India that every Indian envisages for: 2019

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Bid Adieu 2019 - Digital platforms make news, could come under closer scanning

New Delhi, Dec 31

The season of festivity and protest that’s carrying India through the chill of winter marking the end of circa 2019 will be also known for being critical for social media platforms.

Senior police officials in Uttar Pradesh probing the anti-CAA protest said in many places the crowd was gathered by using Whatsapp and other IT tools.

Thus, it was not surprising that protestors were less ‘very effectively’ the violence was organised and on a large scale but where protestors gathered in large numbers and police force stood in attendance, the place was comparatively peaceful.

As the year comes to an end, a vital facet of social network came to light and this would herald a testing time as Twitter, Google products and Tik Tok video app and Facebook will continue to be under closer scrutiny by the government.

Apparently, the ruling dispensation has also tried to ensure use of ‘safer data’ as several digital platforms like Whatsapp has been providing a medium not only to speak up against the Modi government but also helped organise the violent protest.

Sample this - the Personal Data Protection Bill that will empower the government to ask Facebook and Google and other IT operatives for anonymous personal and non-personal data was referred to a joint select committee of both Houses of Parliament.

The Standing Committee on IT headed by Congress member Shashi Tharoor was allegedly bypassed.

In fact right from the beginning of the calendar year – coinciding with the election season - Indian Parliament became the fourth legislative body after Singapore, European Union and the US Congress to start a probe on the abuse of political content and conduct of the micro blogging site Twitter.

The parliament Standing Committee on IT headed by Anurag Thakur summoned and grilled top Twitter bosses.

Subsequently, stringent measures were announced by the government.

Digital platforms including Facebook assured that they will offer details of political advertisements on their platform and also announced strategies to strengthen efforts around poll-related integrity.

Things looked normal, yet the social network business flourished in India as more and more Indians developed liking for Digital platforms.

Studies by the industry body Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) revealed in April 2019 that as many as 66 million of IT users in India are children aged between five and eleven years.

By and large India is now second only to China in terms of monthly active internet users and overall the number of Internet users is about 460 million.

The government’s announcement of 5G trial would only enhance IT penetration in the country.

“The age of 5G is coming... we have taken a decision to give 5G spectrum for trials to all the players," Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said on Monday.

Many say the year 2019 vis-a-vis the use and abuse of IT tools such as Whatsapp and Facebook also show that in many places the ‘childhood friendship’ has been hit.

One Trisha, a college student in Bengaluru, complained that due to her support to the anti-CAA protest, her school friends have asked her whether “Imran Khan is her leader and that she could go to Pakistan if not Bangladesh".

Such contents were not rare. Many Whatsapp users have confirmed in person or otherwise about the decision to ‘make exit’ from some Friends group as political differences could spoil years old bond.

“I have stopped using Facebook since December second week,” commented Ramyo Zinyu, a Shillong-based student in northeast referring to the peak of the protest.

Over 20 people have lost lives including in Assam, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

But a few users of the IT space still remain optimistic and say Digital platforms are reality of our time.

“Life must go on and so should social network...These IT platforms will continue to toss us from the lap of one controversy to another; but this would generally end us at brighter spots. IT universe is a new university,” says this school of thought.

The government apparatus in UP and the centre have indicated that thanks to IT tools, the Aligarh Muslim University has turned into the new hub of the activities of the Popular Front of India (PFI).

UP police and top political who's who - Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath - have alleged that PFI and other local Muslim organisations played a key role in inciting violence in several parts of Uttar Pradesh using digital platforms.

On this, the role of PFI's student wing, the Campus Front of India has also come under scanner.

Opposition leaders have already said that the new Data privacy bill when enacted into law could be misused.

CPI(M) and Trinamool leaders have said that the clause 'in the interest of sovereignty' could be abused by law enforcing agencies as the proposed law will allow the government agencies exemption from the existing laws about individual freedom and privacy.

During Parliament debate, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the draft law has the Supreme Court’s mandate and was aimed only at safeguarding people’s rights and privacy.

Privacy is a fundamental right but a corrupt or a terrorist do not enjoy such right, the minister has said.

2019 in Review: Youths & minorities finally challenge ‘Moditva’

New Delhi, Dec 30 First time in years the religious minorities especially Muslims are flexing muscles – literally.

'Moditva' as a political phenomenon and with combined magic of pro-Hindutva tilt and push for development as a catalyst looked invincible.

Empowered by sympathetic support of youths in general and students in universities and of course the opposition parties against the newly enacted CAA, the minorities have able to take the battle into the rival camp – the so called ‘Hindu-nationalist zealotry’.

“For me as a youth and as a tribal from north east, we are against immigrants. But we want a government that will not focus on promoting one religion and work against others,” said a Naga youth Neingulie Sakhrie during anti-CAA noisy protest of December 15 in the capital.

The anguish of youths getting onto the streets have transformed Indian politics more than once in the past.

The JP movement also rested heavily on youth power, so was the anti-Mandal Commission protest during V P Singh’s tenure.

Similarly, the youths played a pivotal role in 2011 Anna Hazare-led Lok Pal movement against corruption – which BJP somehow benefited in 2014.

But Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s re-election in 2019 had bolstered fringe factions of his political base.

There was already apprehension about protecting plurality in India. Since 2014, episodes like mob lynching against cattle meat sale and movement against ‘Love Jihad’ made news. But in a historic mandate, Mr Modi and his party were given a second term with more number of Lok Sabha seats to run the world's largest democracy.

Mr Modi also became the first prime minister since 1971 to return to power with an absolute majority.
Things looked too good for BJP till the opposition to the CAA gained momentum.

