The high ranking Police Officer, Mr.Sanjiv Bhatt who was one of the officers who had exposed Modi's role in the Gujarat Mass Genocide and for which he was wrongly framed by Modi on various false charges had recently attributed certain quotes to Modi, the Butcher of Muslims, the Yazeed of today :-
"Karl Marx said that history repeats itself twice—first time as a tragedy and second time as a farce. There is not going to be a Moditva takeover of India—this is one stream that the right-thinking people of Gujarat and India will eventually divert".
"Pseudo-Nationalism is often the last resort of hate-mongering political scoundrels. It is the duty of every Patriot to check these uncouth scoundrels and preserve the Constitutional integrity of the Nation".
"When the State and allied agencies are absolutely shameless, it would be suicidal for our democracy if responsible citizens continue to be spineless spectators. It is our duty to expose the real face of all the knaves and fraudsters masquerading as the guardians of state authority and justice".
“Remember that it is not by a tyrant's words, but only by his deeds that we can know him”
Dwight David Eisenhower
The kiss of Judas!
According to the Synoptic Gospels, Judas identified Jesus to the soldiers by means of a kiss. The kiss of Judas is also known as the Betrayal of Christ, which occurs in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper, and leads directly to the arrest of Jesus by the armed forces of Sanhedrin. In Christian theology, the events from the Last Supper until the death and resurrection of Jesus are referred to as The Passion.
More broadly, the kiss of Judas kiss refers to an act appearing to be an act of friendship, which is in fact harmful to the recipient.
"Truth does not have to depend on the strength of numbers!"
"A Pseudo-Nationalist is someone who masquerades as a Patriot, but actually is out to destroy the Nation through sectarian hatred and bigotry. Let us see through the evil designs of the power-crazed Pseudo- Nationalists who preach, profess and practice the divisive politics of hatred. Let us expose these self-serving opportunists and prevent them from doing any further harm to the Social Fabric and the Secular Bedrock of our Constitutional Democracy".
Bohras fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
In Gujarat What You See is not What You Get
This is a story that beggars belief, and puts into the shade everything we have thus far known of Narendra Modi’s prowess at chicanery and subterfuge.
Indeed, had a report on this not appeared in so impeccable a Daily as The Hindu, even my first instinct might have been to say “surely, this can’t be.”
Let me cite in extenso from the write-up authored by the reputed Manas Dasgupta, issue of August 13 from :
“Talking to journalists here, Mr. Patel (once the redoubtable chief minister of Gujarat, and scion of the puissant Patel community, now fallen out of the BJP, and head of the new Gujarat Parivartan Party) and Mr. Mehta (Suresh Mehta, another erstwhile chief minister, equally disaffected with Modi and the BJP and partnering Patel in the new party) alleged that several thousand Muslims who greeted Mr.Modi during the fasts (reference to Modi’s motley ‘Sadbhavna ‘ campaign some months ago in ostensible pursuit of social harmony) were in fact Hindus.” Emphasis added.
Lest you think this a piece of disingenuous verbal engineering without basis of any sort in evidence, here is the stunning bit:
“Mr. Mehta said that through a Right to Information plea he had got reply that on the direction of Mr.Modi, the Navsasri District Collector had purchased 28,000 skull caps, used by Muslims, and distributed them among BJP workers. He said the BJP workers wearing the skull caps and dressed as Muslims had thronged the ‘Sadbhavna’ venue.” Emphasis added.
Need one add any sort of gloss to the meaning of this story?
I have looked closely at subsequent editions of The Hindu and have not found any repudiation of the report, or the least disclaimer. Conclusion: Manas Dasgupta knew what he was talking about. And kudos to the Collector of Navsari who has had the courage and integrity to say it like it is. Yet another Gujarati braveheart.
At a time when “corruption” is so much a part of “civil society” angst and discourse in India, with campaigns led by the likes of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev, both Modi admirers, one might ask whether this despicable fancy-dress transmogrification of identities referred to in the story comprises corruption more corrupt than anything we have known, or whether this ought to be lauded as a piece of transcendant maya authored by god himself.
To think that the authoriser (“on the direction of Modi,” says the RTI reply) of such a cynical, and perhaps criminal, sleight-of-hand, as reported above, should be the BJP’s preferred candidate for the country’s highest executive office! Hindutva at its most creatively unethical yet?
What does seem intriguing, though, is the fact that three whole days since the report appeared in The Hindu (August 13) not a squeak seems on the cards from any media outlet or public platform. Even after one concedes the reality that a majority of India’s electronic channels are Modi acolytes in line with overt and covert corporate interests, the deafening silence thus far seems to tell its own story as well.
In the meanwhile, it is hard to say how much of this was known to those vested Muslim groups in Gujarat who have been advocating the desirability of rapproachment with Modi. Ah, the lures of commerce. But now that the cat is out of the bag, it may be harder for the Sangh Parivar to fast forward the interested untruth that Muslims are not only so happy in Gujarat but are waiting to go over in droves to Modi, come the state elections this year. Just as the revelation must also have its own fallout among the electorate in other parts of India, Bihar included.
The most important speculation must be whether this latest of Modi’s reported shenanigans dents the awed loyalty that his support base among well-meaning, piety-ridden Gujarati bhadralok (educated middle classes) bear to him. After all, even they may rethink their position about someone whom they have so venerated, but who is now reported to have stooped so crassly low.
If not, then god alone may help Gujarat.
http://www.zcommunications.org/in-gujar ... adri-raina
This is a story that beggars belief, and puts into the shade everything we have thus far known of Narendra Modi’s prowess at chicanery and subterfuge.
Indeed, had a report on this not appeared in so impeccable a Daily as The Hindu, even my first instinct might have been to say “surely, this can’t be.”
Let me cite in extenso from the write-up authored by the reputed Manas Dasgupta, issue of August 13 from :
“Talking to journalists here, Mr. Patel (once the redoubtable chief minister of Gujarat, and scion of the puissant Patel community, now fallen out of the BJP, and head of the new Gujarat Parivartan Party) and Mr. Mehta (Suresh Mehta, another erstwhile chief minister, equally disaffected with Modi and the BJP and partnering Patel in the new party) alleged that several thousand Muslims who greeted Mr.Modi during the fasts (reference to Modi’s motley ‘Sadbhavna ‘ campaign some months ago in ostensible pursuit of social harmony) were in fact Hindus.” Emphasis added.
Lest you think this a piece of disingenuous verbal engineering without basis of any sort in evidence, here is the stunning bit:
“Mr. Mehta said that through a Right to Information plea he had got reply that on the direction of Mr.Modi, the Navsasri District Collector had purchased 28,000 skull caps, used by Muslims, and distributed them among BJP workers. He said the BJP workers wearing the skull caps and dressed as Muslims had thronged the ‘Sadbhavna’ venue.” Emphasis added.
Need one add any sort of gloss to the meaning of this story?
I have looked closely at subsequent editions of The Hindu and have not found any repudiation of the report, or the least disclaimer. Conclusion: Manas Dasgupta knew what he was talking about. And kudos to the Collector of Navsari who has had the courage and integrity to say it like it is. Yet another Gujarati braveheart.
At a time when “corruption” is so much a part of “civil society” angst and discourse in India, with campaigns led by the likes of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev, both Modi admirers, one might ask whether this despicable fancy-dress transmogrification of identities referred to in the story comprises corruption more corrupt than anything we have known, or whether this ought to be lauded as a piece of transcendant maya authored by god himself.
To think that the authoriser (“on the direction of Modi,” says the RTI reply) of such a cynical, and perhaps criminal, sleight-of-hand, as reported above, should be the BJP’s preferred candidate for the country’s highest executive office! Hindutva at its most creatively unethical yet?
What does seem intriguing, though, is the fact that three whole days since the report appeared in The Hindu (August 13) not a squeak seems on the cards from any media outlet or public platform. Even after one concedes the reality that a majority of India’s electronic channels are Modi acolytes in line with overt and covert corporate interests, the deafening silence thus far seems to tell its own story as well.
In the meanwhile, it is hard to say how much of this was known to those vested Muslim groups in Gujarat who have been advocating the desirability of rapproachment with Modi. Ah, the lures of commerce. But now that the cat is out of the bag, it may be harder for the Sangh Parivar to fast forward the interested untruth that Muslims are not only so happy in Gujarat but are waiting to go over in droves to Modi, come the state elections this year. Just as the revelation must also have its own fallout among the electorate in other parts of India, Bihar included.
The most important speculation must be whether this latest of Modi’s reported shenanigans dents the awed loyalty that his support base among well-meaning, piety-ridden Gujarati bhadralok (educated middle classes) bear to him. After all, even they may rethink their position about someone whom they have so venerated, but who is now reported to have stooped so crassly low.
If not, then god alone may help Gujarat.
http://www.zcommunications.org/in-gujar ... adri-raina
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Arvind Kejriwal accuses Narendra Modi of favouring companies
Addressing a press conference here with his associate Prashant Bhushan, Kejriwal accused Modi of "buying peace with the Congress and the judiciary" by giving them land at concessional rates.
He alleged Modi had showered special favours to the Adani Group and agreed to purchase power from the company at a rate double of what was offered by Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation.
Kejriwal alleged Modi had granted land to the Adanis in Kutch area at throwaway prices.
"Modi has an image that he is honest. But papers show there is something wrong. It appears that Modi and the Congress are business partners," Kejriwal said.
He alleged that Modi had gifted away 20 percent of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation's (GSPC) stake in the Krishna-Godavari Basin to two companies, Geo Global and Jubilant Enpro Private limited.
"The first question is: how were these two companies identified? According to records, it was not through any competitive bidding. These two companies were simply given away the participating interests in these gas fields free of cost," he alleged further.
Kejriwal added: "Geo Global was incorporated just six days before their agreement with GSPC. On the day of the agreement, its total capital was $64 (Rs.3,200) only. The company is owned by some Jean Paul Roy. So, from a Rs.3,200 worth company, it became a Rs.10,000 crore worth company within six days."
"Interestingly, GSPC has spent $3 billion as cost of exploration. Since Geo Global has a 10 per cent stake, 10 per cent of this cost of $300 million (Rs.1,500 crore) should have been borne by Geo Global. However, the Modi government paid this money on their behalf and did not recover it from them. Why did Modi do that? Who is Jean Paul Roy? What is Modi's relationship with Jean Paul Roy?" asked Kejriwal.
Kejriwal also said the Gujarat government had been allotting concessional plots of land to MPs and MLAs in prime areas of Gandhinagar for constructing houses, but most of them have sold these plots at much higher rates.
"Why did the Congress, which is the opposition party (in Gujarat), not raise its voice against this scheme? Because MPs and MLAs from Congress also have got plots and they have also benefitted from this scheme," said Kejriwal.
"The Gujarat High Court stayed the sale of these plots. In order to keep the judges happy, Modi gave concessional plots to all the sitting, retired and promoted judges of Gujarat High Court in April 2010. Barring a few judges, all the other judges accepted this Modi's offer," he added.
"Since then, this petition has not been heard by Gujarat High Court. Has the judiciary been effectively silenced," Kejriwal asked.
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/ke ... genumber=2
Addressing a press conference here with his associate Prashant Bhushan, Kejriwal accused Modi of "buying peace with the Congress and the judiciary" by giving them land at concessional rates.
He alleged Modi had showered special favours to the Adani Group and agreed to purchase power from the company at a rate double of what was offered by Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation.
Kejriwal alleged Modi had granted land to the Adanis in Kutch area at throwaway prices.
"Modi has an image that he is honest. But papers show there is something wrong. It appears that Modi and the Congress are business partners," Kejriwal said.
He alleged that Modi had gifted away 20 percent of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation's (GSPC) stake in the Krishna-Godavari Basin to two companies, Geo Global and Jubilant Enpro Private limited.
"The first question is: how were these two companies identified? According to records, it was not through any competitive bidding. These two companies were simply given away the participating interests in these gas fields free of cost," he alleged further.
Kejriwal added: "Geo Global was incorporated just six days before their agreement with GSPC. On the day of the agreement, its total capital was $64 (Rs.3,200) only. The company is owned by some Jean Paul Roy. So, from a Rs.3,200 worth company, it became a Rs.10,000 crore worth company within six days."
"Interestingly, GSPC has spent $3 billion as cost of exploration. Since Geo Global has a 10 per cent stake, 10 per cent of this cost of $300 million (Rs.1,500 crore) should have been borne by Geo Global. However, the Modi government paid this money on their behalf and did not recover it from them. Why did Modi do that? Who is Jean Paul Roy? What is Modi's relationship with Jean Paul Roy?" asked Kejriwal.
Kejriwal also said the Gujarat government had been allotting concessional plots of land to MPs and MLAs in prime areas of Gandhinagar for constructing houses, but most of them have sold these plots at much higher rates.
"Why did the Congress, which is the opposition party (in Gujarat), not raise its voice against this scheme? Because MPs and MLAs from Congress also have got plots and they have also benefitted from this scheme," said Kejriwal.
"The Gujarat High Court stayed the sale of these plots. In order to keep the judges happy, Modi gave concessional plots to all the sitting, retired and promoted judges of Gujarat High Court in April 2010. Barring a few judges, all the other judges accepted this Modi's offer," he added.
"Since then, this petition has not been heard by Gujarat High Court. Has the judiciary been effectively silenced," Kejriwal asked.
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/ke ... genumber=2
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
If Gujarat’s Muslims have an allergy to Modi for his role in the 2002 carnage, most of the state’s Hindus adore him for that very reason
It’s now 2012. In a fortnight (December 20) the result of the Assembly polls in Gujarat will be known. Mr Modi claims he is well on his way to a hat-trick. Though mediapersons on the ground seem unable to detect a wave in Mr Modi’s favour, opinion polls predict a sweep yet again. This writer is not about to hazard his own guess on the likely outcome in Gujarat.
It is far more meaningful to examine why the man who sees the Gujarat Assembly election this time as a mere stepping stone to the Prime Minister’s post in 2014, if not earlier, is acting like a chameleon, speaking with a forked tongue. The sales pitch of Mr Modi and his PR-machine includes “Vibrant Gujarat”, “good governance”, “sadbhavna” and a barely-hidden Hindutva agenda. Let’s take a quick look.
Vibrant Gujarat: This column space is insufficient for figures and statistics culled out of well-researched papers and articles to show that, one, Gujarat’s high growth in the recent period has been no more impressive than that of several other states, and, two, economic growth in Gujarat has gone hand in hand with shocking human development indices. In the list of “India State Hunger Index 2008”, Gujarat ranked at number 13 among 17 big states. Two months ago the Congress Party in Gujarat produced statistics to show that 7,062 farmers had committed suicide during 10 years of Mr Modi’s rule. As Gujarat-based activist Dr Hanif Lakdawala observed in a newspaper comment piece last year: “Can a state (Gujarat) where 45 per cent of children are undernourished, 74 per cent of women are anemic, 33 per cent of the population is illiterate and every 10th person perceives himself as a second-class citizen be called a developed state?” In the list of first-time voters for the 2012 Assembly elections, there are only 601 girls for every 1,000 boys in the age group of 18-19 years. Vibrant Gujarat?
Good governance: Mr Modi’s government has not responded to over 5,000 queries and 15,100 audit observations posed by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The unanswered queries pertain to suspected irregularities across departments to the tune of `9,000 crore. Gujarat has had no Lokayukta for eight long years because Mr Modi insists on having his own man there. This invited a sharp rebuke from the Gujarat high court in January 2012: “Modi’s action and conduct are perilous to our democracy and rule of law.” An appeal by the Gujarat government is now pending before the Supreme Court. Is self-certification adequate proof of good governance?
Sadbhavna: During his sadbhavna farce of 2011, Mr Modi donned a dozen different headgear. The one he categorically refused to put on his head was the Muslim skull-cap. In the list of BJP candidates for the current Assembly polls, not a single one is a Muslim. Forget MLAs, there is not a single Muslim municipal corporator in a major city like Vadodara. Inclusive growth?
Hindutva agenda: If Gujarat’s Muslims have an allergy to Mr Modi for his role in the 2002 carnage, most of the state’s Hindus adore him for that very reason. The latter may not be too impressed by tall claims of “Vibrant Gujarat” and good governance, but for many of them he remains their Hindu Hriday Samrat (Emperor of Hindu Hearts). As election day draws near, Mr Modi is to be seen only in saffron jackets and saffron scarves. At his insidious best, Mr Modi has also been warning the electorate of the alleged Congress plan of foisting “Ahmed Mian Patel” (read Muslim) as chief minister on Gujarat’s Hindus.
In a functioning democracy, there is every reason why Mr Modi should lose. But if he emerges triumphant on December 20, most of the “credit” must go not to Mr Modi, the “guru of good governance”, but to Mr Modi the Hindu Hriday Samrat. And don’t be surprised if the very magic mantra that gets him the chief minister’s gaddi yet again in Gujarat buries his prime ministerial ambition.
http://www.asianage.com/columnists/lest-we-forget-742
It’s now 2012. In a fortnight (December 20) the result of the Assembly polls in Gujarat will be known. Mr Modi claims he is well on his way to a hat-trick. Though mediapersons on the ground seem unable to detect a wave in Mr Modi’s favour, opinion polls predict a sweep yet again. This writer is not about to hazard his own guess on the likely outcome in Gujarat.
It is far more meaningful to examine why the man who sees the Gujarat Assembly election this time as a mere stepping stone to the Prime Minister’s post in 2014, if not earlier, is acting like a chameleon, speaking with a forked tongue. The sales pitch of Mr Modi and his PR-machine includes “Vibrant Gujarat”, “good governance”, “sadbhavna” and a barely-hidden Hindutva agenda. Let’s take a quick look.
Vibrant Gujarat: This column space is insufficient for figures and statistics culled out of well-researched papers and articles to show that, one, Gujarat’s high growth in the recent period has been no more impressive than that of several other states, and, two, economic growth in Gujarat has gone hand in hand with shocking human development indices. In the list of “India State Hunger Index 2008”, Gujarat ranked at number 13 among 17 big states. Two months ago the Congress Party in Gujarat produced statistics to show that 7,062 farmers had committed suicide during 10 years of Mr Modi’s rule. As Gujarat-based activist Dr Hanif Lakdawala observed in a newspaper comment piece last year: “Can a state (Gujarat) where 45 per cent of children are undernourished, 74 per cent of women are anemic, 33 per cent of the population is illiterate and every 10th person perceives himself as a second-class citizen be called a developed state?” In the list of first-time voters for the 2012 Assembly elections, there are only 601 girls for every 1,000 boys in the age group of 18-19 years. Vibrant Gujarat?
Good governance: Mr Modi’s government has not responded to over 5,000 queries and 15,100 audit observations posed by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The unanswered queries pertain to suspected irregularities across departments to the tune of `9,000 crore. Gujarat has had no Lokayukta for eight long years because Mr Modi insists on having his own man there. This invited a sharp rebuke from the Gujarat high court in January 2012: “Modi’s action and conduct are perilous to our democracy and rule of law.” An appeal by the Gujarat government is now pending before the Supreme Court. Is self-certification adequate proof of good governance?
Sadbhavna: During his sadbhavna farce of 2011, Mr Modi donned a dozen different headgear. The one he categorically refused to put on his head was the Muslim skull-cap. In the list of BJP candidates for the current Assembly polls, not a single one is a Muslim. Forget MLAs, there is not a single Muslim municipal corporator in a major city like Vadodara. Inclusive growth?
Hindutva agenda: If Gujarat’s Muslims have an allergy to Mr Modi for his role in the 2002 carnage, most of the state’s Hindus adore him for that very reason. The latter may not be too impressed by tall claims of “Vibrant Gujarat” and good governance, but for many of them he remains their Hindu Hriday Samrat (Emperor of Hindu Hearts). As election day draws near, Mr Modi is to be seen only in saffron jackets and saffron scarves. At his insidious best, Mr Modi has also been warning the electorate of the alleged Congress plan of foisting “Ahmed Mian Patel” (read Muslim) as chief minister on Gujarat’s Hindus.
In a functioning democracy, there is every reason why Mr Modi should lose. But if he emerges triumphant on December 20, most of the “credit” must go not to Mr Modi, the “guru of good governance”, but to Mr Modi the Hindu Hriday Samrat. And don’t be surprised if the very magic mantra that gets him the chief minister’s gaddi yet again in Gujarat buries his prime ministerial ambition.
http://www.asianage.com/columnists/lest-we-forget-742
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
No change in Modi visa policy: US
Observing that Gujarat remains an important state for its investment, the United States on Saturday, said it would continue to engage with the state across a broad range of issues including trade, investment, university linkages and peopleto-people exchanges.
However, it refrained from making any comment on the Assembly elections in the state, terming it domestic Indian politics, and also on the issue of a visa to chief minister Narendra Modi, saying there has been no change on its policy in this regard.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes ... okesperson
Observing that Gujarat remains an important state for its investment, the United States on Saturday, said it would continue to engage with the state across a broad range of issues including trade, investment, university linkages and peopleto-people exchanges.
However, it refrained from making any comment on the Assembly elections in the state, terming it domestic Indian politics, and also on the issue of a visa to chief minister Narendra Modi, saying there has been no change on its policy in this regard.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes ... okesperson
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Modi worst, Chouhan best CM of BJP ruled states: Js Katju
The Press Council of India chairman Justice Markandey Katju, who is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India, has termed Bharatiya Janata Party’s, (BJP), two Chief Ministers viz. Gujarat’s Narendra Modi as the worst while Madhya Pradesh’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan as one of the best in the country.
