BJP Future - 6

**acharya** · 02-09-2009, 03:54 AM

Kalyan Singh, sonburnt

Chandan Mitra

At the BJP National Executive meeting at Nagpur, erstwhile UP strongman Kalyan Singh was an object of ridicule rather than hate. âHe is the political equivalent of Chand Mohammad aka Chander Mohan. Na ghar ka na ghat ka (neither here nor there),â quipped a senior leader to widespread merriment. Journalists regaled politicians about his myriad outbursts against select party leaders in recent months. It was a sea change from the National Council meeting in Lucknow in 2006 just before the UP Assembly elections of 2007. He had then returned to the party after some years of estrangement during which the doughty mass leader was dethroned as Chief Minister and then sufficiently sidelined for him to float his own outfit, the Rashtriya Kranti Party. The fledgling entity contested the 2002 polls in alliance with Mulayam Singhâs Samajwadi Party and despite not making a significant mark in terms of seats, damaged the BJPâs prospects in over 20 seats.

Later when Mulayam Singh returned to power after yet another failed BJP cohabitation with Mayawati, Kalyanâs MLAs were rewarded with some crumbs of office too. But he realised the futility of dissociation from the party he had once led to spectacular victories: In 1991, the BJP stormed into power with 212 seats in the 425-member (undivided) UP Assembly and notched up a staggering 51 out of 85 Lok Sabha seats, a tally that rose to 57 (plus three allies) in 1998, although it fell steeply to 26 in 1999. With the prodigalâs return in 2006, BJP was confident of repeating the magic, but its tally crashed to an abysmal 50 in the Assembly. Earlier, it found itself reduced to third place in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls winning just 10 seats, barely ahead of a long-crippled Congress.

The 2007 result conclusively proved Kalyan Singh no longer held the magic wand. Even his son, Rajvir, could not win from the family fiefdom of Dibai in Aligarh district, a seat traditionally held by his father way before BJP became a force to reckon with in the State. In 2004, the patriarch himself was in jitters on counting day, as Bulandshahr appeared to slip out of his hands. With some timely help from Mulayam, he managed to scrape through with a narrow margin of 12,000 votes.

This statistical background is important because it underlines not just Kalyan Singhâs declining importance and the concomitant downslide in the BJPâs electoral fortunes, but also the gradual erosion of the Ram Janmabhoomi Movementâs appeal in the State of the abiding Hindu iconâs origin. However, the emotional basis of Kalyanâs acceptability was centred on the legend of Ram.

It was LK Advaniâs genius that saw the political potential of creating a nationwide movement structured on the powerful iconography of the God-King of Ayodhya, but it was left to Kalyan Singh, the OBC chieftain of the Jana Sangh/BJP to translate the idea of âliberatingâ the idol of Ram Lalla (infant Ram) from confinement inside the domes of a mosque, apparently built on the ruins of a temple dedicated to him by the triumphant army of the first Mughal Emperor, Babar.

Kalyan Singh took up the project with fervent enthusiasm, using State power to permit a succession of massive assemblies of kar sevaks on the disputed shrineâs periphery. He toured the sprawling State pledging to build an impressive temple to Ram at the site where the disputed mosque stood. UP witnessed an emotional catharsis never seen before as caste and class collapsed under the fervour of Ramâs promised restoration to his birthplace.

In 1993, facing stiff challenge from the Samajwadi Party, which opportunistically allied with Mayawatiâs nascent BSP enabling her to make a quantum leap into the mainstream, Kalyan Singh proudly took credit for what transpired on December 6, 1992 by assertively proclaiming âJo kaha, so kiyaâ (What we promised, we did) at every election rally. I say this from personal experience as a journalist who covered the Mandir movement and the BJPâs phenomenal rise from 1989 first with The Times of India, then Sunday Observer and finally Hindustan Times April 1992 onwards. I think this appeal held till 1998. But the Vajpayee Governmentâs failure to do anything substantial on the issue and the authoritarian approach to governance by Kalyan Singh caused the BJPâs downslide.

Besides, whatever Hindu angst existed over the Babri Masjid dissipated once it was demolished. Whether a gaudy marble monstrosity was erected on the mosqueâs rubble was not a matter of furious concern to the average Hindu in UP or elsewhere.

Whatever be the electoral utility of the Ram Mandir issue (in my opinion, the law of diminishing returns set in a long time back because the Hindu movement did precious little for 17 long years), Kalyan Singhâs dissociation from the legacy is incredible.

I couldnât believe my years when I heard he has, for all practical purposes, apologised for it. I recall meeting him in the UP Secretariat on the evening of December 5, 1992 and his assuring me nothing catastrophic would happen next day. The story I filed dutifully was carried as the lead in next dayâs HT. In retrospect he has been economical with facts in claiming he resigned when he heard the structure had been demolished despite his affidavit to the Supreme Court assuring its safety. Arguably he could not have done much for the UP Police and PAC stationed at Ayodhya were almost parties to the demolition.

Since I was present on the spot that day, I can vouch for their surcharged involvement. Technically, he did resign that afternoon but that was minutes before a beleaguered Narasimha Rao Government advised the President to dismiss all four BJP State Governments. That the BJP now runs 12 State Governments singly or in alliance, many more than the Congress, only underlines what the Ram Mandir Movement has done to bring the party centrestage.

So why did Kalyan Singh resile from his role in the episode? It is yet another proof that the Congress Party is the fountainhead of everything that is dynastic, corrupt and deviant in the system. Kalyan Singh has quit the BJP ostensibly because Bulandshahr (now a SC seat) has been allotted to Ashok Pradhan who, the ex-CM alleges, was instrumental in getting his son Rajvir defeated from Dibai. This is strange, for it amounts to admitting that Pradhan is so powerful that he can ensure Kalyanâs sonâs humiliation in his family turf!

