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What BJP is going to get from Uttar Pradesh

abhinavsingh
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What BJP is going to get from Uttar Pradesh

When we talk about the Indian General Election 2019, the one state which at once capture our mind is Uttar Pradesh. There are various reasons to it like presence of huge 80 seats on stake to the successful formulation of SP-BSP-RLD pre poll alliance.

Despite of all the claims made by opposition for the formulation of Anti-BJP alliance, only Uttar Pradesh is a state in which a rock solid anti BJP alliance in on the real turf.

Before the start of polling there was a general consensus that BJP is going to loose heavily on the face of SP-BSP alliance but today after the polling of 7th phase ends it doesn’t seems to be whole truth. So, let’s examine what’s really different political parties are going to get from Uttar Pradesh.

Constituencies in UP can be classified into five categories on the basis of the votes polled by BJP i.e
Sure Shot – These are the seats where vote share of BJP is averaging over 47% and is impossible to win for Alliance even after 95% vote transfer between the two parties (SP and BSP) or seats which are witnessing strong triangular fight and BJP is taking edge in those seats.

Total of 26 seats fall under this category i.e – Ghaziabad, GautamBuddha Nagar, Mathura, Agra, Pilibhit, Lucknow, Etawah, Kanpur, Akbarpur, Jalaun, Allahabad, Barabanki, Faizabad, Kaiserganj, SantKabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Bansgaon, Salempur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Robertsganj, Saharanpur.

Safe Seats – These are the seats where vote share of BJP is above 45 % mark. Shivpal Yadav is a factor on these seats, nearly all of these seats fall in western Uttar Pradesh and Shivpal Yadav’s party is taking the chunk of Yadav Votes. BJP has over three-fourth chance to win these parliamentary constituencies.

Total of 9 seats fall in this category out of which 8 seats are in Westren Uttar Pradesh, this segment includes constituencies of – Bijnor, Bulandshahr, Hathras, Fatehpur Sikri, Etah, Bareily, Farrukhabad, Hamirpur, Kushinagar.

Good Fight – These are the seats where the vote share of BJP is between 42-45% and Alliance can pull these seats in their favour if it clock over 85% vote transfer of there respective vote banks. Shivpal Yadav is again a factor as half of these seats falls in Westren UP where his party is fighting wholeheartedly. BJP has over 55% chance to win each seats in this segment.

Total of 22 constituencies fall under this category and it include – Moradabad, Amroha, Meerut, Aligarh, Aonla, Shahjanpur, Unnao, Jhansi, Fatehpur, Phoolpur, Bahraich, Shravasti, Gonda, Domariyaganj, Basti, Ghosi, Ballia, Jaunpur, Machlishahr, Baghpat, Kairana, Muzzafarnagar.

On the last three seats BJP polled over 50% in two consecutive elections of 2014 and 2017 but this time RLD is making difference in favour of Alliance. But I think BJP’s Sanjeev Balyan in Muzzafarnagar and Pradeep Chaudhary in Kairana will win with a narrow margin because polling percentage in their assembly segment is way high.

Alliance on Upper Hand – These are the seats where are vote share of BJP is between 38-42% and Alliance vote share is around 46% which mean Alliance can pull these seats on a vote transfer of 82-85% between SP-BSP. Most of these seats except one are in Awadh region and Shivpal Yadav is certainly not a foctor here except on few seats.

Total of 8 seats fall under this category and it include – Kheri, Sitapur, Mohanlalganj, Pratapgarh, Banda, AmbedkarNagar, Lalganj, Misrikh.

Note – When we talk about Vote transfer 80-85% vote transfer is a huge thing, no matter how strong the alliance is between the two parties, but here we are giving extra room to Alliance to analyse the worst case scenario for BJP.

Alliance is winning – These are the seats where Alliance will definitely win because there are combined vote share is above 55% and even the worse vote transfer can fetch them these seats, BJP is a non player on these seats.

Total of 15 seats fall under this category and it include – Nagina, Rampur, Sambhal, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Badaun, Dhauraha, Raebareily, Amethi, Sultanpur, Kannauj, Kaushambi, Azamgarh, Ghazipur.

In Firozabad Shivapal Yadav is contesting and he is on the upper hand if he can win then he would support NDA is case of need. Yes, Smriti Irani win again loose Amethi but certainly by fewer margin. Varun Gandhi is contesting Sultanpur on BJP ticket but this seat is very tough to win for BJP. Manoj Sinha will certainly loose Ghazipur but he has done too much work in his constituency, his loss will be bolt on parliamentary democracy where a merit will be defeated by mere caste and religion factor.

After analysing all these 5 factors on the worst case scenario BJP is wining 26 seats and on the best case scenario they will win 65 seats, but possibilities of such result is very less.

9 seats which are under safe seat category and 22 seats which are under good fight category will make the difference in the result and if we factorise them along with 8 seats of 4th category the final tally for BJP will land somewhat around
46 (+/-5) seats.

If this happens it will be a huge defeat of SP-BSP-RLD grand alliance.

Why do we value psephology so much?

shak
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If the pollsters’ calculations return to the Modi Tsunami, what sense does it make to panic about keeping him at the victory mark? They are predicting whole-heartedly what they want to foretell. He is glorious, victorious and champion of the political field. The psephologists are supposed to be behaving ably like those stock market analysts who vainly attempt to tread in one direction for some obvious reasons.

They are also reacting like the weather experts who pass time in studying the movement of the clouds for predicting the daily forecast and it was not always correct closely. In the same way, the science of psephology lacks the accuracy for it seemed to be not based on theories. It is entirely based on guesses, presumptions, and calculations. There came a Scottish classicist & philosopher William Francis Ross ‘Frank’ Hardie who coined the term psephology in 1948 following his friend R B Macullum’s inquiry about the word to describe the study of elections.

This very term was first used in the year 1952 though its origin was searched into the Greek word psephos meaning pebble. Since the Greeks used to bring in use pebbles as ballots, this branch of political science becomes connected with the methodical study of elections. In the present perspective, the term looked more like the systemic calculations done in the stock exchange or weather forecast. Every expert thinks the prophecy of the exit polls can be right but it remains devoid of accurateness. It changes the available statistical data within the construction of the mathematical angle.

