Saturday, May 30, 2009

Without ideology, BJP is nothing


Kanchan Gupta / Analysis

The responses to my last post have been extremely useful; they have helped clear doubts in my mind. Scintillating debate, even when it gets sharp, is always welcome.

The rise of the BJP between 1989 and 1998 was directly linked to assertive Hindu expectations articulated by an assertive Hindu leadership. These can be briefly summed up as:

. Political: Hindus had begun to tire of Congress's 'pseudo-secularism'; deep within them, Indians nurse a concept of nationhood whose defining contours are Hindu. When I say Hindu, it is not religion specific but culture and civilisation specific. The Ram Janmabhoomi agitation found a resonance across the country because it became a symbol of both bruised Hindu pride and an opportunity to correct a historical wrong. We could debate the merits of such perceived hurt and grievance, but that is not really relevant; what is relevant is that people saw it that way.

. Social: VP Singh's divisive Mandal politics had left middle India aghast and angry. Since anti-Congress feelings were still high, people turned to the BJP for succour. 'Hindutva' was seen as a unifying force.

. Economic: With the world moving towards market economy, middle India was seeking liberation from the statist economic control-and-command structure that had stifled enterprise and restricted growth as well as wealth generation for more than four decades. On this front, too, the BJP offered an alternative economic policy and programme, based on deregulation and reform.

These coalesced into a burst of support for the BJP, taking it to power in 1998. What also helped was the spectre of political instability and Congress's inability to get its act together during the intervening years between the 1996 and 1998 general elections.

This tectonic shift in voter preference towards the BJP would not have been possible without the party's tactical adoption of 'Hindutva' as a component of its ideology (or, as the BJP calls it, 'political philosophy') along with 'Integral Humanism', which the party says "gives us a broader and modern perspective and tries to unshackle our minds from parochial concerns and past baggage".

Deendayal Upadhyaya's enunciation on this aspect was explicit:

“We have to discard the status quo mentality and usher in a new era. Indeed our efforts at reconstruction need not be clouded by prejudice or disregard for all that is inherited from our past. On the other hand, there is no need to cling to past institutions and traditions which have outlived their utility."

For the BJP, "A nation state based on Integral Humanism is a secular, non-theocratic state. Also, it repudiates statism and stands up for decentralisation to uphold the twin pillars of individual freedom and national interest."

To this was added 'Hindutva' in the late-1980s, strengthening the Hindu ethos of the party, making it more credible as a representative of Hindu aspirations, and setting it apart from the 'secular' centrist and left-of-centre political parties, especially the Congress.

Criticism of 'Hindutva' as a 'communal' idea was blunted by the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench judgement which, essentially, said that 'Hindutva' was/is India's 'way of life' and rooted in its civilisational and cultural history.
The Constitution Bench said,
"No precise meaning can be ascribed to the terms 'Hindu', 'Hindutva' and 'Hinduism'; and no meaning in the abstract can confine it to the narrow limits of religion alone, excluding the content of Indian culture and heritage. It is difficult to appreciate how in the face of these decisions, the term 'Hindutva' or 'Hinduism' per se, in the abstract, can be assumed to mean and be equated with narrow fundamentalist Hindu religious bigotry..."

The BJP's own articulation of 'Hindutva' is both pithy and sharp:
"Hindutva or Cultural Nationalism presents the BJP's concept of Indian nationhood. It must be noted that Hindutva is a nationalist, and not a religious or theocratic, concept."

Yet, as has been evident during this summer's general election, events and incidents have controverted this 'concept of Indian nationhood', and driven voters away from the BJP, especially in urban India and among the middle classes.

'Hindutva', as enunciated by the BJP, now carries less credibility as a unifying force. On the contrary, it is seen as Hindu bigotry, fanaticism, extremism and 'anti-modernism', and anti-social reform. The instinctive liberal impulse of upwardly mobile Hindus in towns and cities rejects this perception of 'Hindtuva'. We could argue that the perception is flawed and not grounded in reality, but as we all know, perception matters more than reality, especially in politics.

