No person seems to have dominated Gujarat politics as much as Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the last one decade. In case he wins this 2007 election, where fifty-fifty chances appear after the voting on 11 and 16 December, what will be the ‘Modis’ effect on national politics viz-a-viz BJP and if he fails, how the Congress and BJP will turnaround their politicking in India; a debate every political analyst and media portal is genuinely trying to explore.
We argue that after the 2002 Gujarat it is not LK Advani but Narendra Bhai Modi who is the formidable icon for Hindutva politics in India. His defeat or win in the recent Gujarat election will mean beyond Gujarat. Modi’s win will mean — he will be a strong contender for the post of PM in next ten years or at least a very strong key-maker within BJP, without whose green signal it will be virtually difficult for BJP to move ahead. And this is what made a visible break within BJP in Gujarat as well as in New Delhi before the Gujarat election. BJP’s uncalled for announcement for Mr. Advani, from anti Modi camp, as Prime Ministerial candidate few hours before Gujarat election means some within the BJP are sure that if Modi wins it will be impossible for them to bring Advani on top who already lost Hindutva charm after Jinnah saga. .
As is his strategy, Modi talks about economic development— ‘vibrant Gujarat’ but when the right time clicks he shifts his beans of development to the favorite agenda Hindutva— communalism. To justify the killing of Sohrabuddin in his election campaign speech is one example of the nature that has generated a national controversy.
Current Gujarat elections, irrespective of its result, will remain etched in the memory of the nation for wrong reasons. Gujarat witnessed the burning of Sabarmati express at Godhra in Feb 2002. The carnage which followed this train accident claimed the lives of thousands of innocents and simultaneously polarized Gujarat along religious lines. The process of ghettotisation of Muslims and the fear of minorities constructed in the minds of majority community are staring in some Gujarati faces. At the same time the threads of democratic nationalism, national integration are breaking rapidly. The consequent of polarization led to the victory of the leader of the carnage back to power in the elections which took place within a year. In the 2002 elections, the main opposition party, Congress did not gather strength to take on Modi with full vigor.
During last two and a half decades the rise of right wing politics has taken place on the pretext of Hinduism, while it has nothing to do with the humane streams of Hinduism. It claims to be for Hindus, while majority of Hindus have also become victim of this intimidating politics. It reflects the state of erosion of our democratic norms and gradual strengthening of the forces which do talk about democracy but are deeply wedded to the RSS, the organization which is opposed to interfaith harmony and true democracy. The concept of Hindu nation is for Hindus is just a pretext. It essentially aims to abolish the values of liberty, equality and fraternity of Indian pluralistic society. In Gujarat, one can clearly make out that there is a slow but dangerous march towards a fascist state.
The Tehelka sting showed some of the perpetrators boasting about their crimes in front of the camera, and this made most of the people realize once again the gravity of the crime. It was in this background, we guess, that Sonia Gandhi in her election campaign called Modi as ‘the merchant of death’. Mr. Modi realized that the truth is being said after all, and tried to raise the communal sentiments high by justifying the extra judicial killing of Sohrabuddin, who was killed in a fake encounter by his police. He was keeping the communal card, under wraps till the word ‘merchant of death’ was hurled upon him.
All this sounds so unusual but we are becoming used to the prevalence of these things. Who knows, spats like ‘merchant of death’ and ‘Hindu terrorism’ from the Congress may backfire them. It might have already spoiled the political chemistry for the Congress and the BJP ultimately made up the loss caused by its own internal revolt.
If Nerandra Modi fails— Congress comes into ruling in Gujarat, the party may go for early poll in the center cashing on the Nandigram incidence against the Left. The Left’s threat to withdraw support from the UPA on N-deal will have no effect and it, later or sooner, will be practical. And above all the Hindutva politics in India will have thumbs-down for a while until a new ‘Babri Masjid’ is rediscovered somewhere in UP, MP or Delhi.
