Degeneration of intellectual climate in India

Everywhere there are signs that our thinking and feeling on issues of national importance is getting vitiated day by day. Politics is worst contributor to this intellectual pollution. What happened in recent Bihar election was a demonstration of name calling and washing soiled cloths in public. No one is untarnished in this dirt of slanderous and vicious language full of damaging one or the other. Even outside the sphere of politics, literary and journalistic parleys were also full of stink that emits from such tasteless language.

AAP led this march to using slanderous and mudslinging words. Congress too joined in by atrocious conduct in Parliament and outside. BJP  joined in by unstoppable blabber that damaged the harmony and peace of nation. To shout ‘Modi ji jid chodiye police mujhe de dijye’ was not address of a CM to PM. Lalu’s Pishach and Shairtan was too coarse as his Modoa in rustic language. Nitish led with his false compaign of Bihari DNA that was never questioned by Modi. Modi too used sarcastic and repeat abuse in the manner that was not desirable of a PM of the country. Rahul telling people that Modi was selling their land to friends was too Kiddush and too caricaturist.

This followed the two events Dadri and Mumbai ink throw case. Worse riots had taken place earlier in Muzzafar Nagar  but one Dadri murder, unjust and condemnable, was blown to national centre stage. How many times leaders of various parties had experienced shoe being thrown on them and ink or acid being thrown but no national outrage too place. Since Bihar elections were approaching this was the moment that every one tried to bake his bread. Sudhir Kulkarnai brought the former Minister of Pakistan to release his book and Shiv Sena protested by ink thrown on him. He did not wipe it out and kept it as a souvenir to stand before cameras and project it as intolerance. Sartaj Aziz Pakistani former  Foreign Minister came to India to tell how foolish was handling of 26/11 when Manmohan singh after delayed response decided to do nothing against Pakistan and chose diplomatic option that never yielded results. Was this climate of sound intellectuals discourse when all of a sudden chore was being played to corner Narendera Modi for offences that he was not responsible? But a crucial election was due and even writers joined in to return rewards for their imagined intolerance in the country. Even Shah Rukh Khan came from the blues to condemn intolerance and that too before elections. When President of India and objective commentators like Narynswami of Infosys alluded to intolerance they lent credibility to such hallucinations being promoted in atmosphere of distrust.

They were talking all kind of stories as if in a concerted plan to condemn PM at tense times of election that happened to be worse war like situation. What was the duty and role of writers and media in such times of confusion that they should have led the readers to light and tell the facts but more of distortion or abuse was propagated than painting the correct perspective. Sonia Gandhi had the credit of rarely indulging in such false allegations as many were blabbering.

Factually speaking no act of intolerance were widely prevalent in India. Dictionary defines intolerance as ” inability to tolerate the existence of opinion or behavior that one dislikes or disagrees”. No one even those who were calling names to PM was arrested or detailed or questioned by the Government agencies for such acts. No book was banned by the Government and no media channel or paper was questioned nor any one was trying to censor internet. Where the hell was the intolerance? The fact is the Salman Rushdie’s book was banned by earlier Government and Modi did nothing but he too indulged in intolerance talk forgetting that he was virtually banned from Literary Festival in India by earlier regime and not Modi. Riots and rapes had come down in statistics compared to previous year. No one was threatened but there were a few pointers that gave rise to provide fodder for such intolerance talk. BJP and its other outfits had many members talking without taking care of peace and harmony in society. These lose canons were individuals but should have been restrained as the Government certainly has to be responsible for creating a cordial atmosphere. Modi should have restrained such talk by his irresponsible leaders. Second failure was inability of the Government to project facts and denials of false talk by effective agencies. Information and Broadcasting Ministry was a failure and it did not communicate facts effectively.

The net result was that a false intolerance climate was sought to be created by determined opposition sponsored people or other dissenters, who did not expect any further patronage from this government having been denied of plane load of holiday makers on foreign joints. But it was for PM and his Ministers to strongly rebut the false propaganda and also present before nation a graceful and dignified conduct in spite of provocations. There is need for national reconciliation in order democracy to function and winning election is not enough ensuring peace and goodwill even with opponents the job of winners.