The following have undoubtedly contributed towards the creation of this perception:

. The anti-Christian violence in Orissa and Karnataka;
. The unrestrained utterances of Hindu organisations like the Bajrang Dal and the VHP, among many others.
. The moral policing of dubious outfits like Sri Ram Sene which promote lumpen power.
. The harsh talk of neophytes like Varun Gandhi.
. The inability of the BJP to respond in a cogent and coherent manner when under attack from the 'secular' camp.
. The failure to strategise how to achieve political objectives and adopt tactics accordingly.
. The BJP's proclivity to fudge issues rather than confront them.
. The confusion that has replaced clarity within the party about 'Hindutva', with diverse opinions diluting its essence and disfiguring the concept.
. The absence of any strucured consultative process between the BJP and the various units of the 'Sangh Parivar'.
. The subversion of organisational interests to promote individual interests.

It could well be asked that if Hindus want grievances related to their faith, for instance the threat to Hinduism and Hindu society posed by missionaries of the Christian church, whom should they turn to if not the BJP? And, should the BJP shy away from speaking up for Hindu society?

This is no doubt a tricky question. If the BJP is indifferent to Hindu angst and anger, it will be seen by Hindus as being no different from the 'secular' political class. But if it actively involves itself in the redressal process, it will rile liberal Hindu sensitivities.

Nor can the BJP just disown fraternal organisations like the VHP and the Bajrang Dal. Those who prescribe this course forget that at the grassroots level, there is tremendous interlinking between the supporters of the various Sangh organisations.

Which brings us to three related questions:

Does a possible solution lie in repudiating 'Hindutva' and retaining 'Integral Humanism' as the core ideological belief of the party, as is being suggested by some?

Or, should the BJP reframe the concept of 'Hindutva' and make it more meaningful for our times without 'secularising' the party?

Or, should the BJP revisit both 'Integral Humanism' [conceptualised in a particular social, political and economic context that does not obtain any more] and 'Hindutva' [similarly formulated in a particular social/political situation that no longer exists], cull out the most redeeming features of both, and draft a new charter to guide the party in the next decade?

I personally feel the time has come to opt for the third course of action. [My Sunday column in the Pioneer.] If adopted, it will ensure greater clarity, help purge the party of its gathered malcontents and give it a 'new look' with which 'new India' can connect.

The BJP would be reduced to nothing without an ideology of its own that is uniquely different from what is espoused by others. But ideology must lie at the core of a grand political strategy, which is different from what the Americans refer to as 'the vision thing' and of which some in the BJP (the courtiers) are enamoured because it promotes individuals over organisation.

Can the BJP come up with a grand political strategy in the next five years, more precisely, by 2014?

The answer to this question is linked to the issue of ideology. One without the other is meaningless, if not impossible.

What do you think?

23 comments:

Aryan said...

How to tamper with voting machines!

Chandigarh, March 11
Can electronic voting machines (EVMs) be tampered with?


Capt Amarinder Singh demonstrates how a “fudged electronic voting machine” works. — A Tribune photo by Parvesh Chauhan

“Yes”, says Mr Amarinder Singh, president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, supporting his assertion by giving a demonstration of how an EVM with a cleverly programmed chip installed in it can transfer votes polled by one candidate to another leaving no remnants of the original voting pattern.

“Convinced that these EVMs can be manipulated, we are going to make a presentation to the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr Manohar Singh Gill, in New Delhi next week and request him to revert to the original system of voting using ballot papers. If the commission does not listen to us, we will have no choice but to knock at the door of the judiciary to get EVMs out of the elections,” asserts Mr Amarinder Singh.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010312/main4.htm

Aryan said...

Mr Amarinder Singh carries a set of EVMs, including the control unit, which during elections remains with the presiding officer of a polling station, and gives a “demonstration of how the programmed chip transfers the votes of one candidate to another”.

“We got suspicious about what we call ‘sophisticated booth capturing’ when we found that there was 129 per cent increase in the votebank of Akalis at Nawanshahr, 100 per cent at Sunam and now 65 per cent at Majitha. The ruling party did well wherever EVMs were used while at other places, we did well. This we did by analysing all elections in the state since 1997,” says the PPCC chief, admitting that “my wife and Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar were elected to the Lok Sabha from constituencies where EVMs were used. But till that time, for the ruling Akali Dal, EVMs were something new and unique.

