January 26, 2014

Book Review: The Sanjay Story by Vinod Mehta

They say reading history helps one understand the present and pre-empt the future. Vinod Mehta’s The Sanjay Story, a biography of Sanjay Gandhi, is one such book. 

Frank and fearless, Vinod Mehta tells the story of Sanjay Gandhi the way it was. With all his thievery, his inherent dumbness, the formulas of corruption the young Gandhi scion divined to milk Maruti (and fill the Gandhi family’s personal coffers), etc. Sanjay Gandhi’s life is laid bare as it deserved. 

But the book is essential reading not just for the way it tears up the facade around Sanjay but the similarities between the Congress of the 80’s and the Congress of the day. Mehta chronicles how several senior Congress stalwarts were forced to bow before Sanjay just as Congress’s yes-men do today before Rahul Gandhi. Similar to Rahul, Sanjay was drummed up as a youth icon with guidelines and diktats issued to Doordarshan’s senior officials to ensure that Sanjay’s visits made up a significant chunk of the news. What’s more, the best part of the book is where one of Sanjay’s interviews is chronicled, almost word for word. Read the interview and the absolute lack of intellect, the one line answers, the I don’t know’s can only remind you of one man in the present generation… the Gandhi scion of the day.

Read the book to understand how deeply corrupt the Congress is… both in devising ways to drain the nation and in ensuring a Gandhi stays at the forefront, no matter what. Read it to understand where Rahul Gandhi gets his "pappu" genes from.

Read it to understand what a terrible tragedy Rahul Gandhi will be for this nation, if and when he becomes Prime Minister.

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