Why no SIT to probe black money?

The Government of India has shown complete disdain for constitutional propriety or national interest.
There has been an increasing demand for court monitored investigations and Special Investigation Teams (SITs). There are many reasons for this. First, a breakdown of public confidence in the normal investigation agencies that come under the criminal justice systems of India. Second, demand before the courts through Public Interest Litigation that proper investigation cannot be expected from the investigation agencies, because of the politico-legal nature of some cases, particularly if they are against the Executive, who also happens to be the controlling authority of the investigation agencies. Of late, there has been vociferous demand for court monitored investigations even from the world of sports and finance, such as the IPL and the NSEL. But most prominent are those that directly or indirectly involve the highest or the most influential authorities of the land. The Supreme Court has clearly stated: "More and more demands are now coming before the Courts for its monitoring of investigation relating to crimes committed by influential persons and persons who have political influence, with the apprehension that they could derail the investigation. Courts in public interest sometimes have to take such a course in the larger public interest." (Writ Petition (C) NO.548 OF 2012). The Code of Criminal Procedure defines the word "investigation" to include all the proceedings under the Code for the collection of evidence conducted by a police officer or by any person (other than a magistrate) who is authorised by a magistrate in this behalf. Section 173(2) of Cr PC authorises the police officer to send a report to the magistrate after completing the investigation. Section 36 of the Code empowers police officers superior in rank to a Station House Officer to exercise the same powers. Thus in the process codified under the CrPC, which is the Bible of the investigating officer, it is only a police officer in charge of the police station or any officer superior in rank to that of the SHO, who can do an investigation and file a report to the jurisdictional court. In the normal course, a superior police officer can monitor the investigation done by a junior police officer. A recent judgement of the Supreme Court is an eye opener. The CBI does not consist of angels. They can show a degree of criminality which has never been detected before in lesser agencies. The Bar, the Bench and other experts must meet and devise methods of making monitoring flawless and consistent with existing laws. In the case of Union of India vs Sushil Kumar Modi 1998 (2) BOM C.R.C. 120 ATP 9122(S.C): 1998(4) S.L.T. 367: 1998(1) SCALE 251, it was held that "monitoring by the High Court of any case is for the purpose of ensuring that the CBI and other agencies properly investigate the alleged offences and file a charge sheet if a prima facie case is made out ... that there would be no interference in the investigative work being performed by the officers which might hinder the course of the investigations." The monitoring of the investigation by the Supreme Court and the High Courts has raised certain fundamental questions in the minds of the public regarding what exactly this implies procedurally, especially in the absence of any clear-cut and unambiguous guidelines by the Apex Court regarding the exact procedure to be followed for this purpose. In fact in the judgement of the case referred to above, the Attorney General had expressed that certain observations in the impugned order of the High Court might be construed as enabling the High Court to monitor/control even disciplinary proceeding against an officer of the CBI if he happens to be in the team investigating any of the alleged offences. For understanding the issue with greater clarity, it would be important to ask what exactly the responsibilities of the Supreme Court or High Court are when it is monitoring an investigation. From all accounts, after such an order is made, the investigation agency, be it the CBI or the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Court, conducts the investigation and periodically submits its status report regarding the progress of the case, as and when the matter stands posted, until the charge sheet is filed before the jurisdictional court. Apart from receiving periodic status reports from the Special Investigating Team, it is understood that the Apex Court/High Courts would also scrutinise them to satisfy themselves that the investigation has been done as per prescribed procedure and without fear, favour, pressure or intimidation. For, only after scrutiny of the investigation reports, can they satisfy themselves that the investigation was free and fair. In such a situation, where does this place the trial court judge in the jurisdictional court, who actually has to pass judgement in the case after the charge sheet is filed? Does he have any discretion, and what would be the judicial propriety, should he during the trial believe there is reason to be dissatisfied with the investigation or charge sheet? Coming back to the point regarding the monitoring procedure applied to the periodic status reports on investigation, it has been reported recently that in the coal block allocation case, the bench has expressed to the CBI that it is facing great difficulty in "going through the voluminous reports submitted in the case", and have suggested the appointment of an amicus curiae. The CBI opposing this, claiming that it would interfere with its working, has questioned the proposed amicus curiae's impartiality, especially after the Apex Court has restrained everyone including the Attorney General from having a look at the status report. There are some facets of monitoring that raise very serious questions and concerns. In the present state of public and even the court's lack of confidence in the integrity of the Indian investigating agencies, court monitoring has to continue. A recent judgement of the Supreme Court is an eye opener. The CBI does not consist of angels. They can show a degree of criminality which has never been detected before in lesser agencies. The Bar, the Bench and other experts must meet and devise methods of making monitoring flawless and consistent with existing laws. The most important case in which the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India appointed a Special Investigation Team is the one decided on 4 July 2011 by Hon'ble Mr Justice Sudershan Reddy and Justice S.S. Nijjhar in the petition filed by me and other public spirited citizens. It is reported as Ram Jethmalani and Ors. versus Union of India and Ors.(2011) 8 SCC1. Being of the opinion that our country has been impoverished mainly by some indigenous dacoits who have stolen national wealth and concealed it in foreign banks which in the name of customer confidentiality protects the identity of the culprits from the owners of the wealth. It is estimated to be of the approximate range of US$1,500 billion, roughly equivalent of Rs 90 lakh crore. The governments of France and Germany were able to obtain the names and supplied them to all friendly nations without cost or condition. We too received some names, but obviously because they control our rulers or themselves rule us, they have not been disclosed to this unfortunate nation. After prolonged hearing of about two years, this is what the Supreme Court held: "It is necessary to express the Supreme Court's serious reservations about the response of the Union of India. During the earlier phases of hearing, the attempts were clearly evasive, confused, or originating in the denial mode. It was only upon being repeatedly pressed by the Supreme Court, did the Union of India begin to admit that indeed the investigation was proceeding very slowly. In fact the investigation had completely stalled, in as much as custodial interrogation of H had not even been sought for, even though he was very much resident in India... The lack of seriousness in the efforts of the State authorities is contrary to the requirements of laws and constitutional obligations of the Union of India. It was only upon the insistence and intervention of the Supreme Court of India that the Enforcement Directorate initiated and secured custodial interrogation over Hasan Ali..." The Supreme Court ordered the appointment of a Special Investigation Team to be monitored by the Supreme Court, casting responsibility on the Ministry of Finance, Union of India, for ensuring proper and effective functioning of the SIT at once. The following observations of the Supreme Court must also be informed to the people of India: "It is indeed true that the information shared by Germany, with regard to certain bank accounts in Liechtenstein, also contains names of individuals who appear to be Indians. The Petitioners have also claimed that names of all the individuals have been made public by certain segments of the media. However, while some of the accounts, and the individuals holding those accounts, are claimed to have been investigated, others have not been. The balancing leads only to one conclusion: strengthening of the machinery of investigations, and vigil by broader citizenry in ensuring that the agents of State do not weaken such machinery." This judgement should be read by every citizen, and should be translated into local languages for the non English speaking people. The stinking cesspool that Indian democracy has been turned into, must be cleansed. But till date, the Government of India has shown complete disdain for constitutional propriety or national interest. It has neither appointed an investigating team, nor disclosed names to the petitioner, nor recovered a single farthing out of the enormous wealth stolen from India.
aRTICLE CREDITSArticle Credits,RAM JETHMALANI,The Sunday Gaurdian

Muslims warm up to BJP in Rajasthan

Muslims with a Quranic verse on the windscreen of their vehicle campaign for the BJP.
Muslims in Rajasthan are drifting away from the ruling Congress party, with some of them shifting toward the Bharatiya Janata Party. This has emboldened the BJP to put up four Muslim candidates in the state and organise Narendra Modi rallies in Sawai Madhopur and Sikar, two constituencies with a substantial Muslim population. It was a rare Modi appearance in Muslim majority areas outside Gujarat. A large section of Muslims is also shifting toward the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed Welfare Party of India and other such outfits. According to political observers, all four BJP Muslim candidates are strong in their constituencies. Former MLA Habibur Rehman is contesting from Nagaur city. Former Rajasthan Sports Minister Yunus Khan, who lost the 2008 elections, has been given another chance from Deedwana constituency in Nagaur district. Abdul Sangeer Khan is contesting from Dholpur, while Salim Tanwar, a new face, is contesting the elections from Mandawa. Muslims constitute around 14% of Rajasthan voters and influence results in 40-45 Assembly segments of a total 200. Muslims have been traditionally voting for the Congress in the state. But numerous incidents of communal violence, particularly the Gopalgarh riots, during Ashok Gehlot's five-year rule, have angered the community. The Congress has given tickets to 18 Muslims, but it has to contend with the Jamaat's call to punish all "communal elements" in the ruling party. Engineer Khursheed Husain, the chief of Jamaat's Rajasthan unit, said that Muslims are upset with the Congress because of its inability to act against the perpetrators of communal riots. "We have fielded our candidates in areas where Congress MLAs are said to be communal — Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur and Jhunjhunu. In other areas, we have instructed our workers to organise support for secular candidates," said Husain. Jamaat is the most organised Muslim organisation in the state and hence wields considerable influence on Muslim opinion during election time. Journalists covering the Rajasthan elections say that Muslims are determined to punish the Congress and are warming up toward the BJP. Neetu Soni, a local journalist, who was present at the Modi rallies in Sawai Madhopur and Sikar, said that she saw a sizeable number of Muslims listening to the Gujarat Chief Minister. "No anti-Modi processions were organised in these areas as had happened in the 2008 elections when Modi was supposed to come here," said Soni. Yunus Khan She said that Muslims see as a positive BJP's agenda of protecting wakf land, fencing all graveyards, modernising madrasas and giving scholarships to community students. "Even the Gehlot government had promised some of these things, but failed to deliver," said Soni. Of his community's seeming shift toward the BJP, Amin Pathan, BJP's minority morcha chief, said that his party works for all communities, including Muslims. "Unlike Congress, we don't believe in community or caste specific politics. There are 36 major communities in Rajasthan. Muslims are one of them. BJP sees all of them as equal," said Amin. Even the custodians of the famous Ajmer Dargah, where many Rajasthan politicians, belonging to all political parties including the Congress and the BJP are turning to seek Khwaja Moinuddin Chisty's blessings, do not see any problems in the BJP coming to power. "Both Gehlot and Vasundhara Raje did good work during their tenures as Chief Minister. Both are good for Rajasthan," said Syed Zainul Abedin, the sajjadanashin (caretaker) of the shrine.
Article Credits,The Sunday Gaurdian,30th November 2013

