New Delhi, May 28 The 2019 election outcome has been defined and analysed in more ways than one but the best objective view has perhaps come from a senior BJP leader who says the polls this year has unleashed a 'BJP Model of Elections' where fruits of beneficiary schemes have played an important role to decide people's choice.His observation is in tune with the theory of 'Congress Model of Elections' once propounded by eminent political scientist Rajni Kothari.
BJP leaders and a section of political observers say several welfare schemes pursued by the Modi Government and emphasis on cleanliness and transparent method delivery have played major game changers for the ruling dispensation.
In terms of governance, the Direct Benefit Transfer into bank accounts, gas cylinders for rural poor, rural housing and a believed to be corruption free governance would be certain hallmarks of the Modi Government between 2014 and 2019.
In other words, BJP leaders say poor and faceless Indian voters in many parts of the country especially Uttar Pradesh were not attracted to Congress 'Nyay' scheme or the freebies nor were impressed by caste arithmetic of BSP and Samajwadi Party.
"People admired our sincerity and the strike rate vis-a-vis last man delivery. People were content with what they got -- the gas cylinders, rural houses and toilet," the BJP source said.
It has been also argued that the decimation of Congress suggests the total collapse of a political system that thrived in the past.
'Fruits of beneficiary schemes played important role'
"In 1970s and 1980s, the Congress politics was centrist. It also revolved around families and the system passed on to dynasties in other parties. The Congress politics was considered to be represented by the consensus around the values of parliamentary democracy, secularist! and socialism. All major political forces of the time despite the clash of interests used to adhere to the common principles which were never challenged," they say.
Rajni Kothari had argued that so powerful was that 'consensus' that even the parties at the extreme of the ideological spectrum were bound to uphold the broad central position represented by the Congress, the source said adding but this has 'collapsed' in 2019.
Hence, there is an unleashing of 'new politics' and the forces will in future have to toe the new line as being already articulated by the BJP --- a high rate of delivery in good governance.
Especially in the context of Uttar Pradesh, BJP leaders say it is not only gas cylinders and Ujjwala that did the trick.
"The state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ensured that gas pipe line works gets pushed in Gorakhpur-Azamgarhregions even during election time. Moreover, there were lot of works vis-a-vis Awas Yozana and toilet construction and the people admired these," the BJP source said.
Articulating yet another facet of this year's polls, the pro-BJP analysts say since 2014 the electorate -- especially the younger generation -- seemed to have lauded the saffron party's and Narendra Modi's 'image' of a fighter against the existing system.
"In the past, as politics revolved around Congress and parties like Trinamool Congress, NCP or even the Leftists and socialists, there were largely seen as a voice trying to only enter the power-system and not a voice against the system. But once BJP came to the forefront especially with Mr Modi showing his abhorrence to Nehruvian politics, people liked it as the system was being seriously challenged," the source said.
Overall, the BJP leaders give credit to the Modi Government's sincerity in improving delivery level -- through a transparent manner; and also to the party's Good Governance Cell.
Headed by BJP MP Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, the cell promoted the welfarism and tried to recast best of success stories and successful models in one state in other BJP-ruled states.
Another lesson was that people have endorsed Modi’s campaign style.On the other hand, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chowkidar Chor hae’ (PM is a thief) campaign simply boomeranged.
According to BJP leader Virendra Sachdeva of Good Governance Cell, “People did not buy the line that Modi has been personally corrupt. They admired BJP's governance and faceless Indian voters also proved themselves smarter than everyone dealing them had thought”.
Pampering of Muslims has 'hurt' Hindus and others, says Pak writer
A Pakistan-born intellectual and writer Mobarak Haider has said that the
"process of pampering the Muslims" has hurt Hindus and others in Europe and America and the phenomenon has also harmed the minority community.
This, he suggested must be looked upon in the context of the massive mandate given to the BJP in the recently held polls.
"The process of pampering the Muslims has brought pain to the majorities of India, Europe and America. But not only that. It has also brought great harm to Muslims who have wasted their energies and resources for the last hundred years running after a mirage," said Mr Haider.
Mr Haider, author of what is considered to be bold books such as 'Taliban: the Tip of a Holy Iceberg',
in his analysis on Indian elections said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's landslide victory has proved once more that 'Political Correctness' is not so correct after all. Those who believe in democracy should congratulate him with an open heart."
"However hard one may grudge it, the truth is that Liberal Left has little contact with reality. They fail to see that nations love to assert their identity through nationalism," he said.
Known for his candid observation, in July 2018 after Imran Khan's election as Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Haider has said - despite a hype created by Pakistani establishment that Imran Khan's electoral victory would herald a 'new Pakistan' - more important will be to bring about transition in "unchanging psyche".
"It is an unchanging psyche. You may change the Shah of Iran with an Imam, replace Nawaz Sharif with an Imran Khan; nothing will change for the better because dogma remains supreme," Haider had told UNI in an email interview.
In the changing dynamics after the 2019 general elections in India, Mr Haider has said -"We may call these nations fascists, racists, or Islamophobes, but they will not embrace our phony slogans of globalism".