The 2002 Gujarat pogrom wherein thousands of Muslims were massacred in the state under Modi’s rule is a big blot on him which can never be washed away. Quoting English literary giant Shakespeare he said: “All the perfumes of Arabia cannot wipe the stains of the blot”. He said I can never forgive him for his crimes of such magnitude against humanity.
In an interview to this Correspondent Justice Katju asserted that the aura of development in Gujarat is all phoney and fake as the rural poverty in the state is 51 per cent. There is no real development in Gujarat but with his cocky attitude Modi he impresses that he is all-knowing and tries to paint a rosy picture to befool people.
On the contrary vital statics about Gujarat speak otherwise as the living standards of the common people was still "abysmal". The test of every system is whether the standard of living of the masses is rising or not. Modi was no doubt successful in projecting an image of 'Gujarat Shining' under him. But the stark reality is very different, he asserted. No doubt Modi has given huge concessions to big industrial houses, giving them cheap electricity, land, etc. and has built roads, etc. But what about the standard of living of the masses ?
To prove his point Justice Katju pointed out figures about the state which include:
1. Child malnutrition at 48 per cent in Gujarat is higher than the national average, far higher than the poorest African sub Saharan countries of Somalia and Ethiopia where the rate is about 33 per cent;
2. The infant mortality rate in Gujarat is 48 per thousand, which is the 10th worst in India;
3. More than a third of Gujarat's adult men have a body mass index of less than 18.5, the 7th worst in India;
4. Gujarat has a high maternal mortality rate; 5. Education, health and income levels in Gujarat is placed it after 8 other Indian states.
He informed that when Modi was confronted with malnutrition in the state he did not deny it but claimed that as girls in Gujarat are beauty conscious they do not eat or drink milk for fear of becoming fat, the people are vegetarians etc. which is all nonsense. He questioned should the Gujarati children eat the factories, roads and electricity Modi has created ?
“Yeh Sab Behuda Batein Hain. Modi is a big fraud and a dramatist and his best place should have been in the film world”, he remarked. The time may come when the people of the state would themselves realise that the development about which Modi boasts a lot was of no use to them, he said.
"I neither belong to BJP nor Congress. I am people's representative and try to highlight the truth whether one likes it or not. I have criticised Chief Ministers Mamta Banerjee of West Bengal and Nitish Kumar of Bihar in the past. Mamta gets anyone arrested by police whosoever criticizes him which is very unfortunate. While Nitish Kumar's claim of "Bihar Shining" is also hollow" Justice Katju stated.
http://muslimmirror.com/india/977-modi- ... s-js-katju
The Press Council of India chairman Justice Markandey Katju, who is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India, has termed Bharatiya Janata Party’s, (BJP), two Chief Ministers viz. Gujarat’s Narendra Modi as the worst while Madhya Pradesh’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan as one of the best in the country.
The 2002 Gujarat pogrom wherein thousands of Muslims were massacred in the state under Modi’s rule is a big blot on him which can never be washed away. Quoting English literary giant Shakespeare he said: “All the perfumes of Arabia cannot wipe the stains of the blot”. He said I can never forgive him for his crimes of such magnitude against humanity.
In an interview to this Correspondent Justice Katju asserted that the aura of development in Gujarat is all phoney and fake as the rural poverty in the state is 51 per cent. There is no real development in Gujarat but with his cocky attitude Modi he impresses that he is all-knowing and tries to paint a rosy picture to befool people.
On the contrary vital statics about Gujarat speak otherwise as the living standards of the common people was still "abysmal". The test of every system is whether the standard of living of the masses is rising or not. Modi was no doubt successful in projecting an image of 'Gujarat Shining' under him. But the stark reality is very different, he asserted. No doubt Modi has given huge concessions to big industrial houses, giving them cheap electricity, land, etc. and has built roads, etc. But what about the standard of living of the masses ?
To prove his point Justice Katju pointed out figures about the state which include:
1. Child malnutrition at 48 per cent in Gujarat is higher than the national average, far higher than the poorest African sub Saharan countries of Somalia and Ethiopia where the rate is about 33 per cent;
2. The infant mortality rate in Gujarat is 48 per thousand, which is the 10th worst in India;
3. More than a third of Gujarat's adult men have a body mass index of less than 18.5, the 7th worst in India;
4. Gujarat has a high maternal mortality rate; 5. Education, health and income levels in Gujarat is placed it after 8 other Indian states.
He informed that when Modi was confronted with malnutrition in the state he did not deny it but claimed that as girls in Gujarat are beauty conscious they do not eat or drink milk for fear of becoming fat, the people are vegetarians etc. which is all nonsense. He questioned should the Gujarati children eat the factories, roads and electricity Modi has created ?
“Yeh Sab Behuda Batein Hain. Modi is a big fraud and a dramatist and his best place should have been in the film world”, he remarked. The time may come when the people of the state would themselves realise that the development about which Modi boasts a lot was of no use to them, he said.
"I neither belong to BJP nor Congress. I am people's representative and try to highlight the truth whether one likes it or not. I have criticised Chief Ministers Mamta Banerjee of West Bengal and Nitish Kumar of Bihar in the past. Mamta gets anyone arrested by police whosoever criticizes him which is very unfortunate. While Nitish Kumar's claim of "Bihar Shining" is also hollow" Justice Katju stated.
http://muslimmirror.com/india/977-modi- ... s-js-katju
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Modi’s hat-trick and Muslims
By Dr. Juzer Bandukwala (A Dawoodi Bohra excommunicated by the 52nd Dai) is the state president of Peoples’ Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), and president of Zidni Ilma Trust
Foremost in our analysis is to find the core reason for Modi's victory. It does not lie in the development propaganda suggested by many pundits. Gujarat growth has been heavily tilted towards the rich and the upper class. The distribution angle has been missing. The poor have not benefited. This has been borne out in a number of studies that have been published in this election period. Yet Modi has received huge support from tribal, Dalit and backward class voters. The correct reason lies in the feeling among Gujarati Hindu population that “in 2002, Modi taught Muslims a lesson they will never forget.” This is the base of his political success.
http://twocircles.net/2012dec20/modi%E2 ... slims.html
By Dr. Juzer Bandukwala (A Dawoodi Bohra excommunicated by the 52nd Dai) is the state president of Peoples’ Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), and president of Zidni Ilma Trust
Foremost in our analysis is to find the core reason for Modi's victory. It does not lie in the development propaganda suggested by many pundits. Gujarat growth has been heavily tilted towards the rich and the upper class. The distribution angle has been missing. The poor have not benefited. This has been borne out in a number of studies that have been published in this election period. Yet Modi has received huge support from tribal, Dalit and backward class voters. The correct reason lies in the feeling among Gujarati Hindu population that “in 2002, Modi taught Muslims a lesson they will never forget.” This is the base of his political success.
http://twocircles.net/2012dec20/modi%E2 ... slims.html
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Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
An important recall
Thursday, 22 September 2011
The Truth Behind The MUSLIMS IN MODILAND - The dark story of how Gujarat’s Muslims are faring in the fields of education, finance, housing and welfare
On 14 SEPTEMBER, a few days after the Supreme Court order on Zakia Jafri’s plea, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced a sadbhavana fast “to strengthen Gujarat’s environment of peace, unity and harmony”. At the brightly-lit Gujarat University convocation hall in Ahmedabad, Modi praised his government’s efforts at upholding satya, shanti and sadbhavana since 2001, how it has managed to get investment even as vested interests attacked it constantly, and tried to evoke Gujarat’s progress and prosperity with the metaphor of a train — that mothers of youngsters coming to Gujarat sleep peacefully once they hear that the train their child is travelling on has entered the state
At the fast, dozens of Bohra Muslims — the men in white-and-golden caps and their women in ridas — filled the central row. They spoke of how they had come from Jamnagar, Surendranagar and Rajkot, taking turns to attend the three-day fast. Muslims from Juhapura and Porbandar, led by former BJP MP Baburam Bokhiria, who has been in and out of jail on charges of illegal mining of limestone, were also present. On the stage, Bohra priests, sadhus, heads of the four Swaminarayan sects, priests of churches and gurdwaras presented a picture of communal harmony.
The fast is only the latest in Modi’s public posturing and coating what goes in Gujarat with the patina of good governance. A few days earlier, speaking at a function organised by the Ajmeri Education Trust in Ahmedabad on 4 September, Modi had exhorted Muslims to join the ‘mainstream’ and peppered his speech with ‘education’ and ‘inclusive development’.
His recent speeches have been in sharp contrast to 2007 when he spewed venom at Muslims in poll rallies, taunting them with phrases like “hum paanch hamare pachees”. Some commentators have analysed the shift in his stand as the compulsion of appearing palatable as a pan- India leader. Others see this as more insidious, a change of tactics in his communal politics — that beyond merely labelling any discourse on equal treatment of Muslims as ‘pseudo-secular’, he has now shifted to ‘secular-speak’. He offers ‘development’ to Muslims but with caveats — forget the past, minimise your demands for justice, and drop your religious identity.
Is Modi’s claim hyperbole, or does it translate into fair governance? Is his government even delivering on what he boasts of? Do Muslims really have equal opportunities and infrastructure? Modi has won successive elections in Gujarat since 2002 even while his role in the riots was under probe by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team. How do Muslims negotiate their rights as citizens with a government that has refused to even acknowledge the extent of the pogrom?
Rakhial is a lower middle-class neighbourhood located 5 km north of Maninagar, Chief Minister Modi’s constituency in east Ahmedabad. Of the three large housing colonies located here — Sukhram Nagar, Shivanand Nagar and Sundaram Nagar — Muslims live in the third. Built as a mixed colony in the 1970s, it became a ghetto after the 2002 riots.
National Highway 8 cuts through the settlement and Hindus and Muslims on either side of this refer to it as the “border”, a term common in several other Gujarat neighbourhoods where the two communities live cheek by jowl. Besides this road that cuts through the colonies, a sharp contrast of infrastructure separates the Hindu and Muslim neighbourhoods; a contrast most telling and disturbing in the condition of government primary schools for which the state provides land, buildings and funds for maintenance and facilities like libraries.
A dilapidated structure with a tin roof broken at several places serves as the municipal primary school for 600 children in Muslim-dominated Sundaram Nagar. One part of this rundown building serves as a Gujarati medium school up to Class VII. At the other end, a tin-covered structure open on all sides is used as a classroom to teach Urdu to over 200 students in Classes I to IV. Less than 2 km away, in the same municipal ward of Rajpur, a three-storey building serves as a Gujarati medium school up to Class VII in Hindu-dominated Shivanand Nagar. Sukhram Nagar has a Hindi medium school up to Class VII that is a three-storey building with stone mosaic work depicting Hindu goddesses.
“Those living here cannot afford to send their children to private schools and the government takes no responsibility to improve the school,” says Sheikh Ahesan, in his mid-20s, who started the Student Welfare and Education Trust in 2007. Ahesan and his friends have provided floor mats to kids in the Sundaram Nagar municipal school. “Anyone could stand a fair chance by studying and looking for work in the private sector. But how will these children reach there when they do not get to go to a half-decent primary school?” asks Sheikh Usmaan, a member of the trust.
Muslim families living in Rakhiyal narrate countless struggles to get benefits such as educational loans. “For my MBA admission, I went with my uncle to ask Dena Bank for a Rs 1.25 lakh loan. They asked for collateral and discouraged me from applying. Then I got aid from a Muslim trust,” recounts Sheikh Shehzaad. The Central scheme he is referring to is one of the key proposals adopted after the publication of the 2005 Sachar Committee report that mandates banks to give educational loans up to Rs 4 lakh without any collateral to students from poor minority families.
“The bank is asking for income tax returns and PAN card. Where will we get this from?” asks Ghori Firdaus, a homeopathy student, about her experience at the State Bank of India that moved its branch from Sundaram Nagar to the Hindu-dominated Odhav area across the road after 2002. It is to help students like Firdaus, whose father is an autorickshaw driver, that the scheme has flexible rules — the family’s income certificate and an affidavit certifying religion from the Collector’s office are suffice to qualify. “We are able to pool small amounts among ourselves to help these students but some months, especially during admission time, we don’t know what to do because we cannot risk rejection by these banks,” says Shehzaad.
Principal Secretary, Education, Hasmukh Adhiya says he cannot comment on the details of the policy implementation but the department has taken steps where gaps had been brought to its notice. He points out that the government is building a secondary school in Juhapura on the western outskirts of Ahmedabad. “Dr Tripathi made a representation that Juhapura does not have a government school. So we have given permission to start one,” says Adhiya, referring to a request by Prof Vipin Tripathi of IIT-Delhi, who has been working to improve government education facilities in Juhapura since 2008.
A key finding of the Sachar Committee report was that drop-out rates are highest among Muslims. Their mean years of schooling are lower than SCs and STs at a little over three years. In 2008, the Centre started a scholarship scheme for minorities, to be shared in a 75:25 ratio between the Centre and state to encourage students from poor families to complete schooling. Since the scheme started, Gujarat has let the funds lapse by not sending any proposal to the Centre for giving these scholarships.
At first, the state government found faults with the scheme saying this targets religious minorities and is discriminatory on “principles of equity and financial implications”. The Gujarat High Court settled this question when it recognised the Central scheme as constitutionally valid in March 2009. This April, contradicting its own stand in an affidavit filed in response to the PIL in the high court, the government cited a scholarship for minorities that has existed in the state since 1979. It said, since this scheme exists, there is no need for implementing the Central scheme.
The state government added another argument in the affidavit. It said executing the Central scheme for a limited number of students — the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MMA) calculated 52,260 scholarships on the basis of population and income levels among Gujarat’s minorities — will cause “heartburn” among those minority students who do not enjoy the benefits.
But who is stopping the state government from covering the remaining students using additional funds? MMA data shows that in 2010-11, a less developed state like Rajasthan disbursed more than double the year’s target of 60,109 scholarships. Bihar also disbursed more than double its target of 1,45,809 scholarships. Uttar Pradesh disbursed over 130 percent of a target of 3,37,109, and West Bengal — that has one of the highest proportion of Muslims — disbursed 400 percent of its target of 2,22,309. In all these instances, state governments have increased their allocation because of the high quantum of applications; the Centre has matched their funds bearing 75 percent of the total cost.
“The matter is sub judice, I cannot comment,” says Sunaina Tomar, Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment, when asked why Gujarat, a state that this January boasted of money worth a third of India’s GDP coming in as investment, could not do likewise.
Colonies built to resettle riots victims resound with stories of struggles to get small loans to set up corner shops or buy autorickshaws
THIS FEBRUARY, Abusaleh Shariff of the National Council of Applied Economic Research, Delhi, used National Sample Survey Organisation data to calculate that in Gujarat, only a fourth of Muslim children who started school finish matriculation. He calculated that urban Muslims in Gujarat are eight times poorer than uppercaste Hindus. This is almost twice the gap between Hindus and Muslims on an average nationally.
Muslims’ work participation rate in manufacturing and organised sectors in Gujarat is 13 percent compared to the all- India average of 21 percent. “Gujarat has had better infrastructure such as roads and electricity since the 1960s. As a Muslim, I may prefer to live there than in a poorer state. Does that mean there is no economic discrimination? There is deep-rooted poverty among Muslims compared to other groups,” says Shariff, who is one of the key authors of the Sachar Committee report.
Besides scholarships and school infrastructure, other means of economic mobility such as loans and financial access are outside the grasp of most of Gujarat’s Muslims. Shariff’s analysis showed that in Gujarat, Muslims hold 12 percent of all bank accounts, which is proportionate to their population in the state, but their bank loan amount outstanding is 2.6 percent. This means even when Muslims have accounts, they don’t get loans.
Of 1,958 riot cases reopened after the Supreme Court order, the Gujarat Police made arrests in only 117 cases — 5 percent of the total
The same lack of access reflects in the data from the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) that looks at implementation of financial inclusion norms. SLBCs monitor priority sector lending, i.e., lending to groups such as farmers and minorities. In 2008, the Centre mandated that minorities should get a 15 percent share of 40 percent that constitutes priority sector lending. In Gujarat, this has hovered around 2-3 percent. In other words, of every Rs 100 of financing, Rs 1 - Rs 1.5 goes to minorities,and of this, a part to Muslims.
“Last month, I met with Muslim entrepreneurs from Dholka. All they wanted to know was about loan subsidy schemes sponsored by the Centre. For an entrepreneur, this should not be the main concern. What can banks do if these people lack vision?” asks JM Patel, assistant general manager, Dena Bank SLBC.
Colonies built to resettle riot victims at Panderwada, Lunavada and Boru village near Kalol resound with stories of struggles to get small loans of Rs 75,000 - Rs 1 lakh to set up corner shops or buy autorickshaws.
The Gujarat Minorities Finance and Development Corporation Limited (GMFDL) was set up to finance small entrepreneurs and provide educational loans. It has not given any loans since last April because repayment rates were so low that the Centre stopped sending funds.
Officials admit this is in sharp contrast to states such as Kerala and Karnataka where repayment rates are over 90 percent but take no responsibility for the dismal plight. “The Centre is biased against Gujarat’s Muslims and that is why it has stopped sending funds,” says GMFDL Chair-man Imtiyaz Pathan, a man appointed by the BJP this year after the post lay vacant for the past six years.
THE MODI government shuffles its feet when it comes to doing what it is legally obliged to do — providing education and loans, the two most fluid avenues for change and improvement, to Gujarat’s Muslims. What is the way to the mainstream paradise it promises?
On the other side of the city is Juhapura in west Ahmedabad. The area was developed as a colony to rehabilitate flood victims in 1972. It was a mixed neighbourhood till the 1990s but Hindu Dalits and Bhois moved out after communal violence broke out in 1992. Juhapura is now Gujarat’s largest Muslim ghetto, home to affluent Muslims — businessmen, builders, retired IAS and IPS officers and journalists. Juhapura is proof of how even money is not a conduit to access for Muslims. Any conversation seems to suggest normalcy but probe a bit and there is a deep sense of alienation and disappointment; a resignation that they have to make do without expecting any cooperation from the government.
“There is no municipal water supply, so we had to dig borewells for children to be able to drink water,” says Asifkhan Pathan, who manages Crescent School. The ghetto, which has a population of more than 3 lakh, has only four government- aided schools. woefully short to accomodate over 3,000 incoming students in Class I every year.
“I tried to advertise discounted medical packages on Snapdeal, an advertising website, but a manager turned it down saying he didn’t think any of his users would visit Juhapura,” says Dr Saquib Sheikh, who runs a hospital in the neighbourhood.
Juhapura residents complain that areas dominated by Muslims have been blacklisted by banks for issuing credit cards. In a telling example, a bank officer was denied a credit card by his employer. “I was surprised when my credit card request was turned down because I work in this bank. My colleagues hinted that I should not expect it to have worked when I have a Juhapura pincode in my address,” says the mid-level private bank officer, on the condition of anonymity.
Scientist Dr HN Saiyed has a similar story to tell. In 2004, an SBI employee approached him with an offer of a credit card when he was living in government accommodation in Hindu-dominated Maninagar. But his application was turned down after he moved to Juhapura postretirement a few months later. “On the phone, a bank officer expressed embarrassment about the incident and tried to explain it as a mistake by the junior staff. I withdrew my application. I did not want to try a second time,” says Saiyed who was director, National Institute of Occupation Health, a medical research body, till 2004.
Gujarat boasts of more than 90 percent paved roads to remote villages, 98 percent electrification, 86 percent piped water supply and the best of infrastructure in India. But Juhapura has no streetlights, water supply or internal roads. Residents have regularly paid property and water taxes since Juhapura was merged with Ahmedabad municipal limits in July 2006. Those who can afford it have built borewells and paved roads for short stretches.
Residents filed a PIL in the high court, the route that seems to be the most common recourse for groups working for Muslims’ rights. They demanded water and sewage facilities and made several representations to the Urban Development Department. After an interim high court order, the government began providing water to Hindu-dominated Sankalitnagar in 2008. However, Muslim-dominated areas such as Gyaspur, Makarba, Juhapura and Vasna are yet to get these facilities.
“Nothing has changed over the past three years. Now that the Assembly election is approaching, and Modi is focussing on Muslim votes, maybe some things may change,” says lawyer Girish Patel, who is representing Juhapura residents in the high court. “Harassment, discrimination — everything remains the same. The only difference is that Modi has terrified Muslims and they have lost their ability to speak against public wrong.”
The senior lawyer’s analysis is shared by Farooq Mohammed Sheikh, an autorickshaw driver living in Shah Alam, where more than 15,000 riot-affected families stayed in 2002 for over six months. [i]“Modi is responsible for two things — in the Hindus, he has sown the fear that without him to watch their backs, the Muslims would slaughter them, and the Muslims, he has managed to terrorise anyway since 2002,”[/i] says Sheikh. “We have become very afraid of the police; who knows under what case they will have us arrested. Such is the fear that our boys do the namaaz on their own.”
