I/IV. http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/bharat-bhushan-one-hundred-days-of-soliloquies-114082701288_1.html <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Farticle%2Fopinion%2Fbharat-bhushan-one-hundred-days-of-soliloquies-114082701288_1.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEipBno5eRmmTn3pMshKFt5OkAvVw>
Business Standard. August 28, 2014 *One hundred days of soliloquies* *Anecdotes and stories might sustain Modi's image as a heroic prime minister, but soon the govt will be judged only by its performance* *Bharat Bhushan* The myth-making surrounding Narendra Modi <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DNarendra%2BModi&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNET3RMzw2OMovgcsyTd4AqJCJBkLA>may be losing its potency within the first 100 days of assuming office. Three recent developments indicate the waning of Modi's magic: the Congress <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DCongress&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGkFiFGTI1SUAWW4YLZVKYthzY0eg>party's victory in all three Assembly by-elections <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DAssembly%2BBy-elections&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHh4C_qxirPPcHx1EWHKbf5KtDMeA>in Uttarakhand in July; the "grand alliance" (albeit, of convenience) of the Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DRashtriya%2BJanata%2BDal&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEA7Qql-q166yFC09C20IkIY2J4LQ>and the Congress recovering lost ground in the Bihar Assembly <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DBihar%2BAssembly&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFvCN_nPHVcNX2PUlj1DvaoxR7SYA>by-elections along with the electoral successes of the Congress in the by-elections in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh; and the reluctance of the government to call for a re-election in Delhi despite being chided by the Supreme Court. There are other alternative explanations - that the "Modi wave" does not work in state Assembly by-elections; that political temperatures have returned to a "normal" level after a highly polarised Lok Sabha election <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DLok%2BSabha%2BElection&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFDc5ZOm0lwYyaaf66PPMIoq0tCDA>and that the prospect of a political wipeout has forced political groups to emphasise commonalities and improve their local election management. The Bharatiya Janata Party <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DBharatiya%2BJanata%2BParty&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEwUYuLpdiyvJPjZodDjrEeBbaEBg>(BJP) will probably still do well in the forthcoming state Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana. However, the public perception of the Modi myth seems to have dimmed. This is significant because the Modi myth-making continues with his acolytes propagating apocryphal stories in the media to sustain an idealised and heroic image of the prime minister. Unverifiable stories doing the rounds among Delhi's chattering classes are meant to inspire awe and admiration for the prime minister. In one of these, a minister heading overseas dressed in jeans and a T-shirt was reprimanded over the phone to dress "appropriately" and portray a "business-like image". Barely 1.5 kms away from his residence, the minister had to go back and change into formals. Another minister meeting an industrialist in a five-star hotel in Mumbai also apparently received a call from Modi warning him about association with "undesirable" people. A woman minister given to a laid-back lifestyle is said to have received a call at 9.30 a m enquiring why she was not yet in office. Another minister who wanted time off to attend his daughter's graduation abroad was asked to show significant performance in the two important portfolios he holds, before asking for leave. The prime minister is also said to have summoned a senior minister's son and told him to return the bribe he had accepted from a police officer to ensure a plum posting. These anecdotes are meant to showcase Modi's close surveillance of his Cabinet and his hands-on approach. It is assumed that but for carping critics, the people will accept this carefully crafted image uncritically. [The stories referred to above presumably first appeared on the website Niti Central, championing Moditva: < http://www.niticentral.com/2014/08/25/narendra-modi-enforces-tough-discipline-among-ministers-236467.html >.] However, let us carp and ask a few questions. Why should a minister not wear comfortable clothes for long-distance air travel? Why should a minister with portfolios that require him to co-ordinate with the corporate world be considered incompetent to judge whom he should meet? Above all, why is a minister's son who "fixed" a government job not dealt with under criminal law? If the BJP <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DBjp&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH07faD_Uq5DGtATK5IaPo_jNyrlA>ensured the resignation of the railway minister of the United Progressive Alliance government, Pawan Kumar Bansal, over his nephew accepting a bribe to fix Railway Board appointments, why should the "senior" BJP minister in the Modi government <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DModi%2BGovernment&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEJrF0SCbzqxWOvWtEIZ8cCDVmCtA>get away with a rap on the knuckles? If the prime minister comes to know of a criminal act within his government, can he dispense "Jehangir's law" on the spot or should he follow the due process of law? When Modi was a mere contender for the top job, his image was imbued with certain qualities by his image-managers, which set him apart from his peers and projected him worthy of deference and even obedience. The circumstances were ideal for Modi to fulfil his agenda of wresting power from the Congress. People were searching for someone who could provide stability, authority and a meaningful structure of governance. The electorate - or at least nearly one third of it - in a desperate economic climate, an increasingly unpredictable politics and weakening national morale, readily embraced Modi. The trouble with myth-making, however, is that within no time, the image becomes larger than the man. Sooner or later, the distance between the two can become apparent to everyone. Eventually, the Modi government will be judged by its performance and not by anecdotes about the prime minister. To talk about the need for toilets and sanitation from the ramparts of the Red Fort might well be, in the words of one commentator, a new semiotic framing of the task of building the nation. However, the rights that can give basic human dignity to citizens - the right to shelter, health, education, sanitation, drinking water and social security - need to be situated in the broader context of constitutional rights, instead of merely the good intentions of a prime minister. The citizens of India should be able to make the demands for access to facilities, services and assets on the Indian state rather than waiting for the largesse of a particular government or the goodwill of corporations who, persuaded by the prime minister, might build a few hundred toilets in schools under their corporate social responsibility <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DCorporate%2BSocial%2BResponsibility&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEWbMSiRu3lysoEcRnkCTawtzr9xA>(CSR) programme. The responsibility of the state cannot be substituted by the private sector's CSR <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.business-standard.com%2Fsearch%3Ftype%3Dnews%26q%3DCsr&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGdKkvHirLOef9WoUH7lvrz9HK_ew>programmes. The state must not only ensure these rights but also make adequate legal and financial provisions for them. The Modi government needs to demonstrate that it has such a people-oriented vision; that its vision is different from the previous government's and that it is engaged in pursuing it honestly. Unfortunately, the Modi government has not yet unveiled its detailed policy paradigm - not in the President's address to the joint session of Parliament; barring a few announcements of foreign direct investment not in the Union Budget, and not even in the prime minister's Independence Day address. Whatever changes in governance and policy Modi might have initiated have not been communicated to the public. If people find that in the first three months the Modi government has not even implemented a small portion of its five-year agenda, they cannot be blamed for being disappointed. ------------------------------ *The writer is a journalist based in Delhi* II/IV. http://www.outlookindia.com/article/So-Whos-Inside-The-Sanctum-Sanctorum/291737 *So Who's Inside The Sanctum Sanctorum?* The Amit Shah-Modi combine has even marginalised the RSS Rana Ayyub <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.outlookindia.com%2Fpeople%2F1%2FRana-Ayyub%2F15970&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGzB1mgt9g406i80-aydpi8X-F0tA> There is a lesser known story about the alleged bugging incident at Nitin Gadkari's residence that needs to be told. Some days before the news became public, the Union road transport and highways minister had a meeting with the top brass of the RSS in New Delhi. The former BJP president, known for his proximity to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, expressed apprehensions that top leaders in the party, including himself, were being snooped upon. Gadkari conveyed to the men from Nagpur that he was not the only one, but that other senior party leaders and at least two senior ministers in the Narendra Modi government were being constantly monitored. It was at this time that Bhagwat intervened and asked Gadkari to deny the snooping incident in public suggesting that it would dent the image of the BJP and the prime minister. The party had come to power with an absolute majority, and this would have given the opposition an easy handle to beat it with. It was after this meeting that the RSS also communicated to senior BJP leaders, including the two Union ministers, to not give much credence to such incidents and concentrate on the larger issues at hand. "It has taken us years and concerted efforts to come to power; let internal rivalry not sabotage it for us. We are gaining momentum in the country and nothing should be said and done which could harm our chances of taking over Maharashtra, Haryana and garnering a majority in the byelections in Uttar Pradesh," was the unofficial word. The following day, despite contradictory