Utter Pradesh is a failed state: courtesy Akhilesh

Akhilesh’s poor handling of the communal riots proves his incompetence as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
The state of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, sending 80 members to the Lok Sabha, is the kingmaker for any government formation in Delhi. In addition to being notorious for crime, casteism and corruption of the worst kind, it has also become the most communally violent state in India. According to official information released by the Ministry of Home Affairs, over 100 communal clashes occurred during the year 2012 in UP. Communal clashes have become a regular, almost monthly affair, ever since the Samajwadi Party came to power in 2012, cumulatively costing several hundred lives. Here is the snapshot: June 2012 Mathura and Muzaffarnagar; July 2012: Bareilly; September 2012 Ghaziabad; October 2012 Faizabad; December 2012 Azamgarh; January 2013 Lucknow; April, July 2013 Meerut; August 2013 Muzaffarnagar; September 2013: Shamli and Muzaffarnagar, which is still simmering. The MHA statistics confirm the fact that communal riots in Uttar Pradesh are deadlier, and with higher fatality rate than the rest of the country. UP has become a land where politicians base their legitimacy and power on the loyalty principle of respective castes and religions, through which they control large sections of their followers. They are like tribal warlords whose word is law, even though officially there is supposed to be the rule of law in operation, based on the Anglo Saxon pattern. They appropriate the wealth of the State, the taxpayer's money, funds meant for peoples' welfare, and then abandon them to illiteracy, disease and abject poverty to be inherited in perpetuity. The UP warlords are not unduly perturbed about their people's deprivation. How else will they be able to control their votes, election after election? But this primitive exercise of power has made them forget that caste and religion obtain loyalty only up to a point. Beyond that, the people want their basic expectations from government met, which they see happening in other states, but are denied to them, simply because the money meant for them never reaches them. Remember the recent NRHM scam, where thousands of crores meant for providing better health facilities to the people of UP were siphoned off by a criminal partnership of politicians and government functionaries. While other states have been able to give their people more modern and upgraded primary health centres, better maternal care, UP can only boast of one more CBI inquiry, and about half a dozen murders of Chief Medical Officers in broad daylight. Apart from complete ignorance of how to govern and having no such intention anyway, a government composed of power-brokers and criminals is bound to get alienated from whichever caste or religion they claim as captive vote banks. It has happened in Bihar, and presently, a great political churning and disaffection is visible in UP, in the aftermath of the Ahkilesh Yadav government's complete failure to handle communal violence, especially the recent clashes that emanated from Muzaffarnagar. We are still not sure of how the communal clashes started. Some reports suggest it was eve teasing, and others that it was a traffic accident. Whatever it was, there are adequate laws regarding both issues, which had they been enforced instantly by the local police and magistracy, could have contained the tragic mayhem that followed. Obviously the local officials have lost their will and capacity to enforce laws, groomed as they would be in decades of lawlessness during when all statutory authority, including that flowing from the Indian Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, regarding registration of FIRs, has been expropriated and is being exercised benaami by the political representatives. The sting operation conducted by a news channel regarding the cops and Azam Khan gives a clear indication of this. And what has become a reality in our democracy, which the sooner we accept the better, is that cutting edge police appointments at SHO levels are done purely on caste grounds, so that law enforcement can also follow a caste agenda. This is what political scientists refer to as the collapse of the state, or a failed state. Communal tensions continue in Muzzafarnagar, even after two months of the initial outbreak. On 30 October again three people are reported to have lost their lives, something completely unacceptable and unpardonable. It only confirms a complete breakdown of the state and administrative authority, of the capability of the police and magistracy from tehsil to district levels, to enforce law and order, and the complete failure of oversight and control by the state government and Chief Minister. No one still knows the number of lives lost; they could well be in hundreds. But what is reported universally is that at least 40,000 people are still living in makeshift relief camps, even though almost two months have elapsed since the riots started. UP has created a shocking humanitarian crisis for itself, and a new category of communal riot victims, equivalent of "internal refugees". We are not aware of what confidence building measures the state machinery has undertaken to persuade them to return to their homes, though almost two months have elapsed after the riots first started. Is any further evidence required to establish the state's callousness and complicity towards its own people whom they have converted into refugees in their own state? Clearly, another confirmation that the state of Uttar Pradesh has completely broken down, both in intent and action. It was looking away in utter inaction when Muzaffarnagar was burning, and now it is doing the same to the humanitarian crisis of such a huge magnitude within its own borders. The fact that communal disturbances have become a political industry by itself in UP only compound the government's political crimes against the people. What is surprising is the relative silence of the human rights NGOs and activists, wherever they are funded from, who normally react very swiftly and vociferously to assist the victims of communal clashes, or provide them legal support to secure their legitimate rights, who should have called for accountability from the Akhilesh government as to why his government remained inactive allowing the situation to assume such dangerous and inhuman levels.
Except for one Public Interest Litigation filed by Nutan Thakur before the Allahabad High Court, I am not aware of any humanitarian NGOs taking up the cause of the Muzaffarnagar riot victims. We have several organisations with a successful track record of taking up such unfortunate causes, and they normally make their presence felt very briskly and efficiently. Their absence in UP does seem a little mystifying. Also, to the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of any human rights groups approaching the NHRC seeking relief or asking for accountability from the government, or fixing responsibility as to why the situation remained uncontrolled for weeks together, and continues to simmer even today. Neither am I aware of any suo motu action taken by the NHRC, which it can well take, to direct the government to take urgent action to end the suffering of the people trapped in this humanitarian crisis, or approach the Supreme Court to take appropriate action such as the constitution of a Special Investigation Team, as to why the communal riots were allowed to persist unchecked for almost two weeks, and why communal tension remains unabated even today, that the victims from relief camps do not even wish to return to their own homes. We have still not heard from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom about their views on the communal clashes in UP. The United States appears to be a favourite travel destination of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and obviously, his US visa is intact, though it remains to be seen whether it will continue to be so. So too the British and European Union representatives have not yet reacted to the gross violation of human rights going on in UP, the CM's callous inaction, the state on a dangerous auto pilot, and atrocities piling up against the people. It remains to be seen whether they will boycott him, in their universal commitment to protect human rights and religious freedom.
Article credits ,Shri.RAM JETHMALANI,ETHICS & POWER,The Sunday Gaurdian

Who is afraid of Narendra Modi?

The government has good reasons to be wary of the BJP PM candidate as he emerges as the leader India needs.
He frightens them because he is everything that the present day politician of India is not — a man of strength and steel, with no skeletons in the cupboard that can break his strength or buy him up, and no greed for personal financial aggrandizement.
Before I proceed with my weekly piece, let me wish my readers a very Happy Diwali. May this Diwali truly usher in the victory of good over evil and bring peace and prosperity to our people and our country.
Now, to my piece. Narendra Modi has created the political upheaval that I expected he would. The Congress party appears to be in a huddle, with no clue as to how to deal with this new political phenomenon. Even our Prime Minister, best known for moderate and terse statements, whenever he is not silent, used a rather extreme word, "onslaught" to describe Modi's entry into the national political stage, a word normally associated with combat.
How comfortable and cosy previous national elections were. Election behaviour of political parties was predictable; everyone knew everyone else's secrets; everyone understood each other's mediocrities, and empathised with one another's personal ambitions. They sportingly accepted mutual election unpleasantness and acrimony, with a remarkable understanding and bonhomie. After all, verbal acrimony during elections happens all over the world and is a sign of a mature democracy. And by no means did it disturb the political comfort levels of leading political figures. The dynasty was given due respect, even when criticised, and conversely, it had its own favourites in the Opposition for its own reasons, whom it never criticised. Election manifestoes contained a host of promises, several of them unfulfilled promises of yesteryears. But all political parties would rest assured thereafter, knowing full well that once the election was over, they would never be held accountable about them either by the people of India or their own party brass. The lucky winners could then start the serious and exciting business of plundering India, alongside forming appropriately understanding alliances with the Opposition. What is it about Narendra Modi that seems to frighten the comfortable ruling establishments, present or prospective, out of their wits? As I have stated earlier, he frightens them because he is everything that the present day politician of India is not — a man of strength and steel, with no skeletons in the cupboard that can break his strength or buy him up, and no greed for personal financial aggrandizement. This is what the present political system of India cannot stomach. How dare he not be like one of us, is what is written beneath their anti-Modi script. Next, he frightens them, because his record of governance suggests that he is a patriot who places our country before anything else. The Congress governance model is based on electoral vote bank politics, even at the cost of breaking the country asunder. Neutralisation of vote banks spells doom for the Congress, and rumblings from the minority communities are already being heard. He frightens them because he is a quick decision maker, something anathema to a regime that believes in plundering the country through multiple pathways, with the chief political executive looking the other way, dithering or passing the buck. The UPA dispensation has made decision making by the Prime Minister unnecessary, undesirable and extinct. It has become a regime of GOMs and PMO (as differentiated from the Prime Minister) and NAC. And unless the Prime Minister has a personal interest in an issue, such as coal block allocation, the PMO has innovated a theory of "distancing itself" from the murky goings on in government, a new coinage, whatever it means, in the Arthashastra of South Block. The Modi critics believe that this implies true team spirit in running a government that Modi lacks, and that unlike Modi, the Prime Minister exemplifies a true team leader, because he is always outsourcing decision making (his first and legitimate function), to his GOMs or to the Core Committee or NAC. According to them, there is no way that Modi being a quick decision maker can qualify to be a good team leader, because neither does he believe in disseminating his accountability or responsibility to extra constitutional authorities like GOMs, and nor does he require their safety of numbers. Quick decision making and taking responsibility for it scares South Block and frightens it like Banquo's ghost. It must be exterminated before it strikes, for the sake of saving team leadership and secular unity, which in reality means the best financial interest of the ruling establishment. So start labelling decisiveness as divisiveness or communalism or lack of team leadership without explaining any of them, and keep repeating them until they stick. What has started terrifying the ruling establishment even more is the magnetic power Narendra Modi holds over the crowds, and the ease with which he establishes a rapport with them. Psychologists call this quality "charisma", a gift which one either has or doesn't have; a As Modi's oratory and charisma become more and more visible to the nation and his rallies keep increasing in size all over the country, opinion across the country (including within the Congress establishment) is that as a political leader, he stands unmatched and unstoppable. The Congress party, during the last decade, had a single point objective on which it concentrated, using all the might of the state machinery it controlled. And that was to somehow get Modi personally indicted in a court of law for the 2002 riots that would finish his political career. For it was in Modi, more than anyone else in the political arena, that they saw the real threat to its power. Modi is neither intimidated nor pays obeisance to them, regardless of the historical halo they claim. However, they were neither able to politically assassinate him nor banish him into disgrace. The Congress is in crisis — frustrated and frightened. They must helplessly countenance day after day Narendra Modi's steady and hard earned success finally reaching the national political stage, and being declared the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate of India. How will the party vice president compete with the charisma, the oratory, the experience and insights that can only be acquired by being a three-time Chief Minister? The country is aghast at the party vice president's attitude and oratory, starting with the gate-crashing at Ajay Maken's press conference. He then indulged in a speech evoking death images of his father and grandmother. This infuriated the Sikhs and Tamils. In his next speech, he dwelt upon the Muzzafarnagar riots, as usual wrongly blaming the BJP, the real reason being the Jat-Muslim dynamics as manipulated by the ruling Samajwadi Party; and made the startling disclosure regarding the IB informing him of ISI agents recruiting Muzzafarnagar Muslim victims. This time the Muslim community was infuriated and the Home Ministry rubbished the statement. The serial bomb blasts at Gandhi Maidan Patna were shocking. But what came through to the people of India, and what I regret has not been noticed or lauded by the media or political commentators, was Modi's composure and demeanour while he was speaking, even as low intensity bombs were going off, and danger and death confronted him in the face. The country requires no further demonstration of his courage in the face of mortal danger, his presence of mind, his leadership qualities, and forbearance. Article credits -Ram Jethmalani is a senior politician and eminent lawyer.
The Sunday Gaurdian,Nov 2, 2013

