Rahul Gandhi, the politician cum philosopher has made terms like women’s empowerment and escape velocity household terms, apart from giving path-breaking theories like politics being in pants and shirts. Nowadays he is a mission to promote entrepreneurship. But as is a case with everything Rahul does, this too is somewhat ‘hatke’.
From telling people that all products in India were brought by Congress, Rahul has now shifted gears where he is now focusing on manufacturing of the products in India. This appears to be some grand challenge to Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” slogan. Except that “India” has given way to local cities.
Just today at a rally in Uttar Pradesh, he let spill his visionary desire of seeing the day when Michelle Obama, while cooking in her kitchen (because Obama has now lost his job of US President and no cook can be hired) would notice some beautiful cooking utensils, which would apparently have Made in Jaunpur marked on them.
https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838680730699902976
Usually products have “Made in <country name>” marks, but Rahul Gandhi has come up with this idea of promoting cities. This way a person in New Jersey will come to know about Jaunpur and Boston can learn about Barabanki.
It’s actually that comprehensive. Till now, Rahul Gandhi has come up with many ideas to promote Indian cities and local entrepreneurship abroad. For example:
- In 2014, in a rally in Mirzapur UP, he had expressed his desire to see Obama wearing Made in Mirzapur watches. Oddly some days prior to that rally, he had wanted Obama to wear a Made in Allahabad watch. Guess Obama would have to wear watches on both his wrists to please both the cities.
- Rahul Gandhi this February in a rally in Gaziabad had professed also his wish to see the day when bedsheets in Obama’s home would carry a Made in Uttar Pradesh stamp.
- The manufacturing and marketing was taken to another level when he wanted Made in Lucknow mangoes. Yes:
https://twitter.com/4ushashishekhar/status/831851500678832128
- This whole exercise though hasn’t been without controversy and one such comment by Rahul was twisted by The Indian Express which was then used by the Congress party to attack the PM. First the Indian Express had tweeted how Rahul Gandhi wanted to see Made in Manipur coconut juice. This apparently was false as Rahul had actually said pineapple juice.
Looks like as elections are held in various parts of India, Rahul Gandhi will discover something local that must go international. We are waiting for the next product marketing plan from Rahul Gandhi, and so must be Obamas.