“The people are permanent and an elected government is temporary. So it has no right to enact a law that excludes Muslims,” said a Muslim student during Jamia Millia protest.

Another vocal refrain from protestors has been that the Modi government has tried to push the line that Muslims are ‘not patriotic enough’ and they must be taught a lesson through CAA and NRC.

Such an attitude is not acceptable, they screamed.

Now, the virtual challenge to the ‘Moditva phenomenon’ has forced the BJP leadership to go back to the table to redraw it campaign strategy especially on social network.

The fact that the BJP has been put on back foot is proved as no less than Prime Minister himself has been forced to reach out to the ‘restless’ youths and also use the hashtag ‘IndiaSupportsCAA’ on Twitter.

On December 29 Mann-Ki-Baat radio broadcast Prime Minister tried to strike an emotional chord with the generation next and said the country's youth detests “anarchy of any sort”.

Later in the evening hours, Prime Minister in a tweet wrote: “What is certain is that the coming decade will see those born in the 21st century playing a key role in national progress".

BJP working president J P Nadda held several conclaves with party colleagues to workout campaign strategy to bust the myths about Citizenship Amendment Act.

All these have come in a year that almost gave a feeling that the BJP has attained ‘the invincible’ status in Indian politics.

The year 2019 saw BJP's political detractors and stalwarts bite the dust and saffron party winning an enhanced mandate but the youths and religious minorities – however - combined together to throw up a major challenge to the ruling regime.

The new socio-political situation has made ‘cornered’ Congress leaders such as P Chidambaram optimistic and he says: “In less than a fortnight – December 12 to 24 – the nation found its soul and stood up to the bullies”.

India's 2019 general elections, religious minorities and Opposition parties had thought, could have ‘redirected’ the country's politics from the trajectory it had been plunging since 2014.

But the mandate was different.

The Ram temple movement got a favourable push. Anti-Triple Talaq law was enacted and Article 370 giving special provisions to Jammu and Kashmir was abrogated.

Likes of Yogi Adityanath led a campaign that blamed Muslim youths for waging a “love jihad” by seducing Hindu women to convert to Islam.

However, with 'restless' Indian youths now getting onto the streets and Muslims and other minorities showing a unity of purpose - now a question remains whether street protests will alter India that declined to be altered through ballot.

Called a 'Bureau Chief' Jaitley also knew how to mock at journalists

Moon and finger:

On March 27, 2019; Jaitley displayed his oratory skills to dismiss the Opposition’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi making the announcement about the space mission and said such behavior only would put them in poor light.

Making it clear that he is not trying to show any disrespect to opposition leaders, Mr Jaitley, known for his witty jibes, had said "When the finger points to the moon, the idiot always points to the fingers".

(Remembering Arun Jaitley on his birth anniversary)

December 28, 1952 – August 24, 2019

New Delhi ::: He knew several journalists in Delhi by first name and was thus a darling of media - especially the BJP beat correspondents for years.

By his knowledge of media and how it operated in Delhi, Arun Jaitley could have easily become a good editor. He was already called a 'Bureau Chief' -- and not without good reason as he knew a galaxy of journalists and also knew well how to plan news stories and features.

He also knew how to mock at journalists and many also said - his wit was often not grasped well by capital's journalists. Once to a crowded group of scribes in his office, Late Jaitley had said - "Well then, many journalists are standing and most of the others are outstanding".

Some of his 'friends' often joked that Jaitley could have been a good newspaper editor too.

The grapevine in the media has been - he knew how to plan stories for journalists and would give them 'leads'.

Some bitter detractors among BJP leaders more often complained that he also knew how to 'plan' stories for or against many leaders.

A suave gentleman, a popular blog writer among politicians and someone who had the wit and dignified manner to speak out even in agonizing circumstances.

True, it always went to his credit that mostly his public utterances have been impressive in both agonizing and not so agonizing situations.

So much has been his Narendra Modi's trust and confidence in him that Jaitley was made Finance Minister although the late leader did not have economic background.

His admirers say Jaitley worked long hours to implement GST very effectively.

Many said he did well at that as he could at least articulate his views.

Media could love him or hate him; but none could ignore him.

For long - he was the real 'Delhi' contact - the eyes and ears of Narendra Modi. And he did that job pretty well.
On political front, he was hailed as a 'good poll manager' as he often brought in electoral success to the saffron party - in states like Gujarat and Bihar.
Likes of Pramod Mahajan would have - however - differed and used to say - Jaitley never handled 'difficult states' like Assam.

Political rivals S Jaipal Reddy would mock: "He is a successful poll manager for BJP, but he never contested any big election".
This was prior to the 2014 general elections that the BJP swept riding the Modi wave.
For his part, Jaitley lost the polls from Amritsar by a margin of over three lakh votes to old war horse from Congress - Capt Amarinder Singh, present Chief Minister of Punjab.

Irony about his electoral career has been that he won the presidency of Delhi University and was also an office bearer in the Delhi Cricket Board and also the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Several titles and adjectives have been showered on him rather liberally both by admirers and detractors.
Senior editor and former Member of Rajya Sabha H K Dua described Jaitley once as ''creature of the Rajya Sabha''.

Jaitley and cricket:

Jaitley's brush with cricket governing bodies especially Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) often dragged him into row.

Jaitley had filed the civil defamation suit seeking Rs 10 crore damages from Arvind Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders -- Raghav Chadha, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh and Deepak Bajpai -- for accusing him of financial irregularities in the DDCA of which he was the President from 2000 to 2013.

During court proceedings on a defamation suit filed by Jaitley against Kejriwal and others, senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani had referred to the then powerful minister in Modi cabinet as being "guilty of crime and crookery".