Modi was never communal in his conduct: K.P.S.Gill

In a biography released this week, former IPS officer K.P.S. Gill talks about Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the 2002 riots.
riots were at a peak in Gujarat; police was not able to control (the situation) and there were reports in the media that "The CM was ineffective for the challenge, or he simply lacked the will to stop this violence, or to say worse, he is himself, along with other BJP and VHP leaders, organising all these riots." Seeing the sensitive situation and the negative publicity it was generating for the BJP, L.K. Advani, the then Deputy Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, was busy finding ways to end that mayhem. The situation was confusing since it was not becoming clear what the root cause of the problem was. Was it Modi himself or the ineffective administration of Gujarat! Anyway, the first priority of Advani was to end this violence at any cost... It struck Mr Advani that there was a man who was no more in active service but who was never away from the service of the nation who could be trusted to bring peace in Gujarat at that time. That was KPS Gill. So the only solution which seemed plausible to the Union Government was the appointment of former DGP Punjab KPS Gill as incharge of Police in Gujarat. But Gill was retired. Advani then came to the conclusion that Gill should be requested to become Security Advisor to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi... Dr Chandan Mitra met Mr Gill and broached the subject. On understanding the proposal, Mr Gill expressed his willingness to undertake the assignment but had one reservation. He said, "Chandan, you know I cannot be an armchair theorist, what will I do, if I am not given any freedom to control the affairs? What if my advice is not implemented? As a result Muslims will continue to get killed and then, I will also be held responsible for the killing of innocent people despite not having any power to stop it?" Mr Modi through Dr Mitra assured Mr Gill that he would not interfere in his work and would provide him all possible support to end the riots. When news spread that Gill would be joining as Advisor to CM Gujarat, his former boss and former Punjab Police chief, J.F. Ribeiro, in his praise, said, "Gill can solve the Gujarat problem in a week but he will have to arrest VHP members and Muslim criminals. If Modi allows that, he will be signing his own death warrant." In the first one to one meeting between Mr Gill and Mr Modi, what Mr Modi told Mr Gill, expressed the sincerity which he had towards the whole episode which was going on in Gujarat at that time. Mr Modi said, "Gill Sahib, we have been talking to each other through Mr Mitra or Mr Advani but I want to request you now in person that I am not finding any solution to this violence, I am not getting a fit police response which could end the riots, I sought more force from the neighbouring States which happen to be Congress-ruled States, but they refused. Media, opposition parties and activists have launched a false anti-Modi campaign that I am behind all these riots, which is not true. My first principle as a devout Hindu and as a politician is 'Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavanthu (May all the people in the world be happy and peaceful).' I believe in this prayer and I start my day as a politician with it. I have lot of faith in you, the country is indebted to you for saving Punjab from going out of the Union. Without cops like you there can be no democracies, there can be no political leaders and there can be no kings. I will personally be thankful to you for my life if you can help ending this mayhem at the earliest. The onus now is on you to fail me or make me successful as a democratic leader."
Mr Gill says, "After meeting Mr Modi, I was moved by his sincerity. I found him to be fair and sincere in terms of his intention to end the riots. He seemed worried and sad because his police had failed him in ending this violence; he wanted me to take whatever steps I deemed fit to end this violence and assured me whole-hearted support."
To make a proper assessment of the situation, Mr Gill started touring all those places which had witnessed communal riots. He listened in detail to the victims of violence, the constables, the officers and the locals to assess where the problem or the weakness lay. After a detailed assessment of the challenge which lasted for one week, Gill says, "I found the police force unequal to the challenge; majority of the policemen themselves had become communal in their duty as they were enraged with the killings of so many kar sewaks (fellow Hindus) at the hands of Muslims in Godhra. Similar was the condition of the civil administration. Since Mr Modi had become the CM only a few months back, the administration and the police force were not in his proper grip and it takes time to develop such a grip when you are at such a top position. I found that in the previous two months Mr Modi had made all efforts to stop riots, he had called in the army with swiftness, he sought forces from the neighbouring States and the Centre. Narendra Modi with Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the early 2000s. "I realised that people of all political parties who were anti-Modi and anti-BJP were taking advantage of this mayhem and making all efforts to defame Modi one way or the other. "The so called dharam-nirpeksh (secular) parties were taking advantage of the fact that Mr Modi follows the principles of Hindutva. They were portraying Hindutva as something anti non-Hindu religions. My understanding was that Mr Modi's practising of principles of Hindutva in no way meant that he would allow killing people of other religions. "An American journalist asked me, What do you mean by Mr Modi's Hindutva?' "I said, 'In Christianity you have a Christian way of life, where some standard norms have been laid out for Christians; similarly in Hinduism there is a Hindu way of life where norms have been laid out for Hindus; but neither the former nor the latter means anything against any religion.' "Today Gujarat is one of the best administered States not only for Hindus but for all religions and all castes. The credit for this goes to only and only Mr Modi." Mr Gill's assessment was that the problem which needed an immediate solution was to cut this communal bug from the minds of the policemen and those who could not be freed of this bug should not be allowed to sit in sensitive posts... The first step Gill took within three days of joining there was transferring all those officers who failed to prevent the riots in their areas. Mr Gill interacted with all those officers and based on his assessment of their competency and intentions he got them transferred from sensitive posts. Those officers expected to be fair in their working were given sensitive posts. Mr Gill says, "Mr Modi provided me full freedom to transfer those officers whom I considered ineffective in terms of preventing violence as per their record of the past few days. The kind of free hand Mr Modi gave me to apply my strategies was given to me in Punjab by Sh. Beant Singh and through the pages of this book I want to make it clear to one and all that Modi was never communal in his conduct during this whole mayhem. He only conducted himself as an able administrator, whether it was during my tenure as Security Advisor or before it... "My observation is that when things like riots, terrorism, natural calamities, etc. happen then sometimes the administration or the Government gets stupefied by it. In those circumstances the administration is not able to find an appropriate solution to the problem which leads to inordinate delays. "This delay is sometimes used by the opposition parties to tarnish the image of the Government. Media also plays a negative role by being judgemental and describing those false statements by the opposition leaders or other people who are anti-Government, as facts. The allegations may be proved false later on but this false propaganda created through media initially, goes a long way in developing wrong perceptions about that Government or the leader and this happened with Mr Modi in 2002. Moreover, the stupefaction was compounded by the fact that Mr Modi was new to Chief Ministership. "What I feel is, the media should not only behave as a critic of the Government all the times, they ought to sometimes understand the crisis situation for the Government and act as a supporting arm to it, which unfortunately media failed to do in 2002 vis-à-vis the Gujarat riots. From my first-hand experience of the Gujarat situation I can say with conviction that the Gujarat riots were not the failure of Mr Narendra Modi; instead it was the failure of the Gujarat Police as well as the intentions of the Chief Ministers of the neighbouring States which had then denied forces to Gujarat when the riots started." Extracted from KPS Gill: The Paramount Cop by Rahul Chandan, Maple Press, 244 pages, Rs 295, paperback.Extracts: 2nd Nov 2013 Sunday Gaurdian

