On 5/28/08, Bobby Kunhu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thanks Damodar for your comments. Am aware of the gaps in the analysis, but > will use the time tested lame excuse of lack of time and space > > I agree that mine mafia played a huge role in this election cutting across > party lines, but then we are talking only about certain parts of Karnataka. > What actually is shocking is the conversion of Kannada chauvinism into votes > by BJP if you notice the caste -wise and region wise break up of the poll > percentages and the middle class apathy is shocking to say the least. (I did > see Kiran Shaw's interview). Its also of interest that there has hardly been > much discussion on the inroads in terms of numbers that BSP might have made > in Karnataka. > > My only disagreement is the thesis that coalition politics = instability. > This essentially comes from my own bias that coalition politics generally > tend to be more democratic. Nonetheless, instability needs to be defined - > would we prefer the Modi brand of stability - or can we call it stability at > all? Insofar as the cost of frequent elections on the exchequer is > concerned, we just need to compare it with the cost of maintaining protocol > and upkeep of the numerous governors, ministers and last but not the least > the Prez. *Maybe charity begins at home and Dr. Singh can follow his own > advice and donate a substantial portion of his huge pension from the IMF to > help start a hedge fund to negotiate instability :)*
Which any way will be higher than the SDP of some Indian states:-) Best > > > 2008/5/28 damodar prasad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > >> Dear Bobby, >> >> Some immediate thoughts: >> >> 1. In Karnataka, we need not fail to see the secular betrayal politics of >> JD(secular). When I say bertrayal, i am not pointing to the 'betrayal" >> version of BJP. That betrayal is part of the politcal game that we are >> witnessing since 1977. But the betrayal on part of JD (S) to join hands with >> BJP to make gowda son kumara swamy, the CM of Karntaka..This has only lead >> ppl to lose faith in secularism as proogated by JD(S) and even BSP. >> >> 2. NDTV and IBN has extensively reported on mine mafia nexus btwn all the >> politcal parties. Now it is not even nexus.In fact, GowdaJD, Cong and BJP >> have given tickets to mine & real estate mafia. (ystrday, NDTV was shwoing >> the visuals of the overt changes in the bodily expressions of Arun Jaitley >> when shaking hands with indpndnt MLA and big shot MLA of BJP.) >> >> 3. In an online interview with Kiran Shaw, CEO of BIOCON, she says that >> the elctoral victory of BJP is good indication that the K'taka would now >> have a stable govt and infrastructre prbs. of b'lore is redressed. >> Stabilty, Consensus has creeped into our political discourse since >> Narasimha Rao govt assumed power. (It seems, the CPIM-CPI centric Left is >> now using these terms more profusely than others.) But then needn't we also >> adress the issue of stabilty b'coz it is not only the corporates but the >> entire middle class sincerly desires soem form of stable govt. >> >> 4.Comprising with the neo-liberal poltics and adjuusting with the economic >> 'reforms", the Left has tied itself to onky one agenda of keping the BJP out >> of power. This will have detriemnatl effects not only on the polity but also >> on the cosntituency of the CPI/CPM left. It may be noted that when the UPA >> govt asumed power at centre with left supporting from outside, there was hue >> & cry from the right of all spectrum. It was heard that an attempt was made >> to arrive at a conivenent comprise btwn arun jaitley, arun shourie, >> chidambaram & jairam ramesh for prusiing the reforms agenda further. As this >> information reached the market, share prices regained the momentum. >> >> some immediate thoughts.. there are other issues raised in ur >> write-up,whcih needs a up-close look. >> >> regards, >> >> damodar >> >> On 5/28/08, Bobby Kunhu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> >>> Dear friends (particularly those that argued vehemently about BJP's fate >>> before the elections) >>> >>> I think its time for stock taking, why I wrote this piece. I hope atleast >>> some form of debate evolves around this. >>> Edwin's reply to my post on Hogenakkal seems to be coming true. >>> >>> The question is not the simplicity of the narrative, the question is how >>> to tackle the deeper and farther reaches