Juhapura is the constituency where BJP nominated the most high-profile of its 12 Muslim candidates in last October’s civic polls. AI Saiyed, a retired IPS officer, was in the middle of his speech when a pot was hurled at him from a window in the Royal Akbar housing society. Saiyed was unhurt but he gets a little fazed when talking about the incident. “They are in the grip of the Congress leadership. Their problem is illiteracy; all they want is alif beh the,” he says at the Waqf Board office in Gandhinagar. He was made board chairman after he lost the poll. “They come now and complain that they have no facilities in Juhapura. I tell them this is your nemesis.”
Muslim businessmen owning dealerships and retail stores say they do negotiate concessions out of local BJP functionaries and leaders. They describe instances where they have got help for permissions, licences, in some instances even permission for religious processions. But they add that BJP functionaries do this on the sly, not comfortable being openly associated with Muslims as their political constituency.
Trader Usman Qureshi, who was part of a group of Muslim leaders, businessmen and core members of the chand committee led by Shabir Alam, the Pesh-i-Imam at Ahmedabad’s Juma Masjid, met Modi this April. “Initially the discussion was going OK but when we mentioned school scholarships for minorities, Modi started calling them discriminatory,” Qureshi says at his small automobile parts shop in Mirzapur. “When we requested that Urdu poet Walli’s tombstone, that was destroyed in the riots, be restored, he refused to acknowledge it had ever existed. I came back feeling embarrassed, like I had lost face.”
Others within the community react to experiences like these with little patience. They compare them to power brokers like Bohra Muslim clergy or businessman Talha Sareshwala, who owns a BMW dealership in Ahmedabad and regularly praises Modi government’s largesse to Muslims. They say this inability to negotiate their demands without obliterating their identity as Muslims is what is at the core of their discomfort with the BJP.
“Things were no better under the Congress but with the BJP, we feel uncomfortable in saying that we are Muslims and we are equal citizens,” says social worker Hanif Lakdawala. His NGO Sanchetna has been struggling to get basic amenities for 90,000 Muslims who moved to the Bombay Hotel area after the riots.
A few hours after Modi began his sadbhavana fast invoking his government’s glory of having rebuilt quake-hit Bhuj in half the time estimated by the World Bank and the success of its biennial investment summits, a crowd gathered around a pool of stagnant water in the Bombay Hotel area. They curiously watched as a JCB made slow, unsure attempts at removing waste that has waterlogged lanes and house plots for the past four months.
“There are no gutters, we get only brackish water. They burn the waste and our house fills up with smoke,” says Afsana Bano, who moved from Naroda Patiya to this colony adjacent to an open landfill after she lost her brother in the 2002 riots.
A FASCIST has many faces. Like Hitler had a dream, a vision, now Modi has a dream. Why is he doing all this 10 years late? None of this will translate into any benefit for Muslims except a few who show sadbhavana with him on his stage,” says Shah Navaz, who has volunteered with the Bombay Hotel community since 2002. Shah Navaz has a reason to be angry. He believes that the Modi regime’s mistreatment of Muslims is not just limited to playing truant on providing basic amenities but is part of an insidious discrimination evident in how this government flouts its constitutional responsibilities.
Shah Navaz, who belongs to the Rangrez community — traditionally nomadic dyers — is one of the several OBC Muslims who had to drop out of college in the middle of the academic session when the Department of Underdeveloped Tribes (DUT) cancelled their certificates entitling them to 27 percent quota for socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC).
“I had completed seven months of my B.Ed training course on an SEBC seat when the DUT sent a letter saying they recognised the Gujarati word ‘Galiyara’ for dyers, but not Rangrez. When I met DUT Director KG Vanzara (brother of encounter specialist DCP DG Vanzara) in Gandhinagar, he taunted me by saying ‘Quran’s first aayat, sur-e-fateha, asks you to come into the light, why don’t you?” recounts Shah Navaz, who is in his early 20s. His admission was cancelled when he was just two months away from getting his degree.
Traditional weavers Julaha Ansaris are fighting the same battle against the Modi regime’s sleight of hand with SEBC caste synonyms. Ansaris say the Modi government deprives them of their entitlements by not recognising synonyms used by various strands of the same OBC community, something that the Mandal Commission report specifically asked state governments to be cognizant of. It recognises Musalman Julaya as an OBC community but refuses to acknowledge the synonym Ansaris that some families have adopted to protect against the derogatory connotation they feel the term ‘Julaha’ has in some settings.
“We submitted proof that we are Ansaris but they didn’t accept our documents,” says Aliya Bano, a tailor, who is wary of making the rounds of the DUT to secure a reserved seat in an engineering college for her 17-year-old son Zaid.
Ironically, in 2005, the same DUT acknowledged that Julaha Ansari is a synonym of Musalman Julaha. Following a representation by the Samastha Julaha Musalman Samaj to the government, a caste scrutiny committee made up of DUT director and head of the Social Justice department got the matter examined by experts in Tribal Research and Training Institute, Gujarat Vidyapeeth. This group’s findings, data from the Anthropological Survey of India and Central List for Gujarat of Mandal Commission Report, all support the Ansaris’ claim that they are the same community as Musalman Julaha, who have OBC status. Despite this evidence gathered by its own departments, Modi’s office has twice — on 30 October 2006 and 2 January 2007 — sent the matter to the OBC Commission. However, the commission has requested that it be excused because deciding if a community name is to be considered a synonym is not in the panel’s ambit but the chief minister’s office.
When asked why the DUTwas wavering on deciding this matter despite all the evidence available with it, Vanzara declined to comment. “The matter is with the chief minister’s office, please don’t ask me any questions,” he said.
Gandhian scholar Tridip Suhrud says it is this question of social justice that will prove to be the true test of Modi’s newfound sadbhavana. “No one has bought Modi’s sadbhavana idea, not even his usual supporters. If he is talking of sadbhavana, he must talk of social justice. But that is where it may start hurting his hard Hindutva constituency,” argues Suhrud.
It is in this shifting but unreliable discourse where community leaders like Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi’s position becomes significant. When he was quoted this January as saying that minorities don’t face discrimination in getting development opportunities in Gujarat, it was an endorsement that the Hindu Right eagerly lapped up. Vastanvi was ousted as head of the majlis-e-shoora in a move closely intertwined with an internal power struggle at the Dar-ul-Uloom. The Muslim Right thought it fit to remove Vastanvi even though he clarified that he did not intend to give the chief minister a clean chit for his role in the 2002 riots.
“The old ways of communalism are not working and Modi has shifted to a new secular-speak,” says sociologist Shiv Vishwanathan. “He is saying, ‘I am offering you an option — join the mainstream. Take development. Minimise your demands for justice.’ Secular-speak is always in the language of economic rationality. Investment can be calculated, so it is rational. Anything outside this is subjective, ethnic and irrationaI. In secular-speak ‘and’ is no longer available: ethnic and citizen, Muslim and Indian, seeking justice and mobility. Vastanvi’s problem was he tried to say ‘and’.”
AS MODI was fasting for sadbhavana, riot victims demanding justice were prevented from entering the venue and detained. Their protest is a surface symptom of their long-standing anger and eternal wait for justice. Forget the past, seems to be the Modi government’s suggestion. But will the future be secure in any way?
In 2002, more than 4,500 FIRs were filed in police stations across 16 out of Gujarat’s 26 districts. In 12 districts, the FIRs recorded serious offences such as rioting, arson and rape. Within two years, Gujarat Police closed over 2,000 cases filing ‘A’ summary reports — which says the offence has been committed but the accused is either unidentified or is absconding.
In August 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that there should be an in-depth investigation into these cases. Range IGs were asked to look into FIRs and supporting material and decide if reinvestigation was necessary. Additional DGs were to ensure veracity of the reports and the DGP was to be in-charge reporting on the status of the cases to the apex court every quarter.
According to the police riots cell data, of the 2,017 cases reconsidered, 1,958 were reopened. Of these, the police made 1,299 arrests in 117 cases till June this year, which makes up a little over 5 percent of the cases. However, data from September 2009 shows the number of cases in which arrests have been made is the same: 117. The police has not made a single arrest in the remaining cases in the past two years.
Razakbhai Ismailbhai Ghauchi, 65, is a farmer from Halodar village in Sabarkantha district. He lives 20 km away from Limbadiya Chowkri, the site of a massacre in which 75 people were killed in 2002. He recalls how he watched from his fields as a mob set his house on fire. Coming out of hiding three weeks later, he tried to file an FIR against 14 persons — including the son of a former Congress MLA living in his neighbourhood — he had identified in the light of the flames that burned his house.
Ghauchi tried to file an FIR accusing these 14 persons with the Malpur Police Station, Modasa Circle Police Station, offices of the DSP and Collector, Himmatnagar, and the National Human Rights Commission, but in vain. He tried again when an inspector from Modasa visited his village in 2003. The police eventually registered an FIR but in his brother Rasul’s name and blamed a mob instead. A few months later, the case was closed. In 2004, when NGO Nyayagruha began work in the region, he got the case reopened.
In 2007, a team from a riot cell in Gandhinagar came and went and closed the case a second time without interviewing him. “When I tried making my way to Rasul’s house, the local police inspector asked me to get the two panchas, the main witnesses. By the time I returned with them, the team had left,” says Ghauchi.
However, the riot cell report has a different story to tell: “A team of senior officers came from Gandhinagar and made a video recording of the reinvestigation in Halodar. Applicant Razakbhai and other witnesses were interviewed. They did not give any information about the accused. The probe was closed on 10 April 2007.”
Nyayagruha coordinator Sheikh Usman, who is following up on 32 reinvestigations in Sabarkantha district, is not amused. “It is the police’s responsibility to ensure that the panchas are there, not the complainant’s. How can they close the case without interviewing the complainant who they knew was present?” he asks.
8TIMES - That’s how much poorer urban Muslims are than upper-caste Hindus in Gujarat. This is almost twice the national average
This June, Usmanbhai managed to get a copy of the CD through an appeal to the State Information Commission after Malpur Police Station and the DSP office had both turned down his RTI request. This CD shows police officers perfunctorily interviewing 11 witnesses in less than five minutes before closing the case a second time. An August 2008 video recording of another reinvestigation shows Noor Mohammed, a trader from Tintoi village in Modasa taluka, being interviewed by the police in front of the seven people he had accused of looting his shop in 2002.
For the riot victims, there is palpable anger and disappointment at not being able to find either justice or closure. Ask about Modi’s fast and many Muslims react with a sceptical smile. “He is doing this for ‘raj kaaran’,” is a common refrain. “He thinks he has got 10 more years of relief, so he is celebrating. After the riots, all the relief money came from the Centre, the state didn’t spend a single paisa.” And anger that continues to simmer. [b]“Modi should be punished first. It’s our prerogative to decide whether to forgive him or not.”[/b]
From Tehelka
Anumeha Yadav is a Senior Correspondent with Tehelka.
Thursday, 22 September 2011
The Truth Behind The MUSLIMS IN MODILAND - The dark story of how Gujarat’s Muslims are faring in the fields of education, finance, housing and welfare
On 14 SEPTEMBER, a few days after the Supreme Court order on Zakia Jafri’s plea, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced a sadbhavana fast “to strengthen Gujarat’s environment of peace, unity and harmony”. At the brightly-lit Gujarat University convocation hall in Ahmedabad, Modi praised his government’s efforts at upholding satya, shanti and sadbhavana since 2001, how it has managed to get investment even as vested interests attacked it constantly, and tried to evoke Gujarat’s progress and prosperity with the metaphor of a train — that mothers of youngsters coming to Gujarat sleep peacefully once they hear that the train their child is travelling on has entered the state
At the fast, dozens of Bohra Muslims — the men in white-and-golden caps and their women in ridas — filled the central row. They spoke of how they had come from Jamnagar, Surendranagar and Rajkot, taking turns to attend the three-day fast. Muslims from Juhapura and Porbandar, led by former BJP MP Baburam Bokhiria, who has been in and out of jail on charges of illegal mining of limestone, were also present. On the stage, Bohra priests, sadhus, heads of the four Swaminarayan sects, priests of churches and gurdwaras presented a picture of communal harmony.
The fast is only the latest in Modi’s public posturing and coating what goes in Gujarat with the patina of good governance. A few days earlier, speaking at a function organised by the Ajmeri Education Trust in Ahmedabad on 4 September, Modi had exhorted Muslims to join the ‘mainstream’ and peppered his speech with ‘education’ and ‘inclusive development’.
His recent speeches have been in sharp contrast to 2007 when he spewed venom at Muslims in poll rallies, taunting them with phrases like “hum paanch hamare pachees”. Some commentators have analysed the shift in his stand as the compulsion of appearing palatable as a pan- India leader. Others see this as more insidious, a change of tactics in his communal politics — that beyond merely labelling any discourse on equal treatment of Muslims as ‘pseudo-secular’, he has now shifted to ‘secular-speak’. He offers ‘development’ to Muslims but with caveats — forget the past, minimise your demands for justice, and drop your religious identity.
Is Modi’s claim hyperbole, or does it translate into fair governance? Is his government even delivering on what he boasts of? Do Muslims really have equal opportunities and infrastructure? Modi has won successive elections in Gujarat since 2002 even while his role in the riots was under probe by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team. How do Muslims negotiate their rights as citizens with a government that has refused to even acknowledge the extent of the pogrom?
Rakhial is a lower middle-class neighbourhood located 5 km north of Maninagar, Chief Minister Modi’s constituency in east Ahmedabad. Of the three large housing colonies located here — Sukhram Nagar, Shivanand Nagar and Sundaram Nagar — Muslims live in the third. Built as a mixed colony in the 1970s, it became a ghetto after the 2002 riots.
National Highway 8 cuts through the settlement and Hindus and Muslims on either side of this refer to it as the “border”, a term common in several other Gujarat neighbourhoods where the two communities live cheek by jowl. Besides this road that cuts through the colonies, a sharp contrast of infrastructure separates the Hindu and Muslim neighbourhoods; a contrast most telling and disturbing in the condition of government primary schools for which the state provides land, buildings and funds for maintenance and facilities like libraries.
A dilapidated structure with a tin roof broken at several places serves as the municipal primary school for 600 children in Muslim-dominated Sundaram Nagar. One part of this rundown building serves as a Gujarati medium school up to Class VII. At the other end, a tin-covered structure open on all sides is used as a classroom to teach Urdu to over 200 students in Classes I to IV. Less than 2 km away, in the same municipal ward of Rajpur, a three-storey building serves as a Gujarati medium school up to Class VII in Hindu-dominated Shivanand Nagar. Sukhram Nagar has a Hindi medium school up to Class VII that is a three-storey building with stone mosaic work depicting Hindu goddesses.
“Those living here cannot afford to send their children to private schools and the government takes no responsibility to improve the school,” says Sheikh Ahesan, in his mid-20s, who started the Student Welfare and Education Trust in 2007. Ahesan and his friends have provided floor mats to kids in the Sundaram Nagar municipal school. “Anyone could stand a fair chance by studying and looking for work in the private sector. But how will these children reach there when they do not get to go to a half-decent primary school?” asks Sheikh Usmaan, a member of the trust.
Muslim families living in Rakhiyal narrate countless struggles to get benefits such as educational loans. “For my MBA admission, I went with my uncle to ask Dena Bank for a Rs 1.25 lakh loan. They asked for collateral and discouraged me from applying. Then I got aid from a Muslim trust,” recounts Sheikh Shehzaad. The Central scheme he is referring to is one of the key proposals adopted after the publication of the 2005 Sachar Committee report that mandates banks to give educational loans up to Rs 4 lakh without any collateral to students from poor minority families.
“The bank is asking for income tax returns and PAN card. Where will we get this from?” asks Ghori Firdaus, a homeopathy student, about her experience at the State Bank of India that moved its branch from Sundaram Nagar to the Hindu-dominated Odhav area across the road after 2002. It is to help students like Firdaus, whose father is an autorickshaw driver, that the scheme has flexible rules — the family’s income certificate and an affidavit certifying religion from the Collector’s office are suffice to qualify. “We are able to pool small amounts among ourselves to help these students but some months, especially during admission time, we don’t know what to do because we cannot risk rejection by these banks,” says Shehzaad.
Principal Secretary, Education, Hasmukh Adhiya says he cannot comment on the details of the policy implementation but the department has taken steps where gaps had been brought to its notice. He points out that the government is building a secondary school in Juhapura on the western outskirts of Ahmedabad. “Dr Tripathi made a representation that Juhapura does not have a government school. So we have given permission to start one,” says Adhiya, referring to a request by Prof Vipin Tripathi of IIT-Delhi, who has been working to improve government education facilities in Juhapura since 2008.
A key finding of the Sachar Committee report was that drop-out rates are highest among Muslims. Their mean years of schooling are lower than SCs and STs at a little over three years. In 2008, the Centre started a scholarship scheme for minorities, to be shared in a 75:25 ratio between the Centre and state to encourage students from poor families to complete schooling. Since the scheme started, Gujarat has let the funds lapse by not sending any proposal to the Centre for giving these scholarships.
At first, the state government found faults with the scheme saying this targets religious minorities and is discriminatory on “principles of equity and financial implications”. The Gujarat High Court settled this question when it recognised the Central scheme as constitutionally valid in March 2009. This April, contradicting its own stand in an affidavit filed in response to the PIL in the high court, the government cited a scholarship for minorities that has existed in the state since 1979. It said, since this scheme exists, there is no need for implementing the Central scheme.
The state government added another argument in the affidavit. It said executing the Central scheme for a limited number of students — the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MMA) calculated 52,260 scholarships on the basis of population and income levels among Gujarat’s minorities — will cause “heartburn” among those minority students who do not enjoy the benefits.
But who is stopping the state government from covering the remaining students using additional funds? MMA data shows that in 2010-11, a less developed state like Rajasthan disbursed more than double the year’s target of 60,109 scholarships. Bihar also disbursed more than double its target of 1,45,809 scholarships. Uttar Pradesh disbursed over 130 percent of a target of 3,37,109, and West Bengal — that has one of the highest proportion of Muslims — disbursed 400 percent of its target of 2,22,309. In all these instances, state governments have increased their allocation because of the high quantum of applications; the Centre has matched their funds bearing 75 percent of the total cost.
“The matter is sub judice, I cannot comment,” says Sunaina Tomar, Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment, when asked why Gujarat, a state that this January boasted of money worth a third of India’s GDP coming in as investment, could not do likewise.
Colonies built to resettle riots victims resound with stories of struggles to get small loans to set up corner shops or buy autorickshaws
THIS FEBRUARY, Abusaleh Shariff of the National Council of Applied Economic Research, Delhi, used National Sample Survey Organisation data to calculate that in Gujarat, only a fourth of Muslim children who started school finish matriculation. He calculated that urban Muslims in Gujarat are eight times poorer than uppercaste Hindus. This is almost twice the gap between Hindus and Muslims on an average nationally.
Muslims’ work participation rate in manufacturing and organised sectors in Gujarat is 13 percent compared to the all- India average of 21 percent. “Gujarat has had better infrastructure such as roads and electricity since the 1960s. As a Muslim, I may prefer to live there than in a poorer state. Does that mean there is no economic discrimination? There is deep-rooted poverty among Muslims compared to other groups,” says Shariff, who is one of the key authors of the Sachar Committee report.
Besides scholarships and school infrastructure, other means of economic mobility such as loans and financial access are outside the grasp of most of Gujarat’s Muslims. Shariff’s analysis showed that in Gujarat, Muslims hold 12 percent of all bank accounts, which is proportionate to their population in the state, but their bank loan amount outstanding is 2.6 percent. This means even when Muslims have accounts, they don’t get loans.
Of 1,958 riot cases reopened after the Supreme Court order, the Gujarat Police made arrests in only 117 cases — 5 percent of the total
The same lack of access reflects in the data from the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) that looks at implementation of financial inclusion norms. SLBCs monitor priority sector lending, i.e., lending to groups such as farmers and minorities. In 2008, the Centre mandated that minorities should get a 15 percent share of 40 percent that constitutes priority sector lending. In Gujarat, this has hovered around 2-3 percent. In other words, of every Rs 100 of financing, Rs 1 - Rs 1.5 goes to minorities,and of this, a part to Muslims.
“Last month, I met with Muslim entrepreneurs from Dholka. All they wanted to know was about loan subsidy schemes sponsored by the Centre. For an entrepreneur, this should not be the main concern. What can banks do if these people lack vision?” asks JM Patel, assistant general manager, Dena Bank SLBC.
Colonies built to resettle riot victims at Panderwada, Lunavada and Boru village near Kalol resound with stories of struggles to get small loans of Rs 75,000 - Rs 1 lakh to set up corner shops or buy autorickshaws.
The Gujarat Minorities Finance and Development Corporation Limited (GMFDL) was set up to finance small entrepreneurs and provide educational loans. It has not given any loans since last April because repayment rates were so low that the Centre stopped sending funds.
Officials admit this is in sharp contrast to states such as Kerala and Karnataka where repayment rates are over 90 percent but take no responsibility for the dismal plight. “The Centre is biased against Gujarat’s Muslims and that is why it has stopped sending funds,” says GMFDL Chair-man Imtiyaz Pathan, a man appointed by the BJP this year after the post lay vacant for the past six years.
THE MODI government shuffles its feet when it comes to doing what it is legally obliged to do — providing education and loans, the two most fluid avenues for change and improvement, to Gujarat’s Muslims. What is the way to the mainstream paradise it promises?