Old Delhi’s UPA Muslim MLAs spent least on development

Rs 437.74 cr remains unspent from Yousuf's fund. Iqbal is yet to spend Rs 444.88 cr from his fund
RTI reply shows that Haroon Yousuf and Shoaib Iqbal are the most frugal of Delhi MLAs when it comes to developing their constituencies.
Muslim MLAs from the walled city, Haroon Yousuf, also a minister in the Sheila Dikshit Cabinet, and Shoaib Iqbal have spent the least from their area development funds in their under-developed constituencies. Yousuf and Iqbal represent Ballimaran and Matia Mahal seats. An RTI reply lists the expenditures incurred by all of Delhi's 70 MLAs, showing that except Yousuf and Iqbal, all the others spent most of their fund allocations by the end of September. An MLA is given Rs 4 cr per year to spend for his constituency's development. Rs 1 cr of this amount is mandatorily spent on Delhi Jal Board projects. Interestingly, both Yousuf and Shoaib have been the least spenders for the past three years. Despite strong protests by Old Delhi locals, they haven't planned any fresh development projects in their areas. Rs 437.74 cr remains unspent from Yousuf's fund. Iqbal is yet to spend Rs 444.88 cr from his fund. When asked why they have been so frugal, both Yousuf and Iqbal said that they were holding back to their money to spend it in the next session. But they didn't respond to the question what if they din't win the election this time and the money was returned to the state treasury. Meanwhile, residents in Ballimaran and Matia Mahal say that since both these candidates are unchallenged and will win for certain, they are either ignoring or delaying the development work in their areas. "Iqbal has unparalleled clout in the area. He does not have a competitor. He will continue to represent the area in the next Assembly session also. This confidence has turned him complacent about development. He is more concerned with popular causes like mosque construction and other sentimental Muslim issues. It reaps him political dividends. Plus, he also does some genuine charity works by helping the poor of the area," said Gulfam Qureshi, a small time political leader in Jama Masjid area. "Locals are angry with Yousuf as there is hardly any visible development in the area except a few renovated streets and improved sewer lines. But they don't see any suitable challenger to him," said Sheeba Aslam Fehmi, a Ballimaran-based Urdu journalist.
News Credits Sunday Gaurdian

Bihar, Jharkhand are safe zones for terror

The Nitish Kumar government sat on the proposal to create ATS for four years. In Jharkhand, the proposal to set up ATS has been pending for three years.
he casual attitude of the state governments of Bihar and Jharkhand in tackling terror related activities, despite available proof, has made the two states "safe zones" for terror outfits. The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar sat on the home department's proposal to set up an Anti-Terrorism Squad for four years. It swung into action only after the Bodhgaya blasts on 7 July 2013. The state Cabinet cleared the proposal two days after the blasts. The Bihar Public Service Commission and the Staff Selection Commission have been asked to follow up on the decision. The situation is similar in Jharkhand. In the last few years, Darbhanga, Madhubani and Samastipur in Bihar have provided safe hideouts to terrorists. Darbhanga's proximity to the porous India-Nepal border offers the perfect escape route to them. However, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is opposed to the use of the phrase "Darbhanga module" and said as much at a meeting of Chief Ministers last year. Many terrorists have been arrested from this region. In 2011, the Delhi police arrested suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives from Madhubani for their alleged role in planning and executing the Pune's German Bakery blast of February 2010, the Bangalore Chinnaswamy Stadium blast of April 2010 and for a Jama Masjid shootout in September 2010. The Maharashtra ATS arrested Naqi Ahmed Wasi Ahmed Sheikh and Nadeem Akhtar Ashfaq Sheikh in the July 13 2011 Mumbai blasts case, from Darbhanga. Tehseen Akhtar, now arrested in connection with the Patna blasts, has been wanted by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) for a long time. The agency had raided places like Samastipur, Darbhanga, Munger and Madhubani while searching for him. The NIA also arrested Yasin Bhatkal from the Nepal-Bihar border on 29 August 2013. Terming the Bihar government's approach as "callous", BJP Rajya Sabha member C.P. Thakur said besides setting up an ATS, the Bihar government should take intelligence inputs seriously to prevent incidents like the Patna serial blasts in future. "The government needs to fix the porous Nepal-Bihar border. Also the issue needs to be seen in its social context. The government needs to find out why Bihari youths are being picked up by terror outfits," he said. Jharkhand, from where the alleged IM terrorists have been arrested in connection with the Patna serial blasts, is not far behind. The Jharkhand police sent a proposal three years ago to the state home department to set up an ATS, but the proposal has got entangled in bureaucratic wrangling. No one knows the status of the proposal. As per the proposal, the ATS was supposed to have a strength of 500 personnel and is to be headed by a DIG rank officer. As many as 10 terrorists, having links with the IM, the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) have been arrested from the state in the last 13 years. In 2002, two Pakistani terrorists, Zahid and Salim, involved in the terror attack on Kolkata's American Centre, were gunned down in Hazaribagh. The Madhya Pradesh police arrested Abu Faizal, a suspected SIMI member, from Jamshedpur. In the recent past, Danish Riyaz and Manzar Imam, associated with SIMI, were arrested from Ranchi in 2011 and 2013 respectively. Last year, suspected LeT member Ehtesham Malik, was arrested in Delhi, after visiting Hazaribagh, where his mother lives. His cousin Tauseef Ahmad Pir was arrested from Hazaribagh. Sources say that terror modules operate from Hazaribagh, Giridih, Pakur, Jamtara, Ranchi and Jamshedpur. Former Jharkhand Director General of Police R.R. Prasad says it will be improper to term the region as a "terror hub". "We are living in a complex world. Of course, some terrorists have been arrested from this part but that does not mean that it is a terror centre. It's like any other place in the country where terrorists take shelter," he said. The retired top cop, however, said "routine policing" needs to be strengthened — whether it is for handling regular law and order or deal with Naxalism or terrorism. "All this talk of ATS is a fancy idea. The best intelligence input comes from the local daroga (officer in-charge of the police station)," he maintained. On the response to the Patna serial blasts, Prasad said that Bihar and Jharkhand police displayed "excellent coordination", which led to the arrest of the accused within 48 hours.
News Credits The Sunday Gaurdian,2 Nov 2013

Arrogant Nitish Kumar appeared happy after Patna blasts, alleges Narendra Modi

"Dr Raman Singh met the victims, instituted an investigation to look into the shortcomings of the government." He added, "When the Bihar Chief Minister was questioned on the blasts, his arrogance was evident. See how an empathetic Chief Minister behaves and how an arrogant Chief Minister behaves."
Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh: Narendra Modi today unpacked a litany of accusations against his adversary, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who he described, as arrogant. The leaders have over several fractious years crafted the technique of political jousting without naming each other, a tradition Mr Modi displayed today. At an election rally in Chhattisgarh, which votes for its next government this month, Mr Modi configured an image of Mr Kumar as an uncaring chief minister "whose body language suggested happiness" after last month's serial blasts in Patna which preceded a massive rally held by the BJP leader. Mr Modi, who is the BJP's candidate for Prime Minister, was not harmed in those explosions. Six people were killed and 83 injured; the BJP has attributed the terror attack to the "gross criminal negligence" of Mr Kumar and his government. In June, Mr Kumar pulled the trigger on a 17-year alliance with the BJP over its decision to give Mr Modi the starring role in its campaign for the national election. In Chhattisgarh, the BJP and chief minister Raman Singh are seeking a third consecutive term in power. Mr Modi used a Naxal attack in the state in May in which several Senior Congress leaders were killed to compare and contrast the Chhattisgarh chief minister's performance to that of Mr Kumar's. "Dr Raman Singh met the victims, instituted an investigation to look into the shortcomings of the government." He added, "When the Bihar Chief Minister was questioned on the blasts, his arrogance was evident. See how an empathetic Chief Minister behaves and how an arrogant Chief Minister behaves."

Forget Narendra Modi, now Congress is fighting over Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Nov 7: Ahead of the Lok Sabha election which is expected to be held in 2014, Congress seems to have lost its track.
Instead of attacking its opponent party leaders such as Narendra Modi, Jairam Ramesh expressed his disappointment over Rahul Gandhi.
However, other Congress party leaders did not take Ramesh's criticism against Rahul lightly. Downplaying the Union Minister's shocking remark against Rahul, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit defended their young star campaigner saying, "Rahul Gandhi has been touring all the poll-bound states.
He is in a combative mode and his speeches show that he is serious." Jairam recently has expressed his disappointment with young Gandhi family scion saying, "My frustration is that he is too forward looking, he is talking of structure, systems, he is talking of building Congress in the long term whereas we are now faced with fighting an election in the short term." Rahul Gandhi is in a combative mode and his speeches show that he is serious Jairam's statement surfaced after Rahul's meeting with party colleagues where he reportedly insisted that a win can be sacrificed for the sake of strengthening the party. According to sources, Rahul earlier had overruled a proposal of Congress leaders of strengthening party's power in Bihar by forming an alliance with RJD-led by Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Rahul reportedly preferred not to form an alliance to assert the Congress authority in the state. Though, party leaders feel that Rahul's idealism could cost them votes and it's not the right strategy ahead of the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, BJP has taken advantage of the current situation when Congress leaders are busy in fighting with each other.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar was quoted as saying, "Jairam's statement shows the exasperation of the Congress. The fact they are thinking beyond 2014 shows they have conceded defeat."

