Rahul Writes

(Politics II) (Mumbai) (India V2) (Setu Samudram)

Politics deeper than Sea and Samudram

Hard News

Sonia inaugurates Mumbai sea bridge, now named 'Rajiv Gandhi Setu'

Yesterday on June 30^th, Congress (INC) president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. This is a unique bridge built over part of sea. It will decongest an existing road and make commuters cover a journey of 40 minutes in 15 minutes. State government decided to name the bridge as 'Rajiv Gandhi Setu' in memory of late Prime Minister who was born in the city of Mumbai. Union minister Sharad Pawar suggested this name and termed Rajiv G as 'the only bhoomiputra' (son of the soil) from Mumbai. State govt brought out full page ads in the newspapers and this bridge project was termed as a “pride of Mumbai”.

Soft Analysis

Calling Sonia G for inauguration

Without doubt, it was done keeping the upcoming Maharastra assembly elections in mind. To use her time efficiently, Sonia G also met and chatted with ailing actor Dilip Kumar in a hospital. If she didn’t come to city, we would have saved some public expenses in security, administration and advertisements. Calling a politician like her for inauguration of a project constructed using public funds, was objectionable, but only for the awakened Indians.

Setu project being claimed as achievement of Congress govt

It is a fact that the project was a brain-child of Shiv Sena - BJP government when they were in power in Maharastra. They came up with plans to construct some 55 flyovers in the city of Mumbai (and they did build all these). But by the time planning for this particular sea bridge was done, Congress came into power and it 'announced' this project. But, this remains a baby of SS-BJP government. Not surprising to see Congress seeking its own glory in this; after all, is not 'taking credits for good times and passing the buck for bad times' the USP of Congress governments?

Sea Bridge as a matter of pride for Mumbai and India

The project was to get completed in 3 years; we did it in 8. In the same time, China made five such bridges (source: HT). The cost was planned to be Rs 400 Crores; we spent Rs 1600 Crores. And the project was not at all totally indigenous like the Tata Indica or Tata Nano projects had been. But I fear if I still don't feel 'proud' of this project, I will be branded 'communal' by Sonia G :)

Bridge named as 'Rajiv Gandhi Setu'

Just two days before, our Home Minister P Chidambaram had condemned UP Chief Minister Mayawati for installing her own statues using public funds. I see the same craving for name-and-fame clearly visible in this case too, when the Congress names each such project after some or the other family member of Nehru dynasty. But after all, it is the way dynasties are run ' otherwise people may forget them!

Rajiv G was a 'son of the soil' from Mumbai

This was the best part. Sharad Pawar made this statement when he suggested Rajiv's name for the bridge; while Sonia G thanked him for his gesture. It is amusing to find out which of these two were foolish :) It was Sharad Pawar who had revolted against Sonia in 1999 pointing at her Italian-born status and demanded an India-born person to be projected as PM candidate - and 'India-born' meant the same ' 'son of the soil'! And still, Sonia accepted this 'logic' for the bridge to be named in this manner :)

Curious Connection

Ram Setu and Rajiv Setu

It is interesting to see this so called 'first sea bridge' in India being named 'Rajiv Setu' on the lines of 'Ram Setu' which remains in ruins connecting India and Sri Lanka. While Ram led his army to destroy the evil-doer demon-king Ravana, centuries later Rajiv also marched Indian paramilitary forces into the same Sri Lanka, but got more than 1200 Indian personnel (officially) killed, and a huge amount of humanitarian violations done on the Tamils. While Ram didn’t even flinch to send off demoness Shurpnakha who came to harm him from the Lankan Island, Rajiv paid the price by his life when again a lady (suicide bomber called Dhanu) came from the same Lanka he invaded, looking for him. While King Ram played a brilliant strategist by installing a friendly-government (headed by Vibhishana) in the Lanka he won, the wrong decisions and misadventures of Rajiv G in Lanka resulted in India acting lame duck recently when ethnic Tamils were violated by Srilankan Army. And now, in the reverse turn of fates, a sea bridge we call ‘Ram Setu’ is being destroyed by the same 'hands' who are naming a Bandra-Worli sea bridge as ‘Rajiv Setu’.

Not surprisingly, politics has gone deeper than Sea (or Samudram).

(Rahul)