On the other side of the city is Juhapura in west Ahmedabad. The area was developed as a colony to rehabilitate flood victims in 1972. It was a mixed neighbourhood till the 1990s but Hindu Dalits and Bhois moved out after communal violence broke out in 1992. Juhapura is now Gujarat’s largest Muslim ghetto, home to affluent Muslims — businessmen, builders, retired IAS and IPS officers and journalists. Juhapura is proof of how even money is not a conduit to access for Muslims. Any conversation seems to suggest normalcy but probe a bit and there is a deep sense of alienation and disappointment; a resignation that they have to make do without expecting any cooperation from the government.
“There is no municipal water supply, so we had to dig borewells for children to be able to drink water,” says Asifkhan Pathan, who manages Crescent School. The ghetto, which has a population of more than 3 lakh, has only four government- aided schools. woefully short to accomodate over 3,000 incoming students in Class I every year.
“I tried to advertise discounted medical packages on Snapdeal, an advertising website, but a manager turned it down saying he didn’t think any of his users would visit Juhapura,” says Dr Saquib Sheikh, who runs a hospital in the neighbourhood.
Juhapura residents complain that areas dominated by Muslims have been blacklisted by banks for issuing credit cards. In a telling example, a bank officer was denied a credit card by his employer. “I was surprised when my credit card request was turned down because I work in this bank. My colleagues hinted that I should not expect it to have worked when I have a Juhapura pincode in my address,” says the mid-level private bank officer, on the condition of anonymity.
Scientist Dr HN Saiyed has a similar story to tell. In 2004, an SBI employee approached him with an offer of a credit card when he was living in government accommodation in Hindu-dominated Maninagar. But his application was turned down after he moved to Juhapura postretirement a few months later. “On the phone, a bank officer expressed embarrassment about the incident and tried to explain it as a mistake by the junior staff. I withdrew my application. I did not want to try a second time,” says Saiyed who was director, National Institute of Occupation Health, a medical research body, till 2004.
Gujarat boasts of more than 90 percent paved roads to remote villages, 98 percent electrification, 86 percent piped water supply and the best of infrastructure in India. But Juhapura has no streetlights, water supply or internal roads. Residents have regularly paid property and water taxes since Juhapura was merged with Ahmedabad municipal limits in July 2006. Those who can afford it have built borewells and paved roads for short stretches.
Residents filed a PIL in the high court, the route that seems to be the most common recourse for groups working for Muslims’ rights. They demanded water and sewage facilities and made several representations to the Urban Development Department. After an interim high court order, the government began providing water to Hindu-dominated Sankalitnagar in 2008. However, Muslim-dominated areas such as Gyaspur, Makarba, Juhapura and Vasna are yet to get these facilities.
“Nothing has changed over the past three years. Now that the Assembly election is approaching, and Modi is focussing on Muslim votes, maybe some things may change,” says lawyer Girish Patel, who is representing Juhapura residents in the high court. “Harassment, discrimination — everything remains the same. The only difference is that Modi has terrified Muslims and they have lost their ability to speak against public wrong.”
The senior lawyer’s analysis is shared by Farooq Mohammed Sheikh, an autorickshaw driver living in Shah Alam, where more than 15,000 riot-affected families stayed in 2002 for over six months. [i]“Modi is responsible for two things — in the Hindus, he has sown the fear that without him to watch their backs, the Muslims would slaughter them, and the Muslims, he has managed to terrorise anyway since 2002,”[/i] says Sheikh. “We have become very afraid of the police; who knows under what case they will have us arrested. Such is the fear that our boys do the namaaz on their own.”
Juhapura is the constituency where BJP nominated the most high-profile of its 12 Muslim candidates in last October’s civic polls. AI Saiyed, a retired IPS officer, was in the middle of his speech when a pot was hurled at him from a window in the Royal Akbar housing society. Saiyed was unhurt but he gets a little fazed when talking about the incident. “They are in the grip of the Congress leadership. Their problem is illiteracy; all they want is alif beh the,” he says at the Waqf Board office in Gandhinagar. He was made board chairman after he lost the poll. “They come now and complain that they have no facilities in Juhapura. I tell them this is your nemesis.”
Muslim businessmen owning dealerships and retail stores say they do negotiate concessions out of local BJP functionaries and leaders. They describe instances where they have got help for permissions, licences, in some instances even permission for religious processions. But they add that BJP functionaries do this on the sly, not comfortable being openly associated with Muslims as their political constituency.
Trader Usman Qureshi, who was part of a group of Muslim leaders, businessmen and core members of the chand committee led by Shabir Alam, the Pesh-i-Imam at Ahmedabad’s Juma Masjid, met Modi this April. “Initially the discussion was going OK but when we mentioned school scholarships for minorities, Modi started calling them discriminatory,” Qureshi says at his small automobile parts shop in Mirzapur. “When we requested that Urdu poet Walli’s tombstone, that was destroyed in the riots, be restored, he refused to acknowledge it had ever existed. I came back feeling embarrassed, like I had lost face.”
Others within the community react to experiences like these with little patience. They compare them to power brokers like Bohra Muslim clergy or businessman Talha Sareshwala, who owns a BMW dealership in Ahmedabad and regularly praises Modi government’s largesse to Muslims. They say this inability to negotiate their demands without obliterating their identity as Muslims is what is at the core of their discomfort with the BJP.
“Things were no better under the Congress but with the BJP, we feel uncomfortable in saying that we are Muslims and we are equal citizens,” says social worker Hanif Lakdawala. His NGO Sanchetna has been struggling to get basic amenities for 90,000 Muslims who moved to the Bombay Hotel area after the riots.
A few hours after Modi began his sadbhavana fast invoking his government’s glory of having rebuilt quake-hit Bhuj in half the time estimated by the World Bank and the success of its biennial investment summits, a crowd gathered around a pool of stagnant water in the Bombay Hotel area. They curiously watched as a JCB made slow, unsure attempts at removing waste that has waterlogged lanes and house plots for the past four months.
“There are no gutters, we get only brackish water. They burn the waste and our house fills up with smoke,” says Afsana Bano, who moved from Naroda Patiya to this colony adjacent to an open landfill after she lost her brother in the 2002 riots.
A FASCIST has many faces. Like Hitler had a dream, a vision, now Modi has a dream. Why is he doing all this 10 years late? None of this will translate into any benefit for Muslims except a few who show sadbhavana with him on his stage,” says Shah Navaz, who has volunteered with the Bombay Hotel community since 2002. Shah Navaz has a reason to be angry. He believes that the Modi regime’s mistreatment of Muslims is not just limited to playing truant on providing basic amenities but is part of an insidious discrimination evident in how this government flouts its constitutional responsibilities.
Shah Navaz, who belongs to the Rangrez community — traditionally nomadic dyers — is one of the several OBC Muslims who had to drop out of college in the middle of the academic session when the Department of Underdeveloped Tribes (DUT) cancelled their certificates entitling them to 27 percent quota for socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC).
“I had completed seven months of my B.Ed training course on an SEBC seat when the DUT sent a letter saying they recognised the Gujarati word ‘Galiyara’ for dyers, but not Rangrez. When I met DUT Director KG Vanzara (brother of encounter specialist DCP DG Vanzara) in Gandhinagar, he taunted me by saying ‘Quran’s first aayat, sur-e-fateha, asks you to come into the light, why don’t you?” recounts Shah Navaz, who is in his early 20s. His admission was cancelled when he was just two months away from getting his degree.
Traditional weavers Julaha Ansaris are fighting the same battle against the Modi regime’s sleight of hand with SEBC caste synonyms. Ansaris say the Modi government deprives them of their entitlements by not recognising synonyms used by various strands of the same OBC community, something that the Mandal Commission report specifically asked state governments to be cognizant of. It recognises Musalman Julaya as an OBC community but refuses to acknowledge the synonym Ansaris that some families have adopted to protect against the derogatory connotation they feel the term ‘Julaha’ has in some settings.
“We submitted proof that we are Ansaris but they didn’t accept our documents,” says Aliya Bano, a tailor, who is wary of making the rounds of the DUT to secure a reserved seat in an engineering college for her 17-year-old son Zaid.
Ironically, in 2005, the same DUT acknowledged that Julaha Ansari is a synonym of Musalman Julaha. Following a representation by the Samastha Julaha Musalman Samaj to the government, a caste scrutiny committee made up of DUT director and head of the Social Justice department got the matter examined by experts in Tribal Research and Training Institute, Gujarat Vidyapeeth. This group’s findings, data from the Anthropological Survey of India and Central List for Gujarat of Mandal Commission Report, all support the Ansaris’ claim that they are the same community as Musalman Julaha, who have OBC status. Despite this evidence gathered by its own departments, Modi’s office has twice — on 30 October 2006 and 2 January 2007 — sent the matter to the OBC Commission. However, the commission has requested that it be excused because deciding if a community name is to be considered a synonym is not in the panel’s ambit but the chief minister’s office.
When asked why the DUTwas wavering on deciding this matter despite all the evidence available with it, Vanzara declined to comment. “The matter is with the chief minister’s office, please don’t ask me any questions,” he said.
Gandhian scholar Tridip Suhrud says it is this question of social justice that will prove to be the true test of Modi’s newfound sadbhavana. “No one has bought Modi’s sadbhavana idea, not even his usual supporters. If he is talking of sadbhavana, he must talk of social justice. But that is where it may start hurting his hard Hindutva constituency,” argues Suhrud.
It is in this shifting but unreliable discourse where community leaders like Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi’s position becomes significant. When he was quoted this January as saying that minorities don’t face discrimination in getting development opportunities in Gujarat, it was an endorsement that the Hindu Right eagerly lapped up. Vastanvi was ousted as head of the majlis-e-shoora in a move closely intertwined with an internal power struggle at the Dar-ul-Uloom. The Muslim Right thought it fit to remove Vastanvi even though he clarified that he did not intend to give the chief minister a clean chit for his role in the 2002 riots.
“The old ways of communalism are not working and Modi has shifted to a new secular-speak,” says sociologist Shiv Vishwanathan. “He is saying, ‘I am offering you an option — join the mainstream. Take development. Minimise your demands for justice.’ Secular-speak is always in the language of economic rationality. Investment can be calculated, so it is rational. Anything outside this is subjective, ethnic and irrationaI. In secular-speak ‘and’ is no longer available: ethnic and citizen, Muslim and Indian, seeking justice and mobility. Vastanvi’s problem was he tried to say ‘and’.”
AS MODI was fasting for sadbhavana, riot victims demanding justice were prevented from entering the venue and detained. Their protest is a surface symptom of their long-standing anger and eternal wait for justice. Forget the past, seems to be the Modi government’s suggestion. But will the future be secure in any way?
In 2002, more than 4,500 FIRs were filed in police stations across 16 out of Gujarat’s 26 districts. In 12 districts, the FIRs recorded serious offences such as rioting, arson and rape. Within two years, Gujarat Police closed over 2,000 cases filing ‘A’ summary reports — which says the offence has been committed but the accused is either unidentified or is absconding.
In August 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that there should be an in-depth investigation into these cases. Range IGs were asked to look into FIRs and supporting material and decide if reinvestigation was necessary. Additional DGs were to ensure veracity of the reports and the DGP was to be in-charge reporting on the status of the cases to the apex court every quarter.
According to the police riots cell data, of the 2,017 cases reconsidered, 1,958 were reopened. Of these, the police made 1,299 arrests in 117 cases till June this year, which makes up a little over 5 percent of the cases. However, data from September 2009 shows the number of cases in which arrests have been made is the same: 117. The police has not made a single arrest in the remaining cases in the past two years.
Razakbhai Ismailbhai Ghauchi, 65, is a farmer from Halodar village in Sabarkantha district. He lives 20 km away from Limbadiya Chowkri, the site of a massacre in which 75 people were killed in 2002. He recalls how he watched from his fields as a mob set his house on fire. Coming out of hiding three weeks later, he tried to file an FIR against 14 persons — including the son of a former Congress MLA living in his neighbourhood — he had identified in the light of the flames that burned his house.
Ghauchi tried to file an FIR accusing these 14 persons with the Malpur Police Station, Modasa Circle Police Station, offices of the DSP and Collector, Himmatnagar, and the National Human Rights Commission, but in vain. He tried again when an inspector from Modasa visited his village in 2003. The police eventually registered an FIR but in his brother Rasul’s name and blamed a mob instead. A few months later, the case was closed. In 2004, when NGO Nyayagruha began work in the region, he got the case reopened.
In 2007, a team from a riot cell in Gandhinagar came and went and closed the case a second time without interviewing him. “When I tried making my way to Rasul’s house, the local police inspector asked me to get the two panchas, the main witnesses. By the time I returned with them, the team had left,” says Ghauchi.
However, the riot cell report has a different story to tell: “A team of senior officers came from Gandhinagar and made a video recording of the reinvestigation in Halodar. Applicant Razakbhai and other witnesses were interviewed. They did not give any information about the accused. The probe was closed on 10 April 2007.”
Nyayagruha coordinator Sheikh Usman, who is following up on 32 reinvestigations in Sabarkantha district, is not amused. “It is the police’s responsibility to ensure that the panchas are there, not the complainant’s. How can they close the case without interviewing the complainant who they knew was present?” he asks.
8TIMES - That’s how much poorer urban Muslims are than upper-caste Hindus in Gujarat. This is almost twice the national average
This June, Usmanbhai managed to get a copy of the CD through an appeal to the State Information Commission after Malpur Police Station and the DSP office had both turned down his RTI request. This CD shows police officers perfunctorily interviewing 11 witnesses in less than five minutes before closing the case a second time. An August 2008 video recording of another reinvestigation shows Noor Mohammed, a trader from Tintoi village in Modasa taluka, being interviewed by the police in front of the seven people he had accused of looting his shop in 2002.
For the riot victims, there is palpable anger and disappointment at not being able to find either justice or closure. Ask about Modi’s fast and many Muslims react with a sceptical smile. “He is doing this for ‘raj kaaran’,” is a common refrain. “He thinks he has got 10 more years of relief, so he is celebrating. After the riots, all the relief money came from the Centre, the state didn’t spend a single paisa.” And anger that continues to simmer. [b]“Modi should be punished first. It’s our prerogative to decide whether to forgive him or not.”[/b]
From Tehelka
Anumeha Yadav is a Senior Correspondent with Tehelka.
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ghulam muhammed
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Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Developmental Amnesia
The tilt in people’s perception of Modi, from a carnage perpetrator to a pro-development agent, shows that his carefully orchestrated publicity tactic is working
He is an incorruptible leader with incredible energy and endurance; a man of steel who refuses to compromise on any issue; a visionary who has brought about all-round industrial development; a mesmeric orator who can arouse the emotions of the crowd and who works on the psychology that the masses prefer to submit to the strong rather than the weakling; a man of mystery steadfastly refusing to divulge anything of his personal life. For each success of the State, he modestly accepts all the credit. Sounds familiar?
Before you jump to any hasty conclusion, let me clarify that the superhuman described above is none other than the doctored persona of Adolf Hitler, spun out by the Nazi propaganda machine. However, one cannot ignore the eerie resemblance with the carefully advertised image of the CEO of Gujarat. This sketch of Hitler was gleaned from the Nizkor Project website, dedicated to spreading awareness about the Holocaust and to combat Holocaust denial by hate groups. It is yet another testament to the resolve to never forget the Holocaust nightmare so that such an abomination does not recur.
The world has witnessed varying responses to mass murder and genocide. The Nurembergtrials investigated crimes of the military, political and economic leadership of Nazi Germany and delivered the most severe penalties against those responsible for genocide. In stark contrast, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa was a restorative justice body that stressed on reconciliation and granted amnesty to many of the perpetrators of the horrors of Apartheid. However, the underlying philosophy for setting up these bodies was essentially the same – to acknowledge that what happened was horrendous and that such horrors should never be repeated. In the words of Desmond Tutu, chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, “We needed to look the beast in the eye, so that the past wouldn’t hold us hostage anymore.”
But we in the country are working feverishly to forget the Gujarat holocaust of 2002 and ‘move on’, as though what happened then was a minor blip in our history. Through an astounding metamorphosis of thought, large sections of our society today genuflect before the leading figure who presided over the pogrom against an entire community. Writer and editor MJ Akbar recently lauded Modi’s decisive governance and incorruptibility. His adulation goes to the extent of giving Modi credit for the number of Muslim constables in Gujarat, although most of them were recruited before Modi came to power. He goes on to observe that Modi can aspire for prime ministership if he can convince Muslims that they will be safe under his watch. Even Syed Shahabuddin has extended the olive branch, albeit with a few caveats. The Modi cult grows apace and like the Emergency, his authoritarian style is seen as the panacea for the country’s ills. Clearly, in the present milieu, commerce has trumped justice. In the name of economic development and progress, we have decided to barter away the nation’s soul.
Apologists for the events of 2002 refer to what occurred in Gujarat as a communal riot, thereby implying that both communities actively participated in the mayhem that followed the terrible Godhra train burning. But what happened in reality was a fascist massacre involving predators and victims. A Delhi-based columnist estimated, on the basis of FIRs and police surmise, that about 2 million people, or about 4 percent of the population of Gujarat, had participated in the ‘religious riots’. In a disturbing statement on record, Modi compared that nightmarish period to Gandhi’s Dandi March. Can thinking get more depraved than this? Now, instead of the possibility of people’s revulsion and resolution to stave off such evil, we witness the conductor of the pogrom not only entrenched as the arbiter of Gujarat’s destiny but a serious contender for the country’s top job. The dark underbelly of unpunished crimes, of distrust, of hate, still hangs like an ominous cloud over Gujarat, but Modi’s spin doctors have deflected attention from the issues of justice through unremitting propaganda on development, Sadhbhawana yatras and counterfeit claims regarding peaceful coexistence and brotherhood. Disinformation, half-truths and doublespeak dominate the public space in Gujarat today.
The most mythical of all the claims regarding Modi is that he is a changed person today. His interview to Shahid Siddiqui shows him to be a misunderstood statesman with impeccable credentials carrying the good of the country in his heart. Shahabuddin has observed that Muslims see a change in his attitude. But this is nothing but a façade. It’s not a change of heart, but a change in tactics. Modi knows that the policy of polarisation of communities, which is so successful in Gujarat, will not work on the national stage; hence the Sadhbhawana yatras aimed at camouflaging his real persona — that of a ruthless, right-wing pracharak. Despite the posturing, glimpses of the hard-line Hindutva apostle occasionally peep through. Recently, he gratuitously referred to Ahmed Patel as “Ahmed miyan” with the mischievous intent of emphasising his opponent’s Muslim background, which helps consolidate the Hindu vote in a deeply polarised society. Had the Mahatma been alive today, he might have gently reminded Modi that fraternity and brotherhood, like non-violence “is not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart and it must be an inseparable part of our being.”
Amidst all the bluster regarding development and effective governance, the social divide is deeper than ever. Gujarat continues to live in a chamber of horrors, unable to exorcise the ghosts of 2002. There is now no violence but the overpowering atmosphere of distrust and hate is there for all to see. More than ever before, the Muslim is viewed as ‘the other’. With housing apartheid blatantly practised, the Muslims are corralled together in ghettoes. As Romila Thapar perspicaciously noted, “Ghettoes are not only easy to control but easy to destroy”.
Clarence Darrow, the humanist who fought relentlessly for the rights of the African-Americans, had observed that no matter what laws we pass, unless people are kind and decent and humane to one another, there can be no peaceful existence or liberty. In the ultimate analysis, “peace and freedom come from human beings rather than from laws and institutions.” Sadly,Gujarat today has little of brotherhood or the ‘Indian spirit’. In this difficult period of universal deceit, we need to heed Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s dire warning: “When we neither punish nor reproach evil doers… we are ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.”
(A former civil servant, the author is the Secretary General of the Lok Janshakti Party)
letters@tehelka.com
http://tehelka.com/developmental-amnesia/#
The tilt in people’s perception of Modi, from a carnage perpetrator to a pro-development agent, shows that his carefully orchestrated publicity tactic is working
He is an incorruptible leader with incredible energy and endurance; a man of steel who refuses to compromise on any issue; a visionary who has brought about all-round industrial development; a mesmeric orator who can arouse the emotions of the crowd and who works on the psychology that the masses prefer to submit to the strong rather than the weakling; a man of mystery steadfastly refusing to divulge anything of his personal life. For each success of the State, he modestly accepts all the credit. Sounds familiar?
Before you jump to any hasty conclusion, let me clarify that the superhuman described above is none other than the doctored persona of Adolf Hitler, spun out by the Nazi propaganda machine. However, one cannot ignore the eerie resemblance with the carefully advertised image of the CEO of Gujarat. This sketch of Hitler was gleaned from the Nizkor Project website, dedicated to spreading awareness about the Holocaust and to combat Holocaust denial by hate groups. It is yet another testament to the resolve to never forget the Holocaust nightmare so that such an abomination does not recur.
The world has witnessed varying responses to mass murder and genocide. The Nurembergtrials investigated crimes of the military, political and economic leadership of Nazi Germany and delivered the most severe penalties against those responsible for genocide. In stark contrast, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa was a restorative justice body that stressed on reconciliation and granted amnesty to many of the perpetrators of the horrors of Apartheid. However, the underlying philosophy for setting up these bodies was essentially the same – to acknowledge that what happened was horrendous and that such horrors should never be repeated. In the words of Desmond Tutu, chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, “We needed to look the beast in the eye, so that the past wouldn’t hold us hostage anymore.”
