Courage and commitment by Margaret Alva….
Non fictions usually take a longer time to read and more importantly finish… So this one was done in three days since I was in a hurry to know how it ends!!…
Being an Alva and a convent educated lady the diction and narration would obviously be good…. May not be Avante garde like Tharoor but it was in a language wherein I didn’t have to reach for the dictionary every now and then!!…
In the big ocean that’s the Congress party there were so many leaders who do shine but finally they have to endure sideline…
So inspite of being the youngest RS MP or doing amazing work at every given post be it lobbying for equal status to airhostess, or the women reservation bill, or getting funds for the poor apparently and many many more!…. The whole book is filled with her achievements and rightfully so!…. But at the end of the day its all gas…. Literally!…
There was a narrative stating how shifting out of offical house was a pain after her term came to an end and I was appalled!!… Did the madam think this was her own house!!??….. To think that she is actually one of the better politicians around and you can only imagine the state of the worse ones!…
It was treat though to understand what happens in those international trips which our MPs and MLAs crave and kill for!…. The first class travel, the big banquets, the gifts and of course free alcohol!!…. All at the expense of the taxpayer!!….
The life of a politician though was no better than a sub standard soap though!… The back stabbing, the boot licking, the friends becoming foes and finally in the end only two things prevail…. Money and ego!…
Many positives though as her mentioning of PV N Rao, the actual architect of economic boom and the one who has all been forgotten by the same party….. The way she mentioned about the first prince Rajiv and then the latter prince was quite open but then again she goes Back to the devotee mode which is like the mantra of the members of this party!…. Her narration about the Sanjay and emergency period was also very vivid though I am guessing that in hindsight she would have toned down the narrative to be more pro Indira than she intended to be…… All these actual truthful depiction starts well though but lose steam midway which was quite sad really….. But then you cannot live in the pond and fight with the Croc right!!??
At the end of it all the many years of work was never appreciated since at the end of the day she did not get a ticket for her son!…. That’s what it finally ends up in…. Everyone wants to roam around, work for the party, give free advice, please voters by pseudo dreams but finally no one ever thinks about the country……
Any other country and party you would have reached the stars madam but in this party you may be the most deserving minister but the crown will always go to the Prince!!……
ramadocblog 