The Birth of a New Leader

Delhi came out to the last democratic citizen wedded to the tenets of the Constitution of India to walk with Rahul Gandhi, to listen to him, to sing, to dance, to observe, to just watch as he and the Congress yatris reached the capital of India after walking for 2800 km. And in the process witnessed the birth of a new leader.

Those of us following the Bharat Jodo Yatra closely through every available piece of information have seen the gradual transformation.The journey on foot through the states of India really draws on the Ugly Duckling parable, with the neglected, ignored, ridiculed person transforming into a mature, confident, compassionate leader.

The message of the yatra was clear from the beginning - for love and harmony to replace hate and violence; along with the economic agenda to tackle price rise and joblessness. But the effort has been an exercise in mass contact, a reaching out, and interactions to help understand the mood of the country, the regions, the Congress party and above all India's citizens. To do so BJY managers brought people from all walks of life into the cordon to walk with Rahul Gandhi, to meet and converse with him; organised conversations with different folk from farmers to small business to students; ensured his press conferences and mass meetings along the way. A learning process that has fed into the leader that the world saw in Delhi with the Red Fort in the background.

Rahul Gandhi, whose oratory follows a conversational style, made important points. One, he ripped into the controllers of the media making it clear to the crowds that it was not the journalists in front of them who were responsible for the censorship of news, but those pulling the rope from behind. And hence 24 hours they spread communal hatred- "Hindu Muslim, Hindu Muslim, Hindu Muslim" he said his voice rising with visible anger- to divide the people. He said he had not seen any such hatred during his padyatra that seemed to be reserved for television channels spouting venom and supporting communal violence.

Two, that this was happening to divert attention from the real issues of livelihood and economic progress.The controllers of the media, Rahul Gandhi said, had no place for the poor, the farmers, the youth, the small business persons and were using hate to divert attention. He gave the analogy of the pickpocket who first diverts the attention of his potential victim and then picks his or her pocket, drawing applause, as he said that this was exactly what these people were doing.

Three, he made it clear during the speech that the names of these two top industrialists were common knowledge by speaking of their control over the media, and then asking the crowd to identify who he was referring to. The unanimous response that came through his mikes as well was ,"Ambani, Adani"

Four, he drew from Hindu religious parables to continue his task of breaking fear. He said that the Hindu religion said no one should be afraid, and it was imperative for people to realise this and break the fear. This has been a constant refrain during his padyatra - do not be fearful, this is your country, these are your rights.

Five, he casually but firmly outlined an economic agenda without appearing to do so. He focused on the youth , farmers, small and medium businesses and thereby made it clear that he and the Congress would work to create jobs, to bring relief to the farmers, and do away with GST in its present form. He spoke of making India a manufacturing hub where the 'made in China' print on all kinds of goods being sold here and across the world was replaced with a "made in India", drawing loud applause.

Six, while Rahul Gandhi has kept away from foreign policy per se he has kept up an attack on the governments 'weak' response to China's control over Indian territory. In Delhi he wanted to know that if the Chinese had not entered and forcibly occupied India's land, then why these several rounds of talks between the two sides? On what, for what, he asked.

The old tags created by the media are not sticking. The old accusations and ridicule is sliding off Rahul Gandhi's back with every kilometre working to establish him as a leader in his own right. The same photographs of the family together that drew derision, are today being embraced by the people as a sign of closeness and love. He has, by sheer persistence and determination that Indians love to see in their leaders established his legitimacy as a mascot of love and harmony; a leader of deep courage as he takes on the mighty without protection; honest and direct in the communication of his views that strengthen the growing perception that he is a leader with conviction; and a pro-people person whose arrogance now appears to be a myth for the masses. Also that he has been wronged by the media and that today makes the common citizen –the old woman, the jobless youth, the wizened farmer-- embrace him..

Rahul Gandhi made two quiet points in his speech, that one does not normally hear from politicians of any hue. One, he said that he knew a mazdoor and a farmer from others as soon as he held or shook their hands. The calloused skin gave their profession away.

And two, that when he was asked by journalists how and why he did not feel cold ( the fact that he is walking in bitter north Indian cold with just a T shirt has drawn many comments) he asked them why did they not ask the same question to the poor of India, to the mazdoor, to the farmer. And that the fact that the yatra had covered 2800 km till now was nothing to boast off when India's toiling masses walked every day, and covered thousands of kilometres in their lives on the roads and in the fields.

After a break, the yatra will resume its journey ending in Kashmir.