He further said, "However hard the Muslims and Liberal Left may grudge it, revival of old religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity is a reality of this century".
To a question, he said, "But who kicked these religions out of their peaceful sleep? Causes are complex and tragic, but everywhere we see movements for the revival of Caliphate and Sharia provoking the believers of older religions. And then we see liberals of the West and of India supporting these wrong Muslim movements."
Meanwhile, another Pakistani intellectual and a former diplomat Touqir Hussain has said there should not be room for much optimism in improving Indo-Pak relations aftermath Mr Modi's re-election.
"Will the neighbours start talking again? Certainly. But will their dialogue amount to anything? I am afraid not," he wrote in an article in 'Dawn'.
"The shadow of history has darkened the two countries’ view of each other. The burden of the past continues to oppress the present making the relationship resistant to change. What makes change still harder are their foreign policies, resting on conflicting identities and national purposes and moving in colliding orbits," writes Hussain.
He also wrote - "Modi’s hard line on Pakistan is not exceptional" and hastened to point out that - Modi’s "negativity towards Pakistan is an asset in his relations with the US on which his foreign policy pivots".
"And at home (India) Modi has played up the militancy issue to harden the existing public attitudes towards Pakistan," he notes.
Prime Minister Modi on Thursday had responded positively to the 'peace' gestures from his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan and said he has always given "primacy" to peace and development in the region.
"Thank you PM Imran Khan. I warmly express my gratitude for your good wishes. I have always given primacy to peace and development in our region," Mr Modi tweeted.
Earlier in the day, Mr Khan congratulated Mr Modi on the electoral victory of the BJP and its allies.
"Looking forward to work with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia," Mr Imran Khan tweeted shortly after it became clear that the BJP and its NDA constituents were heading for a landslide victory and return to power.
2019 mandate mirrors India backing 'tough leader' Modi
New Delhi, May 24 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is certainly a tough taskmaster and more often called an authoritarian. But since his popularity graph rose in Gujarat after 2002 and in the Centre in 2014, he is also known for his pro-Hindutva stance and in more occasions than one, his government has been called authoritarian.
Worst of all - it has been called 'intolerant' and criticised for allegedly discriminating against minorities.
The GST and demonetisation were described as two major whimsical decisions of his government
even as the poll results in UP, Gujarat and now the Lok Sabha elections show different pictures.
But closer scrutiny of the mandate 2019 shows - people have endorsed Narendra Modi despite all limitations.
Now, that the people have given a resounding victory to Mr Modi - it can be safely said, the country has endorsed him and his muscular brand of nationalism which makes a right synthesis along with the developmental agenda, crusade against corruption and the spirit of Hindutva values.
That things came changing could be understood from the fact that Mr Modi recorded the victory amid allegation of farmers' distress, agrarian distress, joblessness, a not so sound financial system.
Importantly, the people of India appeared to have rejected the Congress promise of a basic income for poorest families under Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme.
Mr Modi has also courted controversy as his detractors more often compared him to Indira Gandhi and Hitler.
BJP leaders, in past have taken to social networking sites, addressed press conferences and written blogs lambasting the alleged "dictatorial traits" vis-a-vis Emergence of the Congress party, which ironically fought for India’s freedom under the guidance of peace apostle Mahatma Gandhi.
At times, Mr Modi's regime has been likened to the Nazi Party. According to Congress leaders,
this was largely driven by BJP leadership's perceived anti-Muslim and anti-Christian bias, and their tacit support for calls to ban the killing of some animals
It has been alleged that there was 'refusal' to crack down on vigilante squads and mobs who lynch people for engaging in the 'slaughter trade'.
Indira Gandhi - the only woman Prime Minister of India, also had curbed civil liberty by proclaiming Emergency in 1975.
PM Modi for his part known for his anti-Congress rhetoric, has in the past attacked the Emergency, describing it as a "black night that cannot be forgotten."Congress and other opposition leaders responded by attacking the Modi regime for unleashing an "undeclared emergency" after the BJP came to power in 2014. But most of anti-Modi brigade looked the other way when it came to working styles of dispensations under the likes of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal.
In July 2018, Congress lawmaker Abhiskeh Manu Singhvi has said - "No one in the Congress party leadership supports the excesses of the Emergency that were committed in the 1970s. But now under the BJP and Modi, we have an undeclared emergency as media freedom is being curtailed and the central government is grossly misusing the anti-corruption agencies".
Other Congress leaders concede that Indira Gandhi was known for her ruthlessness but they argue she had good intentions and her grip over things held the country together in difficult times.
They refer specifically to the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 and subsequent developments which led to creation of Bangladesh.
"Indira Gandhi was a builder of modern India after India suffered defeat in the war with China in 1962. She was a builder of cultural institutions and she had a visionary mind," said Naga politician and a former state Minister Thomas Ngully.
On similar line, BJP leaders and Modi admirers would credit Prime Minister for his decisive decision after the Pulwama terror strike.
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