The Obama Hungama!

They came, they impressed, they floored and they went away winning millions of hearts! But for some they came,they impressed none,they hardly nailed our neighbors and they went away with assurances for jobs and business for their own state, doing no good to us. The use of word 'THEY' is highly important here as it wasn't all about the Most Powerful Man on earth but it was equally about his better half too, who raked as much attention and applause as the Male 'O' received.

Now on the overall outcome of Big 'O's' visit, reactions are varied, cynics and critics all across are going hammers and tongs to pompously declare this visit as a big Failure.Their claim is that neither did he bestow us with any tall claims, nor did he made promises on strategic collaboration on the fronts like Technology, Fight against Terrorism or any other worthwhile benefits and this visit was more of an insult to our Nation than a strengthening of ties, as declared by the two head of states. But the ground reality says this is certainly not the best phase of Obama's presidency, his popularity in the US is at all time low, he is coming from a mid term election drubbing and his nation is still reeling under turmoils of economic crisis. So in this gloomy backdrop to expect that his visit will be a bouquet of goodies for us was an overtly ambitious thought. From the very starting it was clear that the main purpose of Mr Obama's visit was to urge the Indian Government to further open the Indian market for the US goods and services and also help in creating more jobs for the Americans.

On the other hand a section of people are overtly happy with the remarks and claims His Excellency made during his 4 day stay in India. The encomiums of garlanding India with the status of a Super Power and one of the fastest growing economy has flattered quite a handful, remember we are a nation which is on an ever starving conquest for platitudes but the truth beyond all these flattering adjectives is that we are languishing at the bottom of almost all human indicators such as education, health and hygiene or infrastructure. And to address all these factors we need funds which are being digressed on defense, thanks to a highly unstable nuclear armed neighbor. So the most prudent thing amidst all these sugary quotes made by the man who is known more for his excellent oratory skills than for his man-management or governance skills, is to not get buoyed by these remarks and to judge ourselves by what we are and not by what we can be.

Another sad thing has been the show of huge outrage displayed by our pompous local politicians, including the CM (of Maharashtra) who was living on borrowed time, having been caught stealing land belonging to the Kargil war widows, over being humiliated by the US. What was this humiliation? They were invited to meet Obama at a gathering organised by the US Consulate and were requested in advance to provide their identification through PAN cards and whatever ID our own Government demands of us whenever we enter an airport or any other place where security's an issue. So our politicians and bureaucrats took huge umbrage and refused to go. These ministers created such a huge uproar on this that the US Consulate had no option but to call it a clerical error and apologise. Apologise for what? For ensuring security for their own Head of State, the world's most targeted leader, at a function organised by them. Disgusting, to say the least!

Now two of the most highly debated, celebrated and abhorred agendas of Obama's visit were - 1. His assurance of supporting India for a permanent UNSC seat. 2. His avoidance of declaring Pakistan as a Terrorist state. On Obama's assurance of support for a permanent UNSC seat to India, almost the entire nation went on a celebration mode, as if we have just pipped down US from the Numero Uno seat (of global super power).We are so blinded from the reality that we can't even comprehend the fact that we can't just become a permanent UNSC member by a mere platonic support statement from the US president. The groundwork, the mathematics and the entire process is far more challenging than it seems from outside. And with military superpowers like Japan and Germany already eying that spot, it will never be an easy battle for India.

And on the issue of Mr Obama declaring Pakistan as a terrorist state, the wrath, the criticism and the disappointment all around is astonishing. It seems we are ourselves not very clear as to what we want on the Pakistan or the Kashmir issue. At one point we detest Pakistan for urging US to mediate in the Kashmir problem, by saying that it is a problem between the two nations and so it hardly makes a point in involving a third party. And on the other hand we want US to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state, now where do those 'no third party intervention' prophecies go? And why should Obama say so just for the sake of soothing India, for that matter none of the premiers of any state will ever make such bold statements against any of the states and certainly not when that nation is a part of their strategic alliance in the south east Asia. In fact the best indicator or between the lines read for us is the fact that for the first time in the history a US President is making a visit to India which is not accompanied by a Pakistan visit.

It's imperative for us to understand the fact that Mr Obama came to India not as a President of the United States but more so as the CEO of USA. And we should rather focus more on appreciating the flamboyance and connect which the couple showed with the Indian masses and media rather than digging various non-sensical matters and criticizing Mr President. We should appreciate the level of preparedness which the Big Man showed on his interaction with us, be it his constant remarks on Gandhi, Ambedkar, Bose or Tagore or be it his use of Hindi Jargons in his speeches (though this trick is adopted by all the westerners). Also can you ever expect Mr Manmohan Singh or for that matter Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee to go to the US and dance with the school kids on any of the Michael Jackson's pop number? Never! So rather than dissecting Mr O's visit to surgical levels its better to treat it as a just another foreign premier's visit to our hyperventilating country.

Ending the write up on the very note on which the Big Man (Mr Obama) ended his popular speech few days back - JAI HIND!

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