In the year 2014, the BJP with a tally of 282 seats had created history by acquiring an absolute majority. A parallel goal has been predicted by the most pollsters this time and one television news channel even said there was a gust of Modi tsunami at this national election too. Prediction of better performance by Modi Sarkar looms large on the political horizon despite the fact that Narendra Modi maintains silence and implores the supernatural powers into the icy cavern situated at the wuthering heights.

Undeniably this over seventy-year-old terminology is more an approach to business for it benefits the media rather than causing material benefits to the common people. Why should we not wait till May 23 for clear results?

RSS in Indian freedom movement

abhinavsingh
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RSS in Indian freedom movement

Hedgewar went to Kolkata for studying medicine where he become the member of revolutionary secret group called Anusilan Samiti and gradually rise to the inner core of the organisation which has Aurobindo Ghosh and Rash Bihari Bose as their mentors.

In 1915 after returning to Nagpur he joined INC and engaged in anti British activity through the Kranti Dal. He was imprisoned for sedition in 1921 for 1 year and again for 9 months in 1930.

Hedgewar was a senior Congress leader in the Vidarbha region, he was in the organising committee when the National Convention of Congress was organised in Nagpur. Hedgewar was jailed for one year during the Non Cooperation Movement.

Hedgewar organised and participated in the Forest Satyagraha 1930. A serious time journal by David Baker throw light on the positive impact of Jungle Satyagraha. Same type of revolution was started by Alluri Sitaram Raju in Godavari district of Andhra.

Hedgewar supported Indian National Congress when it decided the Poorna Swaraj to be its ultimate goal. He wrote a letter to his organisation cadres. He wrote,

“The Congress had declared “independence” to be its goal and the CWC has announced that 26 /01/1930 be celebrated as “independence day” throughout the country. It is but natural that all of us should feel heartened that this all India party has come close to its goal of independence. It is therefore our duty to cooperate with any organisation , that work keeping this purpose foremost. Therefore all the Saakhas should organise the gathering of all the Swayamsewaks at 6’o clock in the evening and salute our guru and national flag which is saffron flag. The true meaning of independence and how to preserve it must be the essence of talk. Since we accepted the goal of the congress, the party must be congratulated. The report of this program must be sent to us.

-Dr. Hedgewar’s letter 21/01/1930

It has been evident that now everyone will have reservations on the choice of saffron flag by Dr. Hedgewar, this could be tackled by INC’s stand. Official stand of INC also certified saffron as national flag.

“We felt that the flag must be distinctive, artistic, rectangular and non communal. Opinion has been unanimous that our national flag should be of singular colour except for the colour of device. If there is one colour that is more acceptable to Indian as a whole, even as it is more distinctive then another, one that is associated with this country by long tradition, it is kesari or saffron colour.

  • Flag Commitee INC , 1931 

Sangh not only kept away from agitation of Congress but it also kept away from that of Hindu Mahasabha . When Sangh refrained from Bhaganagar Satyagraha the ex. member of Sangh accused the RSS of frittering away the Hindu energy and said that, “I pit this organisation and it will die soon.” Dr. Hedgewar’s organisation is not the tail of Hindu Mahasabha, his descision to join the Civil Disobedience Movement erased the government’s dillusion about this. Central Province Home Department reported,”Hedgewar’s participation has invigorated the movement. He led thousands of Satyagrahis and suffered a year rigorous imprisonment”.

He started huge agitation against the British in April 1940 in Poona. All activists of K. B. Hedgewar were Maharastra centric as his organisation was not at national level it was limited to few districts of Maharastra.

“First of all . I wish to tell the malicious mind that RSS is neither a military force of Hindus nor the military wing of the Hindu Mahasabha. The Sangh’s endevour is to make Hindus nationalist in true sense.”

– K.B Hedgewar (Poona Agitation) 8/04/1940

Congress and Hindu Mahasabha wanted Hedgewar to be both the political parties. The Hindu Mahasabha and INC accused RSS for being anti-Hindu and communal respectively.

Dr. Hedgewar always supported the freedom struggle movement of other organisations also. There are some instances where he provided the ground cadre to different organisations which are actively fighting for the independence of Bharat. Satyavrath Ghosh and Kanchanmoy Majumdar wrote about this. To quote two such instances-

“Despite , strict non – involvement of Sangh in political movement directly, the Sangh was ready to help any political movement by supplying its cadres and allowing it to give their faculties and facilities provided it works for the cause of India’s welfare. Trilokynath Chakrborthy (1889-1970) was a Bengali revolutionary and freedom fighter. He met Dr. Hedgewar who promised him that Sangh would provide him with cadres for future revolution, he was planning”. -Satyavrath Ghose, Remembering our Revolutionaries (Marxist Study Forum, 1994 . Page 57)

“Those in the Congress who could not rise above the pettiness of politics had passed the resolution in 1934 that their members could not join the RSS. Four years after the rsolution,”Bose repeatedly sent emissaries to Hedgewar in 1939, perhaps seeking his help for an armed uprising”. ‘Modern Review'(March 1941) reviews that ,”Dr. Hedgewar died in Nagpur at the age of 51. S.C Bose went to see him in Nagpur”. – Dr. Kanchanmoy Majumdar (Eminent Historian)

Guruji Golwalkar was different in his approach, he was not of revolutionary character like Dr. Hedgewar, he was the disciple of Swami Akhandanand of Ramkrishna Mission and was into spirituality.

In 1940s there were several reports by the British Home Department which held RSS and Golwalkar suspicion of their anti-British activity. To cite a reports-

“Golwalkar condemned those who were selfishly helping the British Government. He declared that his organisations has resolved to do its duty even if the whole world turn against them, and they are ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause of country even after the partition”.- No. 28, Section F, Home Dept (27/04/1942)

British anxiety had good reasons. A report warned that, “Cadres had infiltrated into Army, Navy, Post & Telegraphs, railway and administrative services, so that there may be no difficulty in capturing administrative department when time comes”. It further stated.”the organisation is intensely anti-British and its tone is incresingly becoming militant”. – 13/10/1943, Home Department (G.A Ahmed)

Central Province matter – Central province government reported that, “Of late sangh has started taking interest in the political movement of the country, government servants should not participate in program of this communal organisation”. – Circular Letter No. 2352-2158(4) , 15/16 December 1932

After two day discussion on ideology and organisation on March 7-8, 1934. The government was isolated and failed to prove role of Sangh in communal activity. House leader Raghvendra Rao failed to answer M.S Rehman’s query on any Muslim organisation against Sangh or, of any evidence government has to prove organisation as communal. Government has to withdraw the circular on March 8,1934. – State Legislature Central Province.

