Escape velocity: Dear Rahul, a speech need not be rocket science

In politics, the use of simple words often serves their users best. Which is why Rahul Gandhi stands out. He has stuck out with his use of scientific jargon and technical words in what should be simple speeches that strike a chord or inspire. In his speech in Delhi on Tuesday, Rahul hit his audience with the most complex scientific terminology used in a political speech yet. [caption id=“attachment_116170” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Rahul Gandhi’s use of scientific jargon confuses audiences[/caption] He started with a question on escape velocity, which a member of the audience successfully answered. But he then hit them with a question on what the escape velocity on Jupiter would be. Since no one knew, he helped them with the answer. “In India, we have a concept of caste. There is an escape velocity involved here also. If one belongs to a backward caste and wants to attain success then one needs an escape velocity to attain that success. Dalits in this country need the escape velocity of Jupiter to attain success,” said Rahul. Cue, polite applause. He credited Ambedkar was the first Dalit to achieve escape velocity and go to the US. “Congress party brought the reservation concept. First stage was brought by Ambedkar, under which people saw that one person had escaped. The second stage was one pioneered by Kanshiram. He gave reservations and gave more people escape velocity,” he said. While few in the auditorium could have questioned the Congress Vice President’s knowledge of the fact that  Jupiter has the highest escape velocity among the planets in the solar system, on Twitter it instantly became the rage. Tweets flew thick and fast over the veracity of his Congress Vice President’s knowledge of science, and once proven right, his critics were quick to attack his need to use jargon. But therein lies the problem. The Congress vice president unfortunately has an innate ability to confuse his audience with statements that, while well intentioned, often end up more as Twitter jokes than a real message. Whether it be his ‘beehive’ quote or his ‘operating system’ quote, the Congress Vice President has successfully managed to obfuscate simple messages in jargon that few barring his geekier audience would appreciate. In his sincerity he has often drawn on an emotional theatricality, and his homilies have been batted away as being bemusing travel stories that have little connect. He would do well to take in a few lessons from his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who despite obvious linguistic challenges has stuck to the basics. Talk about what good you’ve done, talk about how your opponents don’t deliver and leave. His closest competitor is already doing just that. Narendra Modi minces few words, isn’t averse to some harmless exaggeration and some name calling to get his core audience’s blood pumping. To give the Congress vice president credit, at large rallies and even another speech on the same day he managed to stick to the agenda and go after the opposition. Unfortunately what will make headlines was his Jupiter speech. And therein lies the problem.