But, maybe thatâs not the real reason for the ageing patriarchâs rebellion. Unfortunately, however, he has reduced himself to a liability in politics. Mulayam Singhâs too clever by half tactic is not working in the face of Muslim outrage. And Muslims are rampant these days, having realised how aggressively they are being wooed by Hindu leaders as a vote bank â a far cry from the 50s when Muslim actors took Hindu names to court acceptability!

Dynastic obsessions are destroying leaders and even the BJP is slowly falling prey to this apparent inevitability.

02-09-2009, 07:55 AM

QUOTEAdvaniâs to-do list for cadre
pioneer.com
Kumar Uttam | Nagpur
Taking on the critics who have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of changing its chal, charitra aur chehra, the partyâs prime ministerial candidate LK Advani on Sunday insisted that it was still a âparty with a differenceâ.

âPolitics is a slippery field. So whenever someone slips, people ask how we are a party with a difference. I still feel we are. The BJP is the only political group that is not run by an individual or a family,â Advani said in his concluding remarks at the BJPâs national council meet.

Advani said that unlike many other political groups, the BJP had groomed a galaxy of leaders over many decades. âMadhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley are just a few of them,â Advani said while describing the BJP as a result of the nationalistic movement that started in 1925 (the year RSS was established).

It was for this reason, Advani elaborated, that when someone spoke of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi becoming larger than the party, he felt glad about it. âThe head of the family always feels proud when any member achieves what his elders have failed to,â the senior leader pointed out.

Despite popular belief that he would distance himself from the Ayodhya issue, Advani endorsed the party's line that a grand temple should be built at the same site. One could raise the Jai Sri Ram slogan in the true sense only after the Ram temple was constructed, he said.

Advising the partyâs leaders against scoring a self goal, Advani referred to the electoral defeat in Rajasthan and said those who engineered inner-party feuds did more damage to themselves than to the party.

He set out five tasks before the party. First, the BJP should work with robust unity and unflinching resolve. Second, no complacency and over-confidence of the kind that proved costly to the party in 2004. Third, conduct an aggressive, creative and self-confident, mass-based campaign that focuses as much on partyâs positive agenda for the future as on the failures and betrayal of the UPA Government. Fourth, unleash the energy of the youth in the partyâs campaign. Fifth, ensure harmonious and mutually cooperative functioning between the BJPâs workers and workers of the NDA allies. 

Reiterating that removing despair and restoring hope would be the partyâs priority, Advani also unveiled five major commitments that would form the BJPâs agenda: Promotion of employment-oriented economic growth through massive investment, revival of the agriculture sector, taking far-reaching reforms to promote good governance, zero tolerance towards terrorism and promotion of social economic justice and political empowerment for the downtrodden. âWe will do it by vigorously implementing a positive agenda of good governance, development and security,â Advani elaborated.

Describing the Congress as the fountainhead of corruption, Advani also advised the BJPâs workers to resolve that the 1996 farce of an unstable Government must not be repeated and that 2009 was made the highest watermark ever in the BJPâs electoral performance.

Saying that the BJP would not abandon the ideal of corruption-free governance, Advani said that if the NDA came to power, he will ensure that the Prime Minister, his Cabinet Ministers and their relatives voluntarily declared their assets on an annual basis.

Lashing out at the Congress, the NDAâs prime ministerial candidate maintained that the ruling party had always used Muslims as a vote bank without making any attempt for their welfare. Saying that Christians were being terrorised by the Congress in the name of a âcommunalâ BJP, Advani challenged the Congress for a debate between real and pseudo secularism.

02-09-2009, 08:12 AM

The urbanites are haunted by the secular media that is out and out anti-BJP. What is shockingly sad is that these media are manned by Hindus and for eking a living they do a trecherous job of witchhunting the Hindus.

We will conduct a sarpa yagna in which all these snakes will fall and perish!

ramana · 02-10-2009, 03:30 AM

Looks like LKA has shook up the party organization to gear up for the elections.

Husky · 02-12-2009, 06:56 PM

http://haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?P...177&SKIN=B
QUOTEOne family has ruined everything in India: Modi
08/02/2009 02:08:54Â www.kaumudi.com

NAGPUR: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a scathing attack on the Gandhi-Nehru family alleging that a "conspiracy" has been hatched to promote the family posing a danger to the future of the country.

"Ek parivar ke ateet ko age badane ke liye jo shadayantra chal raha hai usse Hindustan ke bhavishya ko khatra hai (Conspiracy to promote one family's past is posing danger for the future of the country)," Modi said without directly naming the Gandhi-Nehru family but the indication was obvious.

Noting that members of the family have ruled the country for as many as 37 years, he said that if the past five years were also taken into account, then it would be a 42-year rule. With Manmohan Singh being an "invisible" Prime Minister, it was "power without accountability" for the family in the last five years, he alleged.

Addressing the party's national council meeting, the BJP's star campaigner gave a new spin to the victory of Barack Obama in the US Presidential elections claiming that it was the result of the American citizens being fed up with the stranglehold of a few families in politics.

"It was senior Bush for two terms followed by two terms of Bill Clinton and then two terms of junior Bush and then there was the possibility of another Clinton. The people there felt if it will be only two families that will run the country", Modi contended.

Modi, who was participating in the discussion on the political resolution, said, in India "only one family has ruined everything".

Making a strong pitch for L K Advani as the next Prime Minister, he said that what the country was needing was a "strong" leader like the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate and "not like Manmohan Singh whose presence is not felt" despite he occupying the top post.

Bodhi · (This post was last modified: 02-13-2009, 01:32 PM by Bodhi.)

