For those in the corporate sector, who may see themselves getting caught in political webs, the best solution sometimes may be to cut the cord and start afresh elsewhere! Life is too short to endure the misery of politics in everyday
Speaking at my alma mater, National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) a decade ago, Pramod Mahajan, India’s first IT Minister remarked, “After studying in this wonderful management institution I am sure many of you will become corporate executives and businessmen and some will become consultants and a few will be professors. But if nothing else works out, do consider joining politics!” Mahajan was only joking, but a line in the recent biopic on MS Dhoni reminded me that nothing much has changed in the perception of politics and politicians in society. One of the Bihar cricket administrators says in the movie, “You might ask why there are very few sports persons from Bihar at the national level-it’s because we have more interest in politics than other vocations.”
What is the truth today? Politics does continue to carry a tinge of unsavouriness, with the oft repeated incidents of corruption in high places and unseemly imbroglios erupting with regularity all over the country between and sometimes within political parties. As a nation, we can of course take heart from the almost circus like atmosphere that prevailed through the candidate debates in the recently concluded US Presidential race. Nothing could have lowered the status of the contestants more than Trump’s repeated allusions to “that nasty woman” and Clinton joking about her opponent that when he saw the Statue of Liberty, he probably gave her a rating of four and said that if she improved her hairstyle he might consider giving her a five. The personal attacks, the threat to put her in jail and the endless list of allegations and “groping” scandals probably resulted in labelling this the meanest and most insulting campaign ever seen in the history of races for the highest office in the USA and the Western world!
Modi's articulation, particularly in his passionate speeches, in the national language and his easy charm in small group meetings, has truly brought prestige to the highest office in the country
Having said that, one has had interactions with many politicians through the years that have substantially increased respect, not only for the office they fight hard to win and are proud to hold, but also for the dignity they have lent to their office. Prime Minister Modi has brought pride to most Indians, in India and abroad, with his global statesmanship and adroit handling of the recent crisis with Pakistan. His outstanding articulation, particularly in his passionate speeches in the national language and his easy charm in small group meetings has truly brought prestige to the highest office in the country. Through the years, in interactions with Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Atal Vajpayee in my youth days and more recently with younger folk like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jayant Sinha and Arvind Kejriwal, their intelligence and commitment to any cause they chose to espouse has made them beacons of excellence. Closer home, are our Rajya Sabha MPs from the city of Pune, Anu Aga and Vandana Chavan, Anu with her record of selfless social service and Vandana with her passion for the environment and the village of Sudumbre which she has made a truly “adarsh gram” have shown that good human beings make for great politics too and have given hope to future generations that they can aspire to this vocation as a matter of choice and not a last refuse for the jobless!
And of course, our political friends may be justified in pointing to the rest of the country and saying in true Biblical manner “Let him who is without sin among thee be the first to cast a stone”. The shenanigans in some board room battles in India including the recent Tata-Mistry story, the match fixing allegations and the BCCI and IPL controversies have shown that politics, and often dirty politics is not restricted to career politicians alone. Nirmalya Kumar a Cyrus appointee has written a poignant blog after his unceremonious dismissal from the Tata Group wondering what would happen to his well-meaning initiatives and people who would have joined his team with much excitement and expectation at being part of a core team for one of India’s top groups. And while the jury may still be out and will be for some time on the correct side to be taken in the Tata–Mistry boardroom battles, there is no doubt that this demonstration of high level politics will not show the Indian corporate sector in very good light.
How does one deal with politicians when they are practicing their art at a truly reprehensible level? At national political levels, whether in the US or India or any other country in the world, the power of the ballot gives the best possible expression to disapproving voices, as India’s frequent anti-incumbency votes have proved time and again. In sporting arena, both FIFA and BCCI have shown that the machinations of politicians will be tolerated thus far and no further. But in the corporate sector, the complex interplay between politics and hierarchical levels can make the life of apolitical people hell in charged political environments. Those who may see themselves getting caught in such political webs, the best solution may be to cut the cord and start afresh elsewhere! Life is too short to endure the misery of politics in everyday life!
By Dr. Ganesh Natarajan