Without doubt, Jaitley had strongly countered on such remarks.

As his success coincided with Kargil conflict media briefing in 1999 and later with Gujarat story of 2002 and beyond and his friendship with Mr Modi, he automatically became rivals to onetime key BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie.

The former Minister once called a couple of his former NDA colleagues 'career nationalists' who would be speaking a different language if they were in the government.

"They are nationalists and with us as long as it suits their career." Otherwise, he said these leaders would be speaking in a contrarian language.

New Delhi, Dec 27 The bitterness over Citizenship Amendment Act and NPR related controversies was far from over on Friday.Ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, Leftists and Trinamool Congress left nothing to chance to attack each other and the row is bound to spill over into the New Year.

BJP counseled Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Kota in Rajasthan, which is under INC rule, as there have been reports that 77 children have died in a state-run hospital.CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said the Modi government was using the CAA, the NPR and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as a "trishul" to attack people.

It is seen as a veiled attack on BJP keeping in line with the opposition charge that CAA and NRC exercise was aimed at targeting Muslims.
West Bengal CM and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee asserted in Naihati - "As long as I am alive, the CAA will not be implemented in Bengal".
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters here that Rahul Gandhi should stop making unwarranted remarks and instead visit Kota in Rajasthan where children died in a hospital.

"Betuki beyan dena band karen ...," he told reporters here.
"If there is a category of the Liar of the year, Rahul Gandhi will get that tag. His comments used to embarrass his family, now his lies now embarrass his party and also the entire country," he said slamming Mr Gandhi for his remarks that the NPR exercise is 'anti poor'.

Addressing a rally in Shimla, BJP chief and Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Indian National Congress of misleading people over the Citizenship Amendment Act.

"I challenge Rahul Baba that let me know if there is even a single line in the CAA on the withdrawal of anyone's citizenship. Do not divide people over the CAA," he said.

Mr Javadekar said - "Taxing citizens is Congress culture....NPR has nothing to do with taxing people. NPR is only a census of people's living conditions and it has helped poor to get benefits of various welfare and beneficiary schemes," the BJP leader said.

For his part earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the NPR and the NRC are like 'demonetisation' of high value currency note and that these exercises would only "tax" the poor people the same way they had to suffer note ban in 2016."Whether NPR or NRC, it is a tax on poor people of the country. You understand demonetisation. It was a tax on poor people. Go to banks and give your money but do not withdraw. Entire money went to the pocket of 15-20 rich people. This (NPR or NRC) is the same thing," he said in Raipur."Poor people will have to go to officers and show their documents and give bribe," he said.

Countering him, Mr Javadekar said in Delhi that taxing people has been Congress culture as the grand old party had in the past contributed in adding to people's miseries by imposing "Jayanti tax, 2G Tax and Jijaji (Brother in law) tax". The term 'Jayanti Tax' is in reference to hurdles created in the name of environment and forest clearance when Jayanti Natrajan was Union Environment Minister under Manmohan Singh.

Similarly, the '2G tax' symbolises corruption under UPA in the form of 2G spectrum allocation scandal and Jijaji tax refers to 'various corruption cases and land scams' related to Robert Vadra, brother in law of Rahul Gandhi.

The BJP leader further said opposing NPR by states like West Bengal (under Trinamool) and Kerala (under Left) will be nothing but resorting to 'worst kind of anti-poor politics'.

New Delhi, Dec 27 Charting out new road map for economic revival in the next few months, the ruling BJP-led dispensation is unsure of undertaking drastic and sweeping reform strategy like privatisation.

Closer interaction with party leaders suggest there is a lobby which would continue to press for protectionist trade policies and conservatism.

The new Budget 2020-21 to be presented early next year will thus have to overcome the hurdles from Hindutva trade unions and small business lobbies which have over the years stuck with the BJP.However, BJP insiders say there have been immense improvement in infrastructure front including the enhanced electricity grid. India has also climbed 65 places up the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index and pulled in record hauls of foreign investment.

But, deeper structural reforms have always been 'compromised' when it came to deal with risking the political capital.

How much of that can be done when the government faces CAA and NPR controversies remain to be seen.

Sources admit, labour laws continue to make hiring and firing too expensive and there are laws which only make it hard for companies to acquire land.

These are harming growth of manufacturing base despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push for 'Made In India' campaign. Apparently, disappointing its admirers and those who wish to see economic reforms, the Modi government has avoided taking calls on privatisation front and instead forced some state-owned firms to swallow sick ones.

Pessimism about reforms has come to stay not without good reason as more often the government finds itself facing the wrath of organisations such as Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the powerful trade union affiliated to the RSS. The new Industrial Relations Code, 2019 presented in Parliament has already come under attack from the BMS.

The Bill, according to government, proposes to make it easier for an employer to engage and disengage workers based on requirement. This would also make the process of hiring and firing smoother.

Similarly, earlier this month the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, another RSS affiliated body, after their meet in Haridwar issued a strong statement slamming the PSU disinvestment programme of the government.

The SJM also has been critical of government's intent for the sale of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and said Saudi Aramco was eyeing its assets.

Property created with national sentiments and hard work should not be handed over to foreign oil companies, it said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on specific demands from members has referred two bills the Industrial Relations Code, 2019 bill and the Code on Social Security, 2019 -- to the standing committee on Labour.The panel is expected to submit its report within three months.

Biju Janata Dal lawmaker Bhartruhari Mahtab heads the panel on Labour which also has members such as Varun Gandhi from BJP and Oscar Fernandes of Congress.

In terms of economic management, the government is under pressure to bring changes in labour laws and also ensure boost for low-value labour-intensive exports.

