Narendra Modi vs the Dynasty: Contrasting Ideas of India

[munna]

Alright I just checked 2011 census, Dalit population in India stands mammoth 200 million.

So almost all adults among 200 million Dalits + 180 million Muslim = 380 million are written off votes?? This is where JD(U) break off will hit BJP hard in 2014 election. Some consolation as RPI has joined alliance with BJP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. UP picture appears gloomy.

Dalit population of India is not a write off for BJP and never was. Please stop believing MSM lies. BJP has been THE party of SC ST MPs right upto 2009 (where they floundered a little in the context of overall fall in tally)

In 2004 BJP got the maximum number of SC/ST MPs
Rajnath Singh 2009 Defeat Speech

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been associated with the BJP for years in comparison to other parties. We always say with pride that the BJP has the largest number of SC / ST MPs. But this time the situation is not as per our expectations.

OR

We can talk 1996

LK Advani addressing the Bhopal Plenary

BJP the Single Largest Party: 1996

In the 1996 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP outbeat all its opponents to become the largest single Party in the Lok Sabha. Looking at the party-wise break-up of women MPs, we feel gratified to find that the BJP with 14 MPs heads the tally. There are in all 120 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Here too, the BJP with 42 SC and ST MPs heads the party-wise list. This remarkable success is the party's first firm step taken towards discharging its 'historic task'.

[Yayavar]

Alright I just checked 2011 census, Dalit population in India stands mammoth 200 million.

So almost all adults among 200 million Dalits + 180 million Muslim = 380 million are written off votes?? This is where JD(U) break off will hit BJP hard in 2014 election. Some consolation as RPI has joined alliance with BJP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. UP picture appears gloomy.

You mean Dalit as a group like Muslim as a group, like BC or OBC as a group. In other words same calculations as INC and not on the 'uplifted' discourse that many have started to associate with Modi. Would you expect a 'Dalit' employing 500 people as having the same expectations as a 'Rajput' employing 500? And a poor 'kuchalit, kamzor' labourer be it Baniya or Dalit as having the same aspirations?

[ramana]

abhijitm

The British taught Indians to look at Indians as groups just as you are doing. Looking at groups is a divide and rule policy being followed and implemented by INC.

[Sushupti]

Listen to VP of Delhi BJP (Now he has resigned after this statement). 7:40 onwards .

http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/406869/ftp ... ficit.html

Delhi BJP vice president resigns after comments against Modi

http://www.dayafterindia.com/demo.php?h ... l_id=20692

above should be an eye opener regarding the "Morchebandi" done by the Nehruvian group in BJP under LKA and his sidekick Kulkarni.

[SwamyG]

I do not fully understand the concept of 'advanced'; because even in Western democracies - that are considered to be 'advanced' people vote on emotive issues. For example Obama had to run around claiming he was not a Muslim - it did not matter if was a Muslim or a Christian or an atheist. America is still not 'advanced' to vote an atheist into office. The point is no country is 'advanced' when it comes to voting.

So are we saying, it is okay for Modi to not differentiate between Hindus and Muslims; but then he should differentiate between Hindus to get votes? Rising tide lifts all ships - small and big. It is a good time to unite Indian citizens, there is a person who can do that.

The US being an older democracy and developed country is "relatively more advanced" than India. What you say is good in theory. However, on the ground this is how things work in India at this stage. So if you want to wrestle the pig you have to get dirty.

The point is in democracy people vote on emotions - be it advance, less advance or more advanced countries. Otherwise why would people in USA continue to be mesmerized by abortion, marriage, religion, race still? I am talking practice only saar, not theory.

Modi, or for that matter any politician of any party, are free to campaign and showcase their background (and even caste) - it is not that harmful. If somebody was to say

Bhai log, look, I am so and so...this is my caste....look at our great country....I rose up the ladder and prospered.....so can you. .....trust good / honest people like me....and vote.....I will do my best to bring opportunities to ALL.....

which is different than if one was to say

Aap log yeh jati ke ho.... you have been oppressed/suppressed for so long....you deserve Moon, Sun and Jupiter.....I will do this and that for your jati/group....

Such tactics is harmful to the country in the long run.

[Manish_Sharma]

Justice Arnab got taste of his own medicine from Smiriti Irani . Watch initial five minutes.

http://www.timesnow.tv/Debate-Fact-vers ... 432134.cms

Ok !!! One can see arnab gets so agitated and angry, but she comes back with another 'upper cut' full force. Arnab even while shouting pathetically looks at jha for help, and jha nods encouragingly as if to a child getting beaten badly........

Though i admit to have a soft spot for arnab goswami due to his good interview of General Shri V.K. Singh when all the press + media were out and out against the General.

[Manish_Sharma]

Alright I just checked 2011 census, Dalit population in India stands mammoth 200 million.