Bus Stand-First Passenger: Why Rahul and Modi go abroad so often?

Second Passenger: They go out to ease their tensions at home.

---Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India

Defeat of Development and Triumph of communalism in Bihar

No one including all surveys and channels could forecast correctly the outcome of Bihar election that JDU+ will get two third majorities in its victory. Some Channels even announced victory of BJP+ while the counting was on. Forenoon what showed BJP’s lead turned just upside down in the afternoon. Only one survey AXIS fore cast that JDU+ will get 170 but it was brushed aside and not aired. I was also proved wrong and my estimates went hay wire. It is time to rethink and reinvent the system of forecasting as it is a major disaster in forecasting. Even in USA there is debate on the ways of increasing accuracy and phone surveys are more and more becoming difficult as people have switched over from land line to mobile. Whatever be now damned forecasts the fact is that the JDU+ is in power and has decisively won  and virtually butchered NDA.The greatest shock is that Lalu Prasad who is convict in corruption case and not able to fight election, has virtually emerged as the king maker since has  got more seats than JDU who could get 71 while in previous elections they had 117. It is lalu who scored phenomenally against all expectation and my in accurate but logical thinking that he should lose heavily. On the other hand he got maximum. It is not a rational vote but it is effective vote and the dream of Bihar to achieve new hights of development stands demolished by the caste and communal deivide. It is national loss.

No doubt BJP made disatserous mistakes. Important leaders of the party made statements harming Modi in the run for victory in Bihar. There  is no doubt therfe was internal sabotage in the party itself. But it was weaknesss of a disciplined party that no one bothered for the leadership and indulged in total nonsense . If they were trying to match the opponents and outdo Lalu they failed, as Lalu could go nastier and carried the rustic card to justify whatever he did. Being an astute politician he used Bhagwat” remark about review of reservation to target NDA and to emphatically frighten Biharis that reservation is in danger. This was lethal threat for the masses and BJP tried to explain it away but no one listened. He was wrongly being charged for remark about beef eating that went to fetch him all Muslim votes .Amit Shah’ s Diwali in Pakistan if they lost  utterance added more Muslim votes  to kitty of Lalu. Loose cannons of BJP became fodder for lalu who too was known to use filthy language but he found more of it  in enemies camp that people did not digest.

On the results day event was general conclusion that Bhagwat+ combined yadav -Muslim votes brought down the citadel of Narender Modi.  Added to this Modi himself gave up corruption free development debate to polarizing communal attempt by invoking Muslim reservation voiced by so called secular parties. This did not get him Hindu votes but more Muslim votes went to his opponent. Hindu votes did not polarize that was being attempted by beef posters as that was stuck in caste matrix.  Lalu successfully sold backward and forward debate using Bhagwat and other issues. A corrupt leader on bail, and who had brought jungle raj to Bihar, became the victorious king maker. To quote apt comment of Tavleen Singh It was victory of past over future. The agenda of good goverfnence and corruption free development got no champions as even Modi  gave in to communalism.

The result of election may be touted against Modi rhetoric but in any country where democracy is strong pluralistic paradigm prevails. Earlier governments in centre did not have their rule in all states and opposition regional parties reigned earlier too but climate is vitiated by debased debate this time and it needs strong communication of facts to clean the rumor full climate, Even In United States all states are not won by the President’ party but they have strong Constitutional base to continue without much road blocks . In our country we will have to rethink and rightly the thinking public is now talking of Presidential system and it is time to change the system where a determined opponent group does not block the functioning of the Parliament. But even if Modi is blocked on passing the bills inspite of massive national verdict in his favor there is enough in the ambit of government that central government can do to take the country forward. BJP must reinvent its strategic orientation. To me there are two lessons: First that democracy and pluralism have won but the system to change existing blocking of national body functioning by minority needs rethinking of model of governance. Second lesson is that Corruption free development must continue in the spheres where it is still amply possible and it should take the centre stage even if the jolt in one state should not deter reforms and progress.(Prof NKSingh ex chairman IAA

Lalu may prove to  be savior of BJP in Bihar elections

Bihar election is at the last leg and many forecasters have stopped making any announcements as they are waiting for 8^th November with baited breath. I may be treading on a risky path but in my past experience I was proved only wrong in Delhi elections.

