🥄 Chamcha Culture: When Strange Becomes Strategy

Whenever something truly bizarre unfolds in the corridors of power—be it a diplomatic blunder, a tone-deaf policy, or a LinkedIn glitch that swaps presidential portraits—I don’t ask why. I ask who was nodding along?

Because behind every strange decision, there’s often a trail of yes-men. Or as we say in desi slang: chamchas.

These are the loyalists who stir the pot without tasting the soup. They echo the leader’s words before the sentence is even finished. Their job isn’t to advise—it’s to applaud.

From emperors to elected officials, chamcha culture thrives where ego outweighs accountability. And when the leader surrounds themselves with mirrors instead of windows, the view gets distorted.

🧭 A Lesson from the Trump-Modi Fallout

Recently, former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton declared that the once-close Trump-Modi friendship is “gone now,” and that Trump’s personal style of diplomacy has set back U.S.-India relations by decades.

Why? Because Trump, according to Bolton, sees foreign policy through personal chemistry—not strategic depth. If he likes you, the country likes you. If not, tariffs rain down like monsoon fury.

And where were the advisors? The strategists? The voices of caution? Likely nodding, smiling, and saying, “Great idea, sir.”

🪞 Mirrors vs. Windows

True leadership demands dissent. It needs people who say, “Wait,” “Why,” and sometimes, “No.” But chamchas don’t do that. They polish the mirror, never open the window.

In every era, the strongest leaders were those who welcomed contradiction. Lincoln’s cabinet was famously filled with rivals. Nehru had critics who sharpened his vision. Even Krishna had Arjuna to question the battlefield.

✍️ Final Thought

So next time something strange happens in politics or policy, don’t just blame the leader. Look for the chamchas—the ones who turned silence into strategy.

And if you’re ever tempted to be one, remember: history doesn’t remember the echo. It remembers the voice.