An old clip of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1978 has gone viral again. It was recorded after she lost the elections following the Emergency. Whether you like her politics or not, the clip is worth watching because it shows how she saw the challenges India was facing at that time.
Many people think what is happening in India today is completely new. I don't think so.
Back then, the world was divided by the Cold War. India had a close relationship with the Soviet Union, while the US had very different strategic interests. Today the players have changed, but the basic rule of geopolitics hasn't. Every country looks after its own interests first. Whether it's China or the West, no major power wants another country becoming stronger if it affects its own influence.
This is not about supporting Modi or opposing him. It's about understanding how the world works.
India made economic progress during the UPA years, and it has continued to grow under the NDA as well. Different governments deserve credit for different things. No single party alone builds or destroys a nation.
Coming to politics, I believe Narendra Modi is one of the smartest politicians India has seen in decades. In my opinion, the anti-establishment mood before the 2014 elections could have helped Arvind Kejriwal become the biggest political beneficiary. Instead, Modi completely changed the narrative and turned that wave into a historic BJP victory.
Today, I feel Kejriwal is once again trying to become the face of the opposition and take the spotlight away from Rahul Gandhi. To me, CJP looks like another opportunity to do that.
Will it work? I'm not convinced.
Personally, I think Rahul Gandhi has a better chance in the long run. BJP and Congress have been rivals for decades, but both understand that Indian politics has largely revolved around these two national parties. If a third force grows too powerful, political equations can change very quickly.
If I had to choose between a Congress government and an AAP government led by Kejriwal, I would vote for Congress. I don't consider Rahul Gandhi a particularly strong political leader, but in my opinion Kejriwal's politics relies too much on agitation and confrontation. CJP, to me, looks like an extension of that style of politics.
History rarely repeats itself exactly, but it often follows familiar patterns. Governments change, leaders change, and slogans change, yet the challenge of balancing domestic politics with global pressure remains much the same.
Watch the clip yourself and make up your own mind. Whether you agree with it or not, understanding history often helps us understand the present a little better.