All the RSS camps were destroyed, arms and literature were seized, besides the arrest of cadres under the rule ‘Defence of India Rules’. Participation in Gandhian movement did not instinct and annihilate to overthrow colonial rule by armed revolution.

Many freedom fighter got vital assistance too –

⦁ 1.ArunaAsafAlitookasyluminhouseofHansRaj Gupta.

⦁ 2.NanaPatilwasprotectedbyDamodarSatavalkar

⦁ 3.AchyutPatwardhanandSaneGurujistayedwith

Bhausaheb Deshmukh and Babasaheb Apte

On 16 August 1942 at Chimur(Maharastra) many RSS workers participated directly into Quit India Movement. Dada Naik was sentenced to death and Ramdas Rampure was shot dead by the British. Dada Naik is largely behind the recent uprising and Tukodoji Maharaj conspired the whole disturbance in the Chimur quoted the Confidential report of State Police.

During Bengal Faminine the relief camps were opened and operated by Shyama Prasad Mokherjee, all the services were provided by Mokherjee, where many Bose supporters also worked. It is quoted in Madhushree Mukherjee’s book Churchill’s Secret War.

The threat of partition become real and fate of Hindus in regions of Western Punjab and Eastern Bengal become worrisome. This community needs to be safeguarded, Golwalkar focussed more into the organisation building, he sent many organisational men (Pracharak) to these regions. SEWA BHARTHI camps were setup in the today’s Pakistan region to provide assistance and safeguarding people after the partition. Pracharaks were sent to establish camps and projects in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Chittagong, Dhaka etc.

Sangh’s weakness is not its complete absence from freedom movement but its the bias of the certain intellectuals who didn’t talked on this. We have these responsibilities on our shoulders to not allow the nation’s history to be circumscribed by ideological dogmas any longer. The youth of this time should have rigour to research and read about Rashtriye Swayamsewak Sangh and its role during and after the independence of Bharat.

The environmental impact of an Indian election

Sameer Guduru
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The environmental impact of an Indian election

The timing of this piece cannot be more appropriate as the world environment day is just around the corner, observed annually on the 5th of June. The world is witnessing the biggest democratic exercise in history with India being the venue. Close to 900 million India are electing the next government at the central and the state levels. While, we Indians are proud of this mighty feat, there is another critical issue that needs to be addressed. The Indian civilization has always fostered and propagated reverence for nature.

The Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas are full of hymns and chanting extolling mother earth and on protecting environment. Ancient Indians understood the intimate relationship between man and nature and hence prescribed ways to live in harmony with nature and maintaining a balance. Fast forward to the 20th and the 21st centuries, India and Indians have forgotten the wisdom of living in harmony with nature. The water we drink, the air we breathe, the land we inhabit has witnessed a devastating impact of rapid urbanization and economic progress through industrialization.

While the much touted Swatchh Bharat Mission (SBM) launched by Prime Minister Modi in 2014 was a moderate success, there are some indispensable issues that have not been addressed. Issues like handling plastic, chemicals, medical waste have not garnered any attention from the SBM whose primary focus was on improving hygiene and constructing toilets in rural and semi urban India. However, these are separate issues that warrant another discussion. Since, it is the election season; it would be more prudent to discuss the impact this quinquennial affair on the environment. It is rather strange that not a single media house either print or television has taken up such an important issue, who constantly discuss politics of religion and cannot look beyond into other critical issues faced by this country.

Election related merchandise

One of the biggest concerns is the onslaught on environment of the election related merchandise that is distributed to the masses of the country by every political party. In India election season is seen as a festival by the masses who eagerly await the distribution of merchandise by their Netas. This is something common across party lines and everybody political party needs to be blamed. Election related merchandise includes flags (both plastic and cloth), caps, shawls, banners, placards, letters, food carry bags and even alcohol bottles. This merchandise is forgotten as soon as the elections are done and are mostly discarded leaving no scope for recycling.

Imagine a major proportion of the 900 million people mostly in rural India who are not aware of the environmental impact of synthetic material discarding them in their habitats! This is nothing short of a disaster and will adversely impact not only the environment but also the flora, fauna and eventually people dwelling in rural areas where health and hygiene are already a major concern. Not to forget the energy expended into manufacturing the merchandise in the first place which has its own carbon footprint. India is a home to 17% of the world’s population with just 2% of its land area.

The gigantic rallies and public meetings

While this culture of reverence for the Netas by the masses of India is not new, the environmental impact of these mega rallies, road shows and meetings is huge. Hand waving netas move amidst the masses with the grandeur of the Maharajas of the bygone era. Sometimes, the presence of such mega crowds at public meetings is more to satisfy the gargantuan egos of the Netas more than anything else. The rallies consist of not only the convoys of the politician’s vehicles but also the motorbikes and vehicles of their admirers and followers. And of course the vehicles do not run on electricity as Tesla’s cars are not yet affordable for the common folks. Let us also remember yet another contribution to the air pollution, the choppers and private jets used by politicians to reach various constituencies. The other cause for pollution during the election campaigns and rallies is the usage of blaring loud speakers playing songs and being a source of noise pollution which has its own harmful side effects.

Are green elections the way ahead?

Keeping in mind the environmental hazards of the largest democratic exercise, it would be prudent to have green election campaigns in the future. With the percolation of the smart phones even into rural India, technology can play a significant role even in election campaigning. The direct money transfer into bank accounts of rural Indians has ushered in a great deal of transparency and plugged in leaks due to middlemen. Similarly, politicians can become accessible to people in rural and remote areas even via social media and teleconferences. Election mega rallies need to be reduced or completely banned along with distribution of merchandise. Or the merchandise distributed should be organic and biodegradable. Aspiring politicians and politicians in power should visit their constituencies during the 4 non election years and not just before the elections.

Any merchandise that is found in violation to the requirements of biodegradability requires politicians to either pay hefty fines or even perhaps get their nominations cancelled. The usage of plastic by politicians in election rallies needs to be completely banned. This will ensure the transmission of the message to the masses regarding the hazards of the presence of materials like plastic and other synthetically fabricated materials in the environment. Unique campaigns through teleconferencing and social media will send a loud and clear message and even reduce the distribution of black money in the elections which has been a menace in the history of elections in independent India. A lot of energy is saved, carbon foot print reduced, air, land, water and noise pollution completely avoided. Fuels used by vehicles in rallies can be completely saved and electricity used for loud speakers can be conserved. In short by implementing these simple measures an environmental disaster every five years can be comprehensively avoided.