Bodhi · 02-13-2009, 01:35 PM

Bodhi · 02-13-2009, 01:37 PM

No place for untouchability in politics: Advani

February 11, 2009 15:39 IST

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani [Images] on Thursday said as in social life, there is no space for untouchability in politics.

Speaking at a function to mark the death anniversary of party patron Deen Dayal Upadhyaya at the party headquarters in New Delhi [Images], Advani said, "If we cannot tolerate untouchability in social life, why should we ever even think of untouchability in politics?"

Talking to partymen ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha polls and at a time when the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is struggling for allies in some important states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal among others, Advani exhorted party cadre to follow Jan Sangh leader Upadhyaya who was criticised for joining hands with the Communist to form alliance governments in states.

"We have never practised untouchability, although the Communists have always kept at a distance and have behaved with contempt," Advani said.

He called upon the partymen to follow Upadhyaya as a role model in the political life.

Speaking at the function, party chief Rajnath Singh said Upadhyaya's philosophy on governance is the only option before the nation in this of economic recession.

"Both the capitalist model and the Marxist model have collapsed not only for the nation but for the whole world and the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya model is best suited in these circumstances," Singh said.

The Upadhyaya philosophy calls for considering the world as one family and the Swadeshi concept of living, he added.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2009/feb/11no-p...tics-advani.htm

Bodhi · 02-13-2009, 02:15 PM

Asian Age
No untouchability in politics
By OUR CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi

Feb. 11: Going hi-tech, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday organised a live webcast with party prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani and party chief Rajnath Singh taking questions from around the globe. The webcast was organised on Wednesday evening on the occasion of the death anniversary of party patron Deen Dayal Upadyhaya. The function was organised by Dr S.P. Mookherjee Research Foundation.

Stratergising the campaign, the party spin doctors have been making use of the latest available technology to consolidate Mr Advani's image among the youth. The party has promised that if the BJP came to power, "IT and Internet literacy" will be included in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. Speaking at the occasion, Mr Advani hailed the Internet as the "greatest invention after wheel and electricity."

www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/news/india/âno-untouchability-in-politicsâ.aspx

02-13-2009, 07:42 PM

Is Kulkarni still Advaniji's personal secretary?

02-13-2009, 08:12 PM

Coming elections and party chances

By: M V KAMATH

Friday, 13 February, 2009 , 05:01 PM

With barely three to four months to go for the general elections speculation is rising as to who will take over Delhi. Can one dare to make a prediction as to the final outcome?

Unlike the NDA government which mistakenly pre-poned the elections on the theory that it can cash in on the fact that economically it had done well during its regime and could speak of âShining Indiaâ, the present UPA government has little to show. True, inflation has come down to 5.91 per cent but that is hardly something the UPA government can take credit for, Thanks to the recession, the job-market has entered a dangerous phase.

The textile industry has lost more than 7 lakh jobs. The Information Technology is in no better shape. Retrenchment is the order of the day. Young technicians are getting apprehensive. Salary cuts have already started and the contagion is spreading. Shining India had glamourised the IT industry and its rising impact on the national economy. Rural India had taken offence at it. Now nothing is shining. Till the other day P Chidambaram was warning that the worst is yet to come.A whopping 16,632 cases of suicides by farmers, including 2,369 women were reported across the country in 2007.

The Mumbai instance of jihadi terrorism shook the nation and exposed administrative slackness in the Congress-led government in Maharashtra. But can the BJP use it as an argument against the UPS government? Hardly, Let us remember that the elections to the state legislatures of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram took place after the November 26-29 jihadi attacks in Mumbai. The news was still hot. But it hardly made any impact on the election results. The point may be made that state elections have their own local dynamics while in a general election things are played out differently.

Would that make the BJP success in Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh irrelevant? In Madhya Pradesh, BJP won 142 seats, almost 30 less than what it won in 2003. Does it say some thing? On the other hand in Karnataka the BJP did extremely well not only in the state elections but subsequently also in the by-elections. In Delhi the same can be said of Congress success. Where, in the circumstances, does the so-called incumbency factor come in? In Rajasthan, the fight was close and the results were influenced by in-fighting and certain caste considerations.
Uma Bharatiâs Bharatia Jan Shakti hardly mattered. Even the Bahujan Samaj Party could not made much leeway. One suspects that Mayavatiâs charisma - such as it is - has played out and, except perhaps in Uttar Pradesh, she may not be a deciding factor. In Rajasthan Bhairon Singh Shekhawat could be, considering his sickening behaviour in recent days. With Shekhawat and Jaswant Singh as friends, the BJP does not need enemies.

The point is that everything is in a flux. In Tamil Nadu, Jayalalitha is getting closer to, of all parties, the CPM. The CPK on its part is saying that there is no question of its own and other Left parties supporting the Congress after its supposedly ârelentless pursuit of anti-people economic policiesâ. Then again will the voter make the Congress - and the UPA - pay for its inefficiency in protecting the lives and property of Mumbai citizens during the jihadi attacks? That, certainly, was and will remain, a disgrace. The Congress has tried to compensate public anger by dismissing Vilasrao Deshmukh, but will that make much of a difference in the voting pattern? The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has not only passed strictures against Deshmukh, it has also criticused Ashok Chavan who succeeded him to the Chief Ministerial gadi.

Can that turn the voter against the Congress? The first reaction of the Congress-led Ministry in Maharashtra - superficial beyond imagination - was strongly condemned by the public but will that angst show at the polling booth? The general belief is that the UPA government has a weak Prime Minister and that has been noticed again and again. But really, how many of Indiaâs vast army of voters have any concept of the nuclear deal which has practically reduced India to subservience to the United States? The UPA government has shown enormous weakness in dealing with Pakistan to the disgust of many, but there are others who call it high statesmanship. To this day nobody knows what exactly India has in mind when Pranab Mukherjee says he is keeping all his options open. It is turning out to be the biggest joke in recent times.