Modi visits Patna blast victims’ homes

Apart from offering condolences, Modi also handed a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the families.
Six days after a series of blasts rocked Patna's Gandhi Maidan during Narendra Modi's Hunkar rally, the BJP's PM candidate returned to Bihar. He said he was there to answer his "call of conscience" and offer his "sympathies" to the families of those killed and injured. His visit triggered a war of words with Bihar's ruling JD(U) and the Congress, who described it as a "political stunt" and accused Modi of "polarising" people.
Modi's return visit coincided with BJP's Asthi Kalash Yatra, which started on Thursday from the villages the six victims belonged to in Supaul, Gopalganj, Begusarai, Nalanda, Kaimur and Patna districts. The Yatra is expected to tour the entire state before reaching Patna for cremation on 5 November. Six persons were killed and 90 injured on 27 October. Modi's visit to the six families was delayed by two hours because of inclement weather which eventually forced him to skip two villages. Modi first reached Gaurichak, about 70 km from Patna where he met the family of Rajnarain Singh. He garlanded the photograph of the deceased, offered condolences to the family and handed them a cheque of Rs 5 lakh. He was told that Rajnarain was an ardent follower of Jaiprakash Narayan and had gone to hear Modi without informing his family. Senior BJP leaders promised that the party would erect the statues of all six victims in their respective villages. Narendra Modi arrived in Patna late on Friday evening and was accorded the status of a "state guest" by the Bihar government. He was staying in Patna's state guest house, right opposite CM Nitish Kumar's residence. Heavy security arrangements were put in place for Modi's visit. Besides, Bihar police personnel, a large contingent of security officials accompanied Modi's. The security apparatus included 35 Black Cat commandos, 70 officials from the Gujarat Police, seven bomb squads. Special helipads had been created in each of the villages where Modi was to visit. Because of bad weather Modi could not go to Supaul. Instead he called up the family of victim Bharat Rajak. "Spoke to Shankar, the son of Shaheed Bharat Rajak over telephone. People from his village shared a very touching anecdote," Modi tweeted. "Shaheed Bharat Rajak had a pet pigeon who would stay next to his bed. Bharat would not begin his day without feeding grain to the pigeon. Pigeon refused to leave dead body of Bharat and travelled with the body till the funeral. Even now the pigeon stays around Bharat's room," Modi tweeted. In Gopal Ganj, Modi called up Patna blasts victim Munna Shrivastav's wife and consoled her. Modi tweeted, "Spoke to wife of Shaheed Munna Srivastava on phone. We are all a part of one family and stand by them in this hour of grief." Consoling Srivastava's wife, Modi said, "Your daughter is like my daughter, will take care of her." He visited Kaimur where he met the wife of victim Vikas Singh. "In Kaimur, met the wife and children of Shaheed Vikas Singh and offered my deepest condolences to the family," Modi tweeted. He later went to Nitish Kumar's bastion Nalanda to meet the family of deceased Rajesh Kumar. Commenting on Modi's return visit, JD(U) spokesperson, Shivanand Tiwari said, "This is not a 100 metre race. Narendra Modi must understand this. This is a semi-marathon, if not a marathon. There are still five months left and if he continues to remain in such a hurry then I feel he might fall and get hurt." On Friday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had described the BJP's Asthi-Kalash Yatra as an attempt to create "communal tensions". "Bihar is a place of communal harmony. We all know that attempts are being made to disturb this harmony," he said. JD(U)'s K.C. Tyagi said, "Modi is visiting Bihar with 1,000 Gujarat policemen. Is Bihar police supposed to work under the Gujarat police?" He said Modi's actions were an insult to the prestige of Bihar. Bihar's former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who was accompanying Narendra Modi tweeted, "Had @Nkumar made security arrangements for @Namo's Rally what it was in JDU's Rally then Namo wouldn't have visited Bihar again in 1 week." The Congress accused Modi of polarising society. Congress spokesman and MLA from Deoria, Akhilesh Pratap Singh said, "When the blasts were happening he continued with his speech and waved goodbye and left. Now what is the point of coming back?" Addressing the media after returning from Nalanda, Modi said that he came to Bihar again because of a call from his conscience. "I had a wish to visit the families of the victims of the Patna serial blasts that happened during my rally last week. Due to bad weather this morning the helicopter could not take off on time and I also could not visit two of the families. But I hope to meet them in future," he said.
SUNDAY GAURDIAN CORRESPONDENT,New Delhi | 2nd Nov 2013

The rise and rise of tomorrow’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi - The Sunday Guardian Report

No politician in independent India has been demonised in such a relentless, Goebbelsian manner as Narendra Modi, and no politician has withstood it with as much resilience and courage as him, notwithstanding the entire Central government, influential sections of the media machinery and civil society arraigned against him.
His dark patch started with the unfortunate Godhra train massacre and the ensuing communal riots in Gujarat in 2002, where several innocent people lost their lives. A train carrying non-violent harmless karsewaks were set on fire and nearly 60 persons were burnt to death. Understandably, but regrettably, this provoked retaliation and mayhem resulting in many innocent members of the minority community losing their lives and suffering other indignities.
It is equally true that the desire for revenge did paralyse the will of some law enforcement agencies, including some prosecutors and judges. Serious steps had to be taken to restore the confidence of the victims of revenge in the legal and judicial system of the state.
Today, vast sections of civil society see in Narendra Modi the next Prime Minister of India. I hope he will plant more visible footprints on the international seashore. He has to speak of peace and a durable solution to the Kashmir problem with the rulers of Pakistan.
The most diabolical role was played by the Congress government at the Centre. A bogus commission was appointed to whitewash the Godhra tragedy to establish that the attack on the train was not the result of a conspiracy of some evil minded Muslims, but an accidental stove fire. This serious crime by the Congress government was fully exposed when a Special Investigation Team appointed by the Supreme Court made their own independent investigation and reiterated that the burning of the pilgrims was a concerted plan by those who must have known that it will inevitably lead to retaliation and atrocities against the minorities, a finding fortified by recent court judgments. Their evil calculations proved to be right. Obviously, the planners wanted India to get a bad name, its national unity and integrity shaken and its defence against scheming neighbours enfeebled.
The unfortunate riots were followed by the state elections, the results of which made the psephologists run for cover. One is reminded of a story, which may well be apocryphal, but is fairly apposite and bears repetition. The Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow, wanted to hold an open air reception in Simla and sought, and received, the assurance of the weather bureau that there wouldn't be any showers on that day. But while strolling on the mall, he encountered a farmer and his donkey. Proletarian as he pretended to be, he struck up a conversation with him and made the same enquiry. The farmer looked at his donkey and said, "Whenever my mate's ears shake the way they are doing now, it just pours." The Viceroy made light of the donkey signal, but his evening party was a big fiasco. In anger, he had the weather station removed to faraway Pune as punishment. I hope the media will never again mess with Narendra Modi or Gujarat elections. Modi won a landslide victory, which even he and his followers could not have imagined or hoped for. I congratulated him for his brilliant victory, but I sincerely advised him that he should wear a look of absolute humility; he should publicly own that something had seriously gone wrong and that he should loudly proclaim that India could never go forward and retain its independence and sovereignty unless Hindus and Muslims were locked in an embrace of love and mutual understanding. He must declare his firm resolve to bring back to the minorities a feeling of absolute security and an assurance of every kind of protection by the powers of the state. Modi thought out and reasoned his strategy and since then his stature has risen manifold to heights rarely attained before. Today, vast sections of civil society see in him the next Prime Minister of India. I hope he will plant more visible footprints on the international seashore. He has to speak of peace and a durable solution to the Kashmir problem with the rulers of Pakistan. He must project himself as a great democratic leader of the world and a fighter for human rights and justice the world over. On the domestic front, I am proud to see him winning Muslim hearts by presenting to them the real Hindutva, which even the Supreme Court had to acknowledge and admire. Let not the real Hindutva be confused with its counterfeit version, which unfortunately gains currency during the course of electoral battles. The policies and conduct of Narendra Modi may be compared with those of the late Rajiv Gandhi. The sad assassination of his mother led to what may accurately be described as a virtual genocide of the Sikhs. Armed bands of hooligans and murderers went around the streets and colonies of Delhi in search of innocent Sikhs, sought them out and slaughtered them mercilessly. We saw some Sikhs being burnt alive on public roads while crowds watched the heartrending scenes. Even the then Sikh President could not move a finger to help the unfortunate followers of Guru Nanak. I cannot forget those shameful days even now. All that the new Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had to say was a defiant, "When a big tree falls the earth must shake". Never did the Congress leadership apologise for the atrocities and the murders. It is the greatness of the Sikh community that they have forgiven the Congress. In a corruption ridden country where the chief source of corruption is the Congress and its leaders, Narendra Modi shines for his impeccable integrity. He has focused his entire energy on building in Gujarat an able administration and good governance. He has achieved phenomenal development and economic growth, and at the same time bolstered social inclusiveness. Through these he has worked hard to regain the confidence of the minorities, even as the relentless and pervasive hate campaign against him has continued unabated in the electronic media, among the fashionable intellectuals and civil society activists, who have become the media sweethearts.
This is the first of a two-part article on Narendra Modi
Article Credits Sunday Guardian,17th October 2013