India has not done well on this front while high-value skill oriented exports have done well. In fact, those in the know of things say in certain key sectors, there has been drop in exports figures.

In agriculture and allied products, the exports peaked at 43 billion USD in FY14, but it came down to 38.5 billion USD in 2018-19.

The exports of leather and leather manufacturers peaked at 6.2 billion USD in 2014-2015 but by FY19 they were at 5.3 billion USD. The exports of ready-made garments also came down to 16 billion USD in 2019 from the peak of 17.4 billion USD in 2016-2017.

Sources say another area of concern is public sector banks. Now, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to meet the CEOs of state-owned banks.

The meeting is also expected to take up discussion on non-performing asset recovery through both National Company Law Tribunal and non-NCLT means.

Banks have recovered Rs 4,01,393 crore over the previous four financial years, including a record recovery of Rs 1,56,702 crore during fiscal 2018-19.

The government sources maintain there is need to take steps to fix the unorganised sector as this front was hit hard since the demonetisation in 2016 and GST in 2017.

Foreign Policy 2019: Modi pursues bold dreams amid push of a 'Hindu nationalist' leader

New Delhi, Dec 26

The taste of the pudding is in the eating- the statement finds resonance in India’s foreign policy road map traversed in circa 2019.

Discovering Solar Eclipse on Dec 26, 2019

If winning 'awards' from new friends and strengthening ties with old ones is a criterion, the Modi government has achieved a milestone, but there are hiccups as well. The abrogation of Article 370 made international headlines irking stakeholders at various levels, but the fact of the matter is Kashmir issue showcased India’s strength as an emerging nation with new role globally.

There were no sanctions or boycotts by other nations and everyone seemed to understand India’s position that Kashmir remains a bilateral dispute with Pakistan and that the special Article was only a 'temporary phenomenon'.

True, overseas too as at home - a message has gone that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dreams are bigger and bolder. But have there been concrete actions too?

Last few years and also in 2019, there has been a right aura of confidence - declaring the arrival of a bolder and stronger India but there have been words of wisdom on economic and diplomatic front - that Prime Minister needs to display less of his pro-Hindutva nationalist image and show more of his reformist character.
In short, Mr Modi has won highest civilian awards from South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates and Russia; and he also strengthened bonds with France and the US and also handled China ‘aptly’.

New Delhi might have succeeded in cornering Pakistan in more ways than one and so far even the strong chain of violent protest against Citizenship Amendment Act remains 'internal and domestic' matter of India.

So far, the United States, France and Russia – are three big players – who have said such agitation is strictly internal matter of India. But challenges remain; Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has defied the pragmatic and internationally accepted logic.

He has spoken out against the CAA more than once and the Indian foreign policy engine room had to summon a senior Malaysian diplomat in Delhi and advice that his country ought to respect the importance of ‘India-Malaysia’ bilateral ties.

There is another issue that is more serious. Even most ardent admirers of Indian foreign policy and the Modi government will have to admit that the Indian economy now provides one of the most serious causes for concern.

Growth rates have fallen from a peak of 9.3 per cent in 2016 - under PM Modi - to 4.5 per cent in the last quarter.
The RBI has slashed interest rates but that has not yet led to a better investment climate.

Thus, Modi detractors say - without sweeping economics and administrative reforms, the government itself will remain hamstrung.
However, officials in MEA say the economic diplomacy has today emerged a core component of foreign policy.

Economic diplomacy is the toast of the town in the new era and thus, Indian diplomats often are found talking about Skills India, Make in India, Digital India, and Smart City.

The MEA officials have already worked with ONGC in Brazil to secure a 10 per cent share in BC-10, and helped Bharat Petroleum.

Some of these economic agenda of Indian foreign policy were reflected in BJP’s manifesto for 2019 polls as well.

''The rise of India is the new reality and we shall play a major role in shaping global agenda in the 21st century,'' says BJP’s Sankalp Patra.

The same spirit was echoed by Late Arun Jaitley, who said, ''To make India a land of opportunities, India cannot experiment with adventurism of failed ideas''.

Of course in political sense, the BJP leaders say in 2019 elections, India voted overwhelmingly for a Prime Minister who pushed for Yoga, soft power but dealt with firm hands dealing with Pakistan even when Wing Commander Abhinandan was in their captivity.

Thus it is not without good reason that there came an official circular that states- ''India’s foreign policy is guided by the objectives of enhancing national security, promoting and facilitating India’s economic transformation''.

The Government of India, for instance, provides lines of credit to partner countries – 10 billion US Dollar for Africa, 4.5 billion USD in Bangladesh, 0.5 billion for Vietnam. A corpus of Rs 500 crore has been allocated for creating manufacturing hubs in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

On the US front, ties between India and the Trump administration have improved remarkably with major convergence of views on many issues.

Notably, in 2017 itself, former US Secretary of State had declared that India and the US were "two bookends of stability - on either side of the globe''. This spirit continues.

Peter Lavoy, a former senior official in Obama administration, had said - "I have studied India for 30 years, when its foreign policy was largely hesitant, reactive and ineffectual. My takeaway from Dr S Jaishankar is that India now has a firm grasp of its interests around the world and an assertive, self-confident and purposeful strategy to advance them".

In fact, talking about Indian foreign policy and circa 2019, it is worth mentioning that Dr Jaishankar is the new Foreign Minister – PM Modi has experimented with after Sushma Swaraj, no deceased, declined to contest 2019 polls on health ground.

When Dr Jaishankar was allotted the assignment as a foreign minister of India – it became clearer that Mr Modi was not content India playing a ‘simple balancer’ in the comity of nations.