In conclusion it would be apt to invoke the Shanti Mantra of the Yajurveda which wishes for peace and harmony for both men and nature.

ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः । वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः
शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिरेधि ॥ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

May there be peace in space, on earth, in water for plants, trees, animals, the environment and the universe. Let only peace, peace and peace alone prevail.

नाथूराम गोड़से- देशभक्त या हत्यारा

Girija Shankar
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नाथूराम गोड़से- देशभक्त या हत्यारा

कुछ लोग पिछले ३-४ दिनों से नाथूराम को गालियाँ देने की होड़ में व्यस्त हैं. ठीक है, अगर उन्हें ऐसा लगता है तो ज़रूर करे. मेरा मानना है कि चीज़ें इतनी “ब्लैक&वाइट” नहीं हैं जितना हमें लगती हैं या जितनी हमें समझा दी गयी हैं.

आज़ादी के बाद से हम से इतिहास की बहुत सी चीज़ें छुपाई गयी हैं. आज जब हम सब 70 साल पुरानी घटना पर अपना निर्णय सुनाने को व्याकुल हो रहे हैं तो कुछ बातें जान ले तो अच्छा होगा, ख़ास तौर पे वे युवा जो अभी अभी बालिग़ हुए हैं-

भारत आज़ाद होते ही तीन खंडों में विभाजित हो गया- पश्चिमी पाकिस्तान, भारत, और पूर्वी पाकिस्तान. पूर्वी पाकिस्तान १९७१ के बाद से बांग्लादेश बन गया और पाकिस्तान से अलग हो गया. विभाजन का मूल कारण था मुस्लिमों का हिंदुओं के साथ ना रहने की ज़िद. गांधी जी ने शुरू में तो विभाजन का विरोध किया परंतु अंत में जिन्ना की ज़िद और नेहरु प्रेम के आगे हथियार डाल दिए.

जो भारत भूमि हज़ारों वर्षों के आक्रमणों के बाद भी एक रही थी, आज टुकड़े टुकड़े हो गयी थी साथ ही टुकड़े टुकड़े हो गए थे उन लाखों देश भक्तों का दिल जिन्होंने अपने जीवन की परवाह किए बिना एक अखंड भारत का सपना देखा था.

आप सोच रहे होंगे कि क्या इतनी सी बात गांधी जी की हत्या करने के लिए काफ़ी थी? अगर बात इतने पे रुक जाती तो भी ठीक थी लेकिन, एक तरफ़ रोज़ जहाँ पूर्वी पश्चिमी पाकिस्तान से लाखों हिंदुओ पर अत्याचार की ख़बरें आ रहीं थीं, हिंदू लड़कियों का बलात्कार कर नृशंस हत्या कर दी जा रही थी, हिंदुओ के घर जलाए जा रहे थे, दूसरी ओर गांधी जी भारत पर इस बात का दबाव बना रहे थे कि ना केवल हिंदू और सिख मुसलमानो के इस कूकृत्य को चुप चाप सह जाएँ बल्कि अपने से अलग हुए इस नए देश को अपने पैरों पर खड़े होने में धन बल और तन से पूरी सहायता करें.

यूँ तो बँटवारे के बाद भी जिन्ना की बहुत सारी माँगे थी जैसे भारत से ६४ करोड़ का तक़ाज़ा इत्यादि आप में सो जो इच्छुक हो google करके जान सकते हैं. पर इन सब में जो सबसे ख़तरनाक माँग थी वो ये की जिन्ना साहब पश्चिमी पाकिस्तान से पूर्वी पाकिस्तान (बांग्लादेश) के बीच भारत के बीचों बीच से एक २० km कॉरिडर माँग रहे जो पाकिस्तान का हिस्सा हो. कल्पना करिए आप दिल्ली से मुंबई जा रहें हो और आपकी ट्रेन भोपाल में ६ घंटे के लिए रोक दी जाए आपका वीज़ा बने, immigration check हो जैसा कि wagha border पर होता है और तब आप की ट्रेन को इस २० km के पाकिस्तान से गुज़रने दिया जाए. ये एक scenario था बाक़ी क्या क्या होता आप ख़ुद कल्पना कर सकते हैं.

स्वाभाविक है ऐसी किसी भी माँग को भारत के लिए स्वीकार करना कितना कठिन था. पटेल जी की वजह से बात आगे नहीं बढ़ रही थी. लेकिन तब गांधी जी ने पाकिस्तान के पक्ष में अपना हठ योग प्रारम्भ किया. वो इस बात पर अड़ गए की हमें मुस्लिम भाइयों की बात को मान लेना चाहिए, उन मुस्लिम भाइयों के लिए ये क़ुरबानी देनी चाहिए जिन्होंने अभी अभी हमारी पीठ में छुरा घोंप के देश को खंडित किया था.

जब कुछ दिनों तक बात नहीं बनी तो गांधी बाबा ने आमरण अनशन की धमकी दे दी. १ फ़रवरी 1948 को उन्होंने करॉची जाने का मन बनाया और वहीं धरने पे बैठने की ठानी. तब तक के इतिहास को देखते हुए कुछ देश भक्तों को ये समझते देर नहीं लगी की अगर ये धरना शुरू होगा तो परिणाम क्या होगा.

लोग चिंतित थे मगर कोई कुछ कर नहीं पा रहा था. ऐसे में नाथूराम गोडसे ने  ३० जैनुअरी 1948 को , गांधी के पाकिस्तान जाने के एक दिन पहले, उनकी हत्या कर दी. हत्या करने के पश्चात् वो भागे नहीं बल्कि पूरी ज़िम्मेदारी ली.

अब आप ख़ुद विचार करें और अगर जी में आए तो उन्हें गालियाँदेते रहें. मैं तो केवल उस हुतात्मा का शुक्रिया ही अदा कर सकता हूँ!