But we in the country are working feverishly to forget the Gujarat holocaust of 2002 and ‘move on’, as though what happened then was a minor blip in our history. Through an astounding metamorphosis of thought, large sections of our society today genuflect before the leading figure who presided over the pogrom against an entire community. Writer and editor MJ Akbar recently lauded Modi’s decisive governance and incorruptibility. His adulation goes to the extent of giving Modi credit for the number of Muslim constables in Gujarat, although most of them were recruited before Modi came to power. He goes on to observe that Modi can aspire for prime ministership if he can convince Muslims that they will be safe under his watch. Even Syed Shahabuddin has extended the olive branch, albeit with a few caveats. The Modi cult grows apace and like the Emergency, his authoritarian style is seen as the panacea for the country’s ills. Clearly, in the present milieu, commerce has trumped justice. In the name of economic development and progress, we have decided to barter away the nation’s soul.
Apologists for the events of 2002 refer to what occurred in Gujarat as a communal riot, thereby implying that both communities actively participated in the mayhem that followed the terrible Godhra train burning. But what happened in reality was a fascist massacre involving predators and victims. A Delhi-based columnist estimated, on the basis of FIRs and police surmise, that about 2 million people, or about 4 percent of the population of Gujarat, had participated in the ‘religious riots’. In a disturbing statement on record, Modi compared that nightmarish period to Gandhi’s Dandi March. Can thinking get more depraved than this? Now, instead of the possibility of people’s revulsion and resolution to stave off such evil, we witness the conductor of the pogrom not only entrenched as the arbiter of Gujarat’s destiny but a serious contender for the country’s top job. The dark underbelly of unpunished crimes, of distrust, of hate, still hangs like an ominous cloud over Gujarat, but Modi’s spin doctors have deflected attention from the issues of justice through unremitting propaganda on development, Sadhbhawana yatras and counterfeit claims regarding peaceful coexistence and brotherhood. Disinformation, half-truths and doublespeak dominate the public space in Gujarat today.
The most mythical of all the claims regarding Modi is that he is a changed person today. His interview to Shahid Siddiqui shows him to be a misunderstood statesman with impeccable credentials carrying the good of the country in his heart. Shahabuddin has observed that Muslims see a change in his attitude. But this is nothing but a façade. It’s not a change of heart, but a change in tactics. Modi knows that the policy of polarisation of communities, which is so successful in Gujarat, will not work on the national stage; hence the Sadhbhawana yatras aimed at camouflaging his real persona — that of a ruthless, right-wing pracharak. Despite the posturing, glimpses of the hard-line Hindutva apostle occasionally peep through. Recently, he gratuitously referred to Ahmed Patel as “Ahmed miyan” with the mischievous intent of emphasising his opponent’s Muslim background, which helps consolidate the Hindu vote in a deeply polarised society. Had the Mahatma been alive today, he might have gently reminded Modi that fraternity and brotherhood, like non-violence “is not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart and it must be an inseparable part of our being.”
Amidst all the bluster regarding development and effective governance, the social divide is deeper than ever. Gujarat continues to live in a chamber of horrors, unable to exorcise the ghosts of 2002. There is now no violence but the overpowering atmosphere of distrust and hate is there for all to see. More than ever before, the Muslim is viewed as ‘the other’. With housing apartheid blatantly practised, the Muslims are corralled together in ghettoes. As Romila Thapar perspicaciously noted, “Ghettoes are not only easy to control but easy to destroy”.
Clarence Darrow, the humanist who fought relentlessly for the rights of the African-Americans, had observed that no matter what laws we pass, unless people are kind and decent and humane to one another, there can be no peaceful existence or liberty. In the ultimate analysis, “peace and freedom come from human beings rather than from laws and institutions.” Sadly,Gujarat today has little of brotherhood or the ‘Indian spirit’. In this difficult period of universal deceit, we need to heed Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s dire warning: “When we neither punish nor reproach evil doers… we are ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.”
(A former civil servant, the author is the Secretary General of the Lok Janshakti Party)
letters@tehelka.com
http://tehelka.com/developmental-amnesia/#
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Rising Shadow of Trident: "Modi’s Victory in Gujarat"
Ram Puniyani
The recent electoral victory of Narendra Modi, his third consecutive one (Dec 2012), has drawn lot of applause from a section of society and he is being projected as the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate. It’s another matter that BJP, itself is in shambles as far as electoral arena is concerned and its NDA allies are unlikely to endorse Modi, given his
aggressive communal politics and the authoritarian style of his functioning. One knows that this victory of Modi was predicted by many exit polls, one also knows his victory was not a smooth sail, as by now the dissatisfaction from his policies, his style of functioning is adversely affecting a large number of Gujarat population. The people of Gujarat
turned out in big numbers to cast their vote.
Many commentators feel that his win is due to his development policies, that he has won again is an endorsement of his claims of development of Gujarat. The development model undertaken by Modi is a total surrender to the favored industrial houses, which are having a gala time in Gujarat. The shiny malls and roads of Gujarat hide behind them the travails of the deprived and marginalized sections of Gujarat, the villages in particular. Every Nano car rolling out from Tata car is subsidized by the state to the extent of Rs 60000. The hype of development propaganda, managed by the American Company APCO Worldwide, which has already worked for notorious dictators like Sani Abacha (Nigeria) and Nurusultan NAzarbayev (Life President of Kazagistan), has done its job well again. The job by this agency has been done so well that anybody questioning the development of Gujarat is receives various derogatory labels. As a matter of fact what Modi has done is nothing unusual and states like Maharashtra have achieved much better in this direction, without the hype. Here comes one of the roles of Modi, not only to hire an image maker but also to act like Goebbels.
This so called development hides that the social indices of Gujarat which are very much on the lower side when compared to many other Indian states. What matters in popular perception is the image more than reality. So this aspect of Modi’s propaganda did sell well for a section of middle class not only in Gujarat but all over the country. Many a commentators do buy this uncritically and attribute Modi’s victory to this factor. As its not only the mall going middle class but even the suicide committing farmers families, the starving dalits and Adivasis, who also vote, they feel the reality of the ‘development’ of Gujarat in their lives, so a large turn out to vote and in rural areas they did show that the so called development is from the annals of make believe World.
The major factor which has worked in Modi’s favor is the polarization which has taken place in Gujarat after the 2002 carnage. This is one episode of violence, which has separated the communities on religious lines. While Hindus, have bought the line that it is only due to Modi that they are safe, at the same time Muslims know that they have not only been the major victim of 2002, but also that post 2002, they have been totally marginalized in physical space, with ghettoization taking place. They know that they are physically not safe and have been pushed back economically and socially. The real fear is stalking the lives of Muslim community as a whole. They have been relegated to *second class citizenship*. Modi has given a clear message that the nine percent Muslims don’t matter to him as he has made up his vote bank by consolidating the Hindus by instilling the fear amongst them. Still all Muslims do not vote against them. To begin with the Muslim majority areas have been delimited in a way that they can’t influence in the electoral result, or the impact of their voting is minimized. A section of trader-businessmen Muslims did vote for Modi for sure. Another section had to vote for him out of fear.
As far as dalits and adivasis are concerned the social engineering unleashed by BJP associates VHP and Vanavasi Kalyan ashram has done its job and a section of these deprived sections has been won over to the Hindutva fold and vote for the BJP. The sense of insecurity amongst minorities and minority women is paramount, making them withdraw into their shells. The liberal space in the state of Gujarat has shrunk rapidly, more than in other states. The educational institutions have been thoroughly brought under the management of academics sympathetic to Modi’s ideology. The state now reminds one of a dictatorial state, as pointed out by the ex- BJP chief Minister Keshubhai Patel himself. It can be called as communal-semi fascist state. The major factor in the state is the polarization and abolition of liberal space. This is ‘Hindu Nation’ in one state. One is reminded of the USSR, where ‘Socialism in one state’ was the slogan to begin with. In India while there are many states ruled by BJP, it is Gujarat, which fits into this ‘Hindu Rashtra in one state’.
The real danger today, which is reminded by Modi’s victory are manifold. To begin with the communal fascism is creeping in India through deeper pores of the nation. It is said that RSS is not happy with Modi coming to power and becoming larger than the party, the BJP. This is a contradictory situation. RSS on one hand wants to create a Hindu Rashtra. On the other it wants to regulate the whole process. The contradiction is that RSS ideology pushes the nation towards dictatorial thinking, as RSS itself is modeled on *Ek Chalak Anuvartita*, (controlled by single supreme dictator), the Sar Sanghchalak, whose writ is unquestionable. At the same time one recalls that one of the characteristics of fascisms the single charismatic leader. Modi fits in to that model very well. It is being said that in Gujarat, the RSS and its progeny VHP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad has been marginalized. One should know that the RSS and its non electoral progeny is there to make the ground for creating a communal space in which BJP can then rough shod and work for Hindu Nation. In Gujarat, these organizations are redundant now as they have already played their role. With Modi’s victory it’s clear that in India the communal fascism is marching state by state, and in the social space, in a gradual manner.
Modi’s blatant proximity to industrial houses is again in tune with the pattern of a fascist state. Hitler was also the darling of big capital. Hitler had mass following amongst the middle classes and could co-opt the poor as its storm troopers, street fighters. Modi is walking the same path, the difference being that of speed and regional variation. India being the vast diverse nation, the Gujarat pattern stands out very clearly as a repeat of German fascist onslaught with many differences. The other BJP ruled states are adopting different paths, some features being common. These common features are cultural infiltration, and relegation of minorities to the margins.
It is in this situation that those committed to secular democracy need a rethink. At electoral level, the parties like Congress, Samajvadi, Communist and Socialist parties, do not perceive the threat to democracy and secularism as they should be doing. If they understand the implications of Hindu Rashtra, the impact of Modi in hiking up the communal politics and communal thinking, then they have to close their ranks. They need to rise above their electoral and prime ministerial ambitions and take this threat of communalism head on as a united front. That seems to be a very tall order to expect from these electoral formations which so far have not demonstrated their willingness to come together for the sake of principles. Is it thinkable at all these parties will contemplate more in terms of saving democracy and secularism rather than protecting their fiefdoms? Its time these parties wake and realize that unless they hang together, the danger of communal fascism taking over the country in the future is not ruled out. Still one knows all this is an optimistic urge. If wishes were horses!
What can secular elements do at this point of time? They have engaged in legal activism, advocacy work, done rehabilitation work and conducted awareness programs to the best of their capabilities. It seems their best is not good enough. The need for more innovative thinking to ward off the threat of looming communalism has become more menacing with the victory of Modi. It’s a warning signal of sorts to do our utmost to strengthen the values of freedom movement, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. It’s time to remind ourselves of what the preamble of our Constitution tells us. It’s time to build a real people’s platform for secularism and democracy. It’s time for social movements to take this issue in utmost seriousness before the situation is created that social movements will themselves will not be permitted to march forward for the cause of human rights of the deprived sections of society.
Ram Puniyani
The recent electoral victory of Narendra Modi, his third consecutive one (Dec 2012), has drawn lot of applause from a section of society and he is being projected as the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate. It’s another matter that BJP, itself is in shambles as far as electoral arena is concerned and its NDA allies are unlikely to endorse Modi, given his
aggressive communal politics and the authoritarian style of his functioning. One knows that this victory of Modi was predicted by many exit polls, one also knows his victory was not a smooth sail, as by now the dissatisfaction from his policies, his style of functioning is adversely affecting a large number of Gujarat population. The people of Gujarat
turned out in big numbers to cast their vote.
Many commentators feel that his win is due to his development policies, that he has won again is an endorsement of his claims of development of Gujarat. The development model undertaken by Modi is a total surrender to the favored industrial houses, which are having a gala time in Gujarat. The shiny malls and roads of Gujarat hide behind them the travails of the deprived and marginalized sections of Gujarat, the villages in particular. Every Nano car rolling out from Tata car is subsidized by the state to the extent of Rs 60000. The hype of development propaganda, managed by the American Company APCO Worldwide, which has already worked for notorious dictators like Sani Abacha (Nigeria) and Nurusultan NAzarbayev (Life President of Kazagistan), has done its job well again. The job by this agency has been done so well that anybody questioning the development of Gujarat is receives various derogatory labels. As a matter of fact what Modi has done is nothing unusual and states like Maharashtra have achieved much better in this direction, without the hype. Here comes one of the roles of Modi, not only to hire an image maker but also to act like Goebbels.
This so called development hides that the social indices of Gujarat which are very much on the lower side when compared to many other Indian states. What matters in popular perception is the image more than reality. So this aspect of Modi’s propaganda did sell well for a section of middle class not only in Gujarat but all over the country. Many a commentators do buy this uncritically and attribute Modi’s victory to this factor. As its not only the mall going middle class but even the suicide committing farmers families, the starving dalits and Adivasis, who also vote, they feel the reality of the ‘development’ of Gujarat in their lives, so a large turn out to vote and in rural areas they did show that the so called development is from the annals of make believe World.
The major factor which has worked in Modi’s favor is the polarization which has taken place in Gujarat after the 2002 carnage. This is one episode of violence, which has separated the communities on religious lines. While Hindus, have bought the line that it is only due to Modi that they are safe, at the same time Muslims know that they have not only been the major victim of 2002, but also that post 2002, they have been totally marginalized in physical space, with ghettoization taking place. They know that they are physically not safe and have been pushed back economically and socially. The real fear is stalking the lives of Muslim community as a whole. They have been relegated to *second class citizenship*. Modi has given a clear message that the nine percent Muslims don’t matter to him as he has made up his vote bank by consolidating the Hindus by instilling the fear amongst them. Still all Muslims do not vote against them. To begin with the Muslim majority areas have been delimited in a way that they can’t influence in the electoral result, or the impact of their voting is minimized. A section of trader-businessmen Muslims did vote for Modi for sure. Another section had to vote for him out of fear.
As far as dalits and adivasis are concerned the social engineering unleashed by BJP associates VHP and Vanavasi Kalyan ashram has done its job and a section of these deprived sections has been won over to the Hindutva fold and vote for the BJP. The sense of insecurity amongst minorities and minority women is paramount, making them withdraw into their shells. The liberal space in the state of Gujarat has shrunk rapidly, more than in other states. The educational institutions have been thoroughly brought under the management of academics sympathetic to Modi’s ideology. The state now reminds one of a dictatorial state, as pointed out by the ex- BJP chief Minister Keshubhai Patel himself. It can be called as communal-semi fascist state. The major factor in the state is the polarization and abolition of liberal space. This is ‘Hindu Nation’ in one state. One is reminded of the USSR, where ‘Socialism in one state’ was the slogan to begin with. In India while there are many states ruled by BJP, it is Gujarat, which fits into this ‘Hindu Rashtra in one state’.
The real danger today, which is reminded by Modi’s victory are manifold. To begin with the communal fascism is creeping in India through deeper pores of the nation. It is said that RSS is not happy with Modi coming to power and becoming larger than the party, the BJP. This is a contradictory situation. RSS on one hand wants to create a Hindu Rashtra. On the other it wants to regulate the whole process. The contradiction is that RSS ideology pushes the nation towards dictatorial thinking, as RSS itself is modeled on *Ek Chalak Anuvartita*, (controlled by single supreme dictator), the Sar Sanghchalak, whose writ is unquestionable. At the same time one recalls that one of the characteristics of fascisms the single charismatic leader. Modi fits in to that model very well. It is being said that in Gujarat, the RSS and its progeny VHP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad has been marginalized. One should know that the RSS and its non electoral progeny is there to make the ground for creating a communal space in which BJP can then rough shod and work for Hindu Nation. In Gujarat, these organizations are redundant now as they have already played their role. With Modi’s victory it’s clear that in India the communal fascism is marching state by state, and in the social space, in a gradual manner.
Modi’s blatant proximity to industrial houses is again in tune with the pattern of a fascist state. Hitler was also the darling of big capital. Hitler had mass following amongst the middle classes and could co-opt the poor as its storm troopers, street fighters. Modi is walking the same path, the difference being that of speed and regional variation. India being the vast diverse nation, the Gujarat pattern stands out very clearly as a repeat of German fascist onslaught with many differences. The other BJP ruled states are adopting different paths, some features being common. These common features are cultural infiltration, and relegation of minorities to the margins.
It is in this situation that those committed to secular democracy need a rethink. At electoral level, the parties like Congress, Samajvadi, Communist and Socialist parties, do not perceive the threat to democracy and secularism as they should be doing. If they understand the implications of Hindu Rashtra, the impact of Modi in hiking up the communal politics and communal thinking, then they have to close their ranks. They need to rise above their electoral and prime ministerial ambitions and take this threat of communalism head on as a united front. That seems to be a very tall order to expect from these electoral formations which so far have not demonstrated their willingness to come together for the sake of principles. Is it thinkable at all these parties will contemplate more in terms of saving democracy and secularism rather than protecting their fiefdoms? Its time these parties wake and realize that unless they hang together, the danger of communal fascism taking over the country in the future is not ruled out. Still one knows all this is an optimistic urge. If wishes were horses!
What can secular elements do at this point of time? They have engaged in legal activism, advocacy work, done rehabilitation work and conducted awareness programs to the best of their capabilities. It seems their best is not good enough. The need for more innovative thinking to ward off the threat of looming communalism has become more menacing with the victory of Modi. It’s a warning signal of sorts to do our utmost to strengthen the values of freedom movement, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. It’s time to remind ourselves of what the preamble of our Constitution tells us. It’s time to build a real people’s platform for secularism and democracy. It’s time for social movements to take this issue in utmost seriousness before the situation is created that social movements will themselves will not be permitted to march forward for the cause of human rights of the deprived sections of society.
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Muslim First
- Posts: 6893
- Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Read mostly Dawoodi Bohra communityA section of trader-businessmen Muslims did vote for Modi for sure. Another section had to vote for him out of fear.
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
"jehno raaja chor ahni praja bikhari" well said bhai GBghulam muhammed wrote:Its pathetic to see as to how the dai has made his followers morally bankrupt. Actually one cant blame the abdes because the initiative was taken by their master long back.......... Jaisa raja vaisi praja.
Today on the television media, even bohra women wearing rida were shown greeting the shaitaan and craving for a photo session with him.
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
If bohras would really follow what DAI really preaches then even momeen would raise to status of nabi and awsiyaa,but unfortunately it is no possible,only few lucky ears can hear the true hidaya from HAQ.Ala maqaam wrote:ghulam muhammed wrote:Its pathetic to see as to how the dai has made his followers morally bankrupt. Actually one cant blame the abdes because the initiative was taken by their master long back.......... Jaisa raja vaisi praja.
Today on the television media, even bohra women wearing rida were shown greeting the shaitaan and craving for a photo session with him.
what these people are doing is coz of there own ignorance and illitracy.[/quote
wow Ala maqaam , it seems you have really reached this status (suitable to your name here) of Nabi and Awsiyaa by following the DAI's preachings, for eg, doing Kadambosi of Dai, sajda to Dai, and singing that famous song of Sajda tujhe wajib hai..... praying salat for Tulul Umr of Dai etc.
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Modi visits Hindu celebrations in Christian district
Gujarat, January 28, 2013: Church leaders have accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of deliberately aiming to create dissent between Hindus and Christians.
This follows his appearance at an Indian Republic Day celebration on January 26 at Ahwa, the capital of the Dangs district of Gujarat, which is mostly populated by tribal Christians.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “feeling politically threatened in the tribal areas with substantial Christian populations and they are trying to Hinduize the whole area,” said Father Cedric Prakash who directs a human rights center in the state’s business capital, Ahmedabad.
He told ucanews.com on Sunday that though Modi did not make any controversial speech at the event, it was a subtle strategy to widen the base of his pro-Hindu party.
Modi attended several other functions over the weekend, including a meeting of the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Parishad youth group. The state government launched the group to promote the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, a 19th century Hindu revivalist.
“It was a calculated move by Modi to go to the Dangs. He will try to pit Christians and tribal people against each other,” said Fr Xavier Manjooran, who provides legal help to tribal people against their exploitation by private and government agencies.
During the December 2012 state elections, BJP candidates were defeated in the Dangs and neighboring Dharampur, mainly because of the tribal Christian vote.
The Dangs district witnessed anti-Christian attacks in 1998 and again in February 2006, when local politician Swami Aseemanand organized a program for the re-conversion of tribal Christians.
Aseemanand has since been jailed, but Fr Manjooran believes that Modi wants to revive the program under the guise of a plan to develop religious tourism.
Indian states normally hold Republic Day and Independence Day programs in their capital cities. But Modi has introduced a system in which they are held in different districts on a rotation basis.
- ucanews
Gujarat, January 28, 2013: Church leaders have accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of deliberately aiming to create dissent between Hindus and Christians.
This follows his appearance at an Indian Republic Day celebration on January 26 at Ahwa, the capital of the Dangs district of Gujarat, which is mostly populated by tribal Christians.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “feeling politically threatened in the tribal areas with substantial Christian populations and they are trying to Hinduize the whole area,” said Father Cedric Prakash who directs a human rights center in the state’s business capital, Ahmedabad.