“But once they put their electronics experts on the job, they could immediately find a solution. Whatever the Election Commission says about EVMs is not true. The mother boards, after being removed from the EVMs, do not crash but work perfectly after being soldered back in the machine. Similarly, wave welding, which the Election Commission maintains is not available in India, is very much available at various places in the country,” asserts the Punjab Congress chief.

Aryan said...

“We put our hardware and software experts on the job. They not only came out with different programmed chips but also revealed how these EVMs had been condemned the world over. Many countries, including Germany, France and the UK, had gone back to the conventional ballot paper polling by discarding the EVMs,” he said before giving a demonstration of how an EVM with a programmed chip installed in it “works wonders”.

“A programmed chip will not cost much. It is both timed and programmed to convert the votes polled by one candidate to those of another. It is only the final position that will remain on the hardchip or all three memories, thus leaving no scope for anyone to find out the original pattern of voting,” he says during the demonstration. “Seventeen votes are cast of which three go to candidate number 1, one each to candidates number two and three, 11 to candidate number 5 and one to candidate number 7. And after a while, when the votes are counted, the machine gives 13 votes to candidate number 1 and four to candidate number 2 and nothing to the rest.

“So each machine can be programmed to transfer, say, every third vote polled by the Congress to the Shiromani Akali Dal. In the Chamunda Devi area, which is a traditional Congress stronghold, our candidate lost during the recent Majitha Assembly byelection. This strengthens our conviction that EVMs were programmed.

“Let bygone be bygone. We do not want this ‘sophisticated booth-capturing’ to continue anymore. We do not want EVMs but want that in all future elections in Punjab the conventional ballot paper should be used.

“The EVMs remain in the custody of the government, thus leaving scope for their manipulation. We had requested the Election Commission that if it wants to use EVMs in Majitha, let it bring EVMs from any other state and use them. But our suggestion was turned down and the EVMs already with the election tehsildars in Punjab were used,” he added.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010312/main4.htm

Aryan said...

Italy calls halt to electronic voting

The Italian Minister of the Interior, Giulano Amato has announced that following pilots the government has decided not to pursue electronic voting any further.

"We decided to stop the electronic voting machine [...] During the 2006 elections we experimented with the machines as a voting system, and not a system that counts the sections, without any reference to the legally valid votes. Now that we arrived at the point in which we decide to continue, passing from the experimental phase to the implementation, using the machines for the counting as well, it is obvious: we decided to stop. It is a suggestion that came from the ministerial offices, I presented it to Prodi expressing my opinion as well, the Premier agreed. It will be the triumph of our ancestors, but for someone of my generation it isn't unpleasant either. Let's stick to voting and counting physically because less easy to falsify" (Source)

This is fantastic news for Italians and for all of us around the world trying to prevent the introduction of e-voting. In the space of a month the Canadian province of Quebec has introduced an indefinite moratorium on e-voting, the Netherlands have withdrawn all of a specific model e-voting machine and now Italy have called a halt to e-voting. Is the tide turning?

Following up on the earlier claims that the Italian general election could have been rigged, the journalists behind the allegations are now being investigated for publishing false information. Whether the allegations themselves are being properly investigated isn't clear - there seems to be a lot of recrimination at the moment and little in the way of facts.

http://www.jasonkitcat.com/h/f/JDOM/blog//1//?be_id=320

Aryan said...

Large Scale Reshuffle of Officials Before Elections

Immediately before the election, the ECO decided to reshuffle the senior government officials controlling election process in each state and union territories. S K Rudola, Secretary, ECI convened a meeting of all the Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police in each state and union territories to review election preparedness and security arrangements for the polls.

