Politician + Puppet = President Patil

on Friday, August 3, 2007


The honorary post of the President of the Nation for the first time goes to a woman. Something we all should be proud of, though it took 60 years for a woman to come so far. And in my opinion, undeservedly.

I speak for over 50% of the population when I say, 'Kalam should have been back and I do not like Patil.' The reason why it even makes a difference to the country all of a sudden, who the President of the country is because of Kalam. He raised the standards, made each citizen actually fall in love with him, inspired them and made them realise what a President should be doing. Until Kalam came, not only we did not bother, we also did not know what did we have Presidents for and were confused why The President of America is more important to us than our own President. Probably because, when Bush and Clinton were making big decisions and making America more powerful, our President was relaxing and sipping on his tea in the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Rashtrapati Bhavan is not merely an Office of the President. From a common man's eye, it looks like a building of hope and honour. Standing on the crossroad, with Rashtrapati Bhavan on one side and India Gate on the other, I remember that being the most proud moment of my life. Both mean to me. I do not call myself a patriot, but I am definitely extremely proud of my country. But I am also sad, shocked to see President Patil. She does not appeal to me one bit.

How I am left speechless and helpless, when I see a POLITICIAN turn PRESIDENT. And not just that, but to have a President, who has been under the scanner of CBI for a murder case and more. She may not have been involved directly, but she was definitely involved in 'using' her 'political powers'. This, scares me. Will she do the same with her post as a President. Then I realise 'neah', she is a 'Puppet'. Sonia Gandhi, very politically changed Patil's life. (Seems like she is a master of bringing new old haggard forgotten unknown faces to the two top Posts of the Country.) How nicely, she announced Man Mohan Singh as the P.M. and now Patil as the President. Both, being her puppets. Not like I dislike Singh nor do I dislike Sonia Gandhi, but the sole point remaining - IS PRATIBHA WORTH IT?

I still remember that picture of Kalam on the front pages of all newspapers, when he sworn in as the President. There was confidence dripping, a sparkle in his eye and an aura of self dignity around him, that instantly made many of us feel - 'HE IS THE MAN!' And so he proved. Keeping all biases aside, the first day I saw Patil's picture in the papers and on news channels, when she was nominated. I could not even recognise her. Came across as some 'wannabe' politician who is being pushed up by her Party members. Not even today, now that she is THE PRESIDENT, do I feel that she has the same spark, that new energy that Kalam brought with himself. We are back to square one. A new President who shall be remembered by the next generation as ONLY the First Female President of the Country.