Let me first explain that all surveys are faulty as the method of coversion of votes is a black magic. Many times wrong questions are asked. In Bihar Nitish has done well to captures already hostile media that was waiting to see when Modi gets trounced. As a result of it many surveys start with no face of Modi and how popular is Nitish. It needed no survey to know and announce that Nitish has been most popular leader but the real issue was in spite of that will his party win? The real issue went sidetracked in the din of Nitish Nitish chanting by media. The survey results also showed in half that he is winning and another half that NDA is winning. After second phase many started anticipating problems with Modi. No doubt Modi faced an uphill task as he was fighting clever and complex leaders of a state that has unfathomable labyrinth of castes and classes. The perpetuation of caste politics was also promoted by the political parties in the past since independence by giving in to caste consideration without trying to change the scenario to more urgent issues of development. Nitish to some extent and Modi with all his vigor tried to bring issues economic backwardness and hence need for job creation and education to the fore. Nevertheless NDA too catered to Caste politics as Manjhi , Kushwaha, and Paswan were out and out caste representatives. Lalu was blatantly Yadva- Muslim formula inventor and followed it diligently. It is, however, doubtful if he succeeded as the issues of dire needs of education health jobs and power supply were too real to be ignored. Forecasting of such an imbroglio is a difficult job.

Modi faced perhaps a herculean task that was made worse by his own colleagues and party rather than outside opposition. His own supporters uttered words and made statements  that directly hurt his compaign. Worse his past colleagues like Shatrugan Sinha,Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shori and others who were frustrated due to being deprived of a Ministers. Job made ridiculous noises at the time of electioneering. Again unnecessary and untimely debate on beef and reservation was not needed but no one bothered for his difficult challenge and their party interest. One wonders what were those ensuring party discipline were doing.

Of all Lalu Prasad had maximum negative factors in his score. Consider these:

1.     He was convicted for corruption and was not able to fight

2.     His wife and daughter lost elections in Parliamentary polls recently

3.     His past record of Jungle raj stuck to him and was vigorously propagated by Modi

4.     He openly complained of thin attendance in his rallies

5.     His son Tapasvi  a candidate was hounded out of booth by the people and shown on Channels

6.     He mostly behaved as a clown rather than a responsible leader and made intemperate remarks about Moduva as he called Modi in derogatory manner.

7.     He openly appealed to caste politics

8.     Empirical research shows his jungle raj no one wants in Bihar and in fact his association with Nitish damaged Nitish too who accepted him in his dream of becoming CM if not PM

Considering this it is not foreseen if he will score much and he has bargained for 101 seats he will get very low number. Whatever channels may forecast considering his caste base he is likely to be greatest loser. After all with his caste base his wife and daughter loost too. That shows the mood of Bihar. His loss will be major gain of NDA and poses a hope for them.

If previous Parliamentary polls are any indication the same converted to MLA constituencies gives figure of 188 to NDA which is comfortable majority and best performance.  But taking into account that local matters differ from national issues and many developments have taken place in the intervening period, I have done careful assessment and that shows NDA will get around 123 in worst scenario and 152 in best scenario.

Let us wait for 8^th to see the final outcome. I trust I will not be as wrong as some surveys might turn out in the end.

Bus Stand

First passenger: Thieves are so bold in Himachal that they burgled the house of CM. Why are they not trying PM house next?

Second Passenger: Perhaps they are afraid that he may not start with them Choron pe charcha.

--Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India