"The Commission directed that no efforts should be spared to conduct free and fair elections. The Commission directed the States and Union Territories to ensure that all officials who have been posted at one place for more than 3 years in the last 4 years, or those who are posted in their home districts, should be immediately transferred out, and compliance report sent by 28th February, 2009," said a press statement issued by the Secretary on February 5, 2009. (Navin Chawla, Chief Election Commissioner --right N Gopalaswami -shunted out of ECI in the middle of electioneering)

The Commission also directed that all critical posts from the point of view of conduct of elections be filled up on priority basis by 20th February, 2009. Was it only to ensure "free and fair elections" that massive transfers and reshuffles exercise just before the election? Along with a change at the top level in ECI, there was a total reshuffle of the election machinery in the months before the polls. In addition, part of the crucial election related IT work was outsourced and temporary computer programmers were selected to write. To strengthen its IT set up, the commission has appointed several temporary computer programmers "to write code for .NET framework and Oracle/SQL server for software designed for ECI. The use of digital signature certificates for government officials.

The counting of electronic voting was conducted in such a manner to hide booth wise voting pattern, ostensibly to prevent post-election "intimidation and victimization" of voters. What is the big danger if the booth wise voting pattern is known? First election in India using EVMs throughout the country had extensive security measures in place for EVMs -leaving the key with government officials. ""Keys of the EVM strong room should be in safe custody with the RO/DEO. The candidates should be allowed to put their own seal on the strong room". "A control room is opened in the premises from where watch may be kept on the strong room security".

A Sanatani said...

During Swami Vivekananda's time, we were under foreign rule... there was a lot of poverty. Did he beat his chest and cry "Hinduism is under threat!!". No! He was always happy; he would praise even the British on occasions. He reminded us of our responsibilities but never used scare tactics.

It is our own mental attitude which makes the world what it is for us. Our thoughts make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly. The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper light. First, believe in this world that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holy and beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you are not understanding it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves! - Swami VivekanandaHow can someone protect Hindus if they do not understand Hinduism? For Bharatiyas, Sattva Guna is considered the highest and best. Moderation is part of our culture.

Sundararaman said...

"To place before himself a great object and then to shrink in the name of expediency from the expenditure and sacrifice called for in its pursuit is not prudence but ineptitude. If you will be prudent, be prudent from the beginning. Fix your object low and creep towards it. But if you fix your object in the skies, it will not do to crawl on the ground and because your eyes are sometimes lifted towards the ideal imagine you are progressing while you murmur to those behind, “Yes, yes, our ideal is in the skies because that is the place for ideals, but we are on the ground and the ground is our proper place of motion. Let us creep, let us creep.” Such inconsistency will only dishearten the nation, unnerve its strength and confuse its intelligence." This is what Aurobindo says. This and the path ahead is discussed in http://dharmism.blogspot.com/

senthil said...

I completelly agree with you kanchan ji..

However, do you have any specific agendas on how to revive hinduism or hindutva, which BJP can do it, whether with or without power.

Some of the problems that hinduism are facing:

1. The priestly class is under extreme stress, both social and financially, that they are leaving their profession.
As per sri sri ravishankar, more than 75% of temples in karnatak are without priests. and in tamilnadu, the situation is more bad.

2. The supporting social structures of hinduism is also weaning away.. for example, where are those sculptists and artists, sthapathis who are essential for temple construction.. a large dis-array is among the community without government support, and the next generation is not interested in those professions..

3. Many of the arts performed in temples are already lost, and there are many in the stage of extinction. We are in a need of urgency to retain those.

4. we need to revive the old practice of "performing baratanatyam" in temples, which in tamil is usually called "Arangettram" . We can revive old historic temples with such arangettrams (or programs)

5. We can focus on strengthening the social practices that is strongly mixed with the general masses. For example, the punyasana performed in each house is so ingrained that now a days has become commercialised. We need to retain the purpose and purity of such practices, and also encourage more people to take that profession (through proper system)..

There are many more things that can be pointed out..

But my question is that what is the use of talking about hindutva, hinduism, cultural nationalism, when the supporting structures of our hindu culture is at the stage of collapse?

iamfordemocracy said...

Here are some straightforward answers to the questions you raise with advanced apology to those who might find some a little offensive.

Some of the answers are uncharitable to the BJP, but that is unavoidable. I don't mean offence. The truth must be told still.

You ask "It could well be asked that if Hindus want grievances related to their faith, for instance the threat to Hinduism and Hindu society

posed by missionaries of the Christian church, whom should they turn to if not the BJP?". The clear answer is Hindu organisations, peethas,

whatever. If the law of the land is providing obstacles in that path, political parties should come in and support, but that is all a political party

can do. BJP cannot do the job that Hindu organisations should be doing. Period.

You mentiond VP Singh and Mandal and rightly so. VP singh spotted an opportunity to create a vote bank. A little later, Advani, equally

opportunistically, created the Hindu vote bank. VP Singh delivered on his promise. Advani never did. Any statement by an opposition party

leader calling for a change must be viewed in the opportunistic light. That is what opposition parties should do. The veneer of principle or

ethics is merely for the consumption of the gullible. With a little clarity, you can see through the ploy. Not good or bad. It is just a tactic, not a

lofty ideal as many might think.

I would like to put it bluntly. BJP cannot have a strong ideology, it does not have one, it should not have one. Equally it is not BJP's fault that it

is unable to stick to a strong ideology.

What BJP needs is proper strategy, and proper functionality. As I see it, BJP has little democracy and technocracy inside, but heaps of

democracy on show. Anybody can pretty much say anything to media (as long as it is not critical of party top brass). All that most do is say,

blabber, talk.

For example think about this. BJP was unhappy with the Election Commissioners' appointments. BJP was aware of EVM tampering. What

did BJP do to protect itself against a possible tampering? Ask yourself and satisfy yourself before you begin to answer this.

Anonymous said...

Offstumped seems to agree with you.

Kanchan Gupta too makes the case for a fresh start to define a new ideological anchor

The White Umbrella that symbolizes Justice must become the metaphor for a movement that sees itself as a natural alternative for governance

Governance is about Justice and not faith, its time to relegate Saffron that symbolizes faith to the private realm

If Hindutva is essence of Hindu thought then which dyed in the wool traditionalist can object to that essence "Dharma" as a starting point

Swapan Dasgupta says its time to drop the H-word the Shveta Chhatra could provide a soft landing

Anonymous said...

Kanchan ji,

You have pointed out the negatives arising out of the some of the violent activities of fraternal organizations like vhp, bd.

You have also argued that bjp cannot disown fraternal organizations.

bjp now goes ahead and adopts a modern ideology, but fraternal organizations are stuck in time and do not let go some violent actions, and bjp cannot disown them, negative colour will get attributed to even the new ideology of bjp.


So it is not only important for bjp to adopt a new modern ideology with ethos, but the fraternal organizations too need to take up the issues that confront them in new strategies like hidden cameras, proof, making aware other activities to media awareness programmme, importantly social and charitable activities(clasic example of the case in karnataka a week back where the boy accused christians of forced conversions and converting his parents but at same time told the court that none of the hindu organizations he approached for help for their health condition helped them) and shun violence.

even when attacked, they must instead use it to generaate sympathy towards their causes.


Kanchan ji,

It will be great if you can address this situation as well- bjp is ready to adopt new ideology and give fresh start, bjp cannot disown fraternal organizations, but fraternal organizations not willing to change some of their methods and responses?

what is to be done them

NR said...

Kanchan ji,

You have pointed out the negatives arising out of the some of the violent activities of fraternal organizations like vhp, bd.

You have also argued that bjp cannot disown fraternal organizations.

bjp now goes ahead and adopts a modern ideology, but fraternal organizations are stuck in time and do not let go some violent actions, and bjp cannot disown them, negative colour will get attributed to even the new ideology of bjp.


So it is not only important for bjp to adopt a new modern ideology with ethos, but the fraternal organizations too need to take up the issues that confront them in new strategies like hidden cameras, proof, making aware other activities to media awareness programmme, importantly social and charitable activities(clasic example of the case in karnataka a week back where the boy accused christians of forced conversions and converting his parents but at same time told the court that none of the hindu organizations he approached for help for their health condition helped them) and shun violence.

even when attacked, they must instead use it to generaate sympathy towards their causes.