That's why Nacxlite + christian + congi (tehelka, media sections, ngo-s) agents always go viciously against anybody rising up in BJP who is from Backward Caste or Dalit. You'll see they go very harshly against Modi, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti or Bangaru Laxman.

That is one big fear in them, what if a bunch of backward caste , dalits come up as 'strong hindu nationalist leaders' in BJP? Hence you'll never see big guns coming out against vajpayee or jaitley but modi and bangaru laxman!

[Hari Seldon]

HS ji, some relief here....just noticed this is actually an old 2007 article.

For a while there I thought PBM had succumbed to the old Indian disease of 'equal-equalitis'.

Arjun garu, thanks. I jumped the gun on that one, looks like. Mea culpa, only.

[Sushupti]

Shouldn't this gentleman be expelled from the party?

Advani ‘friend’ out of BJP

New Delhi, July 16: Theatre artiste and Delhi BJP vice-president Aamir Raza Hussain has become a casualty of the proxy war between L.K. Advani and Narendra Modi.

The actor-director, who claims to be “very close” to Advani and his family, has resigned his party post after calling Modi names at a TV debate last night.

Hussain’s association with the BJP, which was more social than political, dated to the time his “old friend” Vijay Goel was a junior minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s PMO. Goel now heads the Delhi BJP and is believed to have been instrumental in Hussain’s induction into the party just three months ago.

Once Hussain was in the party, Advani “pressured” Goel into giving him a senior post and involving him in the nitty-gritty of the Delhi elections, due this year, sources said. Hussain is often spotted at social events at the Advanis’ home.

Last night, during a TV panel discussion on the “trust deficit” between Modi and Muslims, Hussain was asked if he regarded the Gujarat chief minister as his “leader”.

“I beg your pardon?” he asked the anchor, who looked a bit taken aback. When she repeated the question, he shot back: “He is not my leader; he is only a leader.”

Hussain went on to trash Modi’s recent “kutte ka bachcha” and “burqa of secularism” remarks and his claim to be a “Hindu nationalist” as “despicable and divisive”. He said Modi could never hope to gain Muslims’ support.

He then advised the BJP to project Advani or Sushma Swaraj as its prime ministerial candidate if it wanted Muslims’ support.

“Advani and Sushma have won over the Muslims,” he claimed, ignoring a question on Advani’s stewardship of the movement against the Babri Masjid.

Hussain’s comments provoked an outcry among Delhi BJP leaders, most of whom were already upset with his lateral entry and the position he had been given because of his presumed proximity to Advani and Goel.

Many demanded “quick action” from Goel against Hussain. As Goel stayed silent, some of them approached party national president Rajnath Singh, who immediately asked Goel to crack the whip, sources said.

To soften the blow, Goel advised his friend to put in his papers, which Hussain promptly did. “I stand by every word I spoke in that debate. But I do not wish to embarrass my friend Vijay,” Hussain said, adding he had not spoken to Advani about the controversy “although I keep visiting him”.

In April, Goel had proposed Advani as the BJP’s candidate for Prime Minister before withdrawing the suggestion within hours.

In the party, Goel is regarded as Sushma’s protégé. Sushma is pitching hard to have him named the party’s prospective chief minister in Delhi but the rest of the state unit is united against its chief. The Hussain affair may now make it tougher for Goel to survive at the helm of the Delhi BJP.

Party sources claimed to have been “shocked” by the “lengths to which Advani can go to resist Modi’s ascendancy”. They said it was a matter of time before the party announced its candidate for Delhi chief minister to undermine Goel.

Yashwant Sinha’s “gratuitous” advice to Modi in a newspaper article yesterday — to refrain from making controversial statements — has also got the BJP’s back up. Sinha is often seen as a sounding board for Advani.

Hussain’s stinging criticism of Modi is being perceived as further confirmation of the suspicion that Advani has not given up his resistance to Modi, a source said.

Hussain had received the Padma Shri in 2001 a year after staging a production based on the Kargil war, which the NDA considered a feather in its cap. He had also advised Goel on a project to spruce up Old Delhi when Goel was a minister.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130717/j ... 125843.jsp

[Hari Seldon]

^^Very heartened to see Vijay Goel's true colors being prematurely revealed.

Good that bhajpa parl board is yet to finalize decision on party's CM candidate for Dilli.

Meanwhile, niticentral.com report on NM's Odisha visit y'day for a darshan of Sri Jagannath ji.

Modi woos Odias, seeks Lord Jagannath’s blessings

Modi’s visit appeared to have rekindled hopes of the party’s revival among BJP leaders and workers in the State. They feel his visit would play a significant role in rejuvenating the party organisation in Odisha.

If the rousing welcome accorded to Modi at Puri, Bhubaneswar airport and elsewhere is any indicator, then the Modi charisma seems to be working in Odisha too.

