off than before.
If anything, our leaders have immiserised us. They have put leadership in the museum, instead of poverty. In fact, what they have done is slightly deviant from what they should have done. They put focus on the pleasure of a few and ignored the wellbeing of many. In the process of alleviating affluence, they have undermined poverty.
I wish these leaders, especially the young ones, were not in jail but in the same room with Rahul Gandhi, conversing on what it means to be a leader and why he must be concerned for rural development and poverty alleviation in the overall interest of the country. It would have been nice if they could compare notes with their guest as to what they learn from their respective elders and how it's more satisfying to uplift people from their miseries than wallow in the wealth snatched from them.
It's often said that a country deserves the leaders it gets. Ours is a country that has become some kind of a showcase for those who are eager to fight poverty, to wrestle their people out of the monstrous grip of a wretchedness that terribly diminishes human dignity. Our leaders should have been eloquent with the greatest mantra of all politics. They could tell rest of the world how ultimate politics could be life transorming, unfettering the hungry and the destitutes from poverty, which is the worst form of slavery.
But Rahul Gandhi's visit has reminded us of the leaders we never had. He reminded us how fortunate we could be only if our young minds in politics, those who were privileged to get both the love and the trust of their people, were grateful enough to serve their country. Yet, what we know about them is alarming. They chose to betray their country. They never showed interest in poverty alleviation or wanted to learn the fundamentals of rural development. What we have seen is the reflection of adorable faces distorted on carnival mirrors.
If our young leaders ever took overseas trips, they never returned with the knowledge that could be applied for the benefit of this country. They went abroad either to spend or hide their money. They have never thought of poverty alleviation, but of wealth creation, surrounding themselves with freeloaders and flunkies.
I bet Rahul Gandhi had come to Bangladesh with adequate briefing. I bet he knew all about our leaders in jail and thought about it in his thoughtful moments. He must have tried to understand the whole thing and wondered why he couldn't find politicians of his age who were interested in this country.
In many Western countries, birth control has increased the number of old people and reduced the number of young people. For one last thing, Rahul Gandhi's visit brought us face to face with a grim reality. It's time to cultivate a new crop of leaders, suitable for the 21st century.
This was one visitor who showed us more than he came to see.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments