Posts Tagged ‘bjp’
How do Right Wing win when their policies are unpopular?
First of all, to the uninitiated, what is right wing and left wing? Right wing parties are for open economy, no Govt control, no subsidy, no freebies, all private. They believe competition is better for economy. Work hard and get reward. Left wing parties are for equal distribution of wealth. They believe Govt should take control and provide help to the poor. Basic human right to food and shelter. Top 1% should not get all.
If you see Left speaks for the lower strata of economy, which makes the majority as wealth lies in the hands of top 1%. This makes Right wing beliefs unpopular, correct? Only prosperous people should be supporting them. By this logic Right wing parties should never be able to win any democratic election. But as you will see over the years, they do win. How are they able to get popular vote with their unpopular policies?
This question has confounded me too. But as always, there has to be an answer. Below is what I think. Right wing parties can never win a democratic election with their governance and economic policies. So they downplay these policies during elections. All Right (or center-Right), have a secondary poll plank, which they use to win election. It is either Security or God or Morality. Let me give you an example.
In United States, Republicans are the Right wing. Their secondary plank is Fear of Terrorism. They promise to keep the country secure with heavy hand. They stand for anti-abortion and anti-gay (they say it is anti-God). They have been able to drum up support on these issues over the years and have carried out their economic policies easily.
Even in India if you see, BJP, the Right wing, plays Hindutva card (their secondary poll plank), without which it will not be possible for them to win an election. Widespread corruption has also helped them as of now, to drum up support for their economic policies. However it will be tough in the long run.
I am not questioning either Right or Left economic policies here. What my intention is to understand how the Right has withstood the democracy. This has been the case historically. With time the anti-gay and anti-abortion rhetoric will subside. But playing on fear and immigrants will remain.
In last 200 years or so, with the advent of democracy, Right and Left both has started to move towards center. In my opinion they will become identical in due time. BJP’s decision to continue MNREGA and Food Security points to that. Advent of Liberal Donald Trump as frontrunner Republican in US is another classical example.
Modiji, please shed the coterie
I see a lot of fighting these days in social media. Pro-Modi, Pro-AAP people berating the leaders. Personal offensive remarks of Bhakt, AAptard and what not. Seriously fed up with this, I have started unfollowing certain mischief accounts. I know triggers are created by paid profiles, but why to blindly forward them and spam your friend’s timeline. So much negativity!
Back to the point. Personally I am okay with Modi’s performance, in his personal capacity. He has made world take notice of India, lifted the country from a sense of gloom, made Swachh Bharat the cool thing among a lot others.
We all know how he went overboard during elections and promised the people of this country, the stars. We all know it’s not possible to deliver in a short span of time. People have a right to criticize as they were not told, “You will get stars after 5-10 years”. They were promised instant relief which can’t happen in reality. No point bashing the electorate. If they are fools now in criticizing Modi, how were they not fools when they voted for him?
Modi, I feel, is falling short of few selfless men like him in his Government. The biggest crook of them all is our FM. He is edging away a lot of Modi’s charisma. Piyush Goyal is working superbly at grass root. Smriti Irani is competent.
Railway ministry is working only for facebook and twitter crowd but nothing for poor who travel via General Class (90%). We need a revolution in railways. Loyal vote bank of BJP, the middle class has been neglected and left to fend for itself, which is not nice. More importantly the attitude of his Ministers and spokespersons is not right. They seem just like Congress. Equally arrogant.
Given the history of Modi and BJP, it is there responsibility to win over 69% who didn’t vote for them. But our great FM calls it manufactured dissent. Why name calling. When you in power, it does not look nice if you start berating people. Modi knows that but he is being misguided by coterie around. FM was the one who aggravated the situation by badmouthing people returning awards. Political mastery of Vajpayee was missing. All it needed was to call them all for a talk. Soothe their ego if need be. They would have gone silent.
Same goes with communal politics of BJP. It’s great when in opposition but boomerangs when in power. I hoped BJP would have learned this by now.
I have my hopes and faith in Modi. But not so much in his coterie. I am sure Modi will find a way!
Salman Khurshid: Shaming India for Personal Fame
So Mr. Salman Khrshid, torch bearer of Congress party is following the footsteps of another Congress leader Mani Shanker Aiyer. Mr. Khurshid is of the opinion that India has not responded well to Pakistan’s friendship hand. “India ignoring Pakistan’s overtures for peace”, he said while on a personal visit to Pakistan. Moreover he praised Pakistan’s fight against terrorism. Applauded Pakistan while deriding India.
Well it is not surprising from former external affairs minister of the country. These remarks lets us know why India had a soft foreign policy under him. A Cabinet Minister who shared cabinet with one of most corrupt Ministers in India ever. A cabinet minister who bowed in front of Gandhi dynasty (aka Katappa from Bahubali), for becoming a minister, this statement is not surprising.
To settle their petty politics and coming back to power at any cost, such people are destroying India’s credibility abroad. A former external affairs minister when makes such pro-Pakistan statements that too in Pakistan, implications are global. His statements will be played up against India by Pakistan media. But a man from political dynasty himself couldn’t care less.
From sting of fund embezzlement for the invalids to appearing for banned organization SIMI in court, he seems to have no shame when it comes to making money and clinging to power. Such people are the real face of most Corrupt party in India ever aka Congress.
Anyways one who bows to dynastic heir Rahul Gandhi, we should not have any expectations. I just can say this to you Sir, since you destroy my Country’s name globally, it’s all our fault Sir, that we elected you. It’s what we deserved.
Modi Promise Break 2: Corrupt Roaming Free
Second in my series on Modi’s un-kept promises. I remember Modi’s speeches against the corrupt. Chagan Bhujbal, Ashok Chavan, Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Robert Vadra, Suresh Kalmadi, Manmohan Singh, A Raja etc etc etc. The 2G, CWG, Jijaji scams. The Adarsh, the Coal, the irrigation scams. We all roared along with Modi against them. It resulted in Modi victory.
What has Modi done? They all roam free. Infact Modi attends social functions with few of them. We stand aghast. We stand cheated. Modi today have no answer when people asks, “Why do they roam free?” Sir, this is one of the reasons you lost Bihar. This is the reason you will lose more if you don’t do anything. Moreover you took control on Delhi ACB when Kejriwal started using it against corrupt. What should we make of all this?
Below are people against whom Modi roared a lot and now they roam free. Moreover no corruption money has been recovered from them till date.
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Suresh Kalmadi (2G Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Ajit Pawar (Irrigation Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Ashok Chavan (Adarsh Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Robert Vadra (Jijaji Land Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Manmohan Singh (Coal Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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A Raja (2G Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
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Chagan Bhujbal (Maharashtra Sadan Scam)
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If I am corrupt, Why do I roam free? |
You took votes in lieu of putting them behind bars. But then you take no action in hope of forging alliances with them in future. Best of Luck!
Bihar: Why Lalu ruled 15 years and Modi ousted in just 1.5 years
Lalu ruled Bihar from 1990 to 2005, good 15 years. Even without progress and with thriving kidnapping industry, Lalu kept his vote bank intact. People attributed it to Lalu’s hold on Muslim-Yadav votes in the state. Lalu’s citadel was destroyed by Nitish-BJP combine who ruled the roost for good 10 years together.
Then came Narendra Modi tsunami which captured Bihar like no other. Every other party was decimated in 2014. But Modi was himself thrown under just 1.5 years later. It begs the question why? When Lalu ruled for 15 years, Congress for decades before that, without much progress, Why was Modi ousted so soon? Regardless of Modi non-performance, this seems discrimination by voters in Bihar, right?
Let’s try and ponder on the reasons behind the psyche of people of Bihar.
