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
Assam Governor J B Patnaik and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday conveyed heartiest greetings to the people on the occasion of Durga Puja.
In a statement the governor appealed to the people to maintain peace and spread the message of amity and unity in keeping with the true spirit of such festivals and tenets of every religious faith and order.
The chief minister also appealed to the people to maintain peace and calm and hoped the festival would promote a bond of brotherhood among all sections of society.
The Gauhati High Court on Friday asked the Centre and the Assam governments to explain the system for identification, declaration and deportation of Bangladeshi immigrants from Assam.
Taking up a writ petition filed by one Mohammad Ataur alias Ataur Rahman, who has been on detention for being a suspected illegal immigrant, Justice B K Sharma observed that the petitioner was in a detention camp for last two years but the respondent (government) had been unable to take any action to deport him to Bangladesh.
The Kaziranga National Park would open from Nov 1 for the tourists. According to KNP authorities, maintenance of roads and other infrastructure are going on inside the park. He said that the tourist would have to wait for a few days to visit the whole park as some low-lying areas are still under water.The UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in Assam for domestic and foreign tourists, mainly due to the one-horned rhinos.According to government data, the park has been recording an increasing number of tourists every year.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has called upon the civil society to support the government in eliminating crime against women.
Inauguration the ceremony of the new office of Assam State Commission for Women in Guwahati, he said that along with the government, the NGOs and other social organisation will have to take initiative to struggle for eradicating crimes committed against women.
He said that steps were taken to increase reservation for women in panchayats of Assam to 50 per cent, from the current 33 per cent.
As a part of adolescent education programme and enhancement of life skills city based Hindustani Kendriya Vidyalaya had organised a day-long programme for its students on Friday at its conference hall. The session on life skills was moderated by Neeru Basumatary who has been working on life skills training. Ratna Singh, Principal of HKV moderated the other session who is also a trained person on life skills and conducted many training programmes in different parts of the country. Life skills have been one of the important skills which is focused by Central Board of Secondary Education for its students. Life skills help a teenager in coping with many things which help in their growth....
Amway India and Guwahati Traffic Police have joined hands together to announce a ‘Road safety awareness campaign’ for the festive season in Guwahati city on October 18, 2012. The objective of the initiative is to sensitize the denizens of the city about the importance of adherence to a slew of road safety rules and traffic signals in order to avoid accidents and secure long life. The awareness drive specially focuses on the students across schools and colleges of Guwahati with an objective of educating the youth on traffic rules for a better future.
At a formal function at Guwahati Press Club, the Superintendent of Police, Traffic Guwahati, Bibekananda Das and Amway India...
Police recovered a decomposed body of a child in Tezpur on Thursday. The body suspected to be of a kidnapped boy, was recovered from a gunny bag near a pond at Chitralekha Nagar. A man who claimed to be the father said that his son was missing from Tezpur town since October 8. But the persons arrested in connection with the kidnapped case have claimed that the child is alive. The body would be sent for DNA test to confirm the identity of the child.
Kamrup district (metro) administration has chalked out a two-layer traffic arrangement for the ensuing Durga Puja in Guwahati.Police (Traffic) has imposed certain restrictions on the movement of vehicles from October 21 to October 24.The goods-carrying vehicles have been restricted from 1 pm to 4 am from Jalukbari, Garchuk, Lokhara, Beltola, Khanapara, Hatigaon and Chandmari side.Trucks will be allowed to enter the city from 4 am onwards up to 10 in the morning. The RP Road will be one way only from the Ganesh Mandir side. There will not be entry for vehicles coming from the Zoo Road side to Ganesh Mandir. Vehicles will move via Service Road, GS Road and Supermarket Point.
One more rhino was found dead in Kaziranga on Thursday. KNP officials called it a case of natural death. Its horn was recovered by the park authorities in Bagori range. In yet another incident, a tusker was found dead after it was trapped inside the dense jungle at Burhapahar range on Thursday.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari on Thursday flagged off the BJYM’s rally organized to honour the Indo-Chino war heroes.In his address at the flag off function at Machkhowa, Gadkari said that the rally would be a source of inspiration for the youths. The rally left for Arunachal Pradesh and on Saturday the concluding function would take place at Bomla in Arunachal Pradesh.
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