statements by the chief conspiracy theorist of the party, Subramanian Swamy, that Gadkari's residence was indeed bugged, the latter himself issued a denial. Union home minister Rajnath Singh was forced to issue an anodyne statement in the Rajya Sabha that the story was at best speculative. However, if party insiders are to be believed, with the exception of finance minister Arun Jaitley and party president Amit Shah, many BJP leaders are upset with the supremacy of one individual over the entire party. In fact, the rumbling over the micro-management of the PMO began within days of the NDA government assuming power when Rajnath Singh's aides were accused of leaking information about cabinet portfolios to the media, forcing him to cut off all communications with the media, including on-record statements. In fact, in a conversation with this journalist, a senior minister remarked, "*Ab toh hamare secretary bhi hamare nahin hai, yeh bhi hum par thope jaate hain* (Even our secretaries and advisors are imposed on us, we do not have any decision-making power)." Another incident which went viral across political circles was the imposition of a dress code on information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar, giving further taste of the tight control the Modi dispensation had over ministers. Javadekar was on his way to take a flight for a conference in Kenya, dressed casually in a pair of denims and T-shirt. He was barely a kilometre from his official residence when he apparently received a phone call from someone in the PMO, reprimanding him for his casual sense of dressing. What bothered Javadekar was the thought that somebody was keeping a tab on his movements and giving minute-by-minute information to the PMO. Even if one were to keep such rumours aside, there is many a decision that has been taken, including the appointment of Amit Shah (who was chargesheeted by the CBI on charges of murder, extortion and conspiracy), that has ruffled party feathers. Much of this ire is directed at an unofficial core group led by Modi that includes Shah, his advisors from the Gujarat government, national security advisor A.K. Doval, and his most trusted man from the RSS, Ram Madhav, who recently joined the BJP. Madhav, who had cautioned the government on its relationship with China in an editorial in June this year, is already being referred to as Modi's unofficial defence minister. This bunch of confidants along with a few intellectuals are also (almost without fail) a part of the Delhi-based think-tank, the Vivekananda Foundation, which today determines most of the decisions taken by the NDA and, most importantly, the fate of the BJP leaders who despite heading significant ministries have just come to be nameless entities. It's not surprising then that post taking over as the new BJP chief, Shah handpicked his own political team with absolutely no interference or advice from the top brass. Within days, the BJP in-charge for the four states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Assam were changed by Shah who has sought absolute independence from Modi should he wish a repeat of the party's performance in Uttar Pradesh. Shah's shrewd political manoeuvring, consolidation of the Jats and OBCs in Uttar Pradesh with ground-level polarisation by pracharaks and ABVP workers handpicked for the state resulted in what was one of the BJP's best ever LS polls performance in the state. Those close to the BJP chief say that Shah was very keen on the induction of former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa in the core team despite the reluctance of senior leaders in the RSS and the BJP, including Ananth Kumar. Shah's position of absolute power granted to him by his political mentor, Narendra Modi, ensured that the detractors kept their counsel vis-a-vis his decision. Yediyurappa's track record of creating communal tension in Karnataka--letting right-wing fringe elements spread the false notion of a 'love jehad'--was single-handedly responsible for allowing communalism (besides nepotism) to flourish in the state. But Shah, riding on the 'man of the match' honour bestowed on him at the recently held national council, is in no mood to be affected by the perceptions of the leaders picked by him. Much to the embarrassment of senior leaders present at the national council, Modi had made it clear that the victory was a result of the partnership with his confidant from Gujarat (with whom he had run a successful innings for three terms in the state). These statements did not go down well with the RSS whose covert support to the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement had set the ball rolling for the BJP in the country. At a raksha bandhan gathering right after, Bhagwat took a dig at Modi saying, "*Kuchh log bol rahe hain ki party ko safalta mili. Kuch log bol rahe hain ki koi vyakti ke liye jeet mili. Koi vyakti, party ya sangathan ki wajah se yeh parivartan nahin hua. Aam aadmi ne parivartan chaaha* (Some people say the success was due to the party. Some others say it was because of some individuals. Fact is the common man wanted change). The same individuals and the party existed earlier also. Why were not they voted to power? It is the people who wanted change and brought the party to power," Bhagwat asserted. But Bhagwat, even with his tested Hindu rashtra rhetoric, is increasin-gly