Savji Dholakia and Narendra Damodar Modi both
belong to Gujrat. Savji is a tycoon trading in diamonds and, as every one
knows, Narendra is our Prime Minister.
Both started working from when they were very young, - one as a polisher
of diamond stone, the other as is famously known, a chaiwala.
Today, the fifty-year-old Savji Dholakia is the
chairman and managing director of a Rs. 6000 crore, i.e. Rs. 60 billion Surat
based diamond export company, Hari Krishna Exporters, with
offices all over the world. And, the sixty-five year old Narendra Modi is the
Prime Minister of India with the destiny of 1.2 billion, i.e., 120 crore people
in his hands.
Savji had a dream five years ago, a dream of being socially responsible, of sharing his fortune with others. This he did. At the end of a flourishing year of business, he rewarded those in the ‘loyalty programme’, who were responsible for such success. He presented houses to those without houses, cars to those without and jewelry to those who had both.
He can claim to have fulfilled his dream.
Martin Luther King, the civil rights activist who took the United States of America way forward to end racial discrimination, also had a dream - ‘That one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." He had a dream, that his “four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
He had one dream, “To let freedom ring.”
Savji had a dream five years ago, a dream of being socially responsible, of sharing his fortune with others. This he did. At the end of a flourishing year of business, he rewarded those in the ‘loyalty programme’, who were responsible for such success. He presented houses to those without houses, cars to those without and jewelry to those who had both.
He can claim to have fulfilled his dream.
Martin Luther King, the civil rights activist who took the United States of America way forward to end racial discrimination, also had a dream - ‘That one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." He had a dream, that his “four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
He had one dream, “To let freedom ring.”
Our Prime Minister on the other hand has many
dreams – jobs to the unemployed, skills to the unskilled, a home to one
without, farmers out of the clutches of the village Shylock, cleaning of our
rivers. He wants reforms for the industry including labour reforms – easier
accessibility, one window to the Government of India and the states. He wants
land to be available on easier terms than as present.
He wants return of black money, to send the corrupt to prison, fast track criminal cases against people’s representatives.
His ambitions are many – bank accounts for a million people through the Jan Dhan Yojana, cleanliness through the Swatchch Abhiyan. On the forefront of his mind is the passionate belief in Brand India. ‘Make in India’ is his clarion call.
He wants to achieve all of the above in his political lifetime of five years, perhaps ten.
He needs to succeed on all counts, for he has left himself no room to maneuver. Those who voted for him are rooting for him. Those who did not are riding on the hope that he will hold himself accountable, that he will bring within their reach what he has promised.
As of now he sees in himself a messiah promising his people the world.
Is that how he will be seen five years, ten years from now?
He wants return of black money, to send the corrupt to prison, fast track criminal cases against people’s representatives.
His ambitions are many – bank accounts for a million people through the Jan Dhan Yojana, cleanliness through the Swatchch Abhiyan. On the forefront of his mind is the passionate belief in Brand India. ‘Make in India’ is his clarion call.
He wants to achieve all of the above in his political lifetime of five years, perhaps ten.
He needs to succeed on all counts, for he has left himself no room to maneuver. Those who voted for him are rooting for him. Those who did not are riding on the hope that he will hold himself accountable, that he will bring within their reach what he has promised.
As of now he sees in himself a messiah promising his people the world.
Is that how he will be seen five years, ten years from now?
