Just when I think that I’ve had enough of trashing the Dynasty, it bounces back with innocuousness, abound. I’m also surprised, how easily and quickly they learn the art of deception the ropes. The latest Gandhi seems to be excelling in this art. Just a few days ago, when we all thought he has severe shortcomings in all departments, Gandhi Jr seems bent upon proving us wrong. He is really strong in what must by now be a family tradition: lies, more lies, damned lies, and the Dynastic mantra.

Now you might wonder what I mean by Dynastic mantra. Here’s my (lengthy) take on it: the illustrious Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty until Rajiv Gandhi’s death were all of native Indian stock. The first member–speaking in independent India’s context–was meritorious on several counts: well-read, modern, idealistic, misguided visionary, and a tireless worker. The second too, of the same native Indian stock, was commendable for various qualities–courageous, forceful, and aggressive. By the time we reach the third generation, I find it hard to discern merit, but in all fairness to Rajiv, here goes–suave, and well-intentioned (e.g. his decision to rope in Sam Pitroda), but easily influenced by self-serving hags in the party, and susceptible to threats by the Opposition. Now we meet with a void. In the absence of a native member (as in born of Indian stock) of the Dynasty, we see a desperate foreigner daughter-in-law trying to prove herself in various spheres. One of her obvious quests is to somehow “show” India that she is “actually an Indian,” her heart beats for the country, her participation in her husband’s seva of the country and the rest, while the entire gamut of her behaviour and words in the past have actually proved the opposite.

Thus was born the need for a mantra which would help prove her Indianness and thereby land her the coveted Prime Minister’s chair.

You’re with me so far? Fine then, let’s go further:

When the BJP and likeminded parties began to aggressively raise the usual questions of foreign origin, our lady was obviously helpless. There was nothing she could disprove; mere shouting-from-rooftops about her Indianness wasn’t going to help when the BJP had tons of evidence to prove the contrary. What does she do? In the Indian traditional style, when parents are old, they are entitled to seek support from their children. You get the drift?

Enter the next generation!

A word or two about the Gen Next:
Firstly, the aspect common to both children is that they have (obviously) led a cushy life, hardly bothering about politics, engrossed in their own worlds with little or no thought of serving the country/people.

Priyanka Vadhera Gandhi: Born Priyanka Gandhi, this pretty princess was given in marriage to a prominent business house, the Vadheras. Is it intentional or accidental that Priyanka chose to retain her maiden surname, Gandhi? Apart from being a dutiful wife and mother among other things, Priyanka has absolutely nothing to her credit in the account of serving people. But yeah, some serviles do wax away to glory, trying to read charm in her character where none exists; or if it does exist, has never been displayed/used.

Rahul Gandhi: The possible(certain?) successor like the Phantom lineage. Like his sister, he has absolutely nothing to show on record that he:

• Is capable
• Is able to understand Indian issues/problems
• Has a past history of service

On the other hand, he has lied about his academic qualifications, each lie bigger than the previous. Once he is a product of Cambridge and Harvard, and in the latest avatar, he is an M Phil (Development Economics)! Now I’d probably believe the same lie told consistently; it’s kind of hard to believe so many versions of his academic qualifications.

Let’s leave all this aside now, and return to what I said in the opening: mastering the ropes and Dynastic mantra. If you randomly pick an interview with Sonia and then compare it with this one with Rahul, you’ll notice the almost-verbatim-similarities: a single example will suffice: the word “husband” is substituted by “father.” This is what I mean by Dynastic Mantra.

What forced you to jump into politics suddenly?
It was not a sudden decision. I had decided to enter politics long back. When I saw my father’s body, I had decided to work for the people he served. It took years for me to get out of the shock of my father’s death. Now here I am in politics.

This was the same person who had very long back told that he was “not interested in politics.” Granted, he is interested, but why didn’t you serve the people? Don’t tell me you needed more than 10 years to come out of “mourning.”

But politics is not an easy game compared to the relaxed life you led?
I never had any relaxed lifestyle. When I worked in London, I used to work long hours daily. If anyone did not deliver at Monitor [the company Rahul worked for in London], he would be told to go. So I worked hard, and the culture of working hard is in my blood. That is what I need in politics too, I believe…..We have just one motive: to serve India in our own way.

I know. Your blood, post-Nehru has worked very hard only when elections were around. Ditto for you. In your own way? Then why didn’t you start early because you had such illustrious predecessors to inspire and guide you? Why did you wait till now, and that, when you know your mom is in deep trouble?

What value will you uphold in politics?
Truth. I have seen that in politics, especially in our country, truth has been the first casualty. My father suffered long because he was forthright. He upheld the truth as sacred. During the Bofors controversy I asked him what was happening. He told me he was being persecuted for telling the truth. I believed in him. He always remains my hero in politics.

Tch tch tch! Ah, Truth! Glorious Truth! Your Forthright Father said this while the Sikhs were being butchered by the thousands on Delhi’s streets, “When a Great Tree falls, the Earth shakes.” Truth of course! Your Forthright Father also said this about the Emergency, “I will not hesitate to impose this if things go out of hand.” Your Forthright Father also sent thousands of Indian soldiers to their deaths in Sri Lanka, on a doomed and unnecessary mission. Truth of course! Your Forthright Father also shamelessly spat on the face of reversed the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Shah Bano case thereby setting an ugly precedent on two counts: that the Parliament, if it has the majority, can pass any unjust law, and two, in this case, denied Shah Bano the basic human dignity guaranteed by the Constitution. Truth of course! What truth did your Forthright Father say in the Bofors case for which he was persecuted? I don’t remember him saying anything like that: at best, he denied (as usual) his involvement in it and long after his death, his cronies systematically destroyed evidence. Truth, of course!

But Bofors still haunts your family.
We are not bothered about it, because there is no truth in the allegations hurled at us. It has been proved in court.

Then why is your mother refusing to have a word with Lindstrom? After all, Truth is on your side and a man doesn’t need to fear “any force in the world if Truth be on his side.” And what about dear Uncle Quattrocchi?

Don’t you think the BJP targetting your mother’s foreign origin will have an impact on the electorate?
The so-called foreign origin of my mother is a non-issue. I have always seen my mother as an Indian. They use all kinds of language against us. We keep quiet because we never descend to such low levels in politics.

Why and how is it a non-issue, pray tell me? It doesn’t matter a whit to me how you see your mother. For all that you care, I see my mother as a native of the USA. Does this entitle her–if she settles there–to aspire for the White House? Low levels? Do you remember your uncle, Sanjay Gandhi? The same man who forcibly sterilized lakhs of people in and around Delhi. The same man who at the height of the Emergency terrorized the entire nation.

Shall we begin the discussion about “low levels” starting with him?