Nobody takes him seriously, not even the Zardari government. But will that affect the voting pattern? Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh, poor man, is keeping his options as to whether to join the BJP or not. In other words, everything is up in the air. The point has been made that youth is now coming to the fore and the days of old politicians are numbered. Meanwhile Sonia Gandhi has made it clear that if Congress comes to power Dr Manmohan Singh will still remain Prime Ministerial choice.

Will that affect the partyâs chances? Rahul Gandhi is being steadily pushed to the front. The youth may vote for him but for the nation it could prove to be an unmitigated disaster, though the belief in some quarters is that in the end the youth will prevail. Should the BJP take that as a guiding principle and try to select younger men, say between their forties and fifties, as their candidates? One heartening factor for the BJP is that the RSS has now promised to take up the BJP cause. And that can make quite a difference. Narendra Modi with the tremendous success that he has achieved in improving Gujaratâs economy can be an icon and he can prove useful too in more ways than one. He can be projected as a natural successor to L.K. Advani who, incidentally, happens to be the only truly national figure bar none. Sonia Gandhi is nobody in comparison to him.

The UPA government missed a great chance to show its mettle following the jihadi attacks on Mumbai. It should have gone into high gear and taken on Pakistan with immediate effect. Its failure may cost it a great deal, but the BJP has to deal with it in a very sensitive manner. Can a Third Force come into existence? Very unlikely. And if it does, it will turn out to be as fractious as any such group. But one thing is certain: any party which can illumine the future by suggesting a wise solution to the current Indo-Pakistan mess will got acceptance from a substantial majority. The approach has to be positive and statesmanlike, avoiding hard language and accusatory abuse? The nation is eagerly waiting for such leadership which the BJP alone can provide. It is a challenge that can propel it to power if properly met. In that sense the 2009 general elections can prove to be a turning point in history.

http://newstodaynet.com/col.php?section=20&catid=58

02-18-2009, 09:17 PM

In USA think-tank, writers and bloggers routinely make case for their party - Republican or Democrat. Some of them even get paid to do that. Others make a career out of that. In any case it lots of individuals pour their creativity and time into politics and reaching out to people with their agenda.

It will be nice to see some talented folks in India band together for BJP. Maybe create a site www.voteforbjp.org or something like that, and create talking points for the consumption of the aam admi. BJP or no political party can do this alone.

DailyKos, a liberal blog site in USA, had its main objective as to elect as many Democrats as possible. It went about systematically state to state, seeking online-donations, writing blogs. It made a mark in 2006 elections in USA. And has continued to do so ever since.

Granted the majority of Indians don't have even the basic necessities leave alone access to Internet. But I have seen the Rs.10/ hr Internet Cafes in all major cities (this was couple of years ago). Many used it for job hunting visiting "other" sites, social networking sites, check mail etc. But definitely there were many who were checking news and such. The talking points generated in such sites can be used to circulate among folks who do not have access to the internet too.

For starters, it needs 10-20 talented folks, who man 2-3 websites and dish out points and counter points. People who can articulate well, can send out the message clearly and can think.

02-19-2009, 12:22 AM

Swamy G,
All these so called bloogers and sites are paid by political parties. Obama campaign paid over 400 bloggers to spread word around on net. Same was with others. Only difference Obama did very aggressively.
Kos, Underground and Movenon is funded by Soros. Kos had paid writers. Drudge, other GOP are supported by GOP donors.
Political parties/BJP should pay people to do job. Voluenters can do limited dent. Sticking to message is important which can be only achieved by paid writers.
Paying bloggers are much much cheaper than posters and hiring ad time.

ramana · 02-19-2009, 12:32 AM

I worry if BJP is Modern India's Julian?

dhu · (This post was last modified: 02-19-2009, 01:56 AM by dhu.)

QUOTE(ramana @ Feb 19 2009, 12:32 AM)I worry if BJP is Modern India's Julian?
[right][snapback]94697[/snapback][/right]


But Romans did not have Mayawati !!!

Julian was battling the brainchild of his own Empire. We are battling foreigners, foreign (fake) ideology, and foreign (fake) learning configuration and interpretive and problematizing framework. Therein is the difference. Huffing and puffing fake ideologies.

Shambhu · (This post was last modified: 02-19-2009, 05:55 AM by Shambhu.)

WHY SHOULD INDIAN MUSLIMS VOTE BJP
http://pseudosecularism.blogspot.com/2009/...s-vote-bjp.html

by SHAIK MAHABOOB

Before I proceed further, I owe a heavy depth of gratitude from the beneath of my heart to Shri. L.K Advani Ji, the Prime Ministerial Candidate of BJP/NDA combine, for providing an excellent Portal for expressing our liberated views free from edit, via internet, the todayâs most effectual and speedy communication platform.

We have read plenty of articles posted by various Netizens, friends, learned thinkers, philosophers, dedicated on line party workers relating to multiple ranges of topics from India and abroad on the impressive website of Adarniya Shri. L.K.Advani Ji. And more precisely numerous Muslim brothers and sisters have also expressed their valuable views in constructive way to extend their superb hold for the BJP/NDA combine on this Lok Sabha Elections 2009. Probably, this is not only a colossal signal for the countryâs largest Political Party BJP, but also sounds exemplary well for our great Nation, which has more than two thousand ethnic groups, rich cultural tradition and diversity of religion.

