The best way to know the self is feeling oneself at the moments of reckoning. The feeling of being alone, just with your senses, may lead you to think more consciously. More and more of such moments may sensitize ‘you towards you’, towards others. We become regular with introspection and retrospection. We get ‘the’ gradual connect to the higher self we may name Spirituality or God or just a Humane Conscious. We tend to get a rhythm again in life. We need to learn the art of being lonely in crowd while being part of the crowd. A multitude of loneliness in mosaic of relations! One needs to feel it severally, with conscience, before making it a way of life. One needs to live several such lonely moments. One needs to live severallyalone.

Friday 14 December 2012

RAHUL GANDHI’S LOVE FOR POTATO, POTATO CHIPS AND COMPUTERS (III)

THE GUJARAT GAFFE

How, when and what of Rahul Gandhi’s campaign in the Gujarat Assembly Election said the lessons were yet to be learnt.

He began the Gujarat campaigning only on the last day of campaigning for the first phase (December 13, 2012) of the crucial assembly elections that was going to decide many important aspects of the next national elections.

Rahul has much at stake in 2014 and the outcome of the Gujarat election is going to tell us if Modi is going to be Rahul and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s biggest challenger and possibly the ‘nemesis’.

His delayed action in Gujarat only gives space to the opinion that he is yet to regain the confidence that he lost after the election drubbings in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. And to add to it, Rahul began on the wrong note giving Modi chances to exploit his words like the Gujarat’s chief minister had done with Sonia Gandhi by turning the tables.

Okay, Rahul did not go to the extent to breach the strategy-line like Manmohan Singh did this time by raising the issue of plight of Muslims in Gujarat giving Modi a chance to hit back blaming the PM of fomenting divisive politics or like Sonia Gandhi’s ‘Maut Ka Suadagar’ (merchant of death) remark against Modi in the last assembly election in 2007 that gave the communicator in Modi enough ammunition to exploit emotions on divisive lines and polarize votes during the high moments of the final phase of the election process, still what Rahul began with was not in-sync again.

The hurt of 2007 still echoes is clear from the Congress’ strategy of avoiding use of polarizing issues like Godhara, riots or Muslims of Gujarat. But even then, what Rahul spoke of in Gujarat is not expected from a leader who is being projected as the next prime minister of the country. His team must look at these gaffes.

THE POTATO REFERENCE

The old one:  

Rahul Gandhi comes out in strong support of FDI in retail
TNN December 17, 2011

In a Farrukhabad rally, the potato price quoted by Rahul came out to be Rs. 2 or less than Rs. 2 a Kg (The report says, “Surprising all, Rahul told election gatherings across Farrukhabad and Kannauj that FDI would solve the puzzle of a kilogram of potato fetching Rs 2 or less to the farmer and a packet of potato chips costing Rs 10.”) 

Rahul’s quote according to the Hindustan Times: “A packet of potato wafers made of half a potato is sold for Rs. 10, and you get one rupee for a kilo of potato that reaches home for Rs. 10.” (http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/UttarPradesh/Rahul-assures-potato-farmers-FDI/Article1-783124.aspx)

A Business Standard report (January 27, 2012) puts it more clearly: “I was in UP recently,” Gandhi told a gathering of around 5,000 at a public-rally in the border town on Tarn Taran on Wednesday. “There (UP), a farmer asked me that when he was getting Rs 2 for a kilo of potatoes, why a packet of chips was being sold at Rs 10. Can anyone answer this question?” he asked the gathering. The crowd seemed least interested, and when no replies came, Gandhi said, “The answer is FDI in retail.” (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/locals-want-basic-facilities-retail-fdi-not-in-radar/462949/)

Now the recent one:  

War of words heats up as Modi takes on Rahul 'baba'
Rediff, December 11, 2012

Rahul got confused while explaining FDI in retail at Amreli. He asked the audience 'What's the price of potatoes?' From the dias he could hear people say, "Rs 3" To which, he said," Potato chips are sold at Rs 10 a pack. So why oppose FDI in retail?"

The fact is in Amreli, the minimum price for a kg of potatoes is Rs 10 at the wholesale market, and much higher in the retail market.

Accepted Rahul Gandhi would not be going to do shopping so might not be aware of the potato price. But what then his team is for? From December 2011 to December 2012, for Rahul Gandhi, the potato price has gone up by Re. 1 only, and that, too, from the paltry figure of Rs. 2 to Rs. 3 a Kg. Now I need to say a big Bravo! for the team.

I do not do such shopping for my family yet I am aware that it is not even the bulk price of the potato.

Then there were other avoidable things that Rahul said giving more chances to Modi to hit back even more harshly.

To continue..

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/