Rafale controversy: Decoded & simplified

Udit Tripathi
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Rafale controversy: Decoded & simplified

Adolf Hitler said “If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed”. It seems the ghost of infamous Bofors scandal still seems to haunt Congress that they tried to ‘manufacture scams’ following Hitler’s formula. Kargil Coffin Scam was one such manufactured scam during Vajpayee Era and now its the alleged Rafale scam. Much has been discussed but the common man is still confused about the deal, so let’s decode the current deal and see in what way is it different from the old one:

Offsets: Rafale’s offsets consist of about ₹30k cr of which 30% of offsets lie with DRDO (single largest beneficiary of Rafale’s offset). Safran, the manufacturer of Rafale’s M88 engine will help DRDO to revive the stalled Kaveri engine project that was to power the HAL Tejas initially. The rest 70%, i.e. ~₹21k cr is split among 3 manufacturers (with a total 72 offset partners):

1. 30%, i.e. ~₹ 6.3k cr with Thales (makes electronics, radars & countermeasures).
2. 40%, i.e. ~₹8.4k cr with Dassault (makes airframe & system integration).
3. 30%, i.e. ~₹6.3k cr with Safran (makes M88 engine & landing gear).

India Specific Enhancements: Unlike French Rafale, the Indian Rafale will consist of a Satellite Communication system, Helmet Mounted Display from Israel, along with a low band jammer, towed decoy system and higher resolution in the Front Sector Optronics. RBE2 AESA Radar is also added which wasn’t present during MMRCA contract in 2007. Also significant changes in the Modular Data Processing Unit (computer network airborne systems) of Rafale will be there as requested by the IAF.

Price: The price of 36 Rafale is ~€7.87Bn (~₹59k cr in 2016):
1. €3.3Bn for basic aircraft.
2. €1.7Bn for India Specific Enhancements.
3. Maintenance: €1.8Bn for spare parts and engines, €350 million for performance based logistics (for 75% flying serviceability).
4. €700 million for weapon suit.

Also as stated by the CAG, the current deal is 2.86% cheaper than the unfinished deal under UPA, keeping in mind the % escalation factor per year which is fixed to 1.1 as compared to 3.9 under UPA.

Add-Ons: While the UPA deal was for basic aircraft, the current one consists of:

1. 5 yr maintenance pact & pilot training project.
2. India specific enhancements.
3. Weapon suit, which includes combination of deadly MICA, SCALPE & METEOR missiles along with other weapons for short and long ranges.
4. RBE2 AESA radar.

So, its high time that Rahul Gandhi and friends understand, merely chanting ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ despite SC and CAG verdicts won’t make it a scam. Now the public is better aware than ever.

What rallying of all anti-Modi forces behind Mamata Banerjee tells us about the opposition campaign and the ‘Khan Market gang’

vigoe
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What rallying of all anti-Modi forces behind Mamata Banerjee tells us about the opposition campaign and the ‘Khan Market gang’

Bengal has been the political flavor this election season. In the run up to 2019 general elections, all the eyes were on Uttar Pradesh due to the “Mahagathbandhan” of two eternal enemies to take on the juggernaut of Modi and BJP. But as the month and a half long seven phase election progressed, all the focus got shifted to Bengal, not due to the Lutyens obsession of opposition unity but due to the ever growing prospect of a BJP win in the state and the violence unleashed by their beloved leader Mamata Banerjee to protect her citadel.

Before focusing on Bengal, let’s take a small tour through the opposition campaign to set the context for the developments happening in Bengal.

Congress and other non-NDA parties tried their best to create a mirage of opposition unity but as it turned out, like it happened with most of the other strategies of the opposition this election season, it remained a non-starter. Old tactical alliances in few states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu were presented as a new alliance to take on the mighty force of BJP and Narendra Modi. The only new real challenge for BJP was in Uttar Pradesh where SP and BSP risked everything to come together to remain relevant. (After all what will happen to this alliance and these parties if BJP emerges as the winner in UP).

If one looks closely how the opposition campaign has progressed in last two and a half months since the announcement of the schedule for the general elections, it all started with every regional player like BJD, TMC, JDS, Left, and others trying to make the general elections of India as local as possible by raising the rhetoric of jobs, intolerance, communal forces, etc. They all had the hope that the over-arching narrative under which they will fight the elections, will come from Congress.

Congress tried to take on the BJP’s pitch of Nationalism after the high of Balakot strikes by announcing ‘Nyay’ scheme which turned out to be such a dud that none of the other opposition parties talk about it and some even criticized it openly. The Rafale Scam lie was already not getting any traction on the ground. On top of that, their take on AFSPA, Kashmir and Sedition law didn’t help the matter in such a charged up environment in favor of Nationalism. Congress tried a few tricks like ‘officially’ appointing Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as General Secretary of Easter Uttar Pradesh after they were thrown out from the “Mahagathbandhan” of SP-BSP, building suspense over her candidature in Varanasi, but nothing seemed to work.

Congress campaign withered away within the first few phases of the elections, so much so that they tried to hijack the BJP’s style of campaigning by using Surgical Strikes during UPA; Priyanka Gandhi turning herself as a replica of ‘Radhe Ma’; Digvijay Singh, the inventor of false ‘Hindu terror’, went on a 3-day Havan-Pooja spree with thousands of Babas and Sanyasis. However, eventually they returned to the narrative of 2014 that is to abuse Narendra Modi in profuse amounts.

On the other hand, BJP and Narendra Modi planned their campaign meticulously. They started with Nationalism and strong leader pitch riding on the high of Balakot strikes; blew the wind out of the opposition’s campaign with the show of strength in Varanasi; gave it a twist of softness and inspiration with Akshay Kumar interview; brought the discussion back to ‘Hindu terror’ and Hindutava with the candidature of Sadhvi Pragya and finished it off with a calculated showdown in Bengal to puncture the foundation of “Save Democracy by removing Narendra Modi” narrative by the opposition parties.

With Congress fleeing the battlefield mid-way and “Mahagathbandhan” in UP not making much of a dent in BJP’s numbers, the whole “Khan Market gang” (which seemed to be the main opposition rather than the political parties) rallied behind the only leader which was giving some competition to the BJP, at least verbally.

All the Lutyens Media and Left-liberal intellectuals had closed their eyes to the violence that was going on in Bengal since last 2-3 years, political or otherwise. Congress and Left did it at the cost of the lives of their own cadre. In 2019, when almost all the states have seen a largely peaceful election, almost a celebration as the PM puts it, Bengal violence stood out as a sore spot. All the six phases in Bengal have seen immense violence, intimidation and rigging despite EC taking many measures to ensure a free and fair election. (And there were people who were questioning the seven phase election in the state!)

