Citizenship isn’t only litmus test

Finally, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Raghuram Rajan had to ‘come clear’, as it were. He had to publicly declare that he is an Indian citizen and has always been so. Although commentaries over the man’s uncertain nationality have been occupying considerable print space and  allegations that he’s an American citizen, a product of the infamous Chicago School (that propounded the bizwiz mantra ‘greed is good’, epitomised in the film Wall Street, featuring Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko)  to boot, Rajan’s bold declaration that he’s out and out an Indian citizen does point towards the importance that we attach to nationality and other such ‘official certificates’ of patriotism. In fact, a number of economic and business pundits were up in arms protesting the appointment of Raghuram Rajan as the RBI chief, ostensibly because his nationality and therefore his allegiance were suspect. But now, as the ‘Guv’ unleashes his anti-inflation measures, hikes the repo rate and keeps a strong watchful eye on domestic fiscal situation, including the current account deficit, measures that cumulatively (along with international factors such as staying of the withdrawal of the quantitative easing process on the part of the US federal reserve) result in shoring up the rupee and registering high growth in the stock market levels once again, the tables and the tides have turned inadvertently.

Obviously, citizenship is an important component of a public office bearer, particularly something as sensitive as the chair of the RBI governor. Naturally, allegiance to a nation is of supreme consequence, given that the post holder would be privy to information that are extremely confidential in nature and have the potential to severely derail the system if abused in any manner. Of course, citizenship remains a hall mark of attachment towards a nation, but that alone can never be the only yardstick. Too many leaders in our country who wave their citizenship status and flaunt dynastic connections have done zilch. Certainly, Rajan has now brushed aside almost all the misgivings that a section of the Indian media and the business sector had over his appointment with his bold but cautious approach to fixing the economy. That the Guv also sports a rockstar look is just a tiny miracle.