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Obama and Mayawati: A comparison in contrast

By SR Darapuri, Wed, 12 Nov 2008 NI Wire

It will be apt to mention in the beginning that a comparison between Obama and Mayawati (Dalit woman Chief Minister of UP state in India) is not very appropriate because there is a world of difference between their personalities and deeds. But some over enthusiastic followers of Mayawati have started comparing them and are spreading the dictum that "if Obama can do it why cannot she?" They have started projecting her as the future Prime Minister of India. As such it becomes necessary to make an attempt to make a comparison between Obama and Mayawati.

The first point of comparison between Obama and Mayawati is their social background. Obama is an African-American. His father was black and his mother was white. Mayawati's both parents are dalits. But it is pertinent to note that during his electioneering he nowhere used his black identity to influence his voters. Throughout his election campaign he spoke about his policies and plans whereas in the case of Mayawati she has never spoken about her policies and plans. On the other hand her dalit identity is the starting point of her politics for emotional exploitation of dalits.

The second point of comparison between Obama and Mayawati is their ability to mobilise fund for the party. Obama through small contributions raised a party fund to the tune of $650 millions but he deposited it in the party fund account and used it for electioneering. Mayawati also raised her property to the tune of Rs. 520 millions up to 2007 and further added Rs. 600 millions during 2007-08. But she did not deposit this amount in party fund account. Rather she deposited it in her personal and her family member's accounts. There are also allegations of selling MLA's and MP's tickets at election time at competitive rates. It is worth mentioning that CBI has already prepared a charge sheet against her for amassing personal property worth Rs. 300 millions beyond her known sources of income.

The third point of comparison between Obama and Mayawati concerns their policies and plans. As we know Obama fought the election on the plank of "Need of change for America" and has won it with this promise. He has promised to take America out of financial crises and reduce unemployment. As regards Mayawati she has never made any promise to solve any public problem. In fact she does not have any such plan or program to solve the public problems like poverty, unemployment, lack of health infrastructure, drinking water, housing and illiteracy etc.

The fourth point of comparison between Obama and Mayawati is their pursuit of political power. Obama has been elected as the most powerful President of the oldest democracy of the world. Mayawati has also been elected for the fourth time as the Chief Minister of the most populous state (Uttar Pardesh) of India. Obama has promised to use the political power for solving the problems facing the U.S. people whereas Mayawati has been accused of using it for self aggrandisement. Dr. Ambedkar had remarked that political power should be used for social progress. But Mayawati lacks such inclination even in the case of dalits who are her prime constituency. As a result of it the dalits of U.P. continue to be behind the dalits of all other states of India except that of Bihar and Orissa. In spite of her occupying the Chief Ministership for the fourth time U.P. continues to suffer from under industrialisation and over all backwardness. As such she can be held responsible for the backwardness of U.P. as well as that of U.P.dalits to a good extent. According to one study U.P. has suffered regression during the last decade. It is noticeable that Mayawati has been in power since 1995 with some breaks in between.

The next point of comparison between Obama and Mayawati can be in respect of psychological impact of their victory on their voters. In case of Obama, his victory has exhilarated Blacks, Minorities and Whites also to good extent. In case of Mayawati, dalits excluding intellectual section thereof and muscleman and moneyed men of higher castes are only exhilarated because the latter are especially the main beneficiaries of her position. Dalits have only the psychological satisfaction of having a Chief Minister of their own caste. They are totally deprived of all the material gains of power on account of corrupt and inefficient administration being run by Mayawati. Minorities, mainly the Muslims are highly skeptical about Mayawati because in her pursuit of political power she can make alliance with their staunch opponent and a communal party like B.J.P. as she had done thrice in the past.

From a brief comparison between Obama and Mayawati it becomes evident that it is not very appropriate because there is a world of difference between their personalities and deeds. Rather it can be said to be a comparison in contrast. Even then if admirers of Mayawati are so anxious to make a comparison they should look for qualities like a vision, an urge for change, impeccable integrity and inclination to use political power for social progresses as exemplified in Obama. They must display mental honesty and proper courage to criticise her for her personal greed to amass wealth, lack of vision and unprincipled pursuit of power. She may also be dissuaded from wasting public money in creating memorials and installing her own statues in an effort to immortalise her. People are immortalised by their noble deeds and not by their statue. Obama is to be judged in the near future but Mayawati has already been judged.

SR Darapuri

The author is a retired Inspector General (IG) Police, Government of India. Email: srdarapuri@yahoo.co.in


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Comments:

chanakya

November 26, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Hi Please note that the comparison is not an apple to apple. In teh sense , The US is very modernised and enriched community where as India is still the developing and the people are not civilised yet. So the obama startegy would have been different from Ms.Mayawati's. If you all the inidans are educated and civilised like americans , then teh Mayawati will be like obama

Dr. Ajay Ovhal, Maharashtra

November 13, 2008 at 12:00 AM

I think the author has selected appropriate topic, but his views seem to be biased and written with prejudice.
I would like to raise saimilar points raised by him.
When we r comparing Mayawati and Obama, the main thing people discuss is the potential of both leaders. It is childish to say that Obama's parents were black abd white!
Mayawati has many policies which she has successfully implemented in Uttar Pradesh. Need is that we have to come out of shell and stop raising the queries about capabities. This queries r raised due to casteist mentality of the Indians.
Speaking of Dalits, This has been start for them in for of regaining self respect which, in subsequent years will lead them to empowerment.
Funds to Mayawati r given by millions of downtrodden, self repected sarvajan samaj people, unlike BJP, congress collecting them from industrialists.
Muslims, OBCs, and Brahmins are now accepting leadership of Mayawati as they r seeing hope in her as evident in UP.
So author needs recheck his data based on which he has made his views.
Looking at the struggle of a Dalit, Female, coming from very poor backgroung is aspiring of PM post, itself proves that she is not a bit less than any Obama.

Indian expat in US

November 12, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Obama and Mayawati are absolutely no comparison at all. Not even close. Its like comparing a crow to a swan. Obama has captured the imagination of the young diverse population of America cutting across every class, race and ethnic groups. Mayawati hasnt even started or ever showed the inclination to make any such attempt. Petty castist politics is her only focus. Barrack Obama never played the race card or ever directly identified with extreme Black politics or carry around his baggage of historical victimhood the way Mayawati uses Dalits. Castist politics is the begining and end of Mayawati's focus. She does not belong to "India" the way Obama belongs to US of A, she only belongs to (or at least projects such an appearance of belonging to) the Dalits. Obama won the argument with ideas, policies and his vision for the future of the United States. Mayawati thrives via playing petty castist card, using corruption and manipulative politics, arousing emotions, spewing venom and playing victim of injustices of past era. Obama in his book has written about his dislike for affirmative action while Mayawati entire political focus is on that one single agenda. Obama understands the grass roots, Mayawati pretends to belong to the grassroots and exploits them to her fullest advantage. Obama is a man of great eruditition, integrity and vision. Mayawati has absolutely no such qualities.


 

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