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I have to grant Sanjay Gandhi at least this: However controversial his politics may have been, when it came to his birthday he kept it quite simple. I do not recall any celebrations or a birthday cake.

And ofcourse no larger than life posters. All that I remember was that his birthday meant setting up blood donation camps by the Youth Congress and, if my memory does not fail me, planting trees. Maybe planting trees did not happen on his birthday but blood donation camps definitely did.

His nephew Rahul Gandhi has not followed his uncle’s footsteps. Neither in politics nor personally. Unlike Sanjay Gandhi or even his cousin Varun Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi has charted his own path and carved a niche. In fact he has done better than both. No controversies, no scandals or blatant misuse of power. Equally it is true that he does not need to resort to tactics like his cousin because the entire Congress Manmohan Singh downwards is at his beck and call. A lot was also made out of his unwillingness to be a minister in Singh’s Cabinet.

But coming back to birthdays. Contrary to his politics, which is work more than noise, his birthday is a much-publicized affair. Even in his absence. Rahul Gandhi is in London and not here to see one sycophant scoring over another. The way they went about beating drums and feeding his posters with cake was absolutely disgusting. Some called him “yuvraj” and others wished that he marry and ride on horseback as per tradition. That, chorused the Congressmen from Uttar Pradesh, would mean two celebrations every year: one on his birthday an another on his wedding. In other words more cakes and more posters to feed.

I cannot fault the Congressmen or their brand of sycophancy. Nor can I expect anything better from them. They have grown up in a culture, which encourages sycophancy and singing praise of those in power.  Fluff more than content.

My mind takes me back to Amethi. And Jagdish Piyush whose sole claim to fame was that he was a local bard. Piyush belongs to Amethi and entered the scene when Rajiv Gandhi chose to contest from there. He was the one who called Priyanka Gandhi “Beti Priyanka amethi ka danka” or some such rubbish. This brought him center stage and Piyush, a non-entity till then,suddenly became famous. Later he positioned himself to be among the “closest” to the Gandhis At one point he told me that he was fit to lead the country as its Prime Minister. Rajiv’s friend and later MP Satish Sharma backed him and from virtually nothing he became a Congress “leader” and  owner of several petrol pumps, which Sharma allotted to people in Amethi. I don’t know where Piyush is now but my guess is that Mrs Sonia Gandhi distanced herself from that breed of self-styled leaders and alleged loyalists. And rightly so.

This is why I cannot fathom why she or her son, both visibly sensible people,  does not put an end to this brand of sycophancy? I am sure it would give her no joy or satisfaction to see cake being smothered over life size posters of her son. The young people or thinking Indians on whose strength the Congress party came to power cannot associate themselves with this brand of politics. If anything they would get disenchanted because image Rahul which has stuck in the minds of average Indians is not one of a cake smothering poster  or a yuvraj riding a horse to wed. On the contrary it is of a young man who is progressive and upfront; one who has respect for people who speak their mind rather than dance to birthday tunes. Or waste money and smear the city with life size posters, which are mocked at by political opponents and decried by sane citizens.

I am unable to get a fix on  why the Gandhis, both Sonia and Rahul, would not forbid such a vulgar display of alleged affection by party workers. Are they enjoying this? Is it a political necessity as some in their inner circle may have made them believe: “Is sabse hawa banti hai” some seasoned Congressmen may have advised them. Yet would they risk being made a public spectacle even if political expediency demands? My guess is no. And my hope: they put an end to this and forbid celebrations which are an embarrassment for the Congress and the nation as a whole. Birthdays are private affairs and best celebrated with close friends as Rahul Gandhi is perhaps doing in London. Yet if the party wants to participate it should do so with a difference. Instead of spending on posters or ordering a 39-kilo cake (to coincide with Rahul Gandhi’s age) it could use the money where it is needed. And touch lives; make a real difference. Only then will Rahul Gandhi or any leader’s birthday will have a meaning…and perhaps set an example for others to follow.

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Posted by Kumkum Chadha on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 8:29 pm 
Filed under India · Tagged Rahul Gandhi, Rahul's birthday, Yuvraj

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