Date: 3/26/2004
.............Rahul Gandhi: Dynasty's new warrior
(WAITING TO BE BLOWN UP IN THE MANNER OF THREE PREVIOUS GANDHIS?)
.........INDIA IS NO MORE BANDIT NEHRU'S COOLIE COLONY)
Rahul Gandhi, whose father, grandmother and great-grandfather were prime ministers of India, said that he would stand in the country's present general election, reign ting a bitter political debate over whether the world's biggest democracy was being "hijacked by dynasty".
The 33-year-old, who studied at Harvard and has worked for an investment bank in London, will stand for election in the north Indian constituency of Amethi. The seat was held by his father, Rajiv, assassinated in 1989, and is currently held by Rahul's mother, the Italian-born Sonia, who leads the opposition Congress party.
The calculation is that the entry of the young, telegenic Gandhis will revitalize the campaign of the Congress party, which has governed India for 42 out of the 57 years since independence, but which has been out of power for nearly a decade.
Many supporters welcomed the move, pointing out that the pair drew thousands of people when they made an impromptu visit to Amethi in January.
It is expected that the emergence of both Rahul and Priyanka will help to blunt the issue of their mother's foreign origins, which has been ruthlessly and successfully exploited by the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party.
The Congress party, which has been reeling from electoral losses in key states, has quietly pushed the children into the limelight - in one advertisement they are seen to morph electronically into the faces of their father and grandmother, Indira, who was killed in 1984.
"Rahul is an extremely serious-minded young man who understands the Congress party's tradition and heritage. He has lots of charisma which will appeal to the rank and file of the party," said Devendra Dwivedi, a former Congress MP and general secretary.
A recent opinion poll showed that 70% supported the entry of the Gandhi children into politics, and 67% said it would enthuse young voters, who make up half of India's 1 billion people.
The BJP, which heads India's ruling coalition government, attacked the move, saying it would have "no effect". "India has rejected dynasty for more than a decade, so this attempt to win votes will fail," said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the BJP's chief spokesman.
Like the Kennedy’s in America, the Gandhis are India's first family of politics, whose rise has been marred by tragedy. Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul's great-grandfather, led the country to independence in 1947. But both Rajiv and Indira Gandhi were prime ministers who were assassinated while in office.
There is no doubt that the family has cast a spell over the 600 million-strong electorate: for 37 years the country had a prime minister from the Gandhi clan. But political commentators say that the main effect of Rahul Gandhi's run for office will be to stop the decline of the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh. India's biggest state was once a party stronghold, but Congress only won 10 out of the 80 seats in the last general election.
"I think it will help to stop the erosion of support in Uttar Pradesh considerably," said one political commentator, AG Noorani. "The Congress does not have the electoral bases of the smaller regional parties, but any impact there will help to stem the BJP tide."
Enter a Gandhi as India embraces its dynasty
India consigned its maharajahs and hereditary monarchs to the scrap heap of history 50 years ago, but the world's largest democracy still can't resist the enchantments of a political dynasty. Congress party says that two members of the same family should not be given tickets to the same election! But party president has given ticket to her own son. Mother and son of the same family are fighting the election.
Here are some instances in the Indian Media and also prestigious News Agency AFP.
NEWS AGENCY: AFP is reporting
"Rahul Gandhi, a Harvard University graduate who used to work for a computer firm in London, bears a striking resemblance to his father, who was slain by Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels in 1991. "
Source:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/76523/1/.html
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Times Of India
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-576319,curpg-2.cms
Education: Studied at St Columba's, Delhi; History honours at St Stephens. Did not have the requisite marks for the course, but was given admission in the sports quota for shooting, amid accusations of using the Gandhi name. Masters in Economics from Harvard, Development Economics at Trinity College Cambridge, also did an engineering design course in software.