of fascist forces and each one of >>> us needs to take responsibility on this count >>> >>> Of course opinions and criticisms are welcome as always >>> >>> Warm regards >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> * >>> * >>> >>> *Secularism on the Dock* >>> >>> *Bobby >>> Kunhu**·*<http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=1&view=page&name=gp&ver=sh3fib53pgpk#11a2df7318ad0330_11a2de9e7e54075a_11a2de5e7a020aa5__edn1> >>> ** >>> >>> * * >>> >>> *"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—* >>> >>> *because I was not a communist;* >>> >>> *Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—* >>> >>> *because I was not a socialist;* >>> >>> *Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—* >>> >>> *because I was not a trade unionist;* >>> >>> *Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—* >>> >>> *because I was not a Jew;* >>> >>> *Then they came for me—* >>> >>> * and there was no one left to speak out for me."* >>> >>> Martin Niemoeller >>> >>> >>> >>> As the results of the Karnataka elections started pouring in, my anger >>> boiled over (while my pride in my own psephological skills brimmed over) – >>> with myself and people like me and reminded me of the clichéd adage that " >>> *History repeats itself" *– that the great economically up surging >>> Indian middle class that represents the shining India seem to forget quiet >>> often. No self respecting observer can deny that the BJP is the political >>> front of RSS – a fascist self-serving organization that tends to promote >>> divisive politics based on religious identity. But no, this large population >>> finds it convenient to ignore and deny this fact like it is convenient to >>> ignore and deny that they form only a small minority in the humungous >>> demographic nation that India is. >>> >>> >>> >>> Let me start with the caveat, that this is a list of accusations broadly >>> against the "shining India", and specifically against commercial >>> establishments, political formations and civil society formations – >>> essentially "people like us". >>> >>> >>> >>> Well, the truth cannot be denied that the legitimate growth of the >>> political fronts of the RSS, both in its earlier avatar as Jan Sangh and the >>> current avatar as BJP, was facilitated throughout the last four decades, >>> starting from the emergency, by today's self professed secularists – and >>> Karnataka – as one of the most important stages of the anti-emergency >>> movement in South India – perhaps is the logical culmination for a new era >>> of this dangerous phenomenon. Let me paraphrase this with some support from >>> the historian Bipan Chandra's candid and controversial analysis in his book >>> "*In the name of Democracy – JP Movement and the Emergency". *JP's >>> personal animosity towards Indira and his eagerness to topple her at any >>> cost, gave birth to a number of future political leaders for India touting >>> the JP brand of socialism – whatever that might be. But the single entity >>> that benefited most out of that experiment and still has JP on its pantheon >>> of co-opted heroes is the then Jan Sangh, now BJP. The first non-congress >>> Indian government thereafter, headed by Morarji Desai had Jan Sangh >>> ministers including Vajpayee. This ministry was also supported by the >>> Communist Party of India (Marxist). Since then, BJP has claimed legacy in >>> terms of its adherence to democratic norms both to its opposition to the >>> emergency and as heirs to the JP movement and that makes a load of >>> difference in a country like ours that thrives on iconoclasm. If you chose >>> to disbelieve Bipan Chandra or me, please ask the likes of George Fernandes >>> or Nitish Kumar or Mulayam Singh or even Laloo Prasad. >>> >>> >>> >>> Since then, the next couple of decades were devoted to a myopic political >>> project of dislodging the Congress, regardless of the costs involved. The >>> mainstream left is as complicit and guilty in this project as anyone else in >>> this drama – and the harvests from this project was reaped en masse by the >>> BJP, while decimating the so-called alternative initially into a "third" >>> force and later increasingly into political non-entities >>> >>> >>> >>> Now this is not to absolve the Congress of its crimes in facilitating the >>> BJP's political growth. One would need to start with the variant Congress >>> development models, but because of lack of time and space, I would start >>> with