The insurgent ruling of Indian National Congress Party since from the days of post- independence era is misusing the Muslim minorities as mere vote Bank, besides sowing seeds of clandestine abhorrence between the Hindus and
Muslims. The Indian National Congress transparently used Indian Muslims as mere puppets since from their origination of power in order to discharge their lust and continuation of power, paying less attention to their burning issues like eradication of poverty, education, housing, employment, rehabilitation of slums and economic policy, so on and so forth. Although Muslims comprise over 13.4% of the Population making home India to third largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia and Pakistan, their literacy rate is less than 59.1% and their Work Participation Rate is only 31.3% as per census 2001. Muslims are lagging behind our Hindu brothers in professional areas as well, and the Muslims are under-represented in government employment, armed services and police forces. The presence of many Muslim representatives both in the House of Parliament and in the various State assemblies could not make any variation in rehabilitating the Muslim community.

It is significant to mention here that after the Partition of India, more particularly during the regime of Indian National Congress, the communal riots between Hindus and Muslims have been most harsh and extensive, comparing to the British rule. âPrior to the Independence, the Hindu Muslim riots were often ascribed due to divide and rule policy of the British. There was an element of truth in this. In the medieval era and even in the Indian princely states of the Hindu Rajas and Muslim Nawabs in modern times there was some serious militancy from time to time, but not so frequent and serious Hindu Muslim Riots. In view of the small number of British occupation forces in the in the sub continent, the British rulers find it necessary to find a supplementary measure. That was set to the Hatred between the two major communities against one another. Despite of several heinous blood shed between the two major communities since from the riots of Bareilly 1871-72 and up to the riots of 1941 at Ahmedabad, Bombay, the Historical Sepoy Revolution of 1857-58 brought the Hindu Muslim very closer, besides reaffirming their solidarity in the Khilafat Movement of 1921. Between 1941 and 1945, when the British were preoccupied with War, there was relatively less incidence of Hindu Muslim riots, in spite of the fact that Jinnahâs demand for Pakistan and Gandhiâs Quit India Call gathered a movement during this periodâ. Quotes Shri. S.R.Sen 1993, Communal Riots, Anticipation, containment and Prevention, Economic and Political Weekly.

He further opines that âIt may not be wrong to say that as the movement for independence of the country gathered strength and divisive systems of elections and confrontational systems of government based on simple majority rule became a possibility, Hindu Muslim conflicts became more frequent and seriousâ. The commendable quote of Shri. S.R. Sen 1993, clarifies a most essential point that prior to 1993 there was no BJP rule at the centre and the Congress was in the realm of power.

Due to the flawed rule of the Congress and its massive failure to strengthen the secular fabric of this great nation, the dreams of eminent Indian poets like Mahakavi Subramanya Bharati, Sangolli Rayanna, both from south and Allama Mohammed Iqbal from North to see amity between Hindus and Muslims, shattered into many pieces, mainly due to erroneous policy of the Indian National Congress and its Vote Bank Views. This coming election to the Parliament 2009 happens to be the one of the Major occurrence of Indian History, paving way to many unanswered question? Whether the Indians get rid of wild mounting inflation and upsetting population explosion? Whether the hard core terrorism and militancy is eradicated from the grass root level in India? Whether there is any future for the unemployed youths in India? Whether the Indian Farmer stops committing suicide? Whether our Industrial workers overcome from the burden of indebt? Whether the poor and downtrodden get social Justice in India? Whether the Hindus and Muslims think for a better living and economic uplift in India? Can we expect better ties between Hindus and Muslims free from further communal hatred and blood shed? Can all of us get food, shelter and clothing? Can we stop seeing our women still working in the paddy field and construction? Can we stop our children and our elder citizen begging on the streets? Can we stop demolishing the house built by our father of Nation Shri. Gandhi ji? The answers to all the above questions are confirmatory and possible, provided, if the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhist, Parsis and every segment of Indian society are firmly united, shedding the age old hatred and repugnance and fully concentrate in building a New India.

The Unity between the Hindus, Muslims and the Christians in the recent times could be briefly illustrated in many examples as follows:

1) The Hindu celebrates Urs of Muslim saint Hazrath Asmal Pir.

âPeople of the Saurashtra and Kutch regions are known for their rich culture, tradition and devotion towards gods, goddesses and saints. Reverence for communal harmony is common among those owing allegiance to different religions. Thikariyala, a small village in Wankaner Taluk inhabited by Hindus, is a pointer to this reality. It is a village with a difference since the entire population of around 2,200 Hindus assembles once a year in the month of "ashadh'' at Hazrath Pir Dargah to celebrate the "Urs'' of Muslim saint Hazrath Asmal Pir by offering "Chadars'' and "Dhajas''. The lone Muslim family in the village is that of the seventh generation of "Munjavar'', known as priest Haji Sha Gigasha. Along with his family, he has devoted himself to the maintenance of the holy shrine.

Without any discrimination pertaining to caste, creed or religion, villagers sit together for lunch which is prepared by them. They also care a lot for the environment and animals. Special "Ladoos'' are prepared for dogs of the village and 40 kg of jawar is fed to birds everyday by a bird lover.

Legend has it that saint Asmal Pir, whose native place was Jiyana village under Wankaner Taluk some 400 years ago, gave his life in trying to life save cows from robbers. It is believed that his head was found in Thikariyala village and other parts of the body in nearby villages. Reported in The Times of India News, dated: July 28, 1998, Rajkot, Gujarat. Courtesy: Building civic links key to Hindu-Muslim amity by Lalit K. Jha, from India West, January 22, 1999.

2) Muslims help Hindus in their pilgrimage to Amarnath.

Shouts of ''Jai Amarnath, Jai Bholenath'' rent the air as people from villages around the Pahalgam-Chandanwari Road in Jammu and Kashmir cheer on the pilgrims in their arduous trek to the sacred Hindu Lord Shiva shrine in the ice cave of Amarnath. It does not matter to Hindu pilgrims that most of the people who shake hands with them are Muslims; nor does it matter to the villagers that the devotees are Hindus.

