Watching the ‘’DLF’’ IPL has exposed us to ‘’Citi” moments of success and “Maxx” timeouts. However such style of branding has been on in the country for many decades. The Nehru-Gandhi name has been prefixed before countless government schemes and projects. Here we look at a supremely effective method of political branding by the Indian National Congress. A method which has succeeded in using the face of the country as an advertising billboard.
One of the many mega-projects
Consider this: During the Commonwealth games last year, a student of JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY who was studying there on a RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP received his friends at INDIRA GANDHI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. They then headed for RAJIV CHOWK METRO STATION from where they went to INDIRA GANDHI INDOOR STADIUM to watch their favourite wrestler who had recently won the ALL INDIA RAJIV GANDHI WRESTLING GOLD CUP. After this they headed to NEHRU PLACE where they learnt that the wrestler’s performance had put him in contention for the RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA AWARD.
According to lists available on the internet there are more than 450 major schemes1, projects, stadiums, parks etc. named after the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. This exercise has increased the aura already surrounding to the Nehru-Gandhi name and in all likelihood left some sort of an impression on the subconscious minds of millions of voters.
When Chief Minister Mayawati of UP recently went on a state-wide rampage to erect statues of elephants (also the BSP symbol), there were a series of protests which accused
BSP of constructing permanent ‘’party symbols’’ all over the state. However Mayawati in her defence came out and said that the statues being constructed have the trunks of the elephants raised (in a welcoming position) whereas the BSP party symbol has the trunk lowered. She also went on to state the precedence of Indian National Congress naming multiple nationwide projects on the names of their leaders, hence making BSP’s statues a non-issue. These arguments accompanied with other legal jargon were good enough to leave the authorities scratching their heads2.
BSP of constructing permanent ‘’party symbols’’ all over the state. However Mayawati in her defence came out and said that the statues being constructed have the trunks of the elephants raised (in a welcoming position) whereas the BSP party symbol has the trunk lowered. She also went on to state the precedence of Indian National Congress naming multiple nationwide projects on the names of their leaders, hence making BSP’s statues a non-issue. These arguments accompanied with other legal jargon were good enough to leave the authorities scratching their heads2.In comparison to Mayawati, what the Indian National Congress has been doing using the Nehru-Gandhi name has been fairly blatant. Projects in the name of the likes of Vallabhai Patel and B R Ambedkar barely exist. And those bearing the name of the likes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and P V Narsimha Rao are unheard of. One plausible reason for this obsession with the Nehru-Gandhi name could be that both Indira and Rajiv Gandhi were assassinated. However even Mahatma Gandhi stands nowhere compared to the Nehru-Indira-Rajiv trio when it comes to the naming of mega schemes and projects. Based on the sheer quantity of projects bearing the name of Rajiv Gandhi, it almost seems as though his contributions to the country far surpassed those of even Mahatma Gandhi. We have taken the liberty of making a portfolio with a few of these projects to showcase the range of schemes bearing Rajiv Gandhi’s name. However we seriously doubt whether this is any indication of his impact in diverse fields across the country.
Living Beings
Farmers | RajivGandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana |
Children | Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme for the Children of Working Mothers, Department of Women & Child Development |
Unemployed | Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojna |
Artists | Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana |
Slum Dwellers | Rajiv Ratna Awas Yojna |
Students | Rajiv Gandhi Prathamik Shiksha Mission, Raigarh |
Handicapped | Rajiv Gandhi Home for Handicapped, Pondicherry |
All Humanity | Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award |
Animals | Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarhole) Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Conservation Award |
Food & Water
Food Security | Rajiv Gandhi Mission on Food Security , Madhya Pradesh Rajiv Gandhi Food Security Mission for Tribal Areas, MP |
Breakfast | Rajiv Gandhi Breakfast Scheme, Pondicherry |
Drinking Water | Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission |
Ground Water | Rajiv Gandhi National Ground Water Training & Research Institute, Faridabad, Haryana |
Tsunami | Rajiv Gandhi Rehabilitation Package for Tsunami Affected Areas |
Mega-Structures
Airport | Rajiv Gandhi International Airport , New Hyderabad , A.P. | |||||||||||
Container Terminal | Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal, Cochin | |||||||||||
Stadiums |
| |||||||||||
Commercial Centre | Rajiv Chowk |
Ailments
AIDS | Rajiv Gandhi Mobile Aids Counselling and Testing Services, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation |
Cancer | Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Delhi |
Chest Diseases | Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, Bangalore, Karnataka |
Tooth Ache | Shri Rajiv Gandhi college of Dental Science & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka |
Sports
Kabaddi | Rajiv Gandhi Gold Cup Kabaddi Tournament Rajiv Gandhi Kabbadi Meet |
Boxing | Rajiv Gandhi Federation Cup boxing championship |
Football | Rajiv Gandhi International tournament (football) Rajiv Gandhi Gold Cup (U-21), football Rajiv Gandhi Trophy Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Jhopadpatti Football Tournament, Rajura Rajiv Gandhi International Invitation Gold Cup Football Tournament, Jamshedpur |
Boat Race | Rajiv Gandhi Boat Race, Kerala |
Gymnastics | Rajiv Gandhi International Artistic Gymnastic Tournament |
Roller Skating | Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Roller Skating Championship |
Judo | Rajiv Gandhi International Judo Championship, Chandigarh |
Cricket | Rajiv Gandhi Rural Cricket Tournament, Initiated by Rahul Gandhi inAmethi |
Basketball | All Indira Rajiv Gandhi Basketball (Girls) Tournament, organized by Delhi State |
Wrestling | All India Rajiv Gandhi Wrestling Gold Cup, organized by Delhi State |
Education
Management | Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management, Shilong |
Aeronautics | Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Aeronautics, Ranchi, Jharkhand |
Engineering | Rajiv Gandhi Technical University, Gandhi Nagar, Bhopal, M.P. Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Kottayam,Kerala Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering Research & Technology,Chandrapur, Maharashtra |
Law | Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law, Kharagpur, Kolkata Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala, Punjab |
Aviation | Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy, Secundrabad Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy, Begumpet, Hyderabad, A.P |
If this trend continues, someday in the future an Indian will wake up on 26th January at 9 AM Rahul Gandhi Standard Time to watch the Priyanka Gandhi Memorial Parade in Vadrabad. Or maybe by then Behenji would have replaced Rajpath by a giant replica of her favourite handbag. Exciting times ahead!
(vnshsaluja@gmail.com)
(facebook.com/saluja.vansh)
