What an odd battle: Rahul vs Modi!
There is still around a year to go for the scheduled parliamentary polls, and the country is already buzzing about this contest being fought mainly between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi.
Politically and socially, the two are however a world apart, with each being backed by his respective party for totally different reasons.
At the same time, one is struck by too many odd similarities that mark their personalities — matrimonial status is one, for instance. Both are single. Modi despite having never been seen in public life with any woman, there have been reports about his being a “married man.” Modi’s political rivals have found in this a ready but hot recipe to corner him for hiding his wife from public, his alleged broken ties with his wife and family as well as his having “no respect for his wife.”
On women issue in any case, Modi can never claim to be on a strong turf. Not too long ago, when questioned on weak health of women in Gujarat, the province, which Modi has been ruling since 2002, made a controversial statement by “justifying” their malnutrition with their being too “beauty conscious,” that is why, he said, they were against becoming fat. This obviously invited ire from the people in general.
Rahul has time and again responded to queries about his not getting married by saying that he has “no time” for marriage. Here he is on safer ground than Modi who is least likely to be excused for having “no time” for his “reported” wife.
If the 2014 political battle is indeed going to be between Rahul and Modi, one may expect there to be a major jump in speculations about change in former’s marital status. Regarding Modi, his “reported” wife may be expected to hit headlines. Both are certainly single, where their political image is concerned. The difference is in their matrimonial status, with Modi not viewed as a bachelor.
Indians are known to give importance to “predictions” based on astrology, numerology and numerous other signs as well as symbols. Viewing both Rahul and Modi from this spectrum, one is compelled to deliberate on whether their beards are also linked with these? Agreed, it would be totally inappropriate to take such predictions as guaranteed. But both have been sporting short beards, close to being stubbles. Is it a sheer coincidence that in the race for taking over as the country’s premiership, the two are keeping their faces unshaved, for a particular-size beard out of their own respective sense of whatever their definition of political fashion is? Or they may be doing it purposely, on advise of some fortune-teller(s), according to which, beard is a must for whoever wants to step in as next Indian prime minister.
Who knows, this cyclical prediction helped Manmohan Singh become the prime minister less than a decade ago and is probably expected to remain in force for a few more years. The tragedy is that till this so-called cycle remains in force, if the political “pundits” choose to go by blind faith in predictions, the prime minister’s post will remain out of bounds for women. It makes no sense to give any credence to such forecasts but the question remains, do both Rahul and Modi expect their beards to have a major impact on their political destiny? If so, why?
Interestingly if their beards are growing, the hairline is receding, giving both the contenders a higher forehead than before?
The similarity in their dress pattern can also not be missed. They are most often seen in Indian dresses. While Rahul is largely visible in the typical white kurta pyjama, Modi adds color to a slightly different dress combination.
Now, rather than deliberate on naughty, eh- knotty similarities visible marking both Rahul and Modi’s political images, it is time to reflect on their differences. Unlike Rahul, Modi was not born with a silver spoon. Though politically, each is regarded as a heavy weight in his respective party, physically Rahul has kept himself on the trim side, while Modi is on the heavier side.
Where religion and secularism are concerned, Rahul’s ancestral roots can be linked with Brahmin Hindus, Parsis as well as Christians. Modi hails from Other Backward Classes of Hindu community. Educationally, Rahul has studied in India and abroad, while Modi has studied in Gujarat. Where political speeches are concerned, Rahul can address crowds in English as well as Hindi. Modi is at his best in Gujarati.
Irrespective of these similarities and differences, the buzzword in certain circles is regarding who can really work for the nation. These calculations are based on whether Rahul can be a 24x7 workaholic type, that is virtually work around the clock all seven days of the week or not? Or would Modi prove to be a greater workaholic? Modi already has a reputation of being one. There is no denying that now and then reports have sneaked in about Rahul taking a break by speeding around on a motorcycle. Being close to his immediate family, that is mom and sister, it may not wrong to assume about their getting together now and then. Nothing much can be said about Modi’s personal life, with his apparently keeping a distant from his immediate family, including the reported wife and siblings.
Certainly, notwithstanding their uncanny similarities, vision of the two walking up to the center stage, displays both being a world apart. Will either of the two make it or will remain spectators to somebody else (with or without a beard) finally taking oath as the next prime minister?
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