The Prime Minister wants to make India a 'major global power' - Shreshta Bharat - and obviously the career diplomat-turned-Modi’s pick Jaishankar was ‘expected’ to realise his aim.

But there are key challenges. Despite attempts to emerge as a stronger nation - both economically and militarily - critics say India still relies on imported arms.

The fact of the matter is a large amount of Defence budget is spent only on salaries and pensions.

Importantly, many also raise eyebrows to ask - is New Delhi stuck up with its relationship with Pakistan.

But the other side argues it well that the people of India endorses hardliner stance from the Indian government against Pakistan. Therefore, when Prime Minister ordered hitting out at terror camps - first after Uri in 2016 and later Balakot last February, the Indian public had reasons to celebrate and cheer.

This was reflected in the mandate of 2019.

The focus of Indian foreign policy is now to navigate through turbulent period of tension with Pakistan, handle trade disputes with the US and also deal with situations in an era when Donald Trump is engaged in trade disputes with China and in nuke programme disputes with Iran.

External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar’s grip over American domestic landscape too has come in handy. Thus, in all what he has been doing and saying – Dr Jaishankar is depicting PM Modi’s vision of ‘New India’.

Sample this – "......we have a problem talking to Terroristan". In another instance, External Affairs Minister wrote in an article for an American newspaper - "Although the central government spent 10 times more on the average resident of the province (Jammu and Kashmir) than in the rest of the country, that investment did not show up on the ground".

In the ultimate analysis, speaking about Modi’s foreign policy, it ought to be imperative to underline that the Prime Minister has not disappointed in giving the much political direction to the Ministry of External Affairs especially given the backdrop that it was not expected of a provincial or state-level politician like him.

Ministry officials say even the usual refrain about the babudom – that India has a poor record of implementation does not seem to apply to his dispensation in foreign policy front.

It also goes in favour of Modi’s pro-Hindutva image is that he has unhesitatingly displayed his religiosity in the comity of nations without sounding defensive and any embarrassment.

ends

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

BJP 2019: India's politics shed status quo, Shah emerges as new hardliner icon

New Delhi, Dec 24 The defeat in the recent Jharkhand polls and a flip-flop in Maharashtra played spoilsport for BJP’s record electoral success in this year’s parliamentary elections.

However, the electorate has placed the Bharatiya Janata Party at the centre stage and contemporary Indian political history seems set to shed its status quo.
The dangerous ramifications of 'Modified India'-as the opposition parties put it-- pose a threat to pluralism, says senior Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury.

But there is more to it in the BJP story for circa 2019 during which the saffron party ensured abrogation of Article 370, enacted Triple Talaq law and pushed for Citizenship Amendment Act, setting off widespread protests for being ''discriminatory'' towards Muslims.

The Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya title dispute on November 9, 2019, was like icing on the cake. The BJP's pro-Hindutva tilt came out of the shadows into the spotlight.

Since Independence, politics has mainly centered around the Indian National Congress, which ruled the country for a total 52 years with the odd interval. It was a dominance that waned in 2014 and the 2019 elections virtually ended it.Now that the people and electorate has placed BJP at the center as the new national party with 303 Lok Sabha seats, Indian political history is sure to shed its status quo.The Citizenship Amendment Act imbroglio only strengthens this argument.In West Bengal -- where BJP faced social ‘pariah’ status for long with organisational weaknesses--the party has this year 18 Lok Sabha MPs – almost three times its motley crew of seven legislators in the state Assembly.

Now there is a new Citizenship Act and it is 'feared' this law will virtually ‘justify’ influx of Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh and would add to the Prime Minister ‘s vote-share in Assam, possibly in other northeastern states and especially in West Bengal.

It goes without saying that polarisation has always suited Mr Modi and his party – because of the peculiarity involved in electoral politics.

Moreover, BJP’s foot soldiers and faceless voters feel PM Modi has successfully presented himself as a ‘strong’ Hindu leader - and thus at times as a strong leader, he is expected not only to deal with Muslims in India but also teach Pakistan a lesson.

The saffron party's politics in 2019 also need to be scrutinised closely through the prism of Uttar Pradesh - the nation's most populous state which sends 80 MPs to the House of the People.

Governance remains an issue in this Hindi heartland province where the BJP gave a priest-turned-neta as the Chief Minister.

In choosing Yogi Adityanath--known for following an ascetic lifestyle based on yoga--it was presumed Narendra Modi has not only authorised him to anchor BJP's future journey in the north but also given Hindu groups a new generation of leadership.

The saffron-clad Adityanath, born Ajay Singh Bisht, is 22 years younger than Modi himself.

Political commentators know BJP has a 'new face' in UP.

It goes without saying elections require a face. Ideologies hardly matter. The saffron party deserves credit for being visionary in creating such figures--staunch Hindutva leaders in Modi, Shah and Yogi Adityanath--while the Opposition is still in search of a unifying face; and as they say - the Congress party is still stuck in the syndrome of dynasty and political spirit of 1970s.

Election results in Delhi and Bihar in 2020 will create ground for a more intense war cry in West Bengal and Assam in the subsequent year.

Congress unnerved over respect showered on me by Muslim nations: Modi

"The Congress and other opposition parties are afraid why this man is getting support from Islamic nations...if this goes on, their narrative of Modi being anti Muslim will fail. They cannot spread the fear among Muslims," the PRIME MINISTER said.

Attacking the principal opposition party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that Congress and its supporters were disturbed by the fact that he was getting respect globally, especially in Muslim-majority countries.


''Afghanistan or Palestine, Saudi Arabia or UAE, Maldives or Bahrain - all these countries have given India their highest civilian honour,'' Mr Modi said addressing a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan here.