When all the other leaders seem to have fled mid-way or rendered inconsequential by the pro-incumbency wave in favor of Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee at least made it till the end. It does not matter what methods she employed, or what consequences her methods would result in, what matters is she is the only anti-Modi leader standing on the finish line. It does not matter whether she wins or not, but right now she needs to be backed 100 percent by all the anti-Modi forces including her arch-rivals, the Left.

I was amazed when Sitaram Yechury and other left leaders came out in full support of her after the Kolkata incident in Amit Shah’s rally. Before that at least they used to blame both the parties equally. The entire “Khan Market gang”, “Tukde tukde gang”, Lutyens media, became the cheerleaders of the Mamata Banerjee’s “Bengali Pride” rhetoric that she employed after the desecration of the statue of Ishwarchand Vidyasagar Ji in the violence that broke out in the BJP rally.

They backed her nonsensical rant on EC to the hilt by conveniently forgetting the amount of violence Bengal had already seen till that point. After all that has been the strategy of this ecosystem since forever. Maintain a complete silence on contentious issues and the atrocities on BJP supportive forces; whether in Kerala, or Karnataka, or Tripura, or J&K, or Ram Janambhoomi; but when a reaction comes when pushed to the hilt, use that to shout at the top of their lungs and paint the entire party and its supporters as ‘goons’.

When the situation becomes so violent and toxic, there are bound to be some contentious decisions taken like it happened in J&K when an Army Officer decided to tie a stone-pelter on the front of a Jeep to save the lives of many; there is bound to be some retaliation like it happened in Kolkata when BJP supporters gave it back to TMC goons. It does not matter who destroyed the statue, as the TMC and others want to make it about, the question is why such a situation got created that such an act happened.

Let’s assume for a moment that the statue was destroyed by the BJP supporters, does that negate the fact that countless lives have been lost in the first six phases of the elections? Does that negate the fact that many voters have been beaten and threatened to not use their democratic right? Does that whitewash the brazen attempts of rigging and misuse of state machinery in the elections? I am sure all these are much more graver crimes that the desecration of a statue, which in itself is a deplorable act. But how can one compare the horrific crime of murder with an act of breaking a statue?

But, as I said earlier, all this does not matter. Nothing matters. Lives of people. National Security. Democratic values. Constitutional Responsibility. Nothing. The only thing that matters is to fight and defeat Modi because it is not the man that they fear but the revival of Hindu ideology which would make it impossible for these forces, who either have no ideology or have toxic imported ideologies, to ever come back to power. This is what the fight is all about. This ecosystem might not survive another full majority term of Narendra Modi.

So, even if it means to close your eyes when the democracy is in danger and rally behind a leader who is shredding democratic values to pieces, it’s all acceptable and even celebrated. After all, this is not the first time this would be happening!

Open letter to Swara Bhaskar and other empty vessels

chandra298
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Open letter to Swara Bhaskar and other empty vessels

Dear Sawaraji

It would have been easier for many of us to ignore your interview with Karan thapar where you have expressed your dismay at the prevalent hate atmosphere and holding the Modi govt responsible for it. However considering that your unschooled views on politics and governance can mislead the impressionable minds of your cine fan club in to subscribing to wrong notions, it is considered worth the while to expose you to some crucial aspects concerning the political developments that have escaped your narrow vision.

Let us get to the genesis of this so called hate atmosphere by evaluating Modi govt’s influence on three key elements that is encompassed in this hate domain. We can individuality evaluate these three elements the Opposition, the Media and the General public as to what implications Modi’s arrival had on them.

The opposition parties –

The decline of congress in the last few decades paved way for coalition govt. Many regional and small parties fancied themselves as king makers. Two consecutive terms for Congress led UPA despite NDA headed by BJP giving good account of themselves led the coalition in to reckless indulgence in corrupt practices.

The emergence of an honest leader from Gujarat changed everything. The congress led UPA lost badly as the traditional approach of vote splitting tactics on communal basis and caste basis became infructuous. Modi’s honesty, Nationalism, hard work and above all his very humble background made him so popular that it was going to be an onerous task to dislodge his popular image from the minds of his growing support group. Left as it was there was every possibility that he would successfully seek yet another term because people like Modi come as a very rare breed in politics, incorruptible, good administrator, highly nationalistic, man from the bottom most rung of the society and above all a good administrator with good political acumen.

It was a question of survival for many parties. All the false narrative and myth that they had spun around BJP would get busted eventually if BJP continued to remain in power for long. As a matter of fact many leaders in the opposition could find themselves behind the bar under corruption charges. They had every reason to hate him. They crossed all limits in name calling Modi. All their frustrations and angst at being usurped from power were directed at Modi.

We leave it to you to comprehend how much the opposition must be hating Modi and why. For a JNU alumni like you it should not be a difficult task. With so much of hate spewed at him it would be puerile to even assume that there would not be any response from Modi or his party or his supporters.

Media

The media world over is always opposed to the strong individuals and strong establishments. Many hold on to wrong notion that Media is pro Congress party. If the congress party was to emerge as the strongest party as it used to be few decades back, we can be sure of Media targeting the party to malign it.

When Indira Gandhi became the all powerful leader she had lot of critics in the media, the acrimonious duel between Ramnath Goenka, the Indian express owner, and Indira Gandhi was very famous. The fact that strong leaders have at most faith in themselves makes media feel intimidated and ignored. The media was after Modi when he was Gujarat CM and of course continues to go after him now because he is a strong PM who arrived in Delhi despite the Media mechanisation to stop him. Therefore the media obsession with Modi can be easily understood.

Such was the urge to inflict insult and humiliate Modi that the anti Modi journos would scavenge for the negative news about him 24×7 and push it quickly without even waiting to get the fact check done. The isolated but all the same undesirable incidences of mob lynching were zealously covered by Media which was furtively rejoicing the opportunity the lynching provided to get at Modi govt than get really outraged at the incidents. As a matter of fact many incidents were stage managed fake incidences, where the perpetrators of the crime made sure that they were precisely captured in the video cameras.