1. Caste loyalty is like Fevicol Bond: People owed Lalu caste allegiance. Modi had no such distinction. Modi rode on anti-Congress plank and Promise of Development. People didn’t consider him as one of their own. Thus they soon became disenchanted with Modi non-performance and went back to the caste. Caste, the exact reason why Lalu ruled for so long. “Kam se kam apni jaat ka toh hai” (At least he is of our own caste).
2. Unreasonable promises: Modi promised voters the heaven. He left no promises un-made, no stone unturned in 2014 elections. He promised anything and everything. He was like a messiah to the downtrodden. These unreasonable promises and lack of fulfillment thereof, was like a dagger through the chest. People felt cheated. Fulfilling these promises might be near impossible in just 1.5 years. But Modi is himself to blame.
3. Modi thought he had 5 years: When Modi was elected PM, I remember him saying, “We will work for the nation for first 4 years and will work for votes in the last 1 year”. What he forgot was it was not like running a state. He forgot that he will face number of state elections in between. His 4+1 model might have worked in Gujarat but didn’t work at the Centre.
4. Impatience in correcting history: As I wrote in my last post, people had no problems with BJP correcting history, spreading RSS ideology or lambasting Nehru. People started having problems when they felt that BJP was doing only that and nothing else. With no perceptive change in jobs, development and standard of living, people felt as if development was not on BJP’s agenda at all.
5. Dal prices: However BJP disagrees, soaring Dal prices just near Bihar elections hurt them a lot. Opposition mocked acche din and drove home the point how Modi fooled them. With Dal disappearing from the plate, poor felt cheated and wanted to teach someone a lesson. Nitish was not incumbent here, Modi was. Nitish told people how Dal was cheap when Modi was not at Centre. Dal ki wajah se logo ne Modi ko hi Daal diya. (People did Modi in, due to Dal prices).
6. BJP became Arrogant just like Congress: Lalu-Nitish appear humble if nothing else. You have to give them that. However corrupt Lalu may be, he is always soft spoken. Same is the case with Nitish. BJP seems to have become arrogant since coming to power. And people hate arrogance. Divide between the common man and BJP’s once grass root leaders is widening day by day. In this day and age, every statement of leaders is scrutinized. Every action is known to all. What BJP started doing to AAP Govt. in Delhi under LG’s disguise was disgusting arrogance. Voters saw that and were waiting for their chance. Peoples’ woes were not taken seriously. Leaders looked like mocking the poor. And there was no perceptible action taken against them. This arrogance did a lot of harm to BJP.
Bihar Election Result: Isko Sabak Sikhana Hoga
Let me admit at the onset, I would have liked if Modi would have won Bihar. Comeback of Lalu’s dynasty and corruption never felt right. I liked Nitish standalone but taint of Lalu is too much for me. But now that Nitish-Lalu has won Bihar big time, it has left Modi a lot to ponder.
Of Late, a lot of Modi supporters have grown disenchanted with him. Similar thing happened with Kejriwal also. Modi and Kejriwal both came with lots of promises and shook the rotten foundations. They promised us the moon. We fell for it and not just supported them, but also became their torch bearers. I believe same was the case with Bihar public.
People who voted for BJP big time during general elections, rejected them bigger. Why? This can be because people wanted to ‘sabak sikhana’ (teach a lesson) to Modi. 18 months have seen a lot of rhetoric and not much perceptive action. All through elections never once Modi admitted that he has not been able to do what he promised. Had he admitted and pleaded for more time, maybe the results would have been different. But he kept riding on a high horse all through the campaign.
Modi’s campaign was just as it was in 2014. He kept giving ‘Gyan’. What he forgot was 2014 was more a referendum on Congress’s corruption and less on Modi. People felt, ‘Ded saal pehle aaya, gyan deke vote le gaya. Kuch kiya dhara nahin. Phir se gyan dene aa gaya. Isko sabak sikhana hoga’ (He came, preached 1.5 years back for votes. Did nothing all this while. Came again asking for votes. We will teach him a lesson).