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Hindustan Times
He is a Masters in Economics from Harvard and has studied Development Economics at Trinity College Cambridge, with an engineering design course in software also in his kitty. He gave up his career abroad to help his mother Sonia Gandhi at home and in India, he has his own consultancy firm in Gurgaon besides being involved with an NGO Pratham, which focuses on primary education for children.
Source:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5983_633597,004300140007.htm
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Sify News
Source: http://sify.com/news/politics/fullstory.php?id=13436933
The Harvard-educated Rahul currently owns a computer consultancy firm in New Delhi. His candidacy, ironically, runs counter to a ruling by his mother that two members of the same family should not be given tickets to the same election! In any case, the Congress hopes that the 'politics of pedigree' will see them through. However, it must be said that Rahul does not enjoy the advantages that his father and grandmother had when they entered the fray.
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The Guardian
Monday March 22, 2004
The 33-year-old, who studied at Harvard and has worked for an investment bank in London, will stand for election in the north Indian constituency of Amethi. The seat was held by his father, Rajiv, assassinated in 1989, and is currently held by Rahul's mother, the Italian-born Sonia, who leads the opposition Congress party.
Source:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/india/story/0,12559,1174872,00.html
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Rediff
Monday March 22, 2004
What unique skill will the Harvard-educated Rahul bring to the party – is a question that needs to be answered, and answered fast
Source: http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/mar/22espec2.htm
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TOI: Spreading lies!
Education: Studied at St Columba's, Delhi; History honours at St Stephens. Did not have the requisite marks for the course, but was given admission in the sports quota for shooting, amid accusations of using the Gandhi name. Masters in Economics from Harvard, Development Economics at Trinity College Cambridge, also did an engineering design course in software.
BBC reported on Rahul Gandhi, said that he is a whiff of fresh air but his reporter admits that he has no information about Rahul's past. All that your reporter states is that the "details of Rahul's past are still fuzzy. He went to the finest Indian schools and studied economics at foreign universities." It's typical of Gandhi family's deceptive practice. Rajiv Gandhi was projected as a mechanical engineer from Cambridge University, and that Sonia Gandhi had studied English at Cambridge. A fact finder found out that Rajiv had no such degree and that Sonia was an au pair girl taking a night class in Cambridge town but not at the Cambridge University. It is urged that BBC and other media people do not allow itself to become a propaganda tool for the Gandhis in spreading their falsehoods and duping Indian people.
Rahul Gandhi's post-school education and job experience is as follows:
St Stephens - one year, 1989-90
Harvard University - one year, 1990-91
The admission at St Stephens was not on the basis of merit, but on the sports quota. And the sports specialty - rifle shooting. So, one wonders the merit basis about admission to Harvard University.
His job in London? One report below says that he worked for a computer firm. Another says that he was an investment banker. Give the above education; one has to ask questions about competence in either. Of course, education alone is not a sufficient criterion, but it would be considered to be a necessary criteria. There are many who have not completed education, but have made a name for themselves in their chosen field. But this is something that cannot be said of Rahul Gandhi.
Do Rahul Gandhi's minders really think that they can get away with what they are trying to project? Another issue that arises is why does the media (Indian and foreign) are projecting Rahul Gandhi was what he is obviously not. And do they not have the necessary mechanism to investigate the education background? Either someone is lying to them or they are being told facts duly stretched. But then why is the media falling for it? Here are some reports on the subject.
Some points:
1. Does one see a tone of wonderment, bordering on sychopancy?
2. The author says that Rahulji studied at Harvard. But does not say whether he completed his studies, or in which course. Does anyone have any details on the subject?
3. Author also says that Rahulji worked for an investment bank in London. Does anyone know which bank, and how long he was working?
4. The above two points are important, since Smt Soniaji tried to pass herself off as being educated at Cambridge University, and this was officially entered in her bio-data given to Lok Sabha secreteriat. The lie has been now corrected.
5. Author also says that Rahulji worked for an investment bank in London. Does anyone know which bank, and how long he was working? ...