I very much doubt if you would be aware of some instances I will draw your attention to here, because the media hardly covered it as zestfully as it did to highlight the mob lynching attributed to Hindu vigilantism. In 2010 professor TN Joshep of Kerala had his hands chopped by a Muslim front for the professor had set a wrongly worded question to his students that dishonoured the Prophet Mohammed. In Kairana UP in 2014 there was a mass exodus of Hindus perpetrated by the Muslims and the same was corroborated by NHRC report on this. In Dhulagarh West Bengal the Muslims do not allow Durga Pooja celebration since last 5 years. Indrajit Dutta, a Bengali youth, was brutally murdered by Muslim boys because he refused to give donations for Moharam festival in Hooghly district of WB. Journalist Rohit Sardana receives death threats because he asked a valid  question in his tweet as to why Hindu goddess are prefixed by word sexy while the same is not used for Ayesha, Fatima or for Mary. There are lots of such hate expressions which do not get covered by the Media.

Does it not occur odd to you that a famous Media journalist like Karan thapar chooses to interview you on National politics, when more talented, more knowledgeable, top notch celebrities can be accessed easily? The reason is that through your tweets you have more than once expressed your antipathy to the present regime and thus they pounced on you. The so called hate atmosphere that you talk about has been orchestrated mendaciously by the guileful media

Public

Thanks to advent of smart phones and an active social media a common man does not feel as frustrated as before to vent his outrage. The nationwide attention garnered by Anna Hazare agitation in Delhi galvanised the otherwise apathetic common man of India. He has also been a silent sufferer at the hands of Machiavellian media. Suddenly he witnesses the arrival of an honest leader and a govt that can dispense with minority appeasement. He grows over possessive about this govt and its leader in defending it from the left liberals and the traditional baiters in the media. The so called Bhakts or trolls are the same old silent majority which few years back lived with utter frustrations under a callous regime.

Thus no sooner a celebrity or a journalist disturbs the hornet nest with their negative comments or observations, the social media thrashes them and tears them apart. Amir Khan and his family, Sabhana Azmi, Nasserudin Shaw, Urmila Martondkar have been at the receiving end for their personal observations which few years ago would not have invited such outrage because of lack of avenue for public expression. People who over look this major aspect of social media as an avenue for common man’s voice, allow themselves to be surprised by this intense intimidation from public.

We would like to emphasise our point through following brief illustration. In a village a huge pond on which every house hold was dependent, went neglected for long years as the village administration could not care less since they had other priorities and alternatives to the pond. Then one day a team arrives there and decides to restore the pond, massive churning and cleaning operation is put in to motion. Some of the inhabitants were put off by the foul smell emanating and complained that it never used to be so smelly before. However there were many who understood the inevitability of this outcome and welcomed it for a better future.

The Indian politics and media is undergoing deep churning and cleansing. The media too has realigned itself in to pro nationalist channels and anti right wing channels. People like you need to ponder why so much of hate is being directed at Modi. Can you come up with one leader in the entire country who is a match to him? Media journalist Madhu Kishwar took sabbatical leave and went on a quest to get to the bottom of this hate Modi propaganda and she emerged as a true Modi votary.

You need not undertake such arduous tasks. There are so many books written by ex bureaucrats in the congress regime, there are so many articles available both by Indian as well as foreign authors who have highlighted the danger posed by inimical forces setting agenda through mercenary media. Why don’t you read them just to acquaint yourself with other side of the story? In your own  profession you have senior people like Anupam Kher, the most versatile Vivek Agnihotri, Ajay devagan, Ashok Pandit, Akshay Kumar etc who have altogether different opinion than yours about Modi. Why don’t you seek interaction with them at least to get some different perspective. This would help you to emerge wiser in making your own judgement than get influenced by what you come across in dubious media or what impressions you inherited in your JNU days.

Why is Godse a taboo when Gandhi was not a god?

Utsav Kumar
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Why is Godse a taboo when Gandhi was not a god?

Labeling is easy! Certifying Godse as a patriot or a “Hindu Terrorist” can be the prerogative of a Pragya Thakur or Kamal Haasan. Yes, Godse Killed Gandhi and what he did was criminal and for which he was hanged till death. However, the critical and perhaps the most important question that has been forever lost is WHY GODSE KILLED GANDHI?

Ideally, you would expect one entire chapter dedicated to this question in schools given the coverage Gandhi has. Even Hitler’s book Mein Kampf is available at any book store in India. Why the establishment kept Godse’s books and trial records banned for so many years?

Why his views have not been made available for the public to better understand such an important event in the history of independent India? What is it that they fear? These are the questions that we should have been discussing instead of making one Godse a taboo and Gandhi a God. Hitler killed the Jews, and the world knows why he did what he did. It is our right to know and have an informed opinion about why Godse Killed Gandhi.

It would be a gross injustice to claim that I can assimilate all the events and ideas which filled Nathuram Godse with hatred towards Gandhi even when he had revered him for his commitment to eradicating the dominant superstitions and dogmas prevalent in the Hindu society, in this one single article.

Talking of the Godse’s trial, G.D. Khosla, Chief Justice of Punjab, said: “The audience was visibly and audibly moved. There was a deep silence when he ceased speaking. I have, however, no doubt that had the audience of that day been constituted into a jury and entrusted with the task of deciding Godse’s appeal, they would have brought a verdict of “not guilty” by an overwhelming majority.”

These are Godse’s words from during the trial: “I sat brooding intensely on the atrocities perpetrated on Hinduism and its dark and deadly future if left to face Islam outside and Gandhi inside, and . . . I decided all of a sudden to take the extreme step against Gandhi”.

“I did not hate Gandhi, I revered him because we both venerated much in Hindu religion, Hindu history, and Hindu culture, we both were against superstitious aspects and the wrongs in Hinduism. Therefore I bowed before Gandhi when I met him”, said Godse, “then performed my moral duty and killed Gandhi”.

If we are to understand the event which had a shapeshifting impact on the future of India and Indian politics we have to follow the events and circumstances which led Godse from being a man who revered Gandhi to a man who killed Gandhi.

Godse was critical of Gandhi, especially when his ideas were treated as the final verdict over the collective decision of the Congress. During his trial, Godse said that he felt Gandhi assumed himself to be the final authority on truth and had started dictating terms. One such instance that he quoted was when Gandhi went on a fast to pressure the Indian government to release the final payment to Pakistan that it had previously frozen because of the war in Kashmir, and the Indian government’s subsequent policy reversal. To him, it was proof that the Indian government reversed its decision only to complement the feelings of Gandhi.

He also criticized Gandhi for being silent on the killings of minority Hindus and Sikhs after partition in both east and west Pakistan. Godse said that Gandhi, despite being a champion of non-violence, never stood for the Hindus being killed in riots perpetrated by Muslims in their jihad to create an Islamic territory.