“NaMo NaMo, PM go”: a Narendra Modi fan’s ‘Youth Anthem’ Goes Viral

New Delhi: There seems to be no end to Modi’s fan club. In the latest strike, a Narendra Modi fan has created a ‘NaMo youth anthem’. The song, uploaded on you tube on the 6th of October, has gone viral on social networks. The creator, Krishnan Sugavanam, has described it as “An anthem for the youth, in support of Sri Narendra Modi as the PM candidate for India.” The lyrics encompass an enormous list of adjectives in praise of Modi. Chronichling Narendra Modi’s rise from being a tea vendor, the song goes on to described him as everything from “the nation's curator” to “the last air bender”.
Click the Link to Watch it in HD
Namo Youth Anthem
And here is the Lyrics
Listen Up India
Now is the time for change
Pump up the volume
And Let's go In 1 2 3 4
He was a commoner,
Who started just as a tea vendor
Now he is a conqueror
We call him the last air bender
A powerful orator
Will now become the nation's curator
His persona is athletic
His charisma magnetic
Common Man
Cogent Man
Moment Man
Exponent Man
Proponent Man
Employment Man
Improvement Man
Involvement Man
Who's gonna care us
NaMo NaMo
Who's gonna bear us
NaMo NaMo
Who's gonna free us
NaMo NaMo
Who's gonna see us
NaMo NaMo
Who's gonna dare them
NaMo NaMo
Who's gonna scare them
NaMo NaMo
Who's gonna mar them
NaMo NaMo
Who's gonna scar them
NaMo NaMo
Leader
Speaker
Twitter
Keeper
Eager
Dreamer
Seeker
Preacher
Who's the man
He's the man
Got a N-A-M-O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
N-A-M-O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
N-A-M-O
NaMo NaMo PM go
N-A-M-O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
Got a N and a A and a M and a O
NaMo NaMo PM go
N and a A and a M and a O
NaMo NaMo PM go
N and a A and a M and a O
NaMo NaMo PM go
N and a A and a M and a O
NaMo NaMo PM go
A man of great discipline
This will be just his beginning
Always puts India first ready to quench every thirst
Country is his family everywhere he move happily
Nation first is secularism
Committed against terrorism
Who's got the flair
NaMo NaMo
Who's got the glare
NaMo NaMo
Who's declared
NaMo NaMo
No compare
NaMo Voice of India
NaMo NaMo
Choice of India
NaMo NaMo
Poise of India
NaMo NaMo
Joys of India
NaMo
Hospitality
Logicality
Practicality
Technicality
Sociality
Physicality
Geniality
Legality
Regality
Vitality
Totality
Originality
Punctuality
Spirituality
Immortality
Who's the man
He's the man
Got a N-A-M-O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
N-A-M-O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
N-A-M-O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
N-A-M-O
Got a N and a A and a M and a O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
N and a A and a M and a O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
N and a A and a M and a O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
N and a A and a M and a O
NaMo NaMo
PM go
News Credits,ABP News Bureau

Former Supreme Court judge praises Narendra Modi

New Delhi, Sept 19: Former judge in the Supreme Court of India, Justice Vaidyanathapura Rama Krishna Iyer (V.R.Krishna Iyer) on Thursday wrote to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and extended his best wishes for becoming the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.
In a birthday-greeting letter addressed to Modi, the former SC judge V R Krishna Iyer termed the BJP's decision of anointing Modi as Prime Ministerial candidate of the party as timely one for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and welcomed it.
97-year-old Justice Iyer in his letter said that though he is not involved in any active politics at present and "welcomes the decision of BJP on personal level" and described Modi as positive, someone of nationalistic virtue and having global dimensions.
Praising Gujarat chief minister, Justice Iyer said that Gujarat is only state in the country which has used the solar power in a very large scale and under Modi's leadership it has led Gujarat being emerge as ‘Solar State'. While lauding Modi, Justice Iyer said, "Adhering to the principles and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat is the only state in the country to implement prohibition and uproot the corruption in the public life."
The ex-SC judge described Narendra Modi as positive person. Justice Iyer said Modi is getting support at national level for his good-administrative skills and is quite capable of realizing the great principles of Swaraj.
He also expressed his confidence in Modi to remove poverty from India. "I am committed to socialism.
And I support Mr Modi because he is also socialist and encourages Gandhian values - protection of human values and rights, brotherhood, justice at social, economic and political field",
Justice Iyer wrote. Describing the well-wishes, greetings, love and blessings that Modi received from all over the world on his recent birthday on September 17 as equivalent to a highest peak,
Justice Iyer wrote that in the chair of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will fulfill hopes and aspirations of the people of India and uphold national dignity.
Preeti Panwar Oneindia , Sep 19, 2013

Narendra Modi–the idea whose time has come!

How ironical it is, that the touted dream team of Indian economy - Dr Manmohan Singh, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and P Chidambaram will leave a legacy of terrible growth deceleration, persistently high inflation, rising unemployment, and a depreciating currency after 10 years in office. But the "lost decade" under UPA is not just an economic disaster. This total economic collapse is only a natural consequence of appalling lack of leadership, absolute breakdown of authority, directionless decision making, zero accountability, and complete disregard for integrity and ethics. Ten years ago, an India that was racing towards a global superpower status, and striving to reclaim its position in the league of world nations, has been plunged into an abyss of hopelessness and despair.
The confidence, enthusiasm and vigor that were the catalysts of India's resurgence seem to have suddenly evaporated. And in this scene, the man emerges. History bears witness that time and again effective leaders, who can mobilize people, tackle tough problems and spot opportunities in crises emerge in times of great stress, change and uncertainty. In India too, a fierce wild wind that is blowing from the western state of Gujarat has already rustled many dead feathers in Delhi; the name is Narendra Modi. The man's emergence on national horizon is not an overnight phenomenon. It is a result of a life lived completely in the service of the motherland, years of devoted work at grassroots level, and a decade of governance with administrative acumen and effective leadership. Progress and Performance Unlike the Congress and most regional parties where leadership is hereditary and an election ticket is taken as a birthright, Modi's claim to fame is only one factor - performance. Even in this atmosphere of gloom, Gujarat under his stewardship stands out as a beacon of hope.
As the reputed global news magazine the Economist puts it - "So many things work properly in Gujarat that it hardly seems like India." With 5% of India's population, Gujarat today accounts for 16% of country's industrial output and 22% of exports. The state has consistently maintained a double digit GDP growth over the past decade, with agriculture growing at 10% consistently even as India struggled to achieve a low bar of 3%. As a result of sustained efforts undertaken by Modi and his team, Gujarat today has minimal labor issues, state-of-the-art infrastructure, uninterrupted power supply and supportive bureaucracy. The state known for traders only a few years back has made rapid strides in agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors.
The average citizen so awfully let down by the current national leadership is naturally looking at Modi to steer India out of the current crisis, and his stellar track record obviously puts him ahead of others in the race. Clean Image When corruption seems to be the order of the day, Modi's personal integrity and honesty stands out. Modi, his personality, his style of functioning and his growth model have been subject to unprecedented scrutiny and analysis in the past few years. Any strong leader will have his share of adversaries in politics and media, and frankly speaking, Modi has more than his fair share of them. But even Modi's most stringent critics and political opponents will admit that the man does not a have single blot of corruption or scandal to his name.
Check this out - in the recent Wikileaks controversy over leaking of US diplomatic cables, every politician whose name figured in the cables stood exposed and tarnished. Modi's name was mentioned about 100 times in the cable, but he was the only politician, not just in India, but across the world whose name but did not contain a single negative reference.
When politics India has become synonymous with dynasty and nepotism, how pleasantly surprising it is to know that the family of the chief minister of one the richest states in the country lives in a modest 2 bedroom apartment, away from the glamour and clout that they could have so easily commanded! Economic Acumen There goes a saying in India - good politics is not good economics, and good economics is not good politics.
This is because when the focus of a political party is so jaundiced on winning the next election by hook or by crook, it leaves very little scope for pursuing an economic policy that take years to show results and bear fruits. Our economic disaster can partly be traced to the lack of political willingness to take tough, visionary decisions. The UPA in past has resorted to disastrous schemes like farm loan waiver and NREGA with dire consequences to the economy. Their new initiatives like direct cash transfer and food security bills are steps in the same direction, taken only with a view on the coming general elections. Who cares about fiscal discipline? This is even after all policymakers have acknowledged that without proper infrastructure for implementation, such schemes result in huge leakages and losses to public exchequer without bringing any tangible benefits to the lives of intended beneficiaries.
A politician's true test will lie in being able to take difficult, enduring decisions even if it requires risking short term political gains. Modi has demonstrated this in Gujarat time and again. In his tenure right from 2001, he has desisted from taking populist decisions or giving freebies. When he faced considerable opposition in the last state elections in 2012, he could have easily added a few more seats to his tally by announcing some freebies and subsidies here and there, but he resisted taking that path. Instead, Modi has always focused on generating investment which eventually leads to more growth, employment and better standard of living in the long run. It takes tremendous discipline and confidence in oneself to do this, especially when short term rewards are so attractive. No other politician in India except Modi had courage to oppose the proposed Food Security Bill, for the risk of losing some vote share. Mass Appeal Critics have been continuously accusing him of being a polarizing figure who would not be able to take everybody along with him. Modi's recent rally in Hyderabad proved how horribly wrong and biased they really are. Congress's opportunistic politics in dealing with the Telangana agitation has led to a very distressing scenario of escalating tensions between the two newly formed regions of Telangana and Seemandhra. Almost everybody in the state has taken an extreme position on this issue. Tensions have reached to such an alarming level that no politician can even take the name of Seemandhra in Telangana. Modi struck a poignant note, appealing to our Andhra brothers to stop hostility amongst themselves and move shoulder to shoulder on the path of development. In an act of sublime statesmanship, he made the entire crowd hail both Telangana and Seemandhra right in the heart of Hyderabad. It would have required incredible political courage and conviction to pull off something like this. Path of Development But Modi's single biggest achievement has been to aggressively steer the national discourse from vote bank politics to development politics. One of the biggest drawbacks of Indian democracy is that electoral outcome is still based on caste/religious blocks voting en masse in favor or against a particular candidate. This remains the primary factor above all everything else, and the candidate's track record, integrity and other real issues get overshadowed. Modi has sounded a death knell to politics based on such narrow identity considerations. In the past ten years, he has never tried to polarize the electorate through caste-based references or policies. Elections in Gujarat have been fought purely on the basis of what the government has done in past 5 years and how that has affected the lives of people. In the process, he has offered himself, his government and his policies for unparalleled examination, criticism and debate. Every possible social/development indicator has been brought out and analyzed threadbare. If previous central and state governments had been subjected to even a fraction of assessment and scrutiny by the yardsticks that have been applied to Gujarat, India's situation today would have been radically different. Patriot who embodies strength When India is facing serious security threats at the borders and within its borders, it desperately needs a leader who can take strong decisions and put narrow political interests aside. It needs somebody who has a firm and realistic view of what is happening on the ground, which can provide a powerful political backing to its defence forces, which can inspire the spirit within the masses. Modi seems to perfectly fit the bill in this regard. Need of the hour He has been most articulate on a range of issues including national security, foreign policy, reducing the size of government, promoting enterprise and empowerment, necessity of electoral reforms, changing India's archaic labor and business laws, etc. What sets him apart completely from the others is that he provides two things which we desperately need today - vision and hope. Narendra Modi's rise is the story of an underprivileged boy from a village in Gujarat rising in the hearts and minds of people by sheer hard work and determination. It is absolutely reprehensible on the part of Congress and their cabal of cultivated journalists to ridicule his background by calling him names like chaiwalla, tea stall worker, etc.
It is a matter of great pride and inspiration that somebody with even such humble beginnings rose up as a source of inspiration for millions of aspiring and restless youth of the country. Their comical yuvraaj is still roaming the villages of India with a camera crew ostensibly trying to understand India. At the age of 43, he is still struggling to figure out what India's problems actually are!! Modi has been a victim of the biggest witch hunt by political opposition, biased media, NGOs with vested interests, and so called pseudo-intellectuals.
Anyone would have broken down and given up in the face of such a vicious, personalized and sustained campaign. Modi has been able to come out of it much stronger and determined purely on the strength of his character and convictions. The arc of politics is now bending, and Indians are now looking at him as an answer to towering challenges the country is facing.
Numerous nationwide surveys done by independent agencies all have one conclusion in common - that Narendra Modi is far ahead in terms of popularity and groundswell of support across the country, and any of his competitors come only a distant second. The now inevitable ascendance of Modi on the national centre stage is not merely the ascendance of an individual. To quote Victor Hugo, for India, Modi is an idea whose time has come. And when he comes, he will truly be a merchant of death - merchant of death to terrorism, merchant of death to vote banks and nepotism, merchant of death to political and bureaucratic inefficiency, merchant of death to darkness and despair!!
Article credits Oneindia - [The author is an MBA from IIT Powai. He has an experience of five years in research and analysis in BFSI sector. He can reached at apoorva.shah1508@gmail.com]

