The first time I had stumbled upon this name must have been back in 2007 (or early 2008). It was the 150th year of 1857 uprising and his two-volume work, *War of Civilizations: India AD 1857*, had just been published. That's how I came across the name.
Then came 26/11. On the following day early afternoon when the mayhem is still at its peak, received a mail from Misra: "It is 4AM [i.e. the 26-27 night, the very first night of terror attack] in India right now. I am in Mumbai reporting from the ground. I have not slept a wink. Mumbai is under attack. People and forces who killed Mahatama Gandhi, who demolished the Babari Mosque have triumphed. More than 16 groups of terrorists have taken over Taj, Oberai and several hotels. Hundreds of people are dead. For the first time no one is blaming Muslim organizations." Then, down the line, it further adds: "Our worst fears have come true. It is clear that Mossad is involved in the whole affair. An entire city has been attacked by Mossad and probably units of mercenaries. ... RSS type forces and Israel are all involved in not only destabilizing but finishing India." It may be recalled that the attack commenced reportedly at around 9 30 PM, on November 26 2008. As per the official version, 10 persons landing via sea at around 8 PM, just about an hour and a half earlier, at the Badhwar Park fishing people's colony, carried out the attacks, which would last till Nov. 29, divided into a number of groups. In all, 12 sites came under attack. One does not have to be an ardent fan of either the RSS or the Mossad to recognise that there was no way a freelance journalist could have found out by 4 AM of Nov. 27 of their involvement in the attack. Only some minimum commonsense would suffice. This is apart from the relatively minor fact that the claim that "(m)ore than 16 groups of terrorists have taken over Taj, Oberai and several hotels" is obviously seriously flawed. No hotels other than the Taj and Oberoi had been taken over. And the number of groups was obviously much less than, NOT "more than", 16. Be that as it may, during those days (i.e. in 2007-8), Misra was with the CPI (ML) - Liberation. Then he'd, in due course, join VP Singh-led Jan Morcha. Then the Congress - the Digvijay Singh faction. In (early) 2009, he fought the parliamentary election from Lucknow as the candidate of the Ulema Council. (Ref.: < http://pakteahouse.net/2009/03/29/amaresh-misra-the-candidate-of-ulema-council-from-lucknow-lok-sabha-constituency/ >.) So, this rather longish and (obviously) zigzag path was covered over a remarkably short period. Misra was, in between, also involved in an ugly controversy over his abusive and utterly filthy (and unprintable) tweets. Ref.: < http://blog.tehelka.com/when-amaresh-misra-lost-it-on-twitter/>, and also < http://aamjanata.com/congress-politician-amaresh-misra-makes-rape-threats-and-death-threats-on-twitter/>. (His tweets apparently stand deleted.) He was also involved in another ugly public spat with Javed Anand and others; ref.: < http://communalism.blogspot.in/2008/12/amaresh-mishras-web-of-lies.html>. All the while, however, he projected himself as an "aggressive secularist" fighting against the communal forces.This what he wrote on October 12 2013: "MORAL OF THE STORY: SANGHIS LOST OUT TO ME, BECAUSE OF MY AGGRESSIVE, SECULAR LINE." (See: < https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/progressive-interactions/l5MbBllvAyM >.) What is, however, of immediate relevance is that this month he has launched a news portal, <http://medhajnews.com>, with one Samir Tripathi, apparently an industrialist, as the CMD and Misra himself as the Editor-in-Chief. (Ref.: <http://medhajnews.com/aboutus.php>.) On October 15, it carried an article,* Exit polls confirm Medhaj News' pre-poll Survey: BJP to emerge as the single largest party, or win majority, in Maharashtra and Haryana*, penned by "Amaresh Misra, Editor-in-Chief, Medhaj News, with inputs from Firoze Mithiborwala, Senior Correspondent, Medhaj News, Mumbai, Shri Rajeev Shukla, political analyst, Lucknow, and Shri RK Sharma, political analyst/retired IPS officer, Haryana." (See: <http://medhajnews.com/article.php?id=NjIx>.) (Interestingly, the Senior Correspondent as mentioned above is NOT "Firoze Mithiborwala" but "Feroze Mithiborwala". That's presumably just an indicator of the editorial quality.) The article starts with the claim: "Very few people believed Medhaj News when it predicted single largest party/ majority status for the BJP in both Maharashtra and Haryana. However, all exit polls show BJP winning the largest number of seats/sweeping both the states." The actual fact is *all* the pre-poll opinion surveys reported in the media predicted that the BJP would come out the largest party both in Maharashtra and Haryana, and the Chanakya predicted absolute majority for it. (See, for example: < http://headlinestoday.intoday.in/programme/maharashtra-chief-minister-elections-uddhav-congress-shiv-sena-chavan/1/394993.html <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fheadlinestoday.intoday.in%2Fprogramme%2Fmaharashtra-chief-minister-elections-uddhav-congress-shiv-sena-chavan%2F1%2F394993.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGLMmi7FGlxIkxW6dJoz2tqCKJziA>> - a video clip titled, *BJP all set to win Maharashtra Assembly polls*, anchored by Rajdeep Sardesai, and < http://zeenews.india.com/news/maharashtra/bjp-to-win-110-seats-in-maharashtra-polls-congress-68-zee-taleem-survey_1484037.html <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fzeenews.india.com%2Fnews%2Fmaharashtra%2Fbjp-to-win-110-seats-in-maharashtra-polls-congress-68-zee-taleem-survey_1484037.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFLgXvMffOy9Nxs2EuUO6558P-e3w> >.) So this is nothing but just a cheap marketing gimmick. (The reference to Rajdeep Sardesai in the article is also a gross distortion of fact - if we refrain from calling it a shameless lie. He's presenting the prediction that the BJP is going to win 133 seats, maybe 144 or even more, and the SS 54. More importantly, he is at the top of his voice proclaiming the end of the era of "identity politics". Again, another minor issue.) But, again, be it as it may, what is of real significance is the central proposition: Since 1991, India has changed a lot; old paradigms are not working; the only politician who gauged the mood correctly was RSS, PM Narendra Modi and his think tank. Credit must be given to them, if, for nothing else, getting it right in May and October 2014. ... How could intelligent people miss out the effect a combination--of nationalism, anti-status quoism and challenge to dominant forces--offered by Modi--to the electorate--would have on the common people of India? India is a country where at least since 1947, people have preferred national leaders who appealed to their basic issues and challenged the status quo; or represented a fresh perspective, style or positive politics against negativism and parochialism. This was true as much as in the case of Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, to a lesser extent VP Singh, Atal Behari Vajpayee--and now Narendra Modi! ... STill now, Narendra Modi and the RSS have paid attention to the innate nationalism, anti-elitist sentiments, and intense desire for change and development of the Indian people. And that is the reason why they have succeeded! So it rather emphatically projects Modi as the new messiah! Not a word on "communalism"! What a somersault! That's really something which deserves being taken note of. Sukla -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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