Even Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar explicitly talks of Gandhi’s bias towards the Islamic force in his book Pakistan or the Partition of India. He writes – “The blood-curdling atrocities committed by the Moplas in Malabar against the Hindus were indescribable. All over Southern India, a wave of horrified feeling had spread among the Hindus of every shade of opinion, which was intensified when certain Khilafat leaders were so misguided as to pass resolutions of “congratulations to the Moplas on the brave fight they were conducting for the sake of religion”. Any person could have said that this was too heavy a price for Hindu-Moslem unity. But Mr. Gandhi was so much obsessed by the necessity of establishing Hindu-Moslem unity that he was prepared to make light of the doings of the Moplas and the Khilafats who were congratulating them. He spoke of the Moplas as the “brave God-fearing Moplas who were fighting for what they consider as religion and in a manner which they consider as religious.”

“The aim was to establish the kingdom of Islam by overthrowing the British government. Knives, swords, and spears were secretly manufactured, bands of desperadoes collected for an attack on British authority…. But what baffled most was the treatment accorded by the Moplas to the Hindus of Malabar. The Hindus were visited by a dire fate at the hands of the Moplas. Massacres, forcible conversions, desecration of temples, foul outrages upon women, such as ripping open pregnant women, pillage, arson and destruction— in short, all the accompaniments of brutal and unrestrained barbarism, were perpetrated freely by the Moplas upon the Hindus until such time as troops could be hurried to the task of restoring order through a difficult and extensive tract of the country. This was not a Hindu-Moslem riot. This was just a Bartholomew. The number of Hindus who were killed, wounded or converted, is not known. But the number must have been enormous.”

That Godse was aware of the consequences of his act was evident when he said: “I thought to myself and foresaw I shall be totally ruined, and the only thing I could expect from the people would be nothing but hatred … if I were to kill Gandhiji. But at the same time, I felt that the Indian politics in the absence of Gandhiji would surely be proved practical, able to retaliate, and would be powerful.”

In this age and time, no establishment can keep feeding one narrative to further one agenda and expect people to follow like sheep.This is India. We are seekers and not believers. We have the legacy of questioning even Shiva, and a simple washerman can question Ram. Gandhi is not beyond criticism.

I believe context is always stronger than the text. Why shouldn’t we have the liberty to debate and discuss the context of this script?

Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee – two different stories with the same cautionary political message

vigoe
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Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee – two different stories with the same cautionary political message

Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, both these leaders have been two time Chief Minister of their respective states (it does not matter whether the term lasts for 13 days or 49 days or for all 5 years). Their rise to power, the subsequent downfall and the prospect of falling into political oblivion; makes for an interesting case study for any political researcher or enthusiast.

Mamata Banerjee rose to power in 2011 by surprising one and all when she increased her tally from a mere 30 seats in 2006 to 184 in 2011. That was a staggering increase in the number of seats by over six times! She increased her tally in 2016 to 211 seats out of 294, that’s over a 2/3rd majority in a state which has the 2nd largest assembly seats among the Indian states.

Arvind Kejriwal had no less of a dream run in politics since his debut in Delhi politics. Though Mamata Banerjee had to struggle for years in the opposition, Arvind Kejriwal formed the government in his maiden election after winning 28 out of 70 seats in 2013, with the support of Congress party who had 8 seats. He resigned soon after to contest 2014 general election but stormed back to power with an unprecedented 67 seats out 70 in 2015 Delhi assembly elections.

You see these kind of results when there is massive anger against the ruling party and much of their voters shift their preferences. There was massive anger against the more than 3 decade old rule of Left in Bengal and similarly there was strong anti-incumbency against the 15 year Congress rule in Delhi and 10 year long rule in the Center.

Such a massive swing indicates that the voters were disappointed by the prolonged rule of the ruling party and were looking for someone who will change the status quo. In Bengal, the status quo was the massive violence and intimidation of the political opponents while in Delhi, the status quo was the rampant corruption that was prevalent in the state and the country.

However, as it turned out both these leaders who came on the plank of change and hope, rather than changing the system, co-opted the system and became a part of it themselves, thereby betraying their own voters. Mamata Banerjee and the TMC became much more brutal than the left ever was. She even openly played the politics of minority appeasement to further vitiate the atmosphere of violence and injustice. Same way, Arvind Kejriwal rather than coming good on his promises of action on the corruption cases, many of which he himself had raised in the past, openly sold the tickets in elections, kept on blaming the central govt. for his lack of competence and played the same abhorrent congress politics of caste, religion and personal attacks.

Both of them completely betrayed the mandate of their voters and thus are now staring at a political rout and complete decimation. The situation in Delhi, where BJP has always been a strong force, has become so dire for Arvind Kejriwal and his party that within a span of 6-7 years, he has gone on to the extent of begging for an alliance with the same party against which he fought and termed it as the root of corruption in India. But even that party which itself had scored a zero in the last assembly elections is unwilling to join hands with him, such has been the fall from grace for the once ‘crusader against corruption’.

Situation has been no better for Mamata Banerjee this time around. She won 2016 assembly elections due to lack of credible and strong opposition, and wholesale violence. But within 3 years of that stupendous victory, she is seeing a massive anger against her and her party. A leader who was once regarded as the ‘Durga’ of Bengal or who commanded immense respect from the general public, has been reduced to a mere caricature of herself in a span of less than 8 years since her rise to power, so much so that she is being forced to resort to foreign campaigners, deplorable personal attacks and soft separatist card of ‘Regional Pride’ in these elections along with the old methods of massive violence and intimidation.

She is resorting to the same old ways of Left of violence, intimidation and rigging to try and protect her turf. At a time when political violence has become an old memory for most of the states and their citizens, Bengal stands out as a ‘sore thumb’ along with a few other states. A Bengal which has already rejected this kind of politics in 2011 will not accept it again in 2019.

There is a strong possibility that both these leaders will get ousted in the next assembly elections and will be erased from the public memory for ever. And both of them brought it upon themselves by playing with the feelings and emotions of the people. Indians tend to be generous and easily forgive for the mistakes and failed promises but they don’t take it lightly to betrayal and dashed hopes.

Budding politicians and political commentators can learn a lot from these two tales of two leaders belonging to two different states separated by thousands of kilometers which are as different as black and white in their character and culture but belong to this great civilization called India. They are a classic example of fall from the top in the political world.

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