Centre only worried about saving its chair, not rupee, says Narendra Modi

Ahmedabad/New Delhi: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today attacked the government for the free fall of rupee against the US dollar, attacking the Centre for "saving its chair" and not the economy. "The country is disappointed today because the government is neither concerned about the economy nor the falling rupee. It is only worried about saving its chair," Mr Modi said. The rupee continued its slide and slumped to a record low today, breaching the 64-mark against dollar. "We never thought such a huge economic mess would be created. It's a grave concern and reflects lack of confidence in the leadership," Mr Modi, the BJP's presumptive prime ministerial candidate for 2014 said. The domestic currency had yesterday recorded the decade's worst single-day fall of 148 paise to close at record low of 63.13 against the dollar in the previous session. "The rupee has fallen rapidly in the past three months. But the government has not taken any steps to strengthen the rupee against the US dollar. If the rupee keeps falling like this, other countries will start taking advantage of India," the Gujarat Chief Minister said. Terming the leadership as direction less, Mr Modi said, "The country might have never imagined that it would face such an economic crisis. But when leadership during such a crisis is direction less, then hopelessness increases. The Centre has not taken any step to instil confidence among people." A spate of measures by the Reserve Bank of India and government has failed to halt the slide of the rupee, with liquidity tightening measures aimed at making it harder to short the currency pushing up borrowing rates and battering corporate and investor sentiment. "I have been hearing for last five years that inflation would come down, but it has not happened. They have failed," said a combatant Mr Modi. "Manmohan Singh only has bookish knowledge of the economy. He does not know about the ground reality," said the BJP's Kirti Azad. Leaders from other political parties too slammed the government and the Prime Minister for their failure to curb the weakening of the currency. News Credits: NDTV

Narendra Modi can be a better PM than Rahul Gandhi: Sadhu Yadav

New Delhi, Aug 17: A day after meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Congress leader and RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's brother-in-law, Sadhu Yadav chose Modi as a better Prime Minister candidate than Rahul Gandhi.
Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav, who met Modi at CM office in Gandhinagar yesterday, said that India would be safer in the hands of Narendra Modi rather than that of Rahul Gandhi.
Modi is PM material: Sadhu Yadav "For me, the country is big and I think about the country. And the country is looking forward to Narendra Modi. Whatever Narendra Modi says, he says about the country. So, I am seeing that the country will be safe in his hands," Yadav told a news agency.
"Had Rahul Gandhi been effective, he would have talked about the country at large. He does not talk about the country. Narendra Modi is talking and thinking about the country. So, we are talking about Narendra Modi," he added.
Yesterday, after meeting Modi ,Yadav, who was accompanied by another Bihar Congress leader Dasai Chaudhary, lauded Modi and said the people of the country want to see the BJP's poll panel chief as the Prime Minister. "It doesn't matter whether the Congress wants or not, the people of the country want him," he had said.
"If you compare Modi with Rahul Gandhi, I think Modiji is much better because he will come to your help immediately when you ask whereas you have to wait for three years for the appointment of Rahul Gandhi,
"he further said. On being asked about possible action from party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Yadav 'defiantly' replied,
"Who is afraid of Sonia Gandhi? Is Sonia Gandhi running this country?
This country is being run by Manmohan Singh and tell me how many people know that Manmohan Singh is our Prime Minister. Whereas every child in our country knows Narendra Modi."
"I am not at all afraid of disciplinary action from Congress Party. Let them take action against me at their own peril. If party takes action against me then do you think I will sit idly with my hands tied?," he retorted. However, Yadav ruled out that there was any hidden agenda behind his meeting the Gujarat Chief Minister. "Is Narendra Modi an untouchable? Is he not an Indian citizen? There was no agenda in it. I met him because I was in the city," he said. Yadav, a former Rajya Sabha MP, had quit the RJD after being denied an election ticket in 2009 and then joined the Congress. "There is no question of taking him into BJP. Anybody can meet any person as there is no bar in this. Neither Sadhu Yadav expressed any desire to join BJP nor the party gave him any offer so from where does this question of Yadav joining BJP comes?", former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said today.

Narendra Modi, not Manmohan Singh, gave us hope'

India If India needed to hear a speech from its Prime Minister then the one at Red Fort was surely not the one.
I for one opted for the speech at Lalan College in Gujarat. At least it gave me hope, made me optimistic and left me a little more confident of what this country is capable of. Narendra Modi surely didn't ask that national media to beam his speech live but aren't we all glad they did. In its first ever direct head on encounter, Narendra Modi has been able to show how insipid and hopeless Dr Manmohan Singh's speech was.
Those who falsely criticize Narendra Modi for giving wrong facts or spinning stories must be disappointed today. Tearing into the Food Security Bill Narendra Modi has been able to show to the country why this rushed law will do more damage than benefit. 'Modi, not Singh, gave us hope' Forget the poor, today I have clarity why the Congress led UPA only had electoral politics in its mind when they introduced the ordinance. Why should the Centre not consult those who will be the most crucial delivery agents in this program, yes I am worried about how the states will cope with pressures of an ill-designed program. It will not only leave the poor in the lurch but also put the states in a precarious position when it comes to food procurement.
I am so glad that there is a state leader of national stature like Narendra Modi who has made clear his stand, yes I support the law but not in its present form and the only way to move forward is to consult the states and arrive at a better program. What did our Prime Minister say? Just that we have introduced the Food Security Bill, that's it! Why an Indian citizen feels their trust has been broken? Look around you, tell me why you should not feel angry with the dynastic nature of everything the Congress-led UPA does. If the recent cases of corruption were not enough then now the Damad episode of Robert Vadra is surely the last nail in the coffin. Just his proximity to the first family is enough to make hundreds of crores without ever having any qualification or a business model to make so much money? Yes I am angry and disappointed that my Prime Minister did not address this and that is also why I would rather hear a Narendra Modi who helps me articulate why this present government is a liability to the nation.
Will I not want Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister? Yes I will and yes I can. The Lalan College speech will surely go down in the history books as one of the turning points in the history of India. It has for the first time provoked Indians to make a choice, decide their fate and show that they want a better and stronger India. Narendra Modi's open challenge for a debate between Delhi and Gujarat has to be taken in the right spirit. For way too long we Indians have shied away from confronting facts, there is at least someone who says debate with me on merit and facts. He is not running away, instead he is inviting an open debate. I think India is ready for it as much as it is ready for Narendra Modi. Lastly, just like Narendra Modi I am not just disappointed with the Prime Minister's speech but also angry with it. I woke up early to listen to a person who rarely speaks.
He left me more disgusted with our style of national politics as if average citizen does not matter. As if we do not need to be talked to. And look at the other speech at Lalan College, it talked of development, future plans, urbanisation, job creation, building trust and most importantly it spoke with me, the average Indian. Narendra Modi may not be liked by the Congress and those politicians who cannot deal with his straight talk.
But I do, as an Indian, an average citizen who does not care about the past but about my future. He is one leader who gives me confidence, hope and inspiration that India is for Indians First, lndia First has to be the motto and the Indian constitution the only holy text.
Sadly that the Indian Prime Minister today did not tell me that, maybe the future Prime Minister did.
Article Credits: Oneindia ,August 15, 2013