"The Congress and other opposition parties are afraid why this man is getting support from Islamic nations...if this goes on, their narrative of Modi being anti Muslim will fail. They cannot spread the fear among Muslims," he said. The government has tried to deepen the relationship of these Muslim stronghold countries with India's culture, he said adding that the Congress and its allies are stunned today as to ''why Modi ia getting so much support internationally and especially in Muslim-majority countries. Why do those countries like Modi so much? ''



Mr Modi said the Islamic world today, the Gulf countries, India's relations with them are the best in the current era, it is because of their respect for Indian culture, civilization. ''Our relations with Bangladesh have grown so much over the years. After forming the government in 2014, I myself invited the Prime Minister of Pakistan to the oath ceremony. We had renewed our hands of friendship but in return we got cheated,'' he said.



Mr Modi said Mahatma Gandhi had said that the Sikhs and Hindus living in Pakistan will always be welcome in India. ''This Act is in line with promise the Govt of India made in 1947. Now that we're fulfilling the decades-old promise, why are they protesting against it?,'' he asked the mammoth gathering.



Mr Modi was presented with 11 lakh signatures collected from the residents of 1,731 unauthorised colonies to thank him for his historic decision to grant ownership rights to them.

Modi-Modi chants were heard in the crowd.

Prime Minister's rally kicked off the BJP campaign for ensuing Delhi assembly polls. The saffron party is out of power in the capital since 1998.

'Sons of soil, Muslims' need not worry, says PM, accuses Oppn of changing stance on CAA
New Delhi, Dec 22

Far from being cowed down by nationwide violent protest including by a large number of varsity students, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday turned the tables against opposition stating that these leaders including Mamata Banerjee and those from Congress have "changed" their stand due to vote bank politics.

''Muslims who are sons of the soil and whose ancestors are the children of mother India need not worry,'' Mr Modi told a rally here amid frequent chanting of 'Modi Modi' slogans.

''Our government has never asked any citizen of India if they go to a temple or a mosque when it comes to implementing welfare schemes," Prime Minister told a massive poll rally addressing within days the capital city witnessed violent protests over Citizenship Act marred by burning of buses, arrest of students and detention of opposition and Left party leaders.

His admirers also screamed - 'Modi tum agey baro (PM Modi please go ahead, we are with you)'.

FIRs have been lodged against some politicians including from AAP, that is seen as BJP's chief rival in Delhi, and 15 protestors are now cooling heels behind bars in judicial custody.

The Prime Minister said the new law does not impact 1.3 billion Indians and added eloquently - ... and I must assure Muslim citizens of India that this law will not change anything for them".

Making references to comments made earlier by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, he said -"These leaders have changed their stand; all their love and sympathy for these refugees vanished".

"Mamata Banerjee used to throw papers in Parliament demanding actions against infiltrators....," he said and charged the mercurial Trinamool Congress supremo of being 'scared' of facing the people of her state.

Slamming her decision to demand for UN intervention, he said, "Aap dari kyon ho....? What has happened to you Didi, elections come and go. Why are you scared''.

Mr Modi said that Congress and its supporters were disturbed by the fact that he was getting respect globally, especially in Muslim-majority countries.

''Afghanistan or Palestine, Saudi Arabia or UAE, Maldives or Bahrain - all these countries have given India their highest civilian honour,'' he said.

"The Congress and other opposition parties are afraid why this man is getting support from Islamic nations...if this goes on, their narrative of Modi being anti Muslim will fail. They cannot spread the fear among Muslims," he said.

Directing his tirade against Left parties and others who frequently expose their double standards and often protest carrying tri-colour flags, Prime Minister "I respect carrying national flags, but that gives responsibility also. The same people should condemn Pakistan for their support to terrorism in India".

Mr Modi particularly regretted that 100-year-old Congress leadership is not calling for peace and tranquillity.

He went onto attack opposition parties for pursuing their politics with 'remote control'.

"CAA is enacted not by modi in an overnight decision. It is in line with what Mahatma Gandhi had said. Those who got benefits of Gandhi surname should realise that Gandhiji himself had said that Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan should be always welcomed in India," he said.

"CAA is not for taking away citizenship right but to give rights".

Prime Minister stood firm against the criticism being made of the police forces.

During last fortnight, police actions in Delhi, Assam and Karnataka have ranged from using tear gas to storming university campuses.

BJP on Saturday announced that it will hold rallies in each district of the country and address at least 250 media conferences to reach out to three crore families on CAA.

An all-women protest was organised in Guwahati where the participants expressed fears that the 'immigrants' blessed by the new law CAA would dilute their native and pristine traditions and cultures.

Move over Desi politics and CAA protest; Islamophobia and migrants go global

At a time when politics over 'religious minorities' and Muslims steal all limelight in India, a closer look at global level reveals that religion is certainly a new political tool and in many countries Islamophobia has come to stay.

Across Europe there is fear about Muslim migrants especially in the wake of millions of this war-hit community compelled to move out of Iraq and Syria.

In Germany, there have been several reports of clash between Muslims and non-Christians while in countries such as Italy, Hungary and Poland, it is the right wing parties which have captured power.

A section of right wing thinkers and leaders in India are now trying to list out the countries where 'double standards and discrimination' prevail against Muslims.

For example, in Italy, said one leader - the geographical position of Italy has "fueled xenophobic rhetoric" ad politics dwelling with the "arrival of refugees" on its coasts as an invasion and out of control situations.

In Austria and Hungary too, right-wing parties have seized power.

According to a 2016 Eurostat survey, nearly 45 per cent of respondents in 28 countries including the UK, chose “immigration” as one of the two most important issues facing the EU. This was followed by terrorism at 32 per cent.

