THE current controversy about Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smriti Irani, not being academically competent to head her Ministry has sparked a national debate. The Constitution of India does not lay down any educational criterion for an aspirant to the Lok Sabha. In the past this issue has only been raised in muted tones. Members of the Nehru-Gandhi family do not have qualifications to show the country. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was held in high esteem by the world, despite having taken the country through an Emergency regime, losing an election after that and bouncing back to rule this country until she died in 1984. No one questioned her competence or asked for her degrees. Is that because she came from a background of privilege and was Nehru’s daughter? Is the tough yardstick used for Smriti Irani only because she comes, admittedly, from a lower middle class background? Surely these double standards need to be flattened out. Irani should be given the opportunity to prove her mettle. She comes across as articulate and quite aware of the problems of this country. To assess her competence merely because of the lack of a degree is to reduce the meaning and scope of education only to the acquisition of degrees. There are thousands of degree holders in this country whose competence for leadership is questionable.
Another question that arises is whether the same yardstick would have been used for Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi, who too does not have any degree. He was the Prime Minister elect of the Congress-UPA for this election. Besides, political acumen does not come with degrees. It comes with an intrinsic wisdom and can be improved upon by consulting experts and those more knowledgeable in the subject matter – in this case Education.
Another blow to the people of the North Eastern states is the appointment of former Army General VK Singh as the Minister for Development of the Region. It is bad enough that retired army generals and retired police officials are appointed Governors of North Eastern states. Here is another instance of stereotyping and freezing the region as a conflict zone which needs constant vigil. This political idiom of Delhi which is informed by a conventional understanding of ‘security’ is what alienates the people of the North East from those who wield power in the national capital. It is, in fact, one of the reasons for the continued belligerence of a section of its population. But will Delhi ever understand these strategic political nuances?
