Any real alternative to Sonia*(Gandhi)?

a poem by Hiren Shah

One cannot understand the nation’s collective mania and politician’s paranoia
Time and again, there is a furious debate over Sonia.

Does it really matter that she is a foreigner?
The local politicians and bureaucrats have served us well in what manner?

Many people are against her becoming prime minister;
Does it really matter when the designs of some local politicians are equally if not more sinister.

Why should everybody be against her aspiring for India’s highest office,
Like Nawaz sharif if some politician goes permanently abroad, most will clap; nobody will miss.

In this day and age, she wants to become a prime minister by marriage;
The fact is even some of the local politicians are provocative and arouse outrage.

Everytime somebody throws light on her foreign origin,
Many react as derisively as some who gloat over an in-form Sachin**.

By continuously harping that she is not a native, there seems to be an ulterior motive;
Instead, why not focus on the real issues and in letter and spirit behave like an elected representative.

We are not so concerned about who is and who is not indigenous
We want issue based politics; we want people who are politically ingenious.

We have serious problems poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and electoral reforms.
This is not a film industry; we do not want personalities, we want a politician who performs.

All political parties are vary of submitting audited accounts.
In the long run, it is not hysteria, it is performance that counts.

By focusing on her, are we not digressing from real issues and displaying our inadequacy.
Europeans do not have such a great history, we have to live up to an ancient legacy.

If you think that on Indian politicians, this is a parody, I will tell you the real tragedy
How about the women’s reservation bill, what have they got against the Indian lady?

One fact one cannot deny;
Is that even among us and against us Indians, there has been many a spy.

Instead of raising the bogey of foreign hand,
We should see why there is this obsession with the “Gandhi” brand?

Even more than fifty years after Independence, if there has to be a dynasty,
We may be proud of being a successful democracy but in reality it is a travesty.

Issue is not of her being alien but of being obsessed with a family
We have to ask ourselves really, are the rest of us so silly?

For all our blind obsession with everything foreign,
Let us be as insensitive to them as non aligned we were in UN.

The issue is as obsolete as Bosnia, everytime somebody mentions the name Sonia,
Deep sleep will come to even a person suffering from chronic insomnia.

If you really want to be the party with a difference,
You should permanently drop the Sonia reference at once.

Instead of wasting time and energy debating over Sonia
Can’t we focus on the core issues that ail India.

Many of you may disagree with me but as a thoroughbred Indian,
“.We are missing the wood for the trees” is my firm opinion.

As for the suave, articulate and resilient Jayalalitha***
Some people opine that on her misconduct, poetry will not do, one may need a Katha****

*Sonia Gandhi is a former prime minister’s daughter
and many Indians are against her becoming prime minister.
**Sachin Tendulkar is a national icon and India’s best batsman.
***Jayalalitha Jayaram is a politician who is not seen in favorable light by many.
****Katha means long story.