For years the Hindus and Muslims in this part of the state have led a symbiotic life. The porters, the horsemen and the palanquin bearers, who carry the old and infirm to the shrine, are mostly Muslims. There is no hint of animosity or hatred on their faces.

Most of the vendors serving hot coffee, tea and biscuits also are Muslims. Hindus have no inhibitions whatsoever among the Hindus in accepting the servings.

In fact, the rows of shops located below the holy shrine that sell Prasad (food offered to the gods). Most of them are manned by Muslims.

At Panchtarani and Sheshnag, the Muslims have pitched tents and are providing all amenities to the pilgrims. On cold nights, they would be at hand to hand out blankets and fire from Chullahs to those in need. It is interesting to note that despite the presence of Langars, where food is served free, most of the pilgrims preferred to dine with their Muslim brethren, in tents. According to Rediff and on the NeT report from Pahalgam- Chandanwari Road, Jammu and Kashmir, India, dated: August 4, 1998. Courtesy: Building civic links key to Hindu-Muslim amity by Lalit K. Jha, from India West, January 22, 1999.

3) Hindu and Christian friends help a blind Muslim boy translate Holy Quran into Braille.

In a unblemished instance of communal peace between Hindus and Muslims, a blind Muslim boy, Syed Noor Mohammed Shakir, 20 year old Second Year student of Sri Venkateshwara University in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India, is transcribing the English translation of the Holy Quran into Braille with the aid of his Hindu and Christian friends, According to India Abroad News Service report published in India West from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, dated: March 12, 1999. Courtesy: Building civic links key to Hindu-Muslim amity by Lalit K. Jha, from India West, January 22, 1999.

A Hindu friend Shri. C. Anjanayalu, who runs a Private Junior College in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh donated Rs. 28,000/- to help Shri. Syed Noor Mohammed Shakir to buy a Computer and a Scanner to make his work easier. "Hindu and Muslim mean nothing to us. We have always been good friends. I have spent my entire childhood with the Muslims", Shri. Anjanayalu says.

4) Hindus celebrate Muharram.

They were all dressed in Pathani Lehengas and Kurtas, laced Topis (Caps) covering their heads and beat themselves with ritual fervor crying, "Hai Hasan, Hai Hussain." It was nothing unusual on Muharram except that they were all Hindus, According to April 28, 1999, the Times of India report by Jhimli Mukherjee from Vadodra, Gujarat, India. Courtesy: Building civic links key to Hindu-Muslim amity by Lalit K. Jha, from India West, January 22, 1999

At Kaka Saheb Ka Tekra at Bhoiwada City, the entire Hindu Mohalla has been observing Muharram for the past 200 Years. Here, every member of a Hindu family is a devoted follower of the Legendary Rafai Pir, whoâs Dargah almost, adjoins the Tekra."And, it is because the Bawa is our Mai Baap (our father) we observe Muharram. Our forefathers did it since the Bawa's times, we are continuing with the tradition."

5) A Muslim serves as a priest at a Shri. Ganesh Temple.

Every morning and evening a 60 Year old Priest arrives at a little Shri. Ganesh Temple Housed in the M. S. University Faculty of Technology and Engineering building at Vadodra, Gujarat, India. The priest is none other than a Muslim named Abdul Rashid Ismail Shaik. He spends the next few minutes performing Puja before the presiding deity. Reported on March 1999, Times of India, report from by Mr. Sajid Shaik from Vadodra, Gujarat, India. Courtesy: Building civic links key to Hindu-Muslim amity by Lalit K. Jha, from India West, January 22, 1999

Nothing unusual about that except that the priest is named Abdul Rashid Ismail Shaik. A true Muslim by birth, Abdul Rashid Ismail Shaik is a Shri. Ganesh devotee by choice, having profession as a peon at the faculty, he is the unofficial priest of the Temple. Even though a Muslim, he has impeccable credentials to hold the High Position, besides he is a Sanskrit scholar and the Shlokas roll off his tongue with unfettered ease. "I am the Muslim Brahmin here,'' says the man who is endearingly called Chacha (Uncle) by all on the campus.

His knowledge of the epics is amazing. He can narrate or recite any episode from the Ramayana or the Bhagwad Gita. Such is his grasp of the Vedas and Shashtras that at times he steps in to correct other Pujaris. Shaikâs fascination with Hindu scriptures began when he was a child. `I stay in the Madazampa area in city. Ours was the only Muslim house in the locality, which was a Hindu area full of Gujaratis and Marathis. I used to join the Shri. Ganesh Mahotsav in the area. It was great fun,'' he recalls.

Gradually, this fascination led him to probe deeper into the philosophy of Hinduism. This did not, however, lead him to abandoning the religion he was born into. On the contrary, he was able to compare the two almost like a theologist. The similarities in the two religions struck him. "In the end, it is the same Malik. Har mazhab pyar sikhata hai (every religion preaches love),'' he says, lamenting that fanatics on both sides fail to see this. 'Khudatala har chiz mai hai, chahe wo Tajuddin Baba ka mazaar ho ya ho Sai Baba ka mandir, (God is everywhere, whether in the mausoleum of Tajuddin Baba or the Sai Baba temple),'' he says.

However, like all those who dare to choose a different path, Abdul has had to face his share of problems. Members of his own community disliked him earlier; but eventually they came to understand him. "I don't have any complaints. I know what I am doing and I know that it is right. The greatest religion is that of humanity,'' he avers.

