It was the first day of the semester, and I woke up at 8 in the morning to get ready. It was then that I realized that today was also the Inauguration Day for the 44th President of the United States of America – a man named Barack Husein Obama, who has left such an indelible impression on me ever since I started following his election campaign to his victorious election to the President's chair. Strangely attracted to see what it would be like, I went to CNN's website and started watching the swearing-in ceremony. Now I am not an American, neither have I been a student or a follower of American history or culture nor have I been into America's modern day social and economic details – but I sat glued to my PC for the full swearing-in ceremony, and even stifled a mild temptation of giving a small clap at the end of Obama's acceptance speech. I spent quite sometime after that to think over all of this, and much to my surprise there were two distinct tracks of thought that kept running through my mind – often criss-crossing each other. It was pretty amazing that it was not only Americans, but people like us too, who were sitting and following the ceremony, who had followed this man's election run, and who have been mesmerized by him thus far in what-so-ever he has done or said.
In my limited capacity as 'just another guy' I wholeheartedly congratulate America and Obama for today. For an African-American man in a country tormented time and again by it's history of racial conflicts, for a man from an un-imaginably humble background to rise to such a position, for a man who chose to go against so called 'big-shots' fearlessly, for a man who even as a Senator and Presidential candidate didn't put upon himself a false or pretentious image, a man who could project himself in the eyes of the people as someone to whom they could relate to – I salute Barack Obama for his unparalleled feat. How he does as a President hereafter is for all of us to see, but how he has done thus far has been a story of success made as a product of hard work, sincerity, intelligence, and courage, and this entire episode has made the Americans look for hope again – something that definitely would have been the Doctor's order for what USA has had to see in recent times. I read and watched all the news, looked at some of my American friends here, and saw how happy they were – and I was happy too. I was happy for Obama's success, I was happy to find that here was another man who was real and yet 'idolisable', I was happy to know that such success stories still keep happening ...
And then I was sad ... and overwhelmed for a moment. Here I was rejoicing the glorious feat of one man, and the belief of an entire nation, but what about the country to which I belong ?
I still remember the day when Obama won. America went nuts !! Berkeley was mad, with people dancing and singing on the streets, cars coming to a total halt in front of the huddled masses and honking their horns in support of 'O-Ba-Ma' chants. The south gate of UC Berkeley was like a sea of people huddled around, and no one was silent! Bars started offering free beer, the city seemed to be almost decked up in 'Obama-Biden' hats and caps and fake-glasses – it was the sight of people having genuine, true fun. They were all just happy. If you are an Indian kindly tell me if you have seen such a sight before. Have you seen an entire city go mad after the general elections at the victory of a certain candidate ? How many of those 'samaroh's have you seen where people who are not necessarily from the political party itself come in and join in the merrymaking ? Have you as an Indian citizen felt truly and purely happy at a 'Prime Minister Elect' ? It is not that Obama has been the only story – although his rise has been accentuated a bit by the current downside of troubles that America has had to see. But there have been other occasions as well when people's emotions have ebbed and swollen with the rise and fall of their presidential candidates. One of my Professors was telling us a story in class one day about another election in the past where (if I remember correctly) the Republicans had won. The town where he was at the time had gone silent for about a couple of days – because they supported the Democrats. This is just another example of how people here feel about their politics, their leaders, their views. They are passionate about what is happening to their country. They might not do or achieve anything with passion alone, they might even be passionate and yet see the troubles continue and end up into troubled times for them – but America as a nation must be feeling so proud to see her sons and daughters caring for something. Much as it hurts me to realize it, I have to say I have never seen such a phenomenon when it comes to Indian political system and the Indian leaders. One might agree, one might disagree – but I am sure if tomorrow, let's say, Manmohan Singh leaves office and let's assume Advani wins, there won't be cities in India rejoicing to their heart's content. For a nation which has in it's system leaders with criminal records, and leaders with lesser education than almost all who are reading this blog – such bright positives about the political system are quite expectedly hard to find. And this is what saddens me the most...
Today as I sit outside India, and actually get to look at what outsiders think of India much more directly – I realize that we are losing out on so many counts. This oddly designed political system, and lack of zeal amongst the Indian citizen has a lot to contribute to the said loss. I don't know what solution could be designed for this, nor do I know the cause for this difference between these two nations. But the very fact that it exists, and was brought out to me in such a manner, saddens me to the core. I would be proud and happy to have looked at all the people chanting 'O-Ba-Ma' and felt content at heart thinking that back home if a leader wins he gets similar chants to his name too. But no ... back home, it seems people have given up and stopped caring all that much ...
Here's to President Obama and America and the 'Winds of Change' ...
Here's also to the day when the Indian leaders realize that it is actions and leading by example that will get the Indian citizen to chant their names, and not starting one's own blog in example of some other succesful leader and riddling it with disclaimers ... to the day when India goes nuts over their next Prime Minister.