that most foolhardy action in 1986 when there were Congress governments >>> in the Centre headed by Rajiv Gandhi and UP headed by N. D. Tiwari, when >>> they deposed before the court in a dramatically and insidiously short trial >>> for the Indian Judicial system (12 days), that unlocking of the gates of >>> Babri Masjid could not result in a law and order situation. This gave the >>> necessary fillip for the Hindutva family to set out on its historical >>> journey to legitimate constitutional power. >>> >>> >>> >>> In 1992, the Congress government headed by Mr. Narasimha Rao, sat on its >>> haunches silently watching as a 150,000 strong mob led by prominent BJP >>> leaders including L K Advani, pulled down the Babri Masjid structure on >>> December 6th, followed by large scale communal rioting across the >>> country. Anyways, this time around for the BJP, it had its own Chief >>> Minister in Uttar Pradesh in the person of Kalyan Singh. >>> >>> >>> >>> This government also marks a watershed in Indian economic history by >>> setting the wheels of neo-liberal market politics in motion under the >>> stewardship of Dr. Manmohan Singh. This politics definitely also set the >>> ball rolling for steadily increasing the genie coefficient and facilitating >>> an interesting livelihood crisis particularly in the agrarian sector, >>> creating the necessary conditions for social friction for the rise of >>> divisive politics. Arguments against this can be countered by revisiting the >>> history of socio-economic conditions that led to the rise of Nazism in >>> William Shirer's *"The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich". * >>> >>> >>> >>> In the meantime, the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court played its >>> role in facilitating the rise of the BJP in its own inimitable ways. It kept >>> and still keeps shirking from its duty in creating a final resolution to the >>> Babri Masjid issue either ways, which would have taken the wind out of the >>> sails of the Hindutva families' political surge. The best shot in the arm >>> came in the form of justification of the main BJP ideological plank of >>> "Hindutva" by a bench headed by Justice Varma, then the Chief Justice of >>> India on the 11th of December, 1995. >>> >>> >>> >>> Immediately after this saw the first major fruition for the BJP efforts >>> of around three decades in this particular direction was the ascent to the >>> Central Government for 13 days for the first time in 1996. Lack of numbers >>> fell the government. This was followed for 13 months in 1998 and a return to >>> a full term between 1999-2004. All of this under the stewardship of Atal >>> Behari Vajpayee, justified by the so-called chameleon-like "secular" >>> constituents of the umbrella – NDA – that facilitated this ascension, as the >>> right man in the wrong party. >>> >>> >>> >>> In the meantime, Corporate India and its constituents, buoyed by its own >>> unexpected and unhindered increase in wealth and economic domination, >>> silently started backing the political horse (BJP) that appeared all set to >>> be the future of a super-power India, demonstrated further by the pivotal >>> role played by the BJP in the election of the Nuclear technocrat A.P.J Abdul >>> Kalam as the President of India, except for few lone dissident voices such >>> as Anu Agha of Thermax. I am including the role of the English language >>> media, both print and visual, and their consistent misreading of the BJP, >>> inconsistent reportage, wavering between support on economic policies and >>> criticism during horrendous incidents like the Gujarat genocide and their >>> lack of touch with ground realities as part of Corporate India. >>> >>> >>> >>> Of course, the BJP continued the economic program set in motion by the >>> previous Congress government in letter and spirit – I would allege to >>> facilitate the increase in identity based socio-economic friction – and >>> Gujarat became its first successful laboratory to test this thesis through >>> the post Godhra genocide unleashed against the Muslims. This models success >>> also depended on provoking communities traditionally suffering ascriptive >>> disabilities against the Muslims, in ways similar to the attack on the Jews >>> by the Nazis. So successful was this experiment, that the master-mind behind >>> the genocide not only remains scot-free, but gets re-elected twice as the >>> Chief Minister of the state – Mr. Narendra