By M. Burhanuddin Qasmi
The author M. Burhanuddin Qasmi is Director of Mumbai based institution ‘Markazul Ma’arif Education & Research Centre and Editor ‘Eastern Crescent’. He can be reached at manager@markazulmaarif.org
Rural administrative service is coming up. Courtesy Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday, Gogoi said that to service has been introduced for serving in the rural areas. He said that the new service will recruit candidates for serving in the rural areas to carry forward government schemes and plans specially for the rural areas. He said 30 per cent of the jobs so created will be reserved for rural based candidates who will have to serve in the backward areas for a time-bound period.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday admitted his utter helplessness to efficiently deal with corruption from government department. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday, Gogoi said that corruptions was very much in almost all departments.
“We need to check the system to stop corruption," Gogoi said adding that his government is stressing e-governance, RTI Act, decentralization of power and peoples empowerment to check corruption. Gogoi said that he supports any movement against corruption but not the one being undertaken by the IAC.
In a bizarre incident that sends shockwave across the state, a couple committed suicide in a Guwahati based lodge. Identified as Bipin Saikia and Poppy Saikia were found hanging inside the Capital Lodge in Ganeshguri on Friday evening. The couple hailing from Golaghat had been lodging in the hotel for the last four days. Investigation is going on.
BJP infuses fresh hope in Assam even nearly two and a half years ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The party on Friday appointed Sarbananda Sonowal as the interim president of the state. According to BJP General Secretary attached to Assam Vijay Goel, Nitin Gadkari has appointed Sonowal as the Assam unit chief after Ranjit Dutta had citing poor health. Sonowal is a former MP from Dibrugarh and a former MLA from Moran seat of Assam. He won both these polls on an AGP ticket. He has also been head of All Assam Student Union.
The Planning Commission has cleared a huge Rs 14.49 crore flood control scheme for Kamrup Rural district. The project will involve the dyke of the river Brahmaputra river from Gumi to Kalatoli. The entire project would be completed by 2013-14 and Plan accounts will be closed by March 31, 2014. The project will have to be executed as per the approved outlays in the State Annual Plans. The Finance Department will restrict the expenditure to the approved cost and no additional expenditure beyond approved cost will be permitted unless the revised estimate is got approved following the prescribed procedure.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stressed amicable solution of to the simmering border row with Nagaland. He said it to the Assam-Nagaland Goodwill Team when it it visited him on Friday in Guwahati. He told the delegation that both sides sit together and arrive at a mutual understanding. He said that the state has good relations with Nagaland, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh despite border problems. An eight-member team of Assam-Nagaland Goodwill Team said the people of Nagaland want solution to the long festering Assam-Nagaland border amicably and peacefully outside the jurisdiction of the apex court.
The November 18 India-Yemen match in Guwahati was cancelled. According to All India Football Federation, they received an email from the Yemen Football Association that their players' tickets 'were cancelled due to some problems with the airlines.' AIFF vice-president Ankur Dutta and secretary of Assam Football Association, said apart from the national team, this was a big loss for the fans from north-east also. The issue has been reported to the Asian Football Confederation.
The much-awaited ASEAN car rally will be flagged off from Guwahati on December 17. Kamrup (metro) district administration, GMC, GDD and PWD departments have been asked to spruce up the entire city roads. The rally will kick off from Yogyakarta in Indonesia on November 25. But in the absence of a road link between Indonesia and Singapore, the rally will be given its ceremonial flag-off on November 28 from Singapore.
The rally, with 31 SUVs, will cover the ASEAN countries of Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and India. The rally will enter India through the border town of Moreh in Manipur. It will reach Guwahati thorugh Kohima and Dimapur in Nagaland on December 17 from...
"Conflict in BTAD, Issue of Influx and Land Alienation in Assam: Problems and Perspectives"
Date: November 8, 2012Venue: Mavalanka Auditorium, Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi.
Where is the end of the conflict?
Conflict is ever unwanted but inevitable in the society and its civilization as I understand. Conflict emanates certain course of development and entire world has the more or less similar history. And yet conflicts of certain areas require special focus and understanding in order to reduce the same. Government agencies, NGOs, Civil Society organizations and all others also have achieved very little in conflict resolution despite their honest efforts...
Come Wednesday. Anna Hazare will address a national conclave in Guwahati on infiltration. Former army chief Gen VK Singh will also accompany the veteran social activist in the two-day event.
Organised by the KMSS, the conclave will chalk out a roadmap to resolve the problems of infiltration from across the Bangladesh border by bringing together various organisations, political parties, leaders, intellectuals and activists on a single platform.
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