19

Feb

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi: An alternative or not?

image

A close-up of a person with glasses AI-generated content may be incorrect.I must admit that it requires immense effort to identify an issue for my column week after week. An issue or a subject which is of interest to me as well as to my readers—a convergence of thought process, like a telepathic connection between me and my audience, whom I have neither seen nor interacted with.

As I was thinking about what to write, it struck me—why not pen down my views on a theme often heard or made to be heard? ‘No alternative to Modi’ is a phrase repeated in markets, social media, and personal interactions. With these words, leaders and political parties are rubbished and ridiculed, thrown into the dustbin. TINA (There is No Alternative) is the name of the game played by interested quarters to dismiss any suggestion of another leader besides our current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

We in the media often face career choices—one being the easy, financially rewarding path of towing the official line and protecting the interests of our employers, or the harder, missionary path of sticking to facts and truth, which invariably demands sacrifices. Today’s journalism, unlike when we entered the profession five decades ago, has become an act of dancing to the owners’ tunes as the institution of the Editor is vanishing rapidly.

Today, I will dare to swim against the popular current, stage-managed by the RSS-BJP’s massive propaganda machinery. I do so fully aware that I will face the wrath of the Sangh Parivar and become a target of social media trolls.

I want to discuss Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, focusing on his speeches during the debate on President Droupadi Murmu’s special address to the joint session of Parliament on January 31—the opening day of the Budget session this year. The President’s address is a statement of policy approved by the Union Cabinet. It is followed by a motion of thanks, moved by ruling party MPs, and adopted after the Prime Minister replies to the debate, defending his government and addressing the issues raised.

 

Column at a Glance
The article reflects on the challenge of selecting relevant topics for a column, focusing on the prevalent narrative of "No alternative to Modi." The author critiques this mindset, which dismisses other political leaders and reduces discourse to mere rhetoric. Highlighting the role of journalism, the author emphasizes the choice between following official narratives or pursuing truth, often at personal risk.
Wednesday Wisdom
By Satish Misra
The piece centers on Rahul Gandhi's recent speeches in the Lok Sabha, where he presented an alternative vision for India, particularly addressing youth unemployment and the decline of the manufacturing sector. Gandhi criticized the "Make in India" initiative, illustrating India's reliance on Chinese production. He also discussed the implications of data ownership in AI, stressing the need for India to regain control over its economic drivers. Ultimately, the author invites readers to consider Gandhi as a viable alternative, noting his clarity and resilience in addressing India's pressing challenges.

 

This year, President Murmu’s address was unusually long, detailing the Modi government’s achievements. Essentially, it was a government report card presented to the people.

Speaking on the motion of thanks, Rahul Gandhi presented an alternative vision for the country, requiring serious scrutiny. His speech focused on a pressing issue—how to tackle youth unemployment. Rather than a concrete course of action, he provided a broad framework for change.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s highly publicized ‘Make in India’ program, Gandhi acknowledged it as a good idea but pointed out that manufacturing’s share in GDP had fallen from 15.3% in 2014 to 12.6% today—the lowest in 60 years. Without directly blaming the Prime Minister, he stated that despite Modi’s efforts, ‘Make in India’ had failed.

Gandhi distinguished between organizing consumption and organizing production, arguing that while every government since 1990 had done well in managing consumption, production had been monopolized by China. Holding up a mobile phone, he illustrated that while it is claimed to be ‘Made in India,’ all its components are manufactured in China, with only the assembly happening in India.

He stressed that India must shift its focus entirely to production. Otherwise, the country will continue running huge deficits, increasing inequality, and facing worsening unemployment-related social tensions. Indicators like rising prison populations, increasing internal security expenses, and growing police force budgets reflect this unrest.

Highlighting the role of data in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Gandhi pointed out that while data from production processes worldwide is controlled by China, India’s consumption data is dominated by American tech giants like Google, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Despite AI’s growing importance, India currently lacks both consumption and production data—handicapping its future potential.

Gandhi identified the problem, traced its causes, and proposed a vision for a solution. This is how societies and nations strategize to create wealth that benefits even the weakest and poorest citizens.

At the end of his speech, Gandhi emphasized the need for clarity, peace, and harmony, stating, “There should be no hatred, no violence, and no anger, because these things are destroying our country.” This universal truth remains evident in history—no nation has progressed amid social unrest and division.

Now, I leave it to your judgment to decide whether the Congress leader is an alternative to Modi. In my assessment, he has a balanced head on sturdy shoulders to carry the burden of India’s challenges.

**************

  • Share:

About Us

We must explain to you how all seds this mistakens idea off denouncing pleasures and praising pain was born and I will give you a completed accounts..

Contact Us

Contact Info

  • 70, Gyan Khand- 4, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. Uttar Pradesh.
  • +91-9810533682
  • info@mediamap.co.in
  • Week Days: 09.00 to 18.00 Sunday: Closed

Fatal error: Uncaught ErrorException: fwrite(): Write of 134 bytes failed with errno=122 Disk quota exceeded in /home2/mediamapco/public_html/system/Session/Handlers/FileHandler.php:407 Stack trace: #0 [internal function]: CodeIgniter\Debug\Exceptions->errorHandler(8, 'fwrite(): Write...', '/home2/mediamap...', 407) #1 /home2/mediamapco/public_html/system/Session/Handlers/FileHandler.php(407): fwrite(Resource id #9, '__ci_last_regen...') #2 [internal function]: CodeIgniter\Session\Handlers\FileHandler->write('d6abf2ca74e1a7e...', '__ci_last_regen...') #3 [internal function]: session_write_close() #4 {main} thrown in /home2/mediamapco/public_html/system/Session/Handlers/FileHandler.php on line 407