losing hold over the PMO unlike what his predecessors had over the Vajpayee regime. The appointment of Smriti Irani as HRD minister whose claim to a degree from Yale has made her the target of attacks in the party's inner circles has been a sharp indicator of Modi's iron fist rule. As a pracharak known for his proximity to Bhagwat says caustically, "Irani was a leader handpicked by the PM. The fact that the RSS, known for its hold on the HRD in the past government, could not interfere doesn't leave much to the imagination." The simmering disquiet at the one-man show is palpable, but there is little the stalwarts and senior leaders can do about it. At political dinners, the target of humour is a senior cabinet minister who has spoken about a fear of travelling in an official chopper. Rajnath Singh, who in the past has spoken of sadbhavana between the two communities and is a regular at tea parties with leaders of the Muslim community in UP, recently commented at an inter-party meeting that he was finding it increasingly awkward that despite coming to power in the name of development, members of the party were giving statements or seen endorsing communally pol-arising incidents. The home minister has found himself in an awkward and isolated space, much like his senior party colleagues, with absolute irreverence shown to his suggestion. Bhagwat and the RSS could well reap the fruits of the maj-oritarian experiment, but the party over which they claimed dominance is slipping from their hold. ------------------------------ *(Rana Ayyub's 2010 investigation into the Gujarat fake encounters for * Tehelka* led to Amit Shah's incarceration.) * III/IV. http://www.livemint.com/Politics/jK1A7mhdzs5sC81jna3owI/PMO-says-reports-about-Rajnath-Singhs-son-plain-lies.html *PMO, Rajnath Singh seek to quell BJP rift rumours * *Prime Minister's Office says reports motivated, constitute a malicious attempt to tarnish the govt's image * Gyan Varma <http://www.livemint.com/Politics/jK1A7mhdzs5sC81jna3owI/PMO-says-reports-about-Rajnath-Singhs-son-plain-lies.html?utm_source=ref_article> The PMO statement came in the wake of a report that Rajnath Singh was unhappy over rumours being spread by "a ministerial colleague" and "party rival" about his son being pulled up by Narendra Modi over some alleged misconduct. Photo: Ramesh Pathania/Mint The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) came out strongly in defence of home minister Rajnath Singh and his son Pankaj Singh who has been named in some media reports for his alleged and unspecified misconduct, and claimed these reports were against national interest. The statement from Narendra Modi's office came a few minutes after the home minister said he had discussed the reports with Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah and offered to quit politics if any of the allegations against his son were proved. Like the PMO, and the media reports, he too did not specify what the allegations were. Pankaj Singh is general secretary in the BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit. "This has reference to reports appearing in a section of the media over the past several weeks, mentioning the Prime Minister, and referring to the conduct of some Union ministers, and alleged misconduct of the home minister's son. The reports are plain lies, motivated and constitute a malicious attempt at character assassination and tarnishing the image of the government. Those indulging in such rumour-mongering are damaging the interest of the nation. These reports are strongly denied," a press statement issued by the PMO said. Senior leaders of the BJP indicated that Singh had pointed out to both Modi and Shah that it was possible that some of the senior members of the party were involved in spreading false information against him and his son. "Obviously, if the Prime Minister has responded on the allegations, then he must have inquired about developments," said a senior BJP leader aware of the development. Singh pointed out that both Shah and Modi were surprised when he took the matter of alleged misconduct to them. "The allegations against my family members are baseless. I will quit politics if there is an iota of proof against me or my family members' integrity. I have spoken to the PM and the BJP chief who have also denied these rumours," Singh told reporters. Shah too came out in defence of the former party chief. "The allegations are baseless and I would urge the media not to become part of the misinformation campaign against the government which is working for the development of the country. Singh is one of the senior-most leaders of the BJP and his son, Pankaj Singh, has been part of BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit for the last 10 years," he said in a statement. Political analysts believe there is a strong rift between senior ministersof the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government and younger leaders which has come out in the open. "There is a power struggle going on within the BJP where senior leaders are being sidelined by younger leaders. The way senior-most leaders like L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were removed from the parliamentary board and now, even Kalyan Singh has been made a governor and shifted out of Uttar Pradesh, (shows) there is a power struggle going within the party. Still, I am not sure if senior leaders of the party will stoop so low to target Rajnath Singh's son to settle political scores with him," said Bidyut Chakrabarty, professor of political science in Delhi University. Congress general secretary Ajay Maken demanded that the Prime Minister tell what the allegations he was denying are, Press Trust of India reported. Maken termed the development "strange", since his own party, which is in opposition, has not levelled any allegations. IV. