I/II.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=pastissues2&BaseHref=TOIM/2014/04/04&PageLabel=14&EntityId=Ar01300&ViewMode=HTML
AAP takes care of aam aadmi, woos middle class, businessParty Silent On
Decriminalizing Gay SexTIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: In what appears to be a bid to reassure the middle classes and
business, AAP's manifesto promises simplification of trade procedures,
steps to contain inflation and zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism
while addressing its core interests.
The manifesto released on Thursday is a careful balancing act. While
opposing terrorism, it also says terror cases against Muslim youth should
be disposed of in six months. It advocates a review of the Armed Forces
Special Powers Act but does not outright commit to its repeal.
The social balancing is seen in the AAP manifesto's silence on
decriminalizing sexual relations between consenting adults of the same sex,
despite the party's previous pronouncements in support of gay sex.
As with its position that khaps are informal social institutions (while
clarifying that it does not support criminal acts), the decision to drop
decriminalization of gay sex seems intended to keep on the right side of
social conservatives, particularly in rural areas. AAP sources said
decriminalization of gay sex has not been included as the party has
clarified its support to the issue previously.
The manifesto indicated that the party is trying not to write off the
middle class vote in the wake of its controversial stint in office and
promised a series of policy initiatives for governance. It said it would
scrap DU's four-year undergraduate programme and would protect the
interests of women and Muslim youth. It said it was in favour of lowering
of age for legislators from 25 to 21 years.
AAP reiterated its fivepoint agenda to tackle corruption that include
bringing Jan Lokpal bill, Swaraj bill, citizens charter, simplification of
government procedures and use of technology. The party also outlined its
vision of Swaraj or self-governance by which mohalla sabhas and gram sabhas
would be responsible for development in their area.
The 26-page manifesto is the fledgling party's pitch for the national
stage, setting its policy stance on 33 issues including agriculture,
business, defence, media and internal security. Putting it in the public
domain, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said the manifesto was a
"dynamic'' document and would continue to evolve. The AAP leader said his
party was "industry friendly" as creation of wealth was essential for
overall development of the country but noted that it was against "crony
capitalism". *TOUGH ON TERROR, HARD ON CORRUPTION *
*BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC REFORM **TRADE | *Pro-business and anti-crony
capitalism, simplify procedures, but oppose FDI in retail
*AGRICULTURE *Improve access to credit and insurance to farmers
*SOCIAL SECURITY *Plan for unorganized sector, removal of contractual jobs
*POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION**CORRUPTION | *Bring Jan Lokpal bill, Swaraj
bill, citizens charter, simplify govt procedures
*POLICE | *Non-registration of FIR in serious case to be criminal offence,
law and order to be separated from investigation
*POLLS | *Bring back black money, parties to be brought under RTI, right to
recall and right to reject planned, lower age for contesting elections from
25 to 21 yrs
*SECURITY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS *
*DEFENCE POLICY *Transparency in defence procurement, enhancing
infrastructure in border areas
*FOREIGN POLICY | *Zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism, reduce public
hostilities among neighbours
*INTERNAL SECURITY *Review AFSPA, Kashmir an integral part of India, long
term solution to Naxalite issue
II.
*Kejriwal too little, too late on Modi*
Anurag Modi
While, Arvind Kejriwl had taken on Congress for 30 long months, how could
he be politically so naïve, aspiring to take on Modi just by two day long
campaign in Gujarat and standing election against him at Varanasi? Without
even realizing the fact that the very media he was banking on too much,
would show his true corporate face once he took on Modi. Unlike BSP, the
AAP doesn't have cadre to take on the fight against media odds. Until fall
of his government at Delhi, Kejriwal limited his attack against Congress
alone; he failed to maintain a required balance of political equilibrium in
attacking established polity of this country for corruption. By forgetting
the fact that Nrendra Modi was not only accused of sabotaging Lokayukta
institution in Gujarat but of favoring corporate more than Congress did! By
signaling out Congress, he provided a much needed leverage and edge to
Narendra Modi. So, Arvind Kejriwal's barb against Narendra Modi on:
communalism; development of Gujarat; and corruption is, too little too
late.