Now, coming to the topic, Why should Indian Muslims back BJP in this forthcoming Elections 2009? We have ample of affirmative reasons before forecasting our attentiveness towards BJP in the forthcoming elections. Unlike Congress BJP is having a diverse thinking towards Minorities that includes Muslims, Christians, Jainâs, Buddhist and Parsis etc., BJP considers every Indian Muslim forms a part and parcel and integral part of this great nation and their contribution to this nation reminiscent the days of pre Indiaâs freedom struggle movement where a Hindu Brahmin Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil and a devout Muslim Ashfaqulla Khan laid down their precious life for this great Nation. The age old eternal love and amity between Hindus and Muslims could be well demonstrated in the living example of Ashfaqulla Khan and Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, where the immortal sons of India kissed the bereavement on the same day, but in different jail. Ashfaqulla Khan, the great Martyr of Indian Freedom Movement embraced death at the age of 27 in the true sprit of Islam by reading the dominant Verses of Quran setting a living example of a true Muslim and the immense Son of Bharat. Similarly, Bismil proudly touched the foot of death as a true and devout Hindu. What is astonishing to note that I came to know about Ashfaqulla Khan, not from my early school course outline, but, only after mingling with my friends having nationalistic approach. As I said earlier, Muslims in India too enjoys the same status, dignity and decorum with that of Hindus in India. When we consider Shri. Mohanlal Karachand Gandhi as the Father of our Nation, we are not blindly ignoring Shri. Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan as our Frontier Gandhi. When we are lauding the living poetry of the great Indian Poets like Sur das or Kabir das, we are still enjoying the ever lasting patriotic poetic verses of Allama Mohammed Iqbalâs âSare Jahan Se Acha Hindustan Hamara, Hum Bulbulein Ke Uske Wo Gulsitan Hamaraâ. On the whole, that the Indian Muslims should not be under the mistaken thought that they are the second class Indian citizens or mere voting dolls or puppets at the hands of Congress. When we hear the pleasant news about the Musical whiz kid of India A.R. Rahman, the First Indian winning the most coveted Golden Globe or Oscar Award, every Indian Muslim should feel proud that an Indian has bagged this popular award. The Victory of A.R. Rahman represents the Victory of every Indian irrespective of any caste, creed or religion. In broad spectrum, we should consider the Victory of any Indian as our own triumph, more precisely, the Victory of our great Motherland, Bharat. No matter whether he or she is a Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Sikh and Parsi or any segment of Indian society. Whether it could be Ustad Bismillah Khan or Vishwanathan Anand or Pankaj Advani or Sachin Tendulkar or Sania Mirza or Aamir Khan, we should strongly sense that we are all basically Indians and then our Religion follows.

I think no politician or any political outfit of India would have deliberation of remolding the overall economic boost up among the Muslim community, other than the contemporary outstanding statesman of our epoch Shri. Atal Biharee Vajpayee Ji, the former Prime Minister of India. We are all aware that till 1977 there was a limitation imposed by the then Indian National Congress rule headed by late Smt. India Gandhi Ji, in relation to the Indian Muslims who were planned to travel Gulf Countries in search of overseas employment. It is commendable to mention here that before 1977 and more particularly during the regime of Smt. Indira Gandhi Ji, getting an Indian Passport by any Indian Muslim, except few like Doctors and Engineers, was roughly a difficult task. It is significant to note that during the regime of Janata Party, Shri. Atal Ji as the Union Minister of External affairs, the windows of overseas employment was opened for the entire Muslim community in India by the issuance of Indian Passport through the Union Ministry of External Affairs to the aspirant Muslim community, as a result of this; there was a substantial augment of income, boost of fiscal living and educational uplift among the Muslims. In view of Shri. Atal Biharee Vajpayee Jiâs real care and his unperturbed liking towards Minorities, the living standard of Indian Muslims and Christians made a rapid increase in many parts of the Indian States, more precisely in Kerala. This occurrence is considered to be a land mark as for as Indian Muslims are concerned in the History of India and all the Muslim and Christian Minorities are indebted to Shri. Atal Jiâs magnanimous stature.

The contribution of Shri. Atal Ji for the Muslim community could be illustrated in many live examples like the candidature of Dr. Kalam, His Excellency the Former President of India. According to the Veteran Journalist Kuldip Nayar âVajpayee had indicated that Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was his choice three or four months ago. He shares the general feeling that he has not been selected for his achievements or austere life style. The support of his candidature is prompted by other reasons.â It is really praiseworthy to imagine that after the communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat, which was virtually a pre planned and revolting design of the Congress Party in order to generate a black stain on his terrific six years rule and above all to restrain the overwhelming support of Muslims for BJP in the subsequent years and by this means the Congress Party hatched a clandestine design to put an end to the BJPâs overwhelming fame in midst of Muslim Minorities. Shri. Atal Ji was very much perturbed after the riots and he sought to preserve the secular fabric of this country by nominating a Muslim and a celebrated missile man, surreptitiously opposed by then opposition Congress. It may not be wrong on my part if I put forward our Muslim brothers to recollect the attitude of Congress Party during the nomination of Dr. Kalam. On the whole, let me daringly say that the so called pro Muslim Congress Party sent an apparent indication on the entire Muslim community that it is the deadliest antagonist of Muslims and not a trusted friend as every one sense.

After the results of recent Gujarat election, we can proudly sense that both the Hindus and Muslims want to put behind 2002 riots and unitedly move forward towards concentrating on the developmental scenario not only in Gujarat, but also in other parts of the country. It is very pertinent to mention here that the Hindu Muslim riots did not happen only during Modiâs rule, but also under many others leaders rule too. The magnificent Victory of Shri. Modi in the recent state election crystal clear to point out that Hindus and Muslims of Gujarat are more unified than in any other states in India. The literacy rate among Muslims in Gujarat has increased by 10% in the last decade and at 73% is higher than the overall literacy rate in the state. Female literacy in Gujarat is higher than the national average rate at 54 %. The High rate of literacy among the Muslims in Gujarat is mainly due to the educational uplift of the BJP Government in Gujarat.