Kanchan ji,

It will be great if you can address this situation as well- bjp is ready to adopt new ideology and give fresh start, bjp cannot disown fraternal organizations, but fraternal organizations not willing to change some of their methods and responses?

what is to be done them

Anonymous said...

X posting - Do not want to miss the debate in this blog!

The debate is very much on! Good to see that!

Let us for a moment ignore the provocative title and look at the spirit of the suggestion. And debate vigorously!

1. It is impossible for the BJP to be a party without an ideological undepinning. In Indian polity it is a revisionist force seeking to challenge the centrist political formation and discourse.

2. Being a right of centre / conservative force it is almost axiomatic to root its appeal in tradition.

3. And in modern India, Tradition is NOT a bad word! Nationalism, Religiosity, Patriotism all evoke strong sense of identity even among the youth!

4. The challenge therefore is to channelise these energies and articulate an appropriate idiom.

5. That will call not for throwing out the idea but refining and clarifying it.

6. Again being a revisionist political force it will need to attract adherents with differing levels of ideological commitment. Different organs of the parivar will need to fulfil that role. Unfortunately today the BJP, RSS, VHP, and Sharmic Sabha organisations all seem to stand for the same thing.

Let 100 flowers bloom!

Bhavananda said...

Dear Kanchan da,
I completely agree with you. Without ideology, BJP is just the B-team of the congress party. Ideology is what separates BJP from Congress and its most unfortunate to say "Farewell to the H-word". In the last 5 yrs, BJP has tried a lot to move to the center but failed miserably - in the end only strengthening the congress as the centrist party. Its time BJP revives its votebank and ideology which it squandered in the last 10 yrs.
In my humble opinion, BJP morale now is lowest in a few decades (from '84 say) and I expect this to go on for a few weeks, if not a couple of months. To revive, BJP first must settle the leadership question. A few weeks should give BJP enough time to set its home in order and come to a decisive conclusion (unanimously, if possible) on the next leadership and Shri Advani, including most senior leaders, should make way for younger leaders like Shri Modi, Jaitley or Sushama Swaraj. Its the only way, to revive the party.

Anonymous said...

Swapanda and others have pushed for BJP's Clause 4 moment.

Hindutva is more than Clause 4. That said, when you have a leaders like Modi, u dont have to talk Hindutva. It is implicit.

I do agree that BJP must come out strongly against loonies (even the Hindu variants). I believe congress uses loonies like Rama Sene and MNS to undermine the natioanalist/Hindu cause. BJP will be better served by keeping away from these jokers. Another looney was this one who surfaced during the elections:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg5A_FoWlTw

The above said, BJP will be foolish if it deals harshly with Varun Gandhi and Yogi Adityanand. Without the energising campaigns these candidates carried out, BJP would have ended up in single digits in UP.

Answers to your H question are not simple? BJP to a good extent did carry a non-H campaign (similar to labor w.o clause 4).

BJP lost bcoz of its lack of effective communication channels as I had highlighted and the lack of effort on the ground - especially in the heartland states of UP and Rajasthan.

We are probably barking up on the wrong tree by over focusing on Hindutva. There are far more serious and fundamental issues.

http://zoomindianmedia.wordpress.com/2009/05/17/election-2009-analysis/

LG said...

1. The VHP should focus on developing Hindu institutions - religious, welfare (health, education) and community institutions. It should act as the voice of Hindu interests. Operating through the Dharma Sansads, it should lead /lend active support to reforming Hindu law, campaign against casteism, in particular access to religious institutions for 'lower' castes. It should stay away from active party based politics. Of course it should support an appropriate political party during elections based on its own defined interests.

2. The Bajrang Dal, should focus on VHP issues with particular relevance to the youth.

3. RSS should define its space in the area of Bharatiyata - all Indic related issues. I can think of National Defence, Security, Education, Indic Languages etc. On top of the focus on Organisation, it should actively stimulate ideological discussions. There are already institutions like the Rambhau Malghi Prabhodhini to channelise these energies.