Narendra Modi to address British parliament

LONDON: British MP Barry Gardiner has written to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, inviting him to visit the House of Commons and speak on 'The Future of Modern India', a move that ends UK's decade-long boycott of Modi following the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Gardiner, who is also the chairman of Labour Friends of India, told TOI that he invited Modi because he is the chief minister of a state with which Britain has more FDI than the rest of the country put together.
"Narendrabhai is (among) the longest-serving chief ministers of his generation. He is also CM of a state with which Britain has more FDI than the rest of India," Gardiner told TOI.
"Just because he is from the BJP does not mean he isn't secular. Look at Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Did he rule as a divisive character? Was he a bad prime minister? Both Modi and Vajpayee are respectful of the (Indian) constitution. India was earlier a regional power. It's now a global power. In this century, it can become a superpower. It's, therefore, of utmost importance to hear the views of a man who has had so much influence on the country's events," Gardiner said.
"Whether or not Modi goes on to become India's next prime minister, nobody can deny he is clearly one of India's most influential political actors. Hence, his view on how he wants to see India in the near future is of great interest to the UK and Europe," Gardiner added.
Modi has been invited to visit the House of Commons and deliver a lecture for a select group of top MPs on what he envisages should be the future of modern India. Gardiner is also a shadow minister. The influential Labour organisation works to further links between the Labour Party and India.
"I would like you to speak about 'The Future of Modern India'. Of course I understand how busy the current period is for you with the Indian elections next year, so please regard this invitation as being for any time that is convenient to you over the next months."
Gardiner said Modi's "integrity, ability to administer and govern and strategic political thinking is of the highest order". He called him "a secular leader who has the overwhelming support of all communities in Gujarat... proven time and time again in state elections".
"I have met politicians from across the world and I rank him on the pinnacle of all political leaders I have known," Gardiner said. "His competence to govern is unbelievable."
Asked whether Modi is capable of governing India, Gardiner said, "Gujarat is the size of the UK or any European country. Since he has taken the state to the highest pinnacles of growth, it's easy to see him as the head of the UK or any European country."
On Gujarat riots, Gardiner said, "The Supreme Court has till now exonerated Modi of all charges regarding the riots, and I believe the Supreme Court. We have to access the man on his capability to govern. It took us four days to control the London riots in 2012. It took him three days to bring the riots to a stop in Gujarat.
Earlier this year, the European Union also ended a decade-old boycott of Modi.
British minister of state at the foreign and commonwealth office Hugo Swire recently became the first cabinet minister from the UK to visit Gujarat. Swire had told TOI that UK's renewed engagement with Gujarat after more than a decade was more "economic" and not "an endorsement of any single politician or party".
"In October 2012, after much consideration, our government changed our approach to engagement in Gujarat," Swire had said. "The decision was not taken lightly and I respect the views of those who disagree with our change of policy. Gujarat has grown at 10% per year for the last five years and is experiencing rapid development. The UK has a broad range of interests there."
Kounteya Sinha, Aug 14, 2013,TOI

NaMo magic mesmerises Hyderabad

It was May 2009 and the venue was Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad. An ocean of humanity had converged there, perhaps the largest I had seen in a while. Not having seen the heyday of NTR, this looked like the largest political event in Hyderabad for a long long time. The occasion was the swearing in of YS Rajashekhara Reddy as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. As ND Tiwari administered the oath of office to the doctor from Kadapa, the crowds went berserk. It was like a carnival. Months later, in September 2009 the same number of people converged at the Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium only that this time the occasion was somber- they were marking the death of the same YSR who they had voted into office on two occasions.
It seemed as if Hyderabad would never witness such fervour as it did on those two occasions for a while. NaMo magic mesmerises Hyderabad However, I was proven wrong on the evening of 11th August 2013 when Narendra Modi descended on Hyderabad to address a youth convention. Modi's visit is significant as this is his first major rally in the south after taking over as the campaign committee chief of the BJP. As Narendra Modi wrapped up his speech with an aspiration filled "Yes We Can, Yes We Will, Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram" it was clear that he had won the hearts of Hyderabad and their youth. Modi's speech in Hyderabad will stand as a watershed moment in the build up to the 2014 (or 2013) Lok Sabha elections, where he is all but officially declared the PM candidate of the BJP. It stands out for various reasons: 'We' not 'I' Speaking only as a Chief Minister of one of India's 29 states, a dominant theme of many of Modi's earlier speeches was how he transformed Gujarat into a land of equal and sustainable development. His admirers saw it as a mark of his genius while the critics saw it as overt narcissism. Yes, as Chief Minister Modi's primary aim was to hard-sell his state and its achievement, something that every CM does but the Modi speaking in Hyderabad was Modi the campaign committee chief, who spoke as if he was presenting a vision of an entire party that is prepared to come to power in 2014 and provide an alternative to the dismal governance of the UPA. Modi's speech showed the people what the BJP states had to offer- be it PDS reforms in Raman Singh's Chhattisgarh or the Ladli Lakshmi so vociferously championed by Shivraj Chouhan. He was also judicious in praising Jayalalithaa's work in skill development, this despite the fact that the AIADMK is neither in the NDA nor will it enter into any pre-poll alliance with the BJP.
For all those who were ready with criticism that Modi only speaks about Gujarat, they had to change their script and confine those elaborate editorials into the dustbin. Having institutionalized teamwork in Gujarat, he is all set to do the same for the BJP and in national politics. Expect to know more of the work of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Raman Singh, Manohar Parrikar, Vasundhara Raje and PK Dhumal in future Modi rallies. Statesman-like It is not often that I find myself on the same page as Rajdeep Sardesai but 11th August was different. In his Tweet that evening, Rajdeep commented that Narendra Modi was very statesmanlike on Andhra and Telangana issue. I could not find a better word to describe Modi's words on the issue. He made it very clear that the BJP is in favour of Telangana but not at the cost of the development and aspirations of the rest of Andhra Pradesh. He chided the Congress for their open double speak on Telangana and asked then why did they not bother to invest in a new capital for Seemandhra when the promise for Telangana was made ten years ago. Concluding his speech with "Jai Telangana" and "Jai Seemandhra" in the same breath was noting short of a masterstroke. On Telangana, he showed the nation that he was here to heal. It reminded many of Vajpayee in 2000, who presided over the creation of small states with ease and dignity. When Uttaranchal was born, nobody remembered the bitter struggle undertaken by the locals or the infamous Rampur Tiraha incident of 1994 but both the states were celebrating. The same was the case in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand. And now, compare it with what the Congress has done with Telangana. What Modi showed was that the Vajpayee legacy of consensus, harmony and development of all was intact. Being a strong advocate of state's rights himself, Modi gave a sneak peak into his policy on small states an interstate cooperation. The resurrection of anti-Congressism plank Many of my friends saw Modi's reference to NTR as the real take home from the speech. At one level, yes Modi made a direct reference to Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP to unite with the BJP. It was overtly clear that when it came to expanding the NDA in Andhra Pradesh, Modi's first preference was the development-centered politics of Naidu as compared to the blatant populism of YSR and the opportunism of TRS. But, at another level he spoke about anti-Congressism, whose political obituary has been written. Back in 1983, when the Congress power was at its peak, NTR organized a conclave of 14 opposition parties, which was also attended by two notable Cabinet Ministers today- Farooq Abdullah and Sharad Pawar. He became a glue for anti-Congress forces and in 1984 the TDP also won the most number of seats among opposition parties. Those who expected Modi to indulge in Sonia and Rahul bashing were left disappointed. To be honest, Sonia and Rahul bashing would have been the easier way out. Considering they have not bothered to visit the state that sent the largest MPs in 2004 and 2009, the public sentiment was completely against them. Naturally, had Modi taken them to the cleaners the cheers would have been louder. But, instead he focused on the larger issue of anti-Congressism thus sounding more statesmanlike than like a politician. Without naming them, he has infused more damage on the Congress by exposing their hollow politics. Today, anti-Congressism is a thought in decline courtesy the socialists' (notably of UP and Bihar) love for ‘secularism' that has ironically drawn many of them closer to the Congress. However, one cannot say it is over. We do have a lot of strong Chief Ministers across the country who resist the policies of the UPA better than the opposition in New Delhi. In this list, the name of Narendra Modi figures prominently. In Hyderabad, by invoking NTR, a popular Chief Minister who enjoyed a cult status just like Modi, Modi showed is willingness to become a rallying point for strong Chief Ministers and Opposition leaders against the Congress. Whether he will succeed or not time will tell, but the effort shown is surely laudatory. He's got mother power When RS Bains, an NRI who has lived in Canada and Germany, wrote on Twitter that he sought two passes for his mother to hear Narendra Modi little did he know that the man who would reply to his request would be Narendra Modi himself. He asked Kishan Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh BJP head to facilitate the entry of Bains' octogenarian mother to the stadium. At the rally, Mrs. Bains was no less than the star of the show. In a sign of humility and respect for values, Narendra Modi touched her feet and sought her blessings. Where else can a man sitting in a different continent fulfill the dream of his old mother in the manner Mr. Bains did? As Shivnath Thukral put it- call it PR or any other name to soothe the ego, the fact is this gesture left the stadium and those who were watching absolutely touched. In a polity where pictures of eight year old elders prostrating before scions of political families, this comes as a welcome break! Modified foreign policy One could sense the pain and anguish in Modi's voice when we spoke about the Indian soldiers beheaded by Pakistan or the border incursions by the Chinese. His attack on the UPA on the BSF issue struck a chord with lakhs of Indians who are dismayed and concerned by the manner in which the UPA has compromised the strategic interests of the nation. When Modi spoke, one could gauge that if elected, the foreign policy of India would be in safe hands. India's interests wont be compromised, the lives of the soldiers will not be at stake and the nation can walk with its head high at the world table. India first In a polity where the disease of lip service secularism and tokenism has overshadowed everything else, Narendra Modi made passionate remarks on secularism and governance that can set the tone on the political discourse in 2014. Modi made it explicitly clear that he is not going to compromise basic principles and patriotism just to win a handful of votes. He yet again failed the Tilak and Topi test when he said that the only religion of governments was India first and its only holy book the constitution of India. He thundered that the only Bhakti and Shakti of a government is India and its people. Nothing else matters! These are strong points that will surely swing the tide in favour of Modi come 2014. It may be noted that this was the first rally where people enthusiastically contributed a token amount that went towards Uttarakhand floor relief, a far cry from the rallies where people are paid to attend. From businessmen, actors to retired bureaucrats, Modi met them all! It indicates on one hand the rock start status Modi enjoys and the massive expectations people have from this man from Gujarat who seems all set to change Indian politics forever.
Article Credits : Kishore Trivedi,Oneindia