Equally important to know would be whether he made coffee and took out the garbage (as was his mother's profession in England, besides changing diapers) on this job.
What is Rahuls qualification in front of the other youngsters who have attained Qualifications-?
-This Person is drop out, -roaming around with Columbian girls, -there was some case in USA
-What about the $2.00 Billion Dollar Remittances {did all see CAMBRIDGE SPIES in TV? History Channel} -Just the Beginning.
" It is said Jootha Jitna bhi Mehenga ho Pav mein hi pehna jatha hai"-What ever may be the price of shoe-it is worn in the foot.
So is the Case with all this Educated Guys who are hankering AROUND this drop out.
Comments of some people on entry of Rahul into politics
Many people see it as a sycophancy, no doubt-- and fond hope for a miracle to go along.
Rahul has been described by those who have met his 'mentally slow' and worse.
The message Sonia is sending is that the best any Congress leader can hope for is a menial job serving her family interests. No matter how many years one has served in the party, 'ordinary' people -- Najma Hephtullah is the latest example -- serve at the pleasure of these illiterates.
In practical terms, what this means is that the (declining) resources of the Congress will be used mainly to ensure that the family members get elected. The rest of the candidates have to fend for themselves. For Karnataka, the only major state ruled by Congress, this means it will be fleeced to serve Sonia and her brood.
Congress and its supporters say that Rahul Gandhi’s entry into the election fray would blunt the Opposition onslaught against Sonia’s foreign origin?
The entry of Rahul Gandhi is essentially less about the already rubbished foreigner issue and more significantly about adding an entirely new youth dimension (to the party). At least 55 per cent of the electorate is below 30 years of age. We believe that the image implication of Rahul's entry is all about a party that can provide the values that today's young voter is looking for. This image aspect creates a new focus for our communications strategy. Suddenly, the image of the Congress party gets 30 years younger and therefore, more contemporary.
Is Rahul Gandhi: Dynasty's new warrior worthy person http://sify.com/news/politics/fullstory.php?id=13436933
Of late, much of the reports where he was featured were courtesy Juvenitta, his Colombian girlfriend of many years. They were first photographed together watching the 1999 World Cup in England. More recently, Rahul was accused of 'immorality' after staying together with Juvenitta at a resort in Kumarakom, Kerala, even though they were not married! | Quiz: How well do you know Rahul Gandhi? |
The Harvard-educated Rahul currently owns a computer consultancy firm in New Delhi. His candidacy, ironically, runs counter to a ruling by his mother that two members of the same family should not be given tickets to the same election! In any case, the Congress hopes that the 'politics of pedigree' will see them through. However, it must be said that Rahul does not enjoy the advantages that his father and grandmother had when they entered the fray.
It is considered unlikely that Rahul, who has spent most of his adult life in the US and Britain, will be able to rejuvenate the failing fortunes of the 'Grand Old Party' of India. | Don't get your hands dirty, Rahul! |
Political analysts say that the Congress may have a more modest goal; that of reviving the party's fortunes in the key electoral battlefield of Uttar Pradesh. Rahul, who was involved in the running of the Amethi Congress office, might play a crucial role in 'galvanising' the cadre in UP.
'Rajiv dikhenge tumko, Rahul ko jab dekhoge (you will see Rajiv when you look at Rahul) goes the Congress slogan. Be that as it may, apart from the sympathy-wave fuelled victory of 1984, Rajiv was a failure at the hustings
Rahul Gandhi’s sudden appearance on the political scene smacks more of an act of desperation than of dynastic regeneration. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and congress party are desperately casting around for something to save them. As in the past, they settled on yet another generation of the Nehru – Gandhi family.
Political opponents dismiss Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s sudden appearance, saying Bharat has outgrown its reliance on dynasties and describe the congress party as “an incorrigible political flirt, but congress is falling over itself, praising its political astuteness.”
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