On this backdrop observers say, the populist backlash the hardliner and pro-Christian Law and Justice party in Poland. In Latin America it came in the form of the Pink Tide, a pro-Left politics that strays away from the neo-liberal economic model.

The economic slowdown is becoming the chief issue, it has been pointed out and it is also claimed that when in power the populists regime have more often failed to deliver.

"So now in many places we are seeing a revolt against the revolt, urban middle-class uprisings against the populists themselves" says columnist David Brooks in 'The New York Times'.

Yet again, the massacre of 50 Muslim devotees in two mosques in New Zealand last year only reflects the gravity of the issue as New Zealand has hardly about one per cent of its total population as Muslims.

The good old players are no exception. In the UK, the then British Prime Minister David Cameron had declared in 2015 that Britain was a Christian country.
In the US, President Donald Trump's campaign was also based on safe guarding the interest of White Christians.
In fact, it was intriguing that a segment of white evangelicals had supported Donald Trump all along — even during the Republican primaries, when more logical evangelical candidates were still viable.

In 2017, after a year Trump was elected, nearly two-thirds of Muslim Americans said during surveys they are dissatisfied under Donald Trump and three-quarters said he was unfriendly toward Muslims in America.

On both of these counts, the Muslim opinion had undergone a reversal since 2011, when Barack Obama was president,

In electoral politics, religion is thus more than opium, it is actually a tool to garner votes.

Post Ayodhya verdict, BJP has to deal with fear mongering & being prisoners of past

New Delhi, Nov 10 History and memories have one thing in common - new always replaces the old.
Within hours of the historic and unanimous judgement on Ayodhya by the five-member bench, a debate has arisen about 'fear mongering' in the public space. Several BJP leaders, during media interaction and television debate, are trying to underline the need of breaking free from the 'prison' of past prejudices.

While there has been a general appreciation to the court verdict, including from lawyers and a section of Congress leaders, some Muslim leaders, including the likes of Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM, has sought to bring in the debate over 'victory' of faith as against facts.

It ought to be noted that the same debate of Faith Vs Facts had cropped up even in 2010 after the Allahabad High Court verdict when Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had said - ".....a nation state is run by the rule of law and not on the basis of religious faith".

But with regard the verdict of November 9 (Saturday), Congress MP and a lawyer himself Abhishekhmanu Singhvi had said that: "......from paras 508 to 512, the court has analysed in great detail and endorsed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report which gave clear factual findings on the pre-existence of a big structure beneath the demolished mosque structure; the fact that the earlier structure was non-Islamic; and that it had several motifs and features which related to Hindu culture and religion".
BJP spokesman Sambit Patra said an attempt was being made to suggest that the long years of legal battle and finally the judgement has virtually compelled the Muslims to reconcile what has come.

"....This is not true as Muslim side also contested the case in the court through their lawyers. They were fighting for justice. But ironically evidences, documentary and oral presented before the Supreme Court were in favour of the other side," Mr Patra said.

In fact, in the words of Congress leader Mr Singhvi - ".....it would be unwise, hasty, knee-jerk and irresponsible to launch broadsides of uninformed criticism against this comprehensive judgment".

He also has said - "The Supreme Court thus upheld the conclusion of Justice Sudhir Agarwal (of Allahabad High Court of 2010) that the ASI’s omission to give one crucial finding (namely whether the earlier structure was a temple or not) would not change anything".

Among other things, Justice Agarwal had said - The building in dispute (in Ayodhya) was constructed after demolition of a non-Islamic religious structure.

Mr Singhvi also says: "Several other paras discuss the question of faith and belief which undeniably establishes the fact that the Hindus consider this spot as the birthplace of Lord Ram ( paras 556-558). The relief granted is, however, clearly not founded upon mere faith and belief."

Meanwhile, the BJP leaders have tried to say to raise controversies vis-a-vis Kanshi and Mathura at this juncture would be unjustified.

"Did any BJP leader in last six years hold a press conference to say that we have next Kanshi and Mathura on our agenda....," asks BJP spokesman Mr Patra adding thus trying to create a 'speculative fear' is uncalled for.

"You are only trying to instigate people and fear monger.....," he said.

Others said there is a 1991 law enacted during the tensure of P V Narasimha Rao as the Prime Minister.

The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 said among other things that no person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination or any section into a place of worship of a different section of the same religious denomination or of a different religious denomination or any section thereof.

It was clearly aimed at working as a powerful deterrent to change the nature of existing religious places.

It is in this context, several BJP leaders have said that it would be erroneous to create 'a fictituous doubt' in the minds of people especially minorities.

Hence there is talk that the November 9, 2019 judgement did have 'judicial creativity' trying to resolve a problem and thus wrong to say that the judgement of the five-member bench did not take into account 'details' of the matter.

A source said based on 2010 verdict of the Allahabad High Court, it was argued that the figurines of elephant, tortoise and crocodiles recovered during excavation were associated with 'Hindu beliefs' and moreover, such animal figurines are not allowed in the mosque.

The Supreme Court’s unanimous verdict on Ayodhya is remarkable

- Abhishek Singhvi

To analyse, much less critique, a 1,045 page, 805 paragraph and 3.03 lakh word Supreme Court (SC) judgment before the ink on it is dry is neither possible, nor apposite. While a comprehensive critique must await fuller study, a few legal, political and general points are nevertheless in order.

First, we tend to ignore the remarkable achievement of a unanimous Constitution Bench judgment on a highly fractious and divisive issue, riven by law, factual controversy, emotions, archaeological evidence and historical treatises. Far lesser cases have led to 4-1 or 3-2 verdicts. The court must be publicly applauded for this unanimous approach which sends out its own clear and significant message to all segments of Indian society. It also immeasurably enhances the strength and weight of the judgment.

