Rahul Gandhi’s speech at the CII Summit concludes to be just like any other oration concerning changes, progress and proposals this nation still needs. Strong vibes were sensed that Mr. Gandhi seems to have been well-prepared for an elocution competition, waiting for his turn. The entire speech of half-hour in length could be summed up as a tasteless recipe – with highly-refined obvious questions that we’ve been facing since our establishment as the batter, adding a spoon-full high-profile vocabulary into the bowl, and finally a pinch of anecdotes over it and some irrelevant clichéd terms as toppings. And voila!
Mr. Gandhi begins with a mild start, addressing the entrepreneurs and press, compelling the seated to visualize India as energy – a force, which according to him, is a force extracted from our sacred rivers – the Ganges, Saraswati and many other water-bodies encircled within our soil, a factual myth derived from the epoch of our 2000-year old history. An urge within me detonated to shout out loud, “Arre bhai, woh sab toh theek hai, par aap kehna kya chahte hain?”
My conscience observed further while he fiddles with the two microphones at the stand. A voice echoed within, “Gather around children; let me tell you the untold story.”
And so he continues; Mr. Gandhi commences with a tale about his train ride with ‘Girish — The Carpenter’, an unbeknown struggler; a face to every common man. He confesses that within Girish, he witnessed his optimistic view towards his struggle; followed by professing more clichés regarding our very own Girish-like struggles and eventually Mr. Gandhi concludes that the common man today, survives his endeavor due to an optimistic approach. Mr. Gandhi, it is ‘tolerance’ and not just optimism that every common man yet strives to achieve the ultimatum even though he curtains it with silence. Pensive questions, obvious promises, statistical facts and poetic devices followed Mr. Gandhi’s discourse. I waited for solutions, alas.
Mr. Gandhi further addresses a critical element and he certainly was victorious over conveying the subject — Education. He impressively diverts the foretold scenario of obvious ‘increase in literacy’ option to a more concerned thought — ‘what are we educating?’ Sumptuously, he gains control over his shaken eloquence and grabs a justified applause over his thesis of linking the educational sector to our industries, a notable thought. Agreeing to the cause, we’re although educated in the finest institutions of our nation but yet, we lack application skills in the industrial sector. I waited for further response but alas, the solutions were backed with the “we need change” conundrum.
A minute passed by as he lost himself through his notes, in silence. Mr. Gandhi always surprises me. Oh, Mr. Gandhi!
He adds another slice of an anecdote consisting of boats, tides, waves, women whilst my philosophical cognizance along with every other viewer, drained. By now it was clear that the speech diverted itself towards winning an ‘Oprah Winfrey advice’. Words turned more complex, questions bewildered me, but a thought again erupted, “Arre yaar, aap kehna kya chahte hai?”
He gloriously wins the hearts and applause of every entrepreneur seated after proposing a partnership with the biggies for entrepreneurial collaboration with the government for the betterment. I was still seated and finally, it was all over.
Mr. Gandhi spoke about China, about bee-hives, he spoke so much! But it was his usual move, as always. His speech was although visionary and momentously noteworthy rather than the party’s usual “theek hai” approach, but yet, this wasn’t new. Mr. Gandhi seems to have questioned rhetorically to the audience seated but failed to profess how to go about the change. He elaborated each problem in symphony, but professed no clear vision towards empowering it. Mr. Gandhi failed to answer his own questions. He confused himself, confused others and even though he tried effortlessly to make sense, it only lead to further confusion. The speech failed to meet a leader’s vision to contribute transformation than just denoting it. Mr. Gandhi should have professed what ‘he’, as a leader, can revolutionize the change we are still waiting for. Being exhausted enchanting and begging for a change, we’re now bushed listening to Gandhian principles and the ‘Sonay ki chidiya’ fallacy! It’s time for realism; it’s time to put theory to practice.
It’s Showtime!