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rajnath-pankaj-singh-bribery-charges-narendra-modi-bjp-pmo-statement/1/379381.html Who wants Rajnath Singh out? Nadim Asrar <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/author/Nadim-Asrar/1.html> New Delhi, August 27, 2014 | UPDATED 18:41 IST In politics, as the saying goes, perception is reality and the truth is negotiable. However true the charges against Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his son Pankaj Singh, spread by anonymous BJP leaders, are, it is now clear that Rajnath's image has been tarred by these unproven claims despite the PMO's clarification. Which is why the controversy involving Rajnath and his son Pankaj, also a BJP leader with significant ambitions within the party, assumes significance. That the row erupted on a day the Supreme Court put the onus of a clean politics, ironically, on India's politicians must have added insult to Rajnath's fresh injury. The timing of the newsbreak on Wednesday is significant with the BJP deciding to let go of its Vajpayee-Advani-Joshi trinity on Tuesday. And given the damage to Rajnath, this would mean a new BJP is being fashioned while it is ruling in Delhi with new leaders and the consequent farewell to old worthies. The controversy over his son Pankaj Singh allegedly involved in corrupt deals, by no means, is the end of the road for the BJP MP from Lucknow. But the former president of the BJP will now be forced to carry the weight of the taint it has brought to his otherwise clean political career so far. Not very long ago, BJP had similarly forced another party president, Nitin Gadkari <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/people/nitin-gadkari/19436.html>, to resign from the post after he was named as one of the accused behind alleged irregularities in Purti Power and Sugar Limited. Though Gadkari was later cleared of charges by a court, the taint made sure he remained a second-rung leader within the BJP. The perception of him being corrupt haunted him even when he was selected for the Union Cabinet, with the opposition cornering Prime Minister Narendra Modi <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/people/narendra-modi/17737.html> over it. A beleagured Rajnath also brings into focus a question that everybody has been asking since the BJP rose to power: who is Number Two in the Modi government? That position had just two claimants in the new dispensation: Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/people/arun-jaitley/19435.html>. Though Modi did not appoint either of them to officiate in his absence during his trips abroad, how the Number Two tussle pans out will now be closely watched. [Rajnath has since been made the *de jure* number two in the Cabinet.] *What is the Rajnath Singh controversy about? | Read: What Rajnath had to say <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rajnath-singh-rss-bjp-pankaj-singh-narendra-modi/1/379278.html> * Rajnath Singh had reportedly lodged a complaint with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP's ideological mentor, alleging that false rumours were being spread against his son Pankaj. According to reports, the home minister told senior RSS leaders that party insiders were spreading rumours that Modi had scolded Pankaj, in Rajnath's presence, for taking bribes for police posting. Over the past month, the power corridors in New Delhi have been rife with speculation about Modi giving a major dressing down to Pankaj. *What is rumoured to have happened between Rajnath and Modi? | Read: PMO's statement <http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rajnath-singh-pmo-pankaj-singh-bjp-narendra-modi/1/379307.html> * According to BJP insiders, Modi is said to have summoned Rajnath and Pankaj to his chamber, and asked Pankaj about the work he was doing. After the young man had finished speaking, the PM firmly but politely told him to return the money that he had taken for arranging the posting of a police official. While they were leaving, Modi is reported to have told Pankaj that no further complaint should come against him. In private conversations with senior RSS leaders and new BJP president Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh has reportedly expressed his displeasure about the way the story has been spread. The former BJP president feels that a vilification campaign is being carried out at the behest of leaders within the party who do not like the fact that is one of the two claimants for the Number Two position in the Modi government. <http://www.livemint.com/Politics/jK1A7mhdzs5sC81jna3owI/PMO-says-reports-about-Rajnath-Singhs-son-plain-lies.html?utm_source=ref_article> <http://www.livemint.com/Politics/jK1A7mhdzs5sC81jna3owI/PMO-says-reports-about-Rajnath-Singhs-son-plain-lies.html?utm_source=ref_article> -- 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.