He told ucanews.com on Sunday that though Modi did not make any controversial speech at the event, it was a subtle strategy to widen the base of his pro-Hindu party.
Modi attended several other functions over the weekend, including a meeting of the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Parishad youth group. The state government launched the group to promote the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, a 19th century Hindu revivalist.
“It was a calculated move by Modi to go to the Dangs. He will try to pit Christians and tribal people against each other,” said Fr Xavier Manjooran, who provides legal help to tribal people against their exploitation by private and government agencies.
During the December 2012 state elections, BJP candidates were defeated in the Dangs and neighboring Dharampur, mainly because of the tribal Christian vote.
The Dangs district witnessed anti-Christian attacks in 1998 and again in February 2006, when local politician Swami Aseemanand organized a program for the re-conversion of tribal Christians.
Aseemanand has since been jailed, but Fr Manjooran believes that Modi wants to revive the program under the guise of a plan to develop religious tourism.
Indian states normally hold Republic Day and Independence Day programs in their capital cities. But Modi has introduced a system in which they are held in different districts on a rotation basis.
- ucanews
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Here s what a former Supreme Court Judge has to say about Narendra Modi
All the perfumes of Arabia
People clamouring for Narendra Modi should realise the only policy which can take India on the path of progress is equal respect and treatment for all communities
Narendra Modi is being projected by a large section of Indians as the modern Moses, the one who will lead the beleaguered and despondent Indian people into a land of milk and honey, the man who is best suited to be the next Indian Prime Minister. And it is not just the Bharatiya Janata Party and RSS who are saying this at the Kumbh Mela. A large section of the Indian so-called ‘educated’ class, including many of our ‘educated’ youth, who have been carried away by Mr. Modi’s propaganda is saying this.
I was flying from Delhi to Bhopal recently. Sitting beside me was a Gujarati businessman. I asked him his opinion of Mr. Modi. He was all praise for him. I interjected and asked him about the killing of nearly 2,000 Muslims in 2002 in Gujarat. He replied that Muslims were always creating problems in Gujarat, but after 2002 they have been put in their place and there is peace since then in the State. I told him this is the peace of the graveyard, and peace can never last long unless it is coupled with justice. At this remark he took offence and changed his seat on the plane.
The truth today is that Muslims in Gujarat are terrorised and afraid that if they speak out against the horrors of 2002 they may be attacked and victimised. In the whole of India, Muslims (who number over 200 million) are solidly against Mr. Modi (though there are a handful of Muslims who for some reason disagree).
Dubious spontaneity
It is claimed by Modi supporters that what happened in Gujarat was only a ‘spontaneous’ reaction (pratikriya) of Hindus to the killing of 59 Hindus on a train in Godhra. I do not buy this story. First, there is still mystery as to what exactly happened in Godhra. Secondly, the particular persons who were responsible for the Godhra killings should certainly be identified and given harsh punishment, but how does this justify the attack on the entire Muslim community in Gujarat? Muslims are only 9 per cent of the total population of Gujarat, the rest being mostly Hindus. In 2002 Muslims were massacred, their homes burnt, and other horrible crimes committed on them.
To call the killings of Muslims in 2002 a spontaneous reaction reminds one of Kristallnacht in Germany in November 1938, when the entire Jewish community in Germany was attacked, many killed, their synagogues burnt, shops vandalised after a German diplomat in Paris was shot dead by a Jewish youth whose family had been persecuted by the Nazis. It was claimed by the Nazi government that this was only a ‘spontaneous’ reaction, but in fact it was planned and executed by the Nazi authorities using fanatic mobs.
In terms of historical evolution, India is broadly a country of immigrants and consequently, it is a land of tremendous diversity. Hence, the only policy which can hold it together and put it on the path of progress is secularism — equal respect and treatment to all communities and sects. This was the policy of the great Emperor Akbar, which was followed by our founding fathers (Pandit Nehru and his colleagues) who gave us a secular Constitution. Unless we follow this policy, our country cannot survive for one day, because it has so much diversity, so many religions, castes, languages, ethnic groups.
India, therefore, does not belong to Hindus alone; it belongs equally to Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsees, Jains etc. Also, it is not only Hindus who can live in India as first-rate citizens while others have to live as second or third rate citizens. All are first-rate citizens here. The killing of thousands of Muslims and other atrocities on them in Gujarat in 2002 can never be forgotten or forgiven. All the perfumes in Arabia cannot wash away the stain on Mr. Modi in this connection.
It is said by his supporters that Mr. Modi had no hand in the killings, and it is also said that he had not been found guilty by any court of law. I do not want to comment on our judiciary, but I certainly do not buy the story that Mr. Modi had no hand in the events of 2002. He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time when horrible events happened on such a large scale. Can it be believed that he had no hand in them? At least I find this impossible to believe.
Let me give just one example. Ehsan Jafri was a respected, elderly former Member of Parliament living in the Chamanpura locality of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. His house was in the Gulbarga Housing Society, where mostly Muslims lived. According to the recorded version of his elderly wife Zakia, on February 28, 2002 a mob of fanatics blew up the security wall of the housing society using gas cylinders. They dragged Ehsan Jafri out of his house, stripped him, chopped off his limbs with swords and burnt him alive. Many other Muslims were also killed and their houses burnt. Chamanpura is barely a kilometre from a police station, and less than two kilometres from the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner’s office. Is it conceivable that the Chief Minister did not know what was going on? Zakia Jafri has since then been running from pillar to post to get justice for her husband who was so brutally murdered. Her criminal case against Mr. Modi was thrown out by the district court (since the Special Investigation Team appointed by the Supreme Court found no evidence against him and filed a final report), and it is only now (after a gap of over 10 years) that the Supreme Court has set aside the order of the trial court and directed that her protest petition be considered.
I am not going into this matter any further since it is still sub judice.
Mr. Modi has claimed that he has developed Gujarat. It is therefore necessary to consider the meaning of ‘development’. To my mind development can have only one meaning, and that is raising the standard of living of the masses. Giving concessions to big industrial houses, and offering them cheap land and cheap electricity can hardly be called development if it does not raise the standard of living of the masses.
Questionable progress
Today, 48 per cent of Gujarati children are malnourished, which is a higher rate of malnourishment than the national average. In Gujarat, there is a high infant mortality rate, high women’s maternity death rate, and 57 per cent poverty rate in tribal areas, and among Scheduled Castes/Backward Castes. As stated by Ramachandra Guha in his recent article in The Hindu (“The man who would rule India”, February
environmental degradation is rising, educational standards are falling, and malnutrition among children is abnormally high. More than a third of adult men in Gujarat have a body mass index of less than 18.5 — the seventh worst in the country. A UNDP report in 2010 has placed Gujarat after eight other Indian States in multiple dimensions of development: health, education, income levels, etc.
Business leaders no doubt claim that Mr. Modi has created a business friendly environment in Gujarat, but are businessmen the only people in India?
I appeal to the people of India to consider all this if they are really concerned about the nation’s future. Otherwise they may make the same mistake which the Germans made in 1933.
(Markandey Katju, a former judge of the Supreme Court, is Chairman of the Press Council of India)
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a ... 415539.ece
All the perfumes of Arabia
People clamouring for Narendra Modi should realise the only policy which can take India on the path of progress is equal respect and treatment for all communities
Narendra Modi is being projected by a large section of Indians as the modern Moses, the one who will lead the beleaguered and despondent Indian people into a land of milk and honey, the man who is best suited to be the next Indian Prime Minister. And it is not just the Bharatiya Janata Party and RSS who are saying this at the Kumbh Mela. A large section of the Indian so-called ‘educated’ class, including many of our ‘educated’ youth, who have been carried away by Mr. Modi’s propaganda is saying this.
I was flying from Delhi to Bhopal recently. Sitting beside me was a Gujarati businessman. I asked him his opinion of Mr. Modi. He was all praise for him. I interjected and asked him about the killing of nearly 2,000 Muslims in 2002 in Gujarat. He replied that Muslims were always creating problems in Gujarat, but after 2002 they have been put in their place and there is peace since then in the State. I told him this is the peace of the graveyard, and peace can never last long unless it is coupled with justice. At this remark he took offence and changed his seat on the plane.
The truth today is that Muslims in Gujarat are terrorised and afraid that if they speak out against the horrors of 2002 they may be attacked and victimised. In the whole of India, Muslims (who number over 200 million) are solidly against Mr. Modi (though there are a handful of Muslims who for some reason disagree).
Dubious spontaneity
It is claimed by Modi supporters that what happened in Gujarat was only a ‘spontaneous’ reaction (pratikriya) of Hindus to the killing of 59 Hindus on a train in Godhra. I do not buy this story. First, there is still mystery as to what exactly happened in Godhra. Secondly, the particular persons who were responsible for the Godhra killings should certainly be identified and given harsh punishment, but how does this justify the attack on the entire Muslim community in Gujarat? Muslims are only 9 per cent of the total population of Gujarat, the rest being mostly Hindus. In 2002 Muslims were massacred, their homes burnt, and other horrible crimes committed on them.
To call the killings of Muslims in 2002 a spontaneous reaction reminds one of Kristallnacht in Germany in November 1938, when the entire Jewish community in Germany was attacked, many killed, their synagogues burnt, shops vandalised after a German diplomat in Paris was shot dead by a Jewish youth whose family had been persecuted by the Nazis. It was claimed by the Nazi government that this was only a ‘spontaneous’ reaction, but in fact it was planned and executed by the Nazi authorities using fanatic mobs.
In terms of historical evolution, India is broadly a country of immigrants and consequently, it is a land of tremendous diversity. Hence, the only policy which can hold it together and put it on the path of progress is secularism — equal respect and treatment to all communities and sects. This was the policy of the great Emperor Akbar, which was followed by our founding fathers (Pandit Nehru and his colleagues) who gave us a secular Constitution. Unless we follow this policy, our country cannot survive for one day, because it has so much diversity, so many religions, castes, languages, ethnic groups.
India, therefore, does not belong to Hindus alone; it belongs equally to Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsees, Jains etc. Also, it is not only Hindus who can live in India as first-rate citizens while others have to live as second or third rate citizens. All are first-rate citizens here. The killing of thousands of Muslims and other atrocities on them in Gujarat in 2002 can never be forgotten or forgiven. All the perfumes in Arabia cannot wash away the stain on Mr. Modi in this connection.
It is said by his supporters that Mr. Modi had no hand in the killings, and it is also said that he had not been found guilty by any court of law. I do not want to comment on our judiciary, but I certainly do not buy the story that Mr. Modi had no hand in the events of 2002. He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time when horrible events happened on such a large scale. Can it be believed that he had no hand in them? At least I find this impossible to believe.
Let me give just one example. Ehsan Jafri was a respected, elderly former Member of Parliament living in the Chamanpura locality of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. His house was in the Gulbarga Housing Society, where mostly Muslims lived. According to the recorded version of his elderly wife Zakia, on February 28, 2002 a mob of fanatics blew up the security wall of the housing society using gas cylinders. They dragged Ehsan Jafri out of his house, stripped him, chopped off his limbs with swords and burnt him alive. Many other Muslims were also killed and their houses burnt. Chamanpura is barely a kilometre from a police station, and less than two kilometres from the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner’s office. Is it conceivable that the Chief Minister did not know what was going on? Zakia Jafri has since then been running from pillar to post to get justice for her husband who was so brutally murdered. Her criminal case against Mr. Modi was thrown out by the district court (since the Special Investigation Team appointed by the Supreme Court found no evidence against him and filed a final report), and it is only now (after a gap of over 10 years) that the Supreme Court has set aside the order of the trial court and directed that her protest petition be considered.
I am not going into this matter any further since it is still sub judice.
Mr. Modi has claimed that he has developed Gujarat. It is therefore necessary to consider the meaning of ‘development’. To my mind development can have only one meaning, and that is raising the standard of living of the masses. Giving concessions to big industrial houses, and offering them cheap land and cheap electricity can hardly be called development if it does not raise the standard of living of the masses.
Questionable progress
Today, 48 per cent of Gujarati children are malnourished, which is a higher rate of malnourishment than the national average. In Gujarat, there is a high infant mortality rate, high women’s maternity death rate, and 57 per cent poverty rate in tribal areas, and among Scheduled Castes/Backward Castes. As stated by Ramachandra Guha in his recent article in The Hindu (“The man who would rule India”, February
environmental degradation is rising, educational standards are falling, and malnutrition among children is abnormally high. More than a third of adult men in Gujarat have a body mass index of less than 18.5 — the seventh worst in the country. A UNDP report in 2010 has placed Gujarat after eight other Indian States in multiple dimensions of development: health, education, income levels, etc.Business leaders no doubt claim that Mr. Modi has created a business friendly environment in Gujarat, but are businessmen the only people in India?
I appeal to the people of India to consider all this if they are really concerned about the nation’s future. Otherwise they may make the same mistake which the Germans made in 1933.
(Markandey Katju, a former judge of the Supreme Court, is Chairman of the Press Council of India)
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a ... 415539.ece
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
West at its duplicitous worst in wooing Narendra Modi
The ardent overtures to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi by Europe, the UK and the US tell us more about these states betraying their own constitutional values than about Modi’s appeal abroad. Even the BJP has prudently desisted from crowing about the party’s “growing international appeal” as some admirers of Modi are prone to doing in private.
The impression gained from conversations with some retired and a few serving officials in the ministry of external affairs (MEA) is that Europe and the UK have not earned any diplomatic brownie points for making a beeline to Modi, under whose watch Gujarat witnessed the massacre of nearly 1,500 Muslims in 2002. Not long before the carnage, these very western governments were fuming over churches being torched and attacked and Christians being targeted in Modi’s Gujarat. The US, in contrast, has played its cards more shrewdly.
The West, which never misses an opportunity to berate or slam India for human rights violations and is forever preaching about democracy, religious freedom, rule of law and respect for judiciary, seems to have admitted that these are at best nonsense; and, at worst, instrumental in negotiating better terms of trade.
The EU ambassadors rationalised their cosying up to Modi by arguing that he had not been “judicially arraigned yet” for the massacres in Gujarat; and that making up with Modi was proof of their respect to India’s democratic institutions, electoral system and judiciary. The countries which barred his entry are now falling over each other to invite him to Europe; and, he is to be feted by not only European business but also the European Parliament.
As for the US, its ingenuity will be severely tested when it comes to inviting Modi for a visit because its law bars foreign government officials who have “committed particularly severe violations of religious freedom”. However, this would be a minor hurdle when Washington chooses to roll out the red carpet for Modi.
What emerges from these developments is that the West, for all its protestations about human rights and democracy, couldn’t care less about either M – Modi or the Minorities. The only M that spurs the West is Money. It is the cynical pursuit of financial profit – investment opportunities and defence contracts — that guides western governments when it comes to the “lesser people” and “lesser nations”.
One of the most jarring developments in the aftermath of the 2002 riots was that, contrary to general expectation, a delegation led by the US Commerce Secretary did not put off its visit to Gujarat. It was business as usual for Washington.
Whether Modi becomes prime minister or not, there is no doubt that the West has earned his contempt, rightfully.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mobile/report.php?n=1801048&p=0
The ardent overtures to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi by Europe, the UK and the US tell us more about these states betraying their own constitutional values than about Modi’s appeal abroad. Even the BJP has prudently desisted from crowing about the party’s “growing international appeal” as some admirers of Modi are prone to doing in private.
The impression gained from conversations with some retired and a few serving officials in the ministry of external affairs (MEA) is that Europe and the UK have not earned any diplomatic brownie points for making a beeline to Modi, under whose watch Gujarat witnessed the massacre of nearly 1,500 Muslims in 2002. Not long before the carnage, these very western governments were fuming over churches being torched and attacked and Christians being targeted in Modi’s Gujarat. The US, in contrast, has played its cards more shrewdly.
The West, which never misses an opportunity to berate or slam India for human rights violations and is forever preaching about democracy, religious freedom, rule of law and respect for judiciary, seems to have admitted that these are at best nonsense; and, at worst, instrumental in negotiating better terms of trade.
The EU ambassadors rationalised their cosying up to Modi by arguing that he had not been “judicially arraigned yet” for the massacres in Gujarat; and that making up with Modi was proof of their respect to India’s democratic institutions, electoral system and judiciary. The countries which barred his entry are now falling over each other to invite him to Europe; and, he is to be feted by not only European business but also the European Parliament.
As for the US, its ingenuity will be severely tested when it comes to inviting Modi for a visit because its law bars foreign government officials who have “committed particularly severe violations of religious freedom”. However, this would be a minor hurdle when Washington chooses to roll out the red carpet for Modi.
What emerges from these developments is that the West, for all its protestations about human rights and democracy, couldn’t care less about either M – Modi or the Minorities. The only M that spurs the West is Money. It is the cynical pursuit of financial profit – investment opportunities and defence contracts — that guides western governments when it comes to the “lesser people” and “lesser nations”.
One of the most jarring developments in the aftermath of the 2002 riots was that, contrary to general expectation, a delegation led by the US Commerce Secretary did not put off its visit to Gujarat. It was business as usual for Washington.
Whether Modi becomes prime minister or not, there is no doubt that the West has earned his contempt, rightfully.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mobile/report.php?n=1801048&p=0
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
This is today's latest. Printers community to boycott conference to be chaired my Modi.
Printershttp://news.oneindia.in/2013/02/26/protest-against-narendra-modi-s-presence-printer-s-meet-1158759.html
Printershttp://news.oneindia.in/2013/02/26/protest-against-narendra-modi-s-presence-printer-s-meet-1158759.html
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Al Zulfiqar
- Posts: 4618
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 5:01 am
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
now atlast the secret of why the syedna has been courting modi so assidously, draping him with pashmina shawls, showering him with crores of rupees, offering him tokris full of laddoos and garlanding him with roses, has been revealed!
you see modi is a dictator, and according to the pristine fatimid beliefs of brother badrijanab, dictators and dictatorship are cast in the best and excellent mould of the prophets and fatimid imams. this implies that narendra modi is a superb role model of dictatorship a' la the last 2 dai's. perhaps syedna sees in him some divine vestiges of the fatimid imams. this gives rise to several plausible theories:
1. perhaps modi is the actual hidden imam? he is only playing the hindutva card and anti-sunni muslim role to hide his real identity?
2. he is the one therefore actually directing the actions of syedna and his mansoos?
3. modi has had khatna performed on him and he is actually a momin bohra sympathiser?
4. modi conducts secret night sabaks at the surat jamea?
5. he is secretly married to a zaadi?
the mind boggles at the various possibilities .... oh my god!
you see modi is a dictator, and according to the pristine fatimid beliefs of brother badrijanab, dictators and dictatorship are cast in the best and excellent mould of the prophets and fatimid imams. this implies that narendra modi is a superb role model of dictatorship a' la the last 2 dai's. perhaps syedna sees in him some divine vestiges of the fatimid imams. this gives rise to several plausible theories:
1. perhaps modi is the actual hidden imam? he is only playing the hindutva card and anti-sunni muslim role to hide his real identity?
2. he is the one therefore actually directing the actions of syedna and his mansoos?
3. modi has had khatna performed on him and he is actually a momin bohra sympathiser?
4. modi conducts secret night sabaks at the surat jamea?
5. he is secretly married to a zaadi?
the mind boggles at the various possibilities .... oh my god!
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
But before that he must have ascertained that the zadis has performed her khatna..Al Zulfiqar wrote:he is secretly married to a zaadi?
The rules followed by abdes are not for zadas and zadis.
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bohra_manus
- Posts: 232
- Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:37 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Besides, Modi may be the next PM, what a catch for the Dai and his family.
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Miyan Modi
A poem for the anniversary of Gujarat genocide of 2002.
By Asma Anjum,
Dark clouds gather
Choking smoke fumes
We run for cover as they howl
He is coming, he is coming.
Ears have gone blind and minds are frozen
He is the one they say who has played the perfect development orgy
[A stripped emperor smiling at his ‘new’ clothes? ]
Never mind we have the lowest human development index
Carcasses , cadavers, skeletons too, are now vexed
[For his fear they don’t tumble out now from the closet! ]
He rode here this far
Calling us all Miyan Bhai Musharrafs, Auranagzeb ki aulad
[ he envies us, he doesn’t have one!]
Armed with the panache of a media savoir-faire
The synthetic CM simulates the wolf cry
All made up, all made up , he is media- manufactured
We cry.
All made up.
Decorated with thousand skulls round his taut neck
Like pearls a king flaunts among his subjects
But the skulls are breaking fast
They will not be dug out from the debris of democracy,
[The debris is being flattened by us all!]
No luck you say as that crooked King Richard 3rd freshly had?
When his skull was ’re’ captured from a car park
It was broken into two
A sword, I swear, was thrust into his skull
[Poetic justice for a loyal brother!]
Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown!
He killed his nephews but not before kissing them tenderly
No kisses and hugs for Miyan bhais ,we know well enough
[not even a good bye kiss , you see!]
How many more, they ask him
3000 Gujaratis ( ! ) were not enough
[four more zeroes and you get teen karod Gujaratis! ]
But this time it won’t be a made to order thingy.
He grins.
Rather I would chalk out a new “G “plan.
Listen and quiver, listen and quiver
Will be their fate
Forever condemned to a sorry state
How else, you tell me, to keep ’them’ straight?
My media acumen and my media bouncers will tear them to pieces
Raj dharm , he winks, I know well.
