Dynasty & Nehru-Gandhi Family

I agree to disagree with the usage that the Gandhi family is a dynasty. Calling them a dynasty is far from truth as it undermines our democracy and questions its very raison de tre. There is hardly any thing to substantiate that Nehru-Gandhi family had tried to perpetuate its rule over the country. This family still commanding respect of the people only because of the sheer special adulation many Indians have for this family. The reasons for this are not more emotional rather than that of any principle or ideology. For that matter with the introduction of the neo-globalisation and Liberalisation in 1992 the Congress party has already jettisoned its Socialist ideology into the high seas of laissez faire.

They had a charismatic personality to hold sway over a majority of Indians. Few national (if any can be called so) leaders had the kind of pan-Indian appeal the Nehru-Gandhi family had enjoyed in office as well as out of office much to the chagrin of the Nehru-Gandhi bashers. This made them the natural choice for the national leadership of the Indian National Congress in the post-independent India. Even when the Congress faced vertical splits on a number of occasions, the faction lead by the Nehru-Gandhi family member always ended up as the winner of the internecine factionalism of the party. It will not be exaggerating to say that only the Nehru-Gandhi charisma breathed life into the comatose Congress party carry on with its moribund political survival.

Therefore, the word dynasty is a misnomer as in any functional democracy there is hardly any room for dynasty. Had it been it a dynasty the Mrs. Indira Gandhi might not have faced the most humiliating defeat of her career in 1977. The people of India still choose to put their stamp of approval on the leadership of the Gandhis.

However, it is debatable as to whether or not Nehru-Gandhi family will be able to hold their sway over the Indian masses for a long time to come.