Zero poll promises fulfilled from 2014 elections. Vadra is roaming free. Remember Modi chest thumping on Vadra. People felt that Modi is another thug of a politician. Sir, please put Vadra in jail, rather than keeping the trump card for next elections. Prosperity didn’t come as promised. Jobs weren’t created. Although common man don’t have problem as such if BJP imposes RSS ideology in education and otherwise. But it felt as if BJP wanted to do nothing else. Common man don’t care if BJP demonizes Nehru, but it felt as if BJP wanted to do nothing else.
People voted Modi for development. Modi should have fulfilled some promises before coming back with more promises. Middle class was lost by higher train price, higher service tax, higher dal prices, and no bumper tax sops. It was as if voters were being punished for their faith. Voters in turn decided to punish him back. I don’t think intolerance debate did much harm to Modi. It is just for TV studios. What harmed him was lack of action.
Loyalty to Modi is not Caste based. Caste loyalty is very strong. Not the case with Modi. People decided to discard Modi and go back with the caste. It’s high time, Modi corrected course and did something perceptive. He should start acting on his 2014 poll promises before making more promises. Warna UP mein bhi sabak seekhna padega.
Stop this award drama: Doing harm to a legitimate issue
And the trend of returning awards continues. I have always believed that such awards decided by all-so-biased juries of the past has led to generations of political awardees. The regime of the past was intolerant to fresh minded people who were against dynasty and sycophancy.
I agree to some extent with the feeling that religious intolerance is on the rise. Right wing groups have found new vigor. But then when Babri was demolished what did so called secular Govt. did? Nothing! Was religious intolerance not on rise then? Why not answer who gave rise to right-wing Shiv Sena to oust the communists off Mumbai? We have even forgotten the ills of Emergency. Your cause, which might be right, has been undone by company you keep.
All this hoopla initiated by member of Nehru family when she returned her award, has done nothing but harm your fight. There would have been other means of struggle, like the ones people chose during emergency and various riots across last 50 years. By following the steps of a Nehru relative, you have fallen prey to being branded as anti-BJP and pro-Nehru. Nehru, if you ask younger generation, does not hold that high esteem anymore. Indira Gandhi does hold some respect but not Nehru. And everyone knows this but you. By ganging up with a member of Nehru family, you have demolished your own fort. Youth of today care less about Hindutva but more about jobs.
Your action in fact has given the way out to Central Govt. Instead of being on the back foot, they are now riding high on the Nehru-Dynastic hatred in today’s youth and have been able to paint you all, self ignorant fools. For youth, corruption is the ugliest of sin. For you religion related issues are. For us corruption has kept us under privileged due to which successive Govt’s have been able to fool us to fight over religion. You don’t address corruption as an issue. When we hang our head in shame due to rampant corruption and emergency, you just want to celebrate secularism.
I care two hoots about secularism or religion for that matter. I want these dynastic and sycophancy beneficiaries, stripped off their luxuries. Just see their dare to dictate to us what is right and what is wrong. Social media has made us better aware than to tolerate such people.
We knew all about Modi when we elected him. We might not have sided with him, but for your silence when India was being looted and poor were kept deprived.
I so wish you had spoken when Nehru furthered his daughter and laid the foundation for dynasty. I so wish you had spoken when Bhopal terrorist was let free. I so wish you had spoken when Emergency was imposed. I so wish you had spoken when India was looted rampantly. I so wish you had spoken for such issues than to cite religion to settle your petty ideological differences.
Where has My Protein Gone? Expensive Dal and Cleansing of the Poor
So Dal is being sold @ 220/- per Kg. I have written enough articles lately as to how current Govt. has lost the plot completely. I don’t want to go into that today. Today I want to discuss the health aspect of expensive Dal. Thanks Ravish @ NDTV for bringing it to our attention.
Dal is the main source of protein for most Indians. Most migrant workers (laborers, cycle rickshaw pullers, auto rickshaw drivers, watchmen etc.), depend on road side stalls for daily food. They eat one time a day, heavy meal which costs them 30 bucks. The news report was of Delhi. But I have tried same meal in Mumbai too. It costs the same.