Now I will show them what is Hindu[tva] dharm ka raj
The nephews were lucky, they were kissed before death
I will make them die [daily] a thousand deaths...........
A poem for the anniversary of Gujarat genocide of 2002.
By Asma Anjum,
Dark clouds gather
Choking smoke fumes
We run for cover as they howl
He is coming, he is coming.
Ears have gone blind and minds are frozen
He is the one they say who has played the perfect development orgy
[A stripped emperor smiling at his ‘new’ clothes? ]
Never mind we have the lowest human development index
Carcasses , cadavers, skeletons too, are now vexed
[For his fear they don’t tumble out now from the closet! ]
He rode here this far
Calling us all Miyan Bhai Musharrafs, Auranagzeb ki aulad
[ he envies us, he doesn’t have one!]
Armed with the panache of a media savoir-faire
The synthetic CM simulates the wolf cry
All made up, all made up , he is media- manufactured
We cry.
All made up.
Decorated with thousand skulls round his taut neck
Like pearls a king flaunts among his subjects
But the skulls are breaking fast
They will not be dug out from the debris of democracy,
[The debris is being flattened by us all!]
No luck you say as that crooked King Richard 3rd freshly had?
When his skull was ’re’ captured from a car park
It was broken into two
A sword, I swear, was thrust into his skull
[Poetic justice for a loyal brother!]
Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown!
He killed his nephews but not before kissing them tenderly
No kisses and hugs for Miyan bhais ,we know well enough
[not even a good bye kiss , you see!]
How many more, they ask him
3000 Gujaratis ( ! ) were not enough
[four more zeroes and you get teen karod Gujaratis! ]
But this time it won’t be a made to order thingy.
He grins.
Rather I would chalk out a new “G “plan.
Listen and quiver, listen and quiver
Will be their fate
Forever condemned to a sorry state
How else, you tell me, to keep ’them’ straight?
My media acumen and my media bouncers will tear them to pieces
Raj dharm , he winks, I know well.
Now I will show them what is Hindu[tva] dharm ka raj
The nephews were lucky, they were kissed before death
I will make them die [daily] a thousand deaths...........
-
ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
DANGEROUS PORTENDS – PRIME MINISTER 2014
M Hasan Jowher
SUMMARY
On the 11th anniversary of Godhra carnage, this article argues why development is neither sufficient nor appropriate criteria for Narendra Modi to become India’s next Prime Minister, and how it becomes susceptible to blackmail and risks discord and disintegration, if he does.
==================
For a police constable’s son, Kaskar, to preside over a multi-billion dollar international empire of diverse ‘businesses’ is no mean achievement. From shipping to Bollywood, Ibrahim has huge ‘investments’. And perhaps much more in hawala and smuggling. This D-Company chieftain, Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, five years junior to Narendra Modi, cannot be faulted on one count: development - at least of his ‘business’. That he heads an internationally dreaded crime
syndicate and is implicated in Mumbai blasts is largely circumstantial.
With his $4 billion net worth, and cleaner image, the first generation entrepreneur - and a great friend of Narendra Modi, albeit 12 years younger - Gautam Adani heads a globally integrated infrastructure empire spanning coal, oil, gas, ports, power and what not. He surely fits the bill for ‘development’ in every sense.
From Mehtas to Patels to Shahs, Gujarat has plenty of ‘developers’ who wrote the legendary rags to riches stories, generating value and wealth for themselves and society. Could any of them be our next Prime Minster? Oh, no, they don’t have people’s following.
Talking of following: Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden had, and LeT head, Hafiz Sayeed has each legendary fan following. Millions of dollars in prize money for helping nab them lay unclaimed. Back home, our very own Bal Thackeray did, and Pravin Togadia does, command a huge following. Do they qualify as our national ‘leaders’?
Clearly we do not want anyone with a controversial past as India’s next prime minister. Surely not one that can be blackmailed by cops involved in multiple fake encounters, IAS officers embroiled in shady dealings, ministers being tried for extortion and murder, convicts serving life sentences for mass murders and conspiracy !
Babu Bajrangi – now serving life sentence for Naroda Patia massacre – claims on the unchallenged Tehelka video that Modi felicitated him on his crime, protected him for months and arranged for his bail. Former police DIG, Sanjiv Bhatt, swears Modi asked police to let revenge be taken on innocents. Former DGP Shreekumar narrates how Modi directed fixing his opponent, Mallika Sarabhai’s lawyer with a bribe of a million rupees from secret funds, and asking him to falsely implicate the then local army commander, Major Shah, as a womanizer. They have both furnished affidavits and are willing to be narco-tested on their claims.
Numerous Indian and international NGOs claim to possess incriminating evidence establishing the complicity, or at least responsibility of Gujarat’s CEO in the events involving the 2002 train carnage and the genocide that followed.
Yes, no direct evidence has been allowed to surface. How could it come up when the state govt itself claims to have destroyed it? But do we always insist on ‘direct evidence’? Was there any against Afzal Guru whom we hung recently?
‘But Modi brought signal development to Gujarat’. Wrong and right. Wrong because he only furthered a process Gujarat has been known for since decades, nay centuries. Somnath was the richest temple, and Surat was where the British landed with Jehangir’s permission. Crediting Modi alone is plain insult to the legendary Gujarati entrepreneurship.
Right, in so far as he has speeded up development. But how could he? How could Hitler? Authority, absolute power, allowed him to bulldoze his way with bureaucrats, legislators, ministers etc and cut red tape. Thanks to massive polarization he affected in 2002, he commands a direct connect with his voters. Coupled with hard work, excellent coordination, singular ambition and super marketing, Modi created a niche. But does he qualify to be India’s Prime Minister merely due to development without regard to the ‘source’ of his power and the ‘means’ of his popularity?
Here is a man who engaged in crass polarization, used despicable expletives, aroused naked communal passions, organized post-genocide gaurav yatra, allowed, or failed to prevent, two carnages and numerous fake encounters thereafter, thwarted Lok Ayukta appointment for a decade, minimized assembly sittings; one who spies on his own ministers and officers, who speaks lies and uses uncultured language for adversaries.
For a country flaunting family values, Modi fails, too: he meets his mother residing in the same city once in six months; he is alleged to have abandoned his wife and forsaken his entire family. His instinct for personal revenge is scary as seen in Haren Pandya and Sunil Joshi matters. Indeed, fear is what reigns in Gujarat as revealed by Keshubhai Patel.
Do we have an alternative? I guess, BJP has plenty. The Congress VP, Rahul Gandhi - younger and arguably better educated - comes from a polished background and has shown realism and altruism. So did his mother Sonia, who despite foreign origins, served India well.
So, what do his voters see in Narendra Modi? The stark truth is: they like his macho Hinduism, his having ‘fixed the Muslims’. Those who doubt should view any of the myriad Hindutva brigade’s videos on YouTube.
Some claim “he is the darling of the industry”. So? Didn’t US defense industry love George Bush and Dick Cheney? “And even the Muslims have forgiven him and their clergy is embracing him”. So? Wasn’t Aurangzeb endorsed by several Hindu priests? Wasn’t the Somnath plunderer aided by Hindu soldiers and kings? “You see, the West, after boycotting him for a decade, is warming up to him and is even willing to grant him a visa now. Modi even called the genocide ‘unfortunate’ and promised this won’t happen again”. So, what? Did we condemn Modi to prison when these countries regarded him persona non-grata? Don’t we have our law and civility to guide us?
Didn’t Ajmal Kasab – involved in the killing of a couple of hundred Indians – express profound regret at his massacre and seek God’s forgiveness? Did we grant clemency to Afzal Guru? Why do some ignore the accountability of a CEO whose state witnessed the genocide of about 2000 innocent Indians? Clearly those that perished do not matter to these Modi admirers. Then, should I, you and the other conscientious Indians, care for their opinion?
These, essentially Muslim-baiters in various disguises, flaunt all kind of illogic. Do we compare the condition of American black with that of the Sudanese? How then do we compare Gujarati Muslims with Bengal’s or Odhisha’s? Why not compare with Gujarati Hindus?
A Muslim promoted NGO runs a free public park – the only one in the sprawling ghetto of Juhapura inhabited by over three lakh Muslims. For years it has been seeking water, but Modi’s government doesn’t give a drop.
In a society civilized by law what should matter is this: Was he accountable? Are his aides and confidants held guilty and convicted? Is there enough circumstantial evidence of his culpability? Yes, yes and yes.
If India is and wishes to remain one united nation, all of its citizens must be regarded equal before its laws: both Modi and Muslims.
Here is the true test for Indian nationalists and patriots: do you seek national integration, social cohesion and harmonious development of India? Or, for the sake of one man’s ambition - and your hidden dislike for Muslims - are you willing to risk a fractured, polarized society headed towards discord and disintegration, whose Prime Minister will forever be susceptible to blackmail by petty criminals?
There is nothing to lose if Modi does not become India’s Prime Minister, but the nation’s future is at stake if he does. You decide whether love wins or hate. Remember, if the majority prefers bigotry to far-sighted nationalism, it can’t question the minority’s fundamentalism.
The writer is President of a NGO, SPRAT [www.sprat.in] and may be reached via mhj@sprat.in<http://in.mc1604.mail.yahoo.com/mc/comp ... j@sprat.in>
M Hasan Jowher
SUMMARY
On the 11th anniversary of Godhra carnage, this article argues why development is neither sufficient nor appropriate criteria for Narendra Modi to become India’s next Prime Minister, and how it becomes susceptible to blackmail and risks discord and disintegration, if he does.
==================
For a police constable’s son, Kaskar, to preside over a multi-billion dollar international empire of diverse ‘businesses’ is no mean achievement. From shipping to Bollywood, Ibrahim has huge ‘investments’. And perhaps much more in hawala and smuggling. This D-Company chieftain, Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, five years junior to Narendra Modi, cannot be faulted on one count: development - at least of his ‘business’. That he heads an internationally dreaded crime
syndicate and is implicated in Mumbai blasts is largely circumstantial.
With his $4 billion net worth, and cleaner image, the first generation entrepreneur - and a great friend of Narendra Modi, albeit 12 years younger - Gautam Adani heads a globally integrated infrastructure empire spanning coal, oil, gas, ports, power and what not. He surely fits the bill for ‘development’ in every sense.
From Mehtas to Patels to Shahs, Gujarat has plenty of ‘developers’ who wrote the legendary rags to riches stories, generating value and wealth for themselves and society. Could any of them be our next Prime Minster? Oh, no, they don’t have people’s following.
Talking of following: Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden had, and LeT head, Hafiz Sayeed has each legendary fan following. Millions of dollars in prize money for helping nab them lay unclaimed. Back home, our very own Bal Thackeray did, and Pravin Togadia does, command a huge following. Do they qualify as our national ‘leaders’?
Clearly we do not want anyone with a controversial past as India’s next prime minister. Surely not one that can be blackmailed by cops involved in multiple fake encounters, IAS officers embroiled in shady dealings, ministers being tried for extortion and murder, convicts serving life sentences for mass murders and conspiracy !
Babu Bajrangi – now serving life sentence for Naroda Patia massacre – claims on the unchallenged Tehelka video that Modi felicitated him on his crime, protected him for months and arranged for his bail. Former police DIG, Sanjiv Bhatt, swears Modi asked police to let revenge be taken on innocents. Former DGP Shreekumar narrates how Modi directed fixing his opponent, Mallika Sarabhai’s lawyer with a bribe of a million rupees from secret funds, and asking him to falsely implicate the then local army commander, Major Shah, as a womanizer. They have both furnished affidavits and are willing to be narco-tested on their claims.
Numerous Indian and international NGOs claim to possess incriminating evidence establishing the complicity, or at least responsibility of Gujarat’s CEO in the events involving the 2002 train carnage and the genocide that followed.
Yes, no direct evidence has been allowed to surface. How could it come up when the state govt itself claims to have destroyed it? But do we always insist on ‘direct evidence’? Was there any against Afzal Guru whom we hung recently?
‘But Modi brought signal development to Gujarat’. Wrong and right. Wrong because he only furthered a process Gujarat has been known for since decades, nay centuries. Somnath was the richest temple, and Surat was where the British landed with Jehangir’s permission. Crediting Modi alone is plain insult to the legendary Gujarati entrepreneurship.
Right, in so far as he has speeded up development. But how could he? How could Hitler? Authority, absolute power, allowed him to bulldoze his way with bureaucrats, legislators, ministers etc and cut red tape. Thanks to massive polarization he affected in 2002, he commands a direct connect with his voters. Coupled with hard work, excellent coordination, singular ambition and super marketing, Modi created a niche. But does he qualify to be India’s Prime Minister merely due to development without regard to the ‘source’ of his power and the ‘means’ of his popularity?
Here is a man who engaged in crass polarization, used despicable expletives, aroused naked communal passions, organized post-genocide gaurav yatra, allowed, or failed to prevent, two carnages and numerous fake encounters thereafter, thwarted Lok Ayukta appointment for a decade, minimized assembly sittings; one who spies on his own ministers and officers, who speaks lies and uses uncultured language for adversaries.
For a country flaunting family values, Modi fails, too: he meets his mother residing in the same city once in six months; he is alleged to have abandoned his wife and forsaken his entire family. His instinct for personal revenge is scary as seen in Haren Pandya and Sunil Joshi matters. Indeed, fear is what reigns in Gujarat as revealed by Keshubhai Patel.
Do we have an alternative? I guess, BJP has plenty. The Congress VP, Rahul Gandhi - younger and arguably better educated - comes from a polished background and has shown realism and altruism. So did his mother Sonia, who despite foreign origins, served India well.
So, what do his voters see in Narendra Modi? The stark truth is: they like his macho Hinduism, his having ‘fixed the Muslims’. Those who doubt should view any of the myriad Hindutva brigade’s videos on YouTube.
Some claim “he is the darling of the industry”. So? Didn’t US defense industry love George Bush and Dick Cheney? “And even the Muslims have forgiven him and their clergy is embracing him”. So? Wasn’t Aurangzeb endorsed by several Hindu priests? Wasn’t the Somnath plunderer aided by Hindu soldiers and kings? “You see, the West, after boycotting him for a decade, is warming up to him and is even willing to grant him a visa now. Modi even called the genocide ‘unfortunate’ and promised this won’t happen again”. So, what? Did we condemn Modi to prison when these countries regarded him persona non-grata? Don’t we have our law and civility to guide us?
Didn’t Ajmal Kasab – involved in the killing of a couple of hundred Indians – express profound regret at his massacre and seek God’s forgiveness? Did we grant clemency to Afzal Guru? Why do some ignore the accountability of a CEO whose state witnessed the genocide of about 2000 innocent Indians? Clearly those that perished do not matter to these Modi admirers. Then, should I, you and the other conscientious Indians, care for their opinion?
These, essentially Muslim-baiters in various disguises, flaunt all kind of illogic. Do we compare the condition of American black with that of the Sudanese? How then do we compare Gujarati Muslims with Bengal’s or Odhisha’s? Why not compare with Gujarati Hindus?
A Muslim promoted NGO runs a free public park – the only one in the sprawling ghetto of Juhapura inhabited by over three lakh Muslims. For years it has been seeking water, but Modi’s government doesn’t give a drop.
In a society civilized by law what should matter is this: Was he accountable? Are his aides and confidants held guilty and convicted? Is there enough circumstantial evidence of his culpability? Yes, yes and yes.
If India is and wishes to remain one united nation, all of its citizens must be regarded equal before its laws: both Modi and Muslims.
Here is the true test for Indian nationalists and patriots: do you seek national integration, social cohesion and harmonious development of India? Or, for the sake of one man’s ambition - and your hidden dislike for Muslims - are you willing to risk a fractured, polarized society headed towards discord and disintegration, whose Prime Minister will forever be susceptible to blackmail by petty criminals?
There is nothing to lose if Modi does not become India’s Prime Minister, but the nation’s future is at stake if he does. You decide whether love wins or hate. Remember, if the majority prefers bigotry to far-sighted nationalism, it can’t question the minority’s fundamentalism.
The writer is President of a NGO, SPRAT [www.sprat.in] and may be reached via mhj@sprat.in<http://in.mc1604.mail.yahoo.com/mc/comp ... j@sprat.in>
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
India minister Narendra Modi's US speech cancelled
A planned speech at a top US university by the controversial chief minister of India's Gujarat state, Narendra Modi, has been cancelled after protests by teachers and students.
Mr Modi was invited to speak via video-link at a conference at the University of Pennsylvania this month.
He has been criticised for his handling of Hindu-Muslim riots in 2002.
Many Western government broke off contact with Mr Modi's government after the riots. The US continues to refuse Mr Modi permission to enter the country.
Mr Modi was invited to speak via video-link at an annual student-run conference on India at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania later this month.
"Our team felt that the potential polarising reactions from sub-segments of the alumni base, student body, and our supporters, might put Mr Modi in a compromising position, which we would like to avoid at all costs, especially in the spirit of our conference's purpose," the Wharton India Economic Forum said in a statement quoted by the Press Trust of India news agency.
Reports said that a group of teachers and students had expressed outrage to learn that Mr Modi had been invited to deliver the keynote address at the meeting in Philadelphia later this month.
"This is the same politician who was refused a diplomatic visa by the United States State Department on 18 March 2005 on the ground that he, as chief minister, did nothing to prevent a series of orchestrated riots that targeted Muslims in Gujarat," they said in a letter.
Mr Modi, who belongs to the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has not reacted to the development.
Under his leadership, Gujarat has been turned into one of India's economic powerhouses, but he is also seen as a divisive figure and accused of not doing enough to stop the riots.
Mr Modi has always denied any wrongdoing in connection with the violence, but has not expressed remorse or offered an apology.
A 2008 state inquiry exonerated him over the riots, but one of his close aides Maya Kodnani was jailed for 28 years in August.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-21651603
A planned speech at a top US university by the controversial chief minister of India's Gujarat state, Narendra Modi, has been cancelled after protests by teachers and students.
Mr Modi was invited to speak via video-link at a conference at the University of Pennsylvania this month.
He has been criticised for his handling of Hindu-Muslim riots in 2002.
Many Western government broke off contact with Mr Modi's government after the riots. The US continues to refuse Mr Modi permission to enter the country.
Mr Modi was invited to speak via video-link at an annual student-run conference on India at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania later this month.
"Our team felt that the potential polarising reactions from sub-segments of the alumni base, student body, and our supporters, might put Mr Modi in a compromising position, which we would like to avoid at all costs, especially in the spirit of our conference's purpose," the Wharton India Economic Forum said in a statement quoted by the Press Trust of India news agency.
Reports said that a group of teachers and students had expressed outrage to learn that Mr Modi had been invited to deliver the keynote address at the meeting in Philadelphia later this month.
"This is the same politician who was refused a diplomatic visa by the United States State Department on 18 March 2005 on the ground that he, as chief minister, did nothing to prevent a series of orchestrated riots that targeted Muslims in Gujarat," they said in a letter.
Mr Modi, who belongs to the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has not reacted to the development.
Under his leadership, Gujarat has been turned into one of India's economic powerhouses, but he is also seen as a divisive figure and accused of not doing enough to stop the riots.
Mr Modi has always denied any wrongdoing in connection with the violence, but has not expressed remorse or offered an apology.
A 2008 state inquiry exonerated him over the riots, but one of his close aides Maya Kodnani was jailed for 28 years in August.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-21651603
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Narendra Modi’s Rs 9,000 crore gas misadventure
Rs 9,000 crore is a lot of money. But that is the cost that the denizens of Gujarat will have to bear for the adventures of their Hriday Samrat Narendra Modi. Not for all his adventures, but one particular adventure, or rather misadventure. Surprised? Read on.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.co ... sadventure
Rs 9,000 crore is a lot of money. But that is the cost that the denizens of Gujarat will have to bear for the adventures of their Hriday Samrat Narendra Modi. Not for all his adventures, but one particular adventure, or rather misadventure. Surprised? Read on.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.co ... sadventure
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
People will forgive a good govt's mistakes: Narendra Modi
WASHINGTON: Riding on the Wharton episode and the US government's continued ban on his entry to America, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi sought to expand his outreach among non-resident Indians, particularly in America, saying secularism for him meant "India first". And, in what seemed a reply to his critics on the Godhra riots of 2002, he said people would forgive the "mistakes" of a government if it served them well.
Modi did not refer to any of the hot button issues that haunt his fans — the continued American ban on his entry to the US, the Wharton episode in which the business school rescinded an invitation for a keynote address, or indeed the riots in Gujarat that in the eyes of many has stained his stewardship of the state. Instead, he spoke at length of the economic advances made in Gujarat under his leadership and of the work that remains to be done.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 898713.cms
WASHINGTON: Riding on the Wharton episode and the US government's continued ban on his entry to America, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi sought to expand his outreach among non-resident Indians, particularly in America, saying secularism for him meant "India first". And, in what seemed a reply to his critics on the Godhra riots of 2002, he said people would forgive the "mistakes" of a government if it served them well.