As rightly said by journalist and writer Siddharth Vardarajan in his recent
article, 'the cult of cronyism', "With the Supreme Court now joining the
CAG in seeking to stop the loot of public resources, it became clear that
the era of easy "clearances" was now coming to an end. It was around this
time that corporate India started accusing the Congress-led Manmohan Singh
government - which they had strongly backed, and profited from, until then
-- of "policy paralysis", "drift" and "indecisiveness". It was here, Modi
was chosen as a 'corporate poster boy' by all the corporate forces: from
Ambani Brothers to Tata Godrej and Adani. But, the worrying issues before
them was, to launch Modi as a clean face and just blame Congress for all
the corruption, but save its' economic policy.
When, in April 2011, Arvind Kejriwal along with Anna Hazare launched his
campaign against corruption, the corporate forces saw a right opportunity
in it; corporate controlled Media (it was never a secret for most of us,
not even for Kejriwal, now) just grabbed it; covered Arvind Kejriwal 24X 7.
Activist like us, grew suspicious of all this on three accounts: one,
the Media
which, so far, has been shying away from covering scores of issues: like
activists and group across the country fighting against corruption against
all odds and at all cost; farmers' suicide; Salwa Judum and many such
issues, why they suddenly woke up to the issue of corruption? Second,
while most of the activists were of the opinion, including Arvind Kejriwal
, for almost a decade, that new economy policy of Congress has been root
cause for most of the issue faced by common people, why Congress was taken
on corruption alone. And third, why Congress being singled out on
corruption, while BJP was equally corrupt; moreover, it was accused of
communal overtone too. With the absence of these three crucial factors in
its campaign, within no time, Media made Anna into Gandhi and Arvind
Kejriwal into revolutionary of all time; a Messiah.
When they ventured into making of a political party under the banner of Aam
Admi Party (AAP), even before they stood or won any election, they were
posed as a third party in the country after Congress and BJP; left,
socialist, BSP and all other party were put on back-foot. It is different
issue that both Anna and Arvind Kejriwal are now dumped by the same media.
It is true that Congress is marred with many corruption issues, but with
two and half year long campaign by Arvind Kejriwal at Delhi, the issue was
taken across the country with the all the television channels 24x7 beaming
to the extent that, the Congress at the centre was blamed even for all the
issues at the state level. The result was obvious, in assembly election of
Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Congress was almost wiped out. I
am working in M. P. for past twenty two years as a political activist, and
had dozens of demonstration against Digvijay Singh's Congress led
government and criticized him on every count. But, with BJP Government
marred with huge mining scam; running into tens of thousands of crores of
rupees. I could say this with certainty, the governance in M. P. as it
was then and today, is at its lowest level of governance, and BJP
shouldn't have had won the assembly election at all; at least, not with
such a thumping majority.
It is true that AAP prevented BJP from farming government at Delhi; but it
was also at the cost of Congress votes. We all know, the forces with AAP
are mostly secular and progressive, so it's obvious that these vote will
get further divided into Congress and AAP; it is very difficult to crack
BJP voter. Even if we presume that AAP will break into 5% of young voters
which was likely to vote for BJP, at the same time it will eat 10% of
congress's traditional voters. In most of the places, AAP will cause narrow
margin win for BJP candidate. We are of the opinion that we should not
support Congress just because it pose itself to be secular, it need to be
criticized most for corruption and favor to corporate, but a selective
attack against few corporate and in the absence of similar attack on BJP,
Narendra Modi, the end winner, a corporate, and not Narendra Modi, would
laugh......... at last. '
AAP will end up helping BJP, so it is , 'too little and too late' for this
Parliamentary Election, but Arvindra Kejriwal and AAP should deliberate on
the issue for future.
Anurag Modi
National Executive Member, Samajwadi jan Parishad [email protected]
--
Peace Is Doable
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Green Youth Movement" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To post to this group, send an email to [email protected].
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
