Despite her transfer from the rather high-profile HRD to textiles, Smriti Irani is set to remain an important member of the Government. Her lack of people skills, more than anything else, might be behind her shift to textiles, which, incidentally, accounts for the second highest employment after agriculture.
A politician in the 24x7 television age with constant social media chatter needs to be on guard 24x7. Having struggled her way up in life, graduating from the airy-fairy world of television soaps to hard-knuckled politics called for a virtual personality change. Smriti was slow to realize that constant aggression and offence was okay when she was the uncontested queen of family tear-jerkers.
In politics, you need soft skills, a pleasant smile on lips — even if you hide a dagger in the pallu of your saree. The problem with Smriti was that she brandished the dagger of oral defiance at the first available opportunity. Even when she was supposed to show her softer, kinder side to the misguided but young students of the Hyderabad University or use persuasion and reason with those of the JNU, she behaved as a battleaxe, ready for a verbal joust with the most robust of student-anarchists.
Her authoritative performance in the two Houses of Parliament might have enthused the party faithful, but her belligerence further created enemies for her and her party. Though she was wrongly blamed for the suicide by an overwrought student who happened to be a Dalit, her refusal to appreciate the complete transformation in the political context and situation after that tragic act was counter-productive.
Admittedly, the aggression in her personality was a factor of her socio-economic background. It was natural for her to feel insecure. She had made it after a long and bitter struggle. And made it in a man’s world. Whether it is films, television or politics, women remain at a disadvantage and are expected to play second fiddle to bosses who invariably happen to be men.
Her inferiority complex reflected in her taking offence even when none was meant. As in the case of the Bihar Education Minister who addressed her, as is the established norm, as 'Dear Smriti Irani', something she took issue to.
And she showed immaturity in being stand-offish and distant even with her own party colleagues. It was the self-same inferiority complex which prevented her from being one with her own colleagues. ‘What if they find out my lack of knowledge?' seemed to always prey on her mind. She played hard to get even for a little 'gupp-shupp' with fellow politicians and scribes, which could have helped shatter the wall of suspicion and distrust that stood between her and everyone else not part of her charmed circle.
Hopefully, the switch to textiles will soften her public persona and help her acquire the skill sets of a pleasant and helpful person. Oozing power and authority would come naturally to anyone who is ensconced in an important ministerial gaddi. But success is invariably assured for those who know how to reflect friendliness, even ordinariness, while being actually powerful.
Of course, nothing is lost yet. Despite her lack of a formal degree, she is one of the best self-taught politicians around who can hold her own against the ones boasting of double and triple Master’s degrees.
In textiles, she has an opportunity to boost exports which have been dwindling due to a global slowdown and the growing challenge from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand etc. Above all, one sector where she can push the PM’s Skill India programme is textiles.
For someone who has watched her political career grow from the time she unsuccessfully contested the Chandni Chowk seat against Kapil Sibal in 2004, she has come a long way indeed.
And in UP next year, she has the opportunity to fully blunt the so-called Brahmastra the Congress is desperate to deploy, namely, Priyanka Gandhi. Smriti’s fiery oratory is a huge draw. Though this is not to undermine the oratorical skills of Sushma Swaraj, but being much younger and more aggressive, and with no baggage to defend, Smriti has a huge advantage. She can fire up the cadres and bring in the fence-sitters like no other woman leader in the BJP can. Amit Shah is bound to deploy her the most as he tries to free UP from the stranglehold of Mulayam and Mayawati.
Recycling their own scams
You almost feel sorry for the Congress. In its desperation to tar the Modi Government with the same brush of corruption that led to it being flung out of power so mercilessly, it has now taken to resurrecting scams of its own regime and trying to pin the blame on the NDA Government.
In March the CAG presented its report, indicting Reliance Communications, Vodafone, Airtel, Idea and Aircel for under-reporting gross revenue by ?46,045 crore and thus causing a loss of ?12,488.93 crore to the exchequer. The significant thing is the period when it occurred - 2006-2010. The UPA was in power then.
The new government, on the receipt of the CAG report, assigned six independent auditors to go through the books of the telecom operators. After they have done their job, and after due diligence, fresh demands, including penalties, will be imposed on the cheating companies.
Where, then, is the scam? Even that old Kolkata magician PC Sorkar did a far more convincing job, producing birds from his hat, than clueless Congress leaders seem to be doing trying to throw mud at the NDA for their own money-making rackets.
Things they do in an elite club
The capital’s Gymkhana Club is easily the most elite watering hole in the country. Its eclectic membership boasts of the who’s who from almost all walks of life, though it is dominated by diplomats, bureaucrats and fauzis. Yet, when periodically elections are held for the managing committee, the antics of rival candidates make panchayat elections look like a rather tame and dignified affair in comparison.
But that is not why we mention this club situated across the road from the Prime Minister’s House. The reason actually stinks. It seems a couple of weeks ago they found human solid waste in the club’s Olympic size pool. Some notable on the club’s rolls, or some one else, had clearly defecated inside the pool. Period.
Unsurprisingly, as they say, the waste hit the fan. The pool was shut down. After a week-long thorough scrub, it was opened again. A stern warning to members was issued: Do not to use the pool as a lavatory. And this from the capital’s most elite club.
Virendra Kapoor is a Delhi-based journalist. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the views of Asianet Newsable and Asianet Newsable does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