With the Dal price sky rocketing, the amount of Dal is decreasing and amount of water is increasing in the meal. Toor Dal was already away from reach. Now they don’t even use Moong Dal. A Mauth Dal is being used, which is the cheapest available in market and looks like Moong Dal; that too in decreasing quantity. This leaves us with less and less amount of protein in the poor man’s diet.
What is the health aspect of it? Will it not make them weak? Will that weakness not result in less productivity? Will that make India better? I shudder to even think the horror of the empty stomach and weak shells of the poor. What is this if not cleansing of the poor? Just like Congress was accused of eradicating poor and not poverty; current times are equally dreadful.
Next time you see poor laborers, rickshaw drivers, watchmen a bit lean and weak, do offer them a Dal-Rice meal. They need proteins too.
Jaitley Sir Bas Karo
I am ever amused by Mr. Arun Jaitley, the over talkative lawyer and Senior Minister in current Govt. He has an opinion on everyone and everything. The only one he has no opinion is himself, his own deeds and his own party.
His recent blog touched upon how vandalism is not for civil society and there is no place for such acts blah…blah. He was undoubtedly referring to acts of aggression by Shiv Sena in Mumbai recently. Correct as he was, he forgot to introspect himself. Below are few incidents about which he continently chose to keep quite.
1. BJP MLA’s bashing up an independent MLA in J&K assembly: “BJP has never resorted to acts of such vandalism”, he proclaimed in his blog. At the same time his party MLA’s were bashing up an independent MLA inside J&K assembly. What a joke, his statement. He seems to have partial amnesia regarding this. Mr Jaitely bas karo please. Bahut Mama Bana chuke. (Mr Jaitely please stop. You have fooled us already).
2. His friend Srinivasan’s thuggery in BCCI: All through the Srini saga, Mr Jaitley who was the VP of BCCI and chief of Delhi Cricket Association, kept mum. It is very well known that Srini is his best of pals. It was due to Jaitley’s blessings that Srini kept blemishing the game of cricket. It is due to his blessing that Srini is heading ICC. Had Jaitley wanted, Srini would have been out of BCCI long back and out of ICC right away. But Jaitley Sir, why would you speak on this. App hosiyaar, hum sab paagal (You are smart, we all are idiots).
3. Babri Demolition: When taking the high moral ground about vandalism, that his party never resorts to such practices, he forgets that his party’s resurgence is rooted in Babri demolition. He is reaping the rewards of on one of the topmost vandalism unleashed on this country ever. It not only paved way to Mumbai blasts, Mumbai riots, Godhra riots but a generation of deep rooted hatred and animosity between communities.
These are just from top of my mind. There are multiple issues on which he plays amnesia. It’s high time Sir, wake up and smell the air. Your arrogance and smugness hurt your party more than you realize.
Stop Religious Intolerance, Stop Congress from making comeback
To the incidents of religious intolerance across the country, Central Govt’s argument is, “Law and Order is a state subject and states are to be blamed”. On the surface this argument seems sound. But is it really?
If we dig deep, this argument feels shallow. What then is the duty of the Central Govt? If they feel state is not doing its duty, should they keep silent? They could have easily shot of stern warnings to states that strict action will be taken if law and order situation does not improve. But Centre has chosen to play dumb.
As to the sympathizers argument that such incidents have also taken in the past without this much hue and cry. They are right to an extent. But given the history and stigma attached to the party in power, it’s their duty to quell the notions. They should be extra careful and vigilant. Playing silent is no answer.
Agree that these incidents occur in states. Agree that they are not being initiated by their party and workers. Agree that states should perform their duty. But I do not agree with the helplessness cited by the Central Govt. Deal with states with iron hand which do not curb these incidents.
Else all those advts, about “Desh nahin mitne doonga” would end up being just election jumlas. I urge the PM, not to be like helpless Manmohan. We are behind you. Take the religious intolerants to task. Last thing we want is Congress and its pathetic dynasty, death of ideology and through the roof corruption making a comeback.
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