4. The BJP should function exclusively in the political sphere. It should articulate issues in Governance, Development, Economic Growth, National Defence and Security. These should be defined in an Indic / Hindu / Bharatiya context.

5. Finally nothing is possible without the appropriate leadership. Offstumped BTW has been alluding to this, providing more than a hint!

Renjith Nair said...

http://renjithmn.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/muthalikram-sene-and-election-2009/

M. Patil said...

Kanchan da,

I agree with your assessment that BJP needs an ideology just like any political party in any part of the world.

Here, the issue seems to be successful demonzation of 'Hindutva' and BJP. How is it that Muthalik of Ram Sena is associated with BJP even though Ram Sena fought against BJP? Why is Commumnal and divisive Antulay supported by Congress does not sulley the 'pristine secular' image of Congress.

Does media (TV and ELM) has anything to do with this perception is something the BJP needs to tackle pronto.

Also, there are rumblings in the south (AP, TamilNadu and Kerala) about EVMs. I hope that the BJP demands a paper trail or paper ballots in future elections.

M.Patil

Deshabhakta said...

Excellent Gupta ji! Without ideology, BJP will be another Congress. BJP needs to return to the ideology that brought it from 2 to 161 in the Lok Sabha.

Meenakshi said...

Agree with you Kanchan. I for one would never vote for the BJP if it abandons Hindutva. I am from the urban middle class but I am also the one who has cared to read about Hindutva, the BJP and the RSS. Except the extremism of a section of these organizations, I don't find anything wrong with Hindutva. Hindutva + Development should be the mantra of BJP. Hindus need a political party to represent them when they are wronged. How can the BJP distance itself from this cause? Hindutva that is progressive yet cultural should be BJP's ideology. Please...we don't want a Congress clone.

Anonymous said...

Sri.Kanchan Gupta himself has brilliantly articulated issues facing us.

I reiterate what Meenakshi feels.Why should we feel apologetic about using the word Hindu or Hindutva? Despite not getting a clear majority earlier, BJP did deliver.Economy perked up and so did our morale.

How unlike wimpy slavish pchidambaram who told " come & rule over us again as you have done in the past " abroad , Jaitley read the small print and stood his ground protecting our interests ! Even in Railway Ministry , the goundwork was done by BJP whereas lalu yadav took credit for himself.

Focus on EVM fraud and ensure it does not happen again in forthcoming elections.This is very vital.As Assembly elections are forthcoming.

Be it education, economy, health , security etc BJP alone will not sell Bharatvarsh.We need more Narendra Modis & Vasundara Rajes.

Vote them to power with overwhelming majority , give them time to undo the damages done.

Turn off the TV.It is the duty of every hindu to enlighten himself and guide his family. Do not leave it to the quarter baked 'sickularised' teachers and barkha dutts.

Anonymous said...

Give voting rights to NRIs pronto.

Hindus living abroad want to see our Motherland prosper with legitimate pride. We pine for that *something* ( I have no word for it)that even today pulls many foreigners disillusioned with churchianity to turn to our Upanishads , our Temples.

Learn from Muslims.They don't give up their headscarf or identities even within Indian schools like Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan whereas Hindus with kumkum or bindi and uncut hair is fast becoming extinct.

Anonymous said...

What is wrong with saffron colour?

Let Swami Dayananda/Omkarananda speak about the significance of saffron colour.

Watering down or jettisoning our core principles reminds me of excessively politically correct Sri.Sri.Ravishankar( and many such clones) who projects one kind of face for hindu audience within India. His sister (Bhanu)while in Dubai in so called satsang/bhajans sings " mere saanson me allahoo...".In America he christens his organization non hindu(!) NGO.All that he peddles are recycled Ashtavakra Samhita , Yoga Vaasishtham etc that are very much our Vedic Rishis',including Pranayamam Kriyas. Why this discrepancy?

Hindus would do well to think for themselves instead of turning herdlike to space daddies and mummies as their saviours.

Also remember Ravishankar exhorted Advani not to oppose the nuclear deal.Puttaparthi Saibaba had no qualms about entering dmk karunanidhi's house conjuring up golden ring whatever.

They stay focussed on expansion of their empires. Period.