Every Indian Muslim should comprehend the golden days of Shri. Atal Ji, where he was so dare to enhance the subsidy to Indian Muslims Hajj pilgrims despite of facing domestic and global opposition including from the Arab countries alleging that his stand on Hajj Subsidy was anti Islamic and anti Shariat. Reacting to such comments Shri. Atal Ji said that "We have special provisions for the minority, which do not come as a favour, but it can be described as the Indian way of living together in a family," Criticizing those who propagated that the NDA Government was "anti-minority", Shri. Vajpayee said it was a huge country with a large number of people who had complaints and grouses. "There is nothing that cannot be resolved through talks. People are running a campaign to malign the Government," he said adding that not everyone believed in these allegations, "There are times when people feel dejected and frustrated in their country but India belongs to everyone and each one of us has a role to play in its development," he said. May 4, 2003, reported in the Hindu, English news paper. In this context the former Chairman of the Central Hajj Committee Shri. Tanvir Ahmed said that âPrime Minister Shri. Atal Biharee Vajpayee has turned down the Finance Ministry proposal to cut down the Hajj subsidy by 50 per cent. The proposal, which was discussed at the Union Cabinet meeting recently, was rejected, and it was agreed to continue subsidy of over Rs 18,000 per pilgrim for air travel, Reported in the Tribune, Chandigarh, October 22,2001.

On the whole, let me articulate that the thoughts of Muslims have undergone a vast sea change in the recent years due to the stupendous past rule of the BJP/NDA combine at the centre and other state like Gujarat and speedy growth of education and thinking among Muslim minorities. âIn the Past decades the Muslims used to consider BJP as their usual foe and they used to welcome us at their Mohallaâs by pitting pebbles on us; Now, we find a drastic change in the approach and reasoning of Muslims; the same Muslims who were throwing pebbles on us are now welcoming us by showering the aromatic rose petalsâ says Shri. S. Malikarjunaiah, Former Deputy Speaker and now a sitting BJP MP, during a election campaign at Kumbipalya, Nagavalli Village, Tumkur, Karnataka, Reported in Samyuktha Karnataka, July 29, 1999, Kannada New paper from Karnataka.

We are attentive during the present regime of UPA; India has lost its uniqueness both in the national and international arena, due to various factors like inappropriate governance, inept ministers, roaring inflation, growing poverty, unemployment, population explosion, inactive and corrupt government servants and growing hard core terrorism; To sum up we have witnessed Congress/UPA government a utter waste as it consciously failed to achieve their pre poll catchphrase like Congress Ka Hath Aam Aadmi Ke Saath. Therefore, we Indians, more particularly the Indian Muslims should evaluate the golden period of Shri. Atal Ji and the present rule of Congress/UPA in broad spectrum and exercise their vote in favour of the BJP/NDA combine in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and undoubtedly, I feel that the golden days are not far behind that we will indisputably observe a new meaning of high ranking governance, more innovative, more transparent and more adoptive touching the aspirations of all the sections of Indian Society, irrespective any caste or creed under the Maiden leadership of towering statesman Sri. L.K. Advani Ji, the only hope of Modern India. Notwithstanding his age factor, it is quite sure that Shri. Advani Jiâs forty years stupendous political experience and his foreign policy intensity will surely help India to reinstate the Indian pride in the global platform. Jai Hind, Vande Mataram.

SHAIK MAHABOOB
Former State General Secretary, BJP Minority Morcha, Karnataka
#5, FF, Girimaji Rao Complex, K.G. Halli, Bangalore-560 045, India
email: info@shaikmahaboob.com

Bodhi · (This post was last modified: 02-19-2009, 08:34 AM by Bodhi.)

Shri Shaik Mahaboob could have enhanced his article by adding the following datapoints

BJP's Minority Morcha sponsored a project to translate the Holy Manual from aurava into devabhAShA

Sarvashri Atal Ji and Advani Ji, not only continued with the Hajj subsidy but actually increased it as well as created dedicated Hajj terminals at the Delhi and Mumbai airports, and started direct flights to Jeddah from towns like Lucknow and Hyderabad for the comfort of the moslem brothers on umrah

Shri Advani Ji gave shelter and Rajya Sabha tickets to the liberal Moslems like Najma Heptullah, who continues the subtle traditions of her uncle Abul Kalam Azad vareity.

Sarvashri Atal Ji and Advani Ji aptly gave place to the "green" on the earlier flag of Mookerjee.

NDA had continued the sacred tradition of posting only Moslem staff in the Indian embassy to Saudi country (which no non-moslem countries do).

Shri Atal Ji's government increased the quantum of tourist visas to Pakistani brothers, besides starting off the bus services and trains across the border, so that they might more easily undertake the pilgrimage to the dargah of his own favourite sufi of ajmer, and marry with Indian women if they liked.

02-19-2009, 09:32 AM

Mudy: That is what I said, some of them even get paid. The big ones at least. So BJP or any well wisher of BJP not do the same?

Shambhu · 02-19-2009, 09:05 PM

Sudheendra Kulkarni got this one right:

Raol Vinci (RGanty) is a "vansh bhogi" <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />
http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/sudheendrakulk...ansh-bhogi.html

ramana · 02-20-2009, 02:48 AM

QUOTE(dhu @ Feb 18 2009, 08:23 PM)<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ramana @ Feb 19 2009, 12:32 AM)I worry if BJP is Modern India's Julian?
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But Romans did not have Mayawati !!!

Julian was battling the brainchild of his own Empire. We are battling foreigners, foreign (fake) ideology, and foreign (fake) learning configuration and interpretive and problematizing framework. Therein is the difference. Huffing and puffing fake ideologies.
[right][snapback]94700[/snapback][/right]
</div>

If you juxtapose

Christian = Secular

and that all you mentioned are also foreign to the pagan Romans, you realize its a Julian moment.

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