Modi. >>> >>> >>> >>> Nonetheless, the 2004 general elections, where BJP walked the plank of >>> shining India backfired, returning the Congress to power, but in an >>> extremely diminished form compared to all its earlier avatars. >>> Unfortunately, the Congress and all its secular allies including the >>> mainstream left did not read the bold writing on the wall – it was not BJP's >>> communalism that got them to power, but the deepening socio-economic divide >>> and an ever-increasing agrarian and food crisis that called for critical >>> economic restructuring. But instead, the Congress reinforces its economic >>> agenda with minor window dressing like the National Advisory Committee, >>> progressive laws like the Right to Information Act and supposedly >>> progressive policies like NREGM, JNURM etc. none of which has made any >>> impact on the socio-economic conditions of the vast majority of the >>> incessantly suffering Indian masses and instead created platforms for >>> displacement through SEZs including Nandigram and Chengara in states >>> ruled by the mainstream left, thereby creating ample opportunities for BJP >>> to capitalize the schism to further its communal agenda, while setting the >>> stage for political *hara-kiri *for themselves. >>> >>> >>> >>> Here it is pertinent to note that the run-up to the Karnataka assembly >>> elections saw the BJP promising and promoting a Gujarat Development Model >>> for Karnataka, while fostering communal discontent through issues like Baba >>> Budangiri in Chikmagalur or Idgah Maidan in Hubli, preparing the base for a >>> repeat of the Gujarat kind of experiment in Karnataka. >>> >>> >>> >>> Now, insofar as the non party – political civil society is concerned, in >>> the initial days of the BJP's growth, we consoled ourselves and others that >>> the geographic and demographic size and diversity of India would pose as the >>> biggest insurmountable obstacle to the fascist ambitions of the RSS family. >>> When they did manage to come to power in the Centre, we again consoled >>> ourselves that the BJP would never truly be representative as a national >>> party as coalition politics had come to stay, and BJP would never be truly >>> able to come on its own – especially given its non-presence in the south. >>> With Karnataka, BJP has announced its presence in almost all geographic >>> regions of India through legitimate and constitutional means. They do not >>> even feel it necessary anymore to hide behind a Sikandi (due apologies to >>> trans-gendered friends – the usage of the term is only to co-opt one of the >>> Hindutva terms and connote the use of a façade rather than the "sexual >>> incompetence" it originally was meant for) right Man in the wrong party like >>> Vajpayee, while biding their time to make the ultimate bid for power in the >>> Centre on their own that can facilitate their fascist ambitions through >>> constitutional mechanisms or even their dream project of over-turning the >>> Constitution. How do we console ourselves now? Or do we as usual react >>> every time only after BJP and its family members have set the agenda, be it >>> Babri Masjid, the Gujarat genocide or Baba Budangiri, while the BJP is >>> enthused and devising ways to make their presence felt in states where they >>> traditionally have been non-existent from Kerala and Tamil Nadu to Mizoram >>> and Nagaland. >>> >>> >>> >>> As I would not like to end on a pessimistic note, the only option that I >>> personally see as having devised ways of corroding the BJP base as of now >>> seems to be the BSP idea of a grand bahujan alliance. They also seem to be >>> the only political party that seems to be increasing its cadre and voter >>> base consistently across the nation. >>> >>> >>> >>> Well, we can either cross our fingers now or pray to our respective Gods, >>> or we need to redouble and consolidate our efforts at exposing the BJP with >>> equal or more professionalism and propaganda than the BJP can unleash!!!!!! >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> ·<http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=1&view=page&name=gp&ver=sh3fib53pgpk#11a2df7318ad0330_11a2de9e7e54075a_11a2de5e7a020aa5__ednref1>The >>> author is a Human Rights Advocate, Educator and Writer >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Bobby Kunhu >>> >>> >>> >> > > > -- > Bobby Kunhu --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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