Modi did not refer to any of the hot button issues that haunt his fans — the continued American ban on his entry to the US, the Wharton episode in which the business school rescinded an invitation for a keynote address, or indeed the riots in Gujarat that in the eyes of many has stained his stewardship of the state. Instead, he spoke at length of the economic advances made in Gujarat under his leadership and of the work that remains to be done.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 898713.cms
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Al Zulfiqar
- Posts: 4618
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 5:01 am
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
bro gm,
you can post as many articles against modi as you want, but as long as he enjoys the support and blessings of bewe mola, koi eno baal bhi vaako nahi kari sakey. i have mentioned in a previous post somwhere on this forum, that he is secretly a staunch and rabid abde! mody's khatna has been done at the hands of qaid johar and he is a daras trained darajjatul akhira sheikh. he is only playing the hardline hindutva card for political purposes only and that too at the behest of syedna. dont ask why, after all syedna is ghaib na maalik.
in fact, if you ever get to see mody naked and shirtless, you will see that his chest is all bruised on both sides from all the 2 handed purjosh maatam that he performs alone when at home.
you can post as many articles against modi as you want, but as long as he enjoys the support and blessings of bewe mola, koi eno baal bhi vaako nahi kari sakey. i have mentioned in a previous post somwhere on this forum, that he is secretly a staunch and rabid abde! mody's khatna has been done at the hands of qaid johar and he is a daras trained darajjatul akhira sheikh. he is only playing the hardline hindutva card for political purposes only and that too at the behest of syedna. dont ask why, after all syedna is ghaib na maalik.
in fact, if you ever get to see mody naked and shirtless, you will see that his chest is all bruised on both sides from all the 2 handed purjosh maatam that he performs alone when at home.
-
ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
*Mr. Modi, you are not welcome: Wharton Debate*
Ram Puniyani
The withdrawal of invitation for Narendra Modi to speak at Wharton Business School of Pennsylvania (March 2013) has been looked at in different ways by different commentators. Those who are opposing the invitation withdrawal,
point out that it is a violation of the norms of freedom of speech. They say that Modi is an elected person in Indian system and his views on development of Gujarat under his leadership need to be heard by the people from business circles. Those opposing his invitation argue that inviting him is like giving legitimacy to his total record. His role in Gujarat violence, his failure to prevent the carnage and give justice to the violence victims cannot be delinked from his so called development. They point out that as far as debating and engaging with Modi is concerned it cannot be achieved by inviting him as a key note speaker; this invitation already gives a high pedestal and recognition to him. He should be interrogated, engaged and debated with on different forums which give equal ground to those wanting to debate with him.
They also point that Gujarat’s development is a lopsided one, it is projected more than what the reality is. In Gujarat the levels of malnutrition, child and maternal mortality is higher, Gujarat is comparatively low on human growth index. The anti SC/ST atrocity cases are one index of human rights record of the state. In taking these cases of atrocities against SC/ST Gujarat is lowest on the rung, with only 25% convictions. According to analysts the growth of Gujarat is more of propaganda as many other states have done much better during this period. The lowest in the scale of development in Gujarat are minorities and SC/STs.
Modi was invited by the students of Wharton to speak on Gujarat’ development. After this a few Professors circulated a petition asking for withdrawal of the invitation. Within just few hours the petition got a massive response and was signed not only by the professors, many others: alumni, the students, doctor’s lawyers and other stake holders also
supported the petition. The large number of signatures and the logic which the petition put forward clinched the issue and students, who are the ones to decide, withdrew the invitation.
The United States has denied VISA to Narendra Modi since 2005, despite his being an elected Chief Minister of the state. The Commonwealth countries so far have been keeping him at arm’s length, but after his third victory, these countries want to mend the relationship with him, as his projection as the Prime Ministerial candidate are floating around in a strong manner. US had denied him VISA for his role in the carnage of 2002, and the denial continues. Similarly due to popular pressure after sustained campaigns; the activists groups succeeded in stopping the huge dollar funding from US to the RSS affiliate ‘India Development Relief Fund’ was collecting huge amounts and supporting the political work of RSS combine in the garb of cultural work. This RSS combine’s work is essentially to build up Hatred against minorities, through its various organizations.
While one is aware about the role of America in the promotion of politics of terror, in the formation of Al Qaeda in particular, while it is also known that US is out to attack other countries to promote its political-economic interests, at the same time there are various norms which different wings of American state follow. There are various civic norms which are stringent and are aimed to sustain and promote democratic values. The Civil society has also been campaigning to use this space, democratic-liberal one provided by these provisions of US system and try to stop the violation of human rights and retrograde activities in different places. This is a contradictory situation. The state by and large in its foreign affairs is like a Big Brother, violating all the laws of international behavior and laws and intimidating the smaller powers. There is no doubt about its role in international affairs, as a super power; it is undermining the global democracy; it has mauled the emerging global democracy amongst nations, which was getting expressed through rising clout of United Nations, has been sabotaged by US in particular. As a state it has promoted dictators and has been thick as thief with different dictators and autocrats.
At another level, the civic society has come up steeped in civility with respect for the norms of modern democracies, to some extent. So we see the dichotomous processes going on here. It is due to this pressure of prevailing norms and civil society campaigns that US is denying Visa to Modi. Is this denial of Visa to Modi an insult to our country? No way. It just shows us the mirror of the state of affairs in our country. Many a US bodies do keep monitoring phenomenon like, Religious freedom in other countries. Many of them keep making a list of terrorist organizations. All this monitoring is showing the diversities of our societies. In the same set up we are seeing two contradictory phenomenons.
Coming back to Modi, Wharton student’s body has gone more by the norms of civil society; has recognized that Modi may be claiming and many others may be buying his story of development, but the truth lies somewhere else. The
petitioners opposing the Modi invite correctly point out that Human rights issues and development cannot be separated. As far as Modi being a democratically elected person is concerned, the analysts can point out that his victory has been based on his politics of polarization, not on the inclusive politics. He has successfully scared the majority community about the threat of minority community. This goes on and on to make the foundations of his victory and there by his followers claiming that he has been elected, so all is well. Only thing they ignore at this point is that even Hitler had come to power through democratic means.
As far as his development is concerned it is de facto the development of industrial houses. One such industrialist, Adani, was the sponsor of Wharton meet. He withdrew his sponsorship the moment invitation to Modi was withdrawn. Modi’s mode of ‘development’ means giving all freebees to Tata, Adani, Ambani and company while the poor one’s are getting more marginalized. This invitation being taken back just reflects that Modi’s propaganda has been punctured and a reminder that the violation of human rights violation of the weak cannot be exonerated at any cost.
Ram Puniyani
The withdrawal of invitation for Narendra Modi to speak at Wharton Business School of Pennsylvania (March 2013) has been looked at in different ways by different commentators. Those who are opposing the invitation withdrawal,
point out that it is a violation of the norms of freedom of speech. They say that Modi is an elected person in Indian system and his views on development of Gujarat under his leadership need to be heard by the people from business circles. Those opposing his invitation argue that inviting him is like giving legitimacy to his total record. His role in Gujarat violence, his failure to prevent the carnage and give justice to the violence victims cannot be delinked from his so called development. They point out that as far as debating and engaging with Modi is concerned it cannot be achieved by inviting him as a key note speaker; this invitation already gives a high pedestal and recognition to him. He should be interrogated, engaged and debated with on different forums which give equal ground to those wanting to debate with him.
They also point that Gujarat’s development is a lopsided one, it is projected more than what the reality is. In Gujarat the levels of malnutrition, child and maternal mortality is higher, Gujarat is comparatively low on human growth index. The anti SC/ST atrocity cases are one index of human rights record of the state. In taking these cases of atrocities against SC/ST Gujarat is lowest on the rung, with only 25% convictions. According to analysts the growth of Gujarat is more of propaganda as many other states have done much better during this period. The lowest in the scale of development in Gujarat are minorities and SC/STs.
Modi was invited by the students of Wharton to speak on Gujarat’ development. After this a few Professors circulated a petition asking for withdrawal of the invitation. Within just few hours the petition got a massive response and was signed not only by the professors, many others: alumni, the students, doctor’s lawyers and other stake holders also
supported the petition. The large number of signatures and the logic which the petition put forward clinched the issue and students, who are the ones to decide, withdrew the invitation.
The United States has denied VISA to Narendra Modi since 2005, despite his being an elected Chief Minister of the state. The Commonwealth countries so far have been keeping him at arm’s length, but after his third victory, these countries want to mend the relationship with him, as his projection as the Prime Ministerial candidate are floating around in a strong manner. US had denied him VISA for his role in the carnage of 2002, and the denial continues. Similarly due to popular pressure after sustained campaigns; the activists groups succeeded in stopping the huge dollar funding from US to the RSS affiliate ‘India Development Relief Fund’ was collecting huge amounts and supporting the political work of RSS combine in the garb of cultural work. This RSS combine’s work is essentially to build up Hatred against minorities, through its various organizations.
While one is aware about the role of America in the promotion of politics of terror, in the formation of Al Qaeda in particular, while it is also known that US is out to attack other countries to promote its political-economic interests, at the same time there are various norms which different wings of American state follow. There are various civic norms which are stringent and are aimed to sustain and promote democratic values. The Civil society has also been campaigning to use this space, democratic-liberal one provided by these provisions of US system and try to stop the violation of human rights and retrograde activities in different places. This is a contradictory situation. The state by and large in its foreign affairs is like a Big Brother, violating all the laws of international behavior and laws and intimidating the smaller powers. There is no doubt about its role in international affairs, as a super power; it is undermining the global democracy; it has mauled the emerging global democracy amongst nations, which was getting expressed through rising clout of United Nations, has been sabotaged by US in particular. As a state it has promoted dictators and has been thick as thief with different dictators and autocrats.
At another level, the civic society has come up steeped in civility with respect for the norms of modern democracies, to some extent. So we see the dichotomous processes going on here. It is due to this pressure of prevailing norms and civil society campaigns that US is denying Visa to Modi. Is this denial of Visa to Modi an insult to our country? No way. It just shows us the mirror of the state of affairs in our country. Many a US bodies do keep monitoring phenomenon like, Religious freedom in other countries. Many of them keep making a list of terrorist organizations. All this monitoring is showing the diversities of our societies. In the same set up we are seeing two contradictory phenomenons.
Coming back to Modi, Wharton student’s body has gone more by the norms of civil society; has recognized that Modi may be claiming and many others may be buying his story of development, but the truth lies somewhere else. The
petitioners opposing the Modi invite correctly point out that Human rights issues and development cannot be separated. As far as Modi being a democratically elected person is concerned, the analysts can point out that his victory has been based on his politics of polarization, not on the inclusive politics. He has successfully scared the majority community about the threat of minority community. This goes on and on to make the foundations of his victory and there by his followers claiming that he has been elected, so all is well. Only thing they ignore at this point is that even Hitler had come to power through democratic means.
As far as his development is concerned it is de facto the development of industrial houses. One such industrialist, Adani, was the sponsor of Wharton meet. He withdrew his sponsorship the moment invitation to Modi was withdrawn. Modi’s mode of ‘development’ means giving all freebees to Tata, Adani, Ambani and company while the poor one’s are getting more marginalized. This invitation being taken back just reflects that Modi’s propaganda has been punctured and a reminder that the violation of human rights violation of the weak cannot be exonerated at any cost.
-
ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
Mechanics of Narendra Modi's PR agency : APCO Worldwide - Orchestrating our Future
In this dynamic and ever-changing world, Apco Worldwide stands tall as the giant of the lobbying industry. The firm, in its own words, offers “professional and rare expertise” to governments, politicians and corporations, and is always ready to help clients to sail through troubled waters in the complex world of both international and domestic affairs.
Margery Kraus founded APCO Associates in 1984 as a subsidiary to Arnold & Porter, one of Washington's largest law firms, and from where APCO’s name is derived. Arnold and Porter is now Israel's largest and longest serving registered foreign agent (not that there aren’t more than a handful of unregistered ones).
MODI Makeover
Adolf Hitler was a brilliant propagandist. Narendra Modi too believes in the power of image. This is probably why the chief minister hired a US lobbying firm which has serviced clients like former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and President-for-life of Kazakhstan Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev.
This Washington-based firm, Apco Worldwide, was hired by Modi sometime in August 2007, in the run-up to an important Assembly election, to improve his image before the world community. Among its recent clients are Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former Communist youth leader-turned-Russian billionaire with mafia links.
The firm has a distinction of taking contracts of boosting images of leaders who fell out of favour of their followers.
On the face of it Apco Worldwide's brief is to build and sell Brand Gujarat to the international community. APCO, through its 32 offices across the globe, has been promoting Gujarat as a great investment destination. APCO has also been managing Modi’s own behaviour and projection, for which the cost has been over $25,000 per month since 2007.
“Although TIME's cover story is not an endorsement, it contains inaccuracies, half-truths and glaring omission of pertinent details on Mr. Modi's tenure as Chief Minister. These betray its real objective - an attempt by APCO Worldwide, Modi's PR firm in Washington DC – to combat negative coverage of their client's documented connivance in gross human rights violations, in order to project him as a Prime Ministerial candidate," said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC.
http://greatgameindia.blogspot.in/2012/ ... gency.html
In this dynamic and ever-changing world, Apco Worldwide stands tall as the giant of the lobbying industry. The firm, in its own words, offers “professional and rare expertise” to governments, politicians and corporations, and is always ready to help clients to sail through troubled waters in the complex world of both international and domestic affairs.
Margery Kraus founded APCO Associates in 1984 as a subsidiary to Arnold & Porter, one of Washington's largest law firms, and from where APCO’s name is derived. Arnold and Porter is now Israel's largest and longest serving registered foreign agent (not that there aren’t more than a handful of unregistered ones).
MODI Makeover
Adolf Hitler was a brilliant propagandist. Narendra Modi too believes in the power of image. This is probably why the chief minister hired a US lobbying firm which has serviced clients like former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and President-for-life of Kazakhstan Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev.
This Washington-based firm, Apco Worldwide, was hired by Modi sometime in August 2007, in the run-up to an important Assembly election, to improve his image before the world community. Among its recent clients are Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former Communist youth leader-turned-Russian billionaire with mafia links.
The firm has a distinction of taking contracts of boosting images of leaders who fell out of favour of their followers.
On the face of it Apco Worldwide's brief is to build and sell Brand Gujarat to the international community. APCO, through its 32 offices across the globe, has been promoting Gujarat as a great investment destination. APCO has also been managing Modi’s own behaviour and projection, for which the cost has been over $25,000 per month since 2007.
“Although TIME's cover story is not an endorsement, it contains inaccuracies, half-truths and glaring omission of pertinent details on Mr. Modi's tenure as Chief Minister. These betray its real objective - an attempt by APCO Worldwide, Modi's PR firm in Washington DC – to combat negative coverage of their client's documented connivance in gross human rights violations, in order to project him as a Prime Ministerial candidate," said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC.
http://greatgameindia.blogspot.in/2012/ ... gency.html
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ghulam muhammed
- Posts: 11653
- Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:34 pm
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
The Modi Card and the Muslim Ace
Indian Muslims are disenchanted with the Congress. But with Narendra Modi pitched as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, they are pulling out all stops to block him
India’s Muslims, goes the conventional wisdom, are a votebank. That bank is now working aggressively towards becoming the central bank of Indian politics with a view to dominating its future political currency. If conversations, events and initiatives of the past four weeks are an indicator, Muslim social and political organisations as well as prominent Muslims have evolved a one-point agenda: to deny the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongman Narendra Modi a shot at becoming India’s prime minister after the 16th General Election that is due in a year. Their tactic: defeat the BJP and its potential allies in every Lok Sabha constituency where the Muslim vote can sway the result.
“Narendra Modi is the No. 1 enemy of India’s Muslims,” says Salman Hussain, a fiery Islamic scholar who teaches at one of India’s most influential Islamic seminaries, the 19th-century Darul Uloom Nadwatul, at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. “If Modi becomes prime minister, more Muslims will be massacred, more mosques demolished.” While that may be rabble-rousing at its worst, there is no denying that the anti-Modi sentiment among India’s nearly 180 million Muslims has deepened since a cry went up in the BJP last month to name Modi the party’s top prospect for the Lok Sabha election.
“The BJP is fundamentally an anti- Muslim party and Modi proved that with his role in the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat,” says Arshad Madani, who leads a faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, an influential sociopolitical organisation of clerics. Five months after Modi became chief minister, more than 2,000 Muslims died in February-March 2002 in violence by Hindu zealots of the BJP-RSS after a train fire killed 57 Hindu passengers. “Muslims know that if the BJP comes to power, their troubles will worsen.”
But with Modi’s name to the fore, the foremost concern among Muslims now is to stop the BJP from returning to power in New Delhi at any cost.
The clamour for Modi has also upended efforts within the BJP to draw in Muslim support, chiefly through a Muslim-only ‘morcha’ under the aegis of its parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as well as by Modi’s efforts in recent months to mollycoddle Muslim clerics as well as ordinary Muslims in his state to dust up his image. The demand for Modi so worried BJP stalwart LK Advani, who was the party’s prime ministerial candidate in 2009, that he had to caution his party at the March meeting that it will have to find ways to attract Muslim voters if it truly wants to regain power at the Centre.
“It is true that some Muslims have supported the BJP in recent years,” admits Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a functionary with the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a 40-year-old community outfit that oversees the implementation of the civil laws. “By putting Modi forward, the BJP runs the risk of losing even that little support.”
“Wherever a party’s relationship with the BJP is suspect, it would lose the Muslim vote,” says psephologist Yogendra Yadav, who has joined the recently launched anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party. Says Ilyas: “The Muslim is no more attached to any one party. He now votes tactically to defeat the BJP and this is how it will be in 2014.”
But although Muslims in the Lok Sabha are barely a third of their share in the population, their arc of electoral influence is far greater. In 35 seats, they number around one in three voters or more. In 38 other seats, Muslims are 21-30 percent of the electorate. If the 145 seats where they are 11-20 percent are added to this, Muslim voters have the ability to influence the outcome in a whopping 218 seats.
“It’s no longer a secret that Modi is the BJP’s PM candidate,” “Muslims may be unhappy with the Congress but they have no other option to vote for.”
http://tehelka.com/the-modi-card-and-th ... nglepage=1
Indian Muslims are disenchanted with the Congress. But with Narendra Modi pitched as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, they are pulling out all stops to block him
India’s Muslims, goes the conventional wisdom, are a votebank. That bank is now working aggressively towards becoming the central bank of Indian politics with a view to dominating its future political currency. If conversations, events and initiatives of the past four weeks are an indicator, Muslim social and political organisations as well as prominent Muslims have evolved a one-point agenda: to deny the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongman Narendra Modi a shot at becoming India’s prime minister after the 16th General Election that is due in a year. Their tactic: defeat the BJP and its potential allies in every Lok Sabha constituency where the Muslim vote can sway the result.
“Narendra Modi is the No. 1 enemy of India’s Muslims,” says Salman Hussain, a fiery Islamic scholar who teaches at one of India’s most influential Islamic seminaries, the 19th-century Darul Uloom Nadwatul, at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. “If Modi becomes prime minister, more Muslims will be massacred, more mosques demolished.” While that may be rabble-rousing at its worst, there is no denying that the anti-Modi sentiment among India’s nearly 180 million Muslims has deepened since a cry went up in the BJP last month to name Modi the party’s top prospect for the Lok Sabha election.
“The BJP is fundamentally an anti- Muslim party and Modi proved that with his role in the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat,” says Arshad Madani, who leads a faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, an influential sociopolitical organisation of clerics. Five months after Modi became chief minister, more than 2,000 Muslims died in February-March 2002 in violence by Hindu zealots of the BJP-RSS after a train fire killed 57 Hindu passengers. “Muslims know that if the BJP comes to power, their troubles will worsen.”
But with Modi’s name to the fore, the foremost concern among Muslims now is to stop the BJP from returning to power in New Delhi at any cost.
The clamour for Modi has also upended efforts within the BJP to draw in Muslim support, chiefly through a Muslim-only ‘morcha’ under the aegis of its parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as well as by Modi’s efforts in recent months to mollycoddle Muslim clerics as well as ordinary Muslims in his state to dust up his image. The demand for Modi so worried BJP stalwart LK Advani, who was the party’s prime ministerial candidate in 2009, that he had to caution his party at the March meeting that it will have to find ways to attract Muslim voters if it truly wants to regain power at the Centre.
“It is true that some Muslims have supported the BJP in recent years,” admits Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a functionary with the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a 40-year-old community outfit that oversees the implementation of the civil laws. “By putting Modi forward, the BJP runs the risk of losing even that little support.”
“Wherever a party’s relationship with the BJP is suspect, it would lose the Muslim vote,” says psephologist Yogendra Yadav, who has joined the recently launched anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party. Says Ilyas: “The Muslim is no more attached to any one party. He now votes tactically to defeat the BJP and this is how it will be in 2014.”
But although Muslims in the Lok Sabha are barely a third of their share in the population, their arc of electoral influence is far greater. In 35 seats, they number around one in three voters or more. In 38 other seats, Muslims are 21-30 percent of the electorate. If the 145 seats where they are 11-20 percent are added to this, Muslim voters have the ability to influence the outcome in a whopping 218 seats.
“It’s no longer a secret that Modi is the BJP’s PM candidate,” “Muslims may be unhappy with the Congress but they have no other option to vote for.”
http://tehelka.com/the-modi-card-and-th ... nglepage=1
Re: And the Bohris fall at the feet of Narendra Modi too
There is no mention of Kothar in the entire article as if Bohras do not count, All the money Kothar spent on NM and they will be going against entire Muslim Ummah of India