Second, the only correct, efficacious and lasting solution to this highly divisive issue is a binding judgment of the apex court. Neither the best intentioned mediation, nor any bonafide government or a responsible opposition can achieve the quietus and finality which a reasoned apex court judgment can.

Third, it is neither the job of an apex court nor humanly possible in any system to satisfy every litigant or every stakeholder. To be human is to be fallible. More than anyone else, the SC has said so in innumerable judgments. The SC is right because it is final, and not final because it is right. And that can and should never be a ground for uninformed criticism.

ends

New Delhi, Nov 7 Move over Devendra Fadnavis-Uddhav Thackeray battle, a closer look back at the politics of Maharashtra shows that for certain, the tussle between Shiv Sena and BJP dates back to Balasaheb Thackeray days, and incidentally that one-upmanship coincided with the rise of Narendra Modi.

Shiv Sena was the dominant saffron partner in Maharashtra's politics - which had often shown ideological tilt towards the Left and was almost overshadowed for long by the Congress.
Even the 'Congress-splinter' NCP led by Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar seemed to have better acceptability. But all changed around 2002-03 when Marathi Manoos developed a liking for a 'hero' from a state next door - the neighbouring Gujarat.

Analysing the same on hindsight, it may not be wrong to say that the illustrious Sena supremo Bal Thackeray himself had realised that well. Till the arrival of Modi - largely due to 2002 mayhem - Bal Thackeray was enjoying the uncrowned title of 'Hindu Hriday Samrat'.

But after Modi's success in 2002 elections and as Gujarat was drenched saffron, Modi had easily stolen that priceless epitaph.

It got a quantum leap as Modi could repeat his win in 2007.

Sena watchers in Maharashtra rightly say senior Thackeray had all the political acumen to understand all that and certainly did not approve Modi as BJP's prime ministerial candidate in later years.

It was around 2013 that the Sena also floated the name the then Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj as the prime ministerial candidate for the NDA.

Moreover, after BJP's success in the Lok Sabha polls, the saffron party attributed the entire NDA success story - which included 18 Sena seats - to the Modi wave.

In fact, from 2009 tally, the BJP's tally jumped to 23 from single digit nine and Sena's went up to 18 from 11.

Even otherwise, number of BJP leaders in Delhi and in Maharashtra have generally considered Uddhav Thackeray 'lusterless' and Sena cadres demoralised.

New Delhi, Nov 10 If anything has to go by prophecy and the prediction coming true - even if partly - former VHP stalwart Ashok Singhal should get the prize - obviously posthumously.

Singhal of course enjoyed good rapport with Narendra Modi and after the new mascot of the Hindutva forces was sworn in as the Prime Minister in May 2014 - the illustrious Singhal had said in laudatory tone: "Eight hundred years after power (in Delhi) went away from Prithviraj Chauhan, it did not come back into the hands of a proud Hindu. It has happened now after 800 years".

In July 2013, he had said by 2020, India will be a 'Hindu nation'. Of course - the claim is a bit of exaggeration.

But in socio-political realm, two major Hindutva targets have been achieved --- the abrogation of the Article 370 and a Ram Temple at Ayodhya. Perhaps even six months back, not many Indians thought these would come true. Now, coming to the 'third mission' - the Uniform Civil Code --- a former BJP president and incumbent Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already ruffled many a feather.

"Aa gaya samay (Time has come)," Rajnath certainly hinted about party's determination when he told reporters on Saturday in reply to a question about the Uniform Civil Code.

Late Singhal was a known protege of the then RSS chief Bala Saheb Deoras and first stole limelight in 1984-85 when as the working president he had organised a "Dharam Sansad".

A much 'ambitious' mission was announced stating that the 16th century Babri Masjid ought to be replaced by a temple dedicated to Ram Lalla, where Maryada Purushottam was born.

Soon came in the Ram Janki Rath Yatra in 1985, also a brainchild of Singhal.

Late Singhal's one line question actually put the 'assertive Hindu' mission on track and the famous query was - "After giving away Pakistan in the name of Islam, why Hindus cannot build a Ram Mandir where Lord Ram was born".

Years later, when he breathed his last in 2015, many of his admirers said that generations after the times of Hindutva icons like Sri Aurobindo or Veer Savarkar, it was Singhal who could indoctrinate in Hindu minds that patriotism could be a 'national religion'.
Mr Modi pushed it further when after the mayhem in Gujarat in 2002 he had said, "There is nothing to feel ashamed about Hindutva".

With Singhal around, a large section of Hindus saw when it came to politics of alleged minority appeasement by the Congress and the 'secular socialists and Leftists', there is a good reason to retaliate and to be assertive.

This was Singhal and power politics and its influence on the Hindutva movement.

Dr Subramanian Swamy, prominent BJP leader, now has his own reason to demand Bharat Ratna for Late Singhal.

"At this hour of victory let us remember Shri Ashok Singhal. Namo Govt must immediately announce Bharat Ratna for him," he tweeted.

Among other facets of Singhal's personality, reference ought to be made to the inherent difference he had with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-L K Advani duo --- supposed to be two Hindutva protagonists who often tried to chose the middle path.

BJP watchers know, Late Singhal was particularly unhappy with 'hardliner' Advani who after coming to power in 1999 and in the run up to the 2004 parliamentary polls tried to portray himself as a 'moderate' and at times even distanced himself from the 'Hindutva forces'.

In fact in 2000, Advani was forced to make a statement to the media that BJP's link with RSS was like its umbilical cord.