During his 60 km drive from Bhubaneswar to Puri, Modi was greeted by cheering crowds on both sides of the roads.

Well, really, now... what're the odds they'd be standing on only one side of the road, eh? But both sides is better than one side only is better than no crowds only, I guess...

On his way to Puri, Modi stopped for five minutes at Sakshi Gopal and paid tribute at the statues of ‘Pancha Sakha’ (five legendary figures of Odisha) in an apparent bid to appeal to the sentiments of Odias who respect the five heroes.

Brilliant is as brilliant does. Localiszation o content and message. Appeal to regional pride... niiice.

A senior BJP leader said Modi’s flawless Odia when he addressed the media outside the Sri Jagannath Temple should “send a clear signal” to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who apparently still struggles with the language though he has been ruling the State since 2000.

What?! And I thought PVNR was the last polyglot in desi polity... would be awesome if NM could speak some flawless Telugu during his Hyd tour on 11-Aug eh? BTW, any hyderabadis going to LB stadium to hear the man himself? I'll be there. Would be nice to have a BRF mini-meet to analyze the speech in minute detail at a pub nearby afterwards....no?

Also, good that Odisha BJP is taking on Naveen head on. Enough kid-glove treatment. NM is here and is playing to win. People aren't so dumb as to miss the signs and omens, you know...

[Gus]

Narendra Modi in Hyderabad

Register and listen him at LBS stadium Hyderabad.

http://www.modifyap.in/

this is not about money for the meeting.

this is all about getting voter details and voter contact during campaign and mobilising on election day.

i guess, the 5 rs is for making it serious. our dudes tend to give fake details when there is no money involved.

[Gus]

taking some inspiration from the obama campaign organisation

- once you have the cell numbers, you can keep in touch with them on news and snippets during the campaign.
- a local worker, can keep working on them, by phone or in person as necessary - to keep up the motivation and also to grab more bodies.
- call them during election day to organise a trip to the booth.

[Hari Seldon]

^^ True. A proper GOTV campaign. Of course, INC has the fallback option of the entire aadhar database to plunder at will.

Wouldn't be overly surprised if, as 'first right to resources', the mainorities are getting their voter ID apps expedited.

Modi campaign has no choice but to be ingenious and innovative because of their much smaller resource base.

[disha]

....That is one big fear in them, what if a bunch of backward caste , dalits come up as 'strong hindu nationalist leaders' in BJP? Hence you'll never see big guns coming out against vajpayee or jaitley but modi and bangaru laxman!

Then the K & H legs of the KHAM chair break apart and what remains is the "baisakhi" of AM. Now in rural areas, there are muslim dalits (they do not go necessarily on religious lines, but yes on caste lines) and then there are adivasis in close contact with K's and BCs (they do not fight for the same pie) and hence tend to go along with the larger KH group.

Here are my thoughts:

Relying too much on KHAM (and its equivalents) is how Congress got crippled. They do not have any other narrative other than creating entitlement groups within an ever shrinking pie. Initially entitlements were required (when India got independent) and there was a british legacy which needed to be winded down and hence needed to be slowly atrophied maybe within a generation - till urbanization and education levels across the country came to a sustainable level - and thus empowerment increased., but after a while they lost the plot. Precisely after 1975., and did not realize that it is not entitlement - but increasing the pie that is necessary. And increasing the pie should be "crowd sourced"., that is government should be taking a back seat and just ensure a "level playing field" and let the "animal spirits" of the hungry take over (in a legal manner) and just enjoy the ride.

That is what is happening in Gujarat - a key pointer is women empowerment. Another pointer is urbanization. For eg. if you are a car driver., it does not matter if you are OBC/BC/SC/ST/Muslim/Brahmin/Bania/Rajput/<itiyadi> other than your willingness to work (and work hard and gulp up some ego if you are a FC) and having a quality of service outlook. You will be successful (that is in demand) and will naturally gravitate to somebody who will empower you. And once you achieve a certain standard of living, you would want to maintain it and show it off as well. Like not show up with a ration card for below poverty (do it slyly though) , show off that you can afford basmati for eg - that is have visible symbols that mark you have arrived. And thus naturally you will gravitate to somebody who will empower you.

Congress just did not realize this and the earth under them has shifted away in Guj. Will it happen all over India? Remains to be seen. There is hope, for example the woman from Bihar stating that Modi may do something for our kids (education, empowerment, opportunities etc).

Edited to make the sentences flow better.

[abhijitm]

abhijitm

The British taught Indians to look at Indians as groups just as you are doing. Looking at groups is a divide and rule policy being followed and implemented by INC.

Ramana, I am just trying to find a way to unite divided Hindu community, many of them even have converted to Buddhism. If I want to see a hindu nationalist gov in the centre then I fail to calculate statistically how it is possible without consolidation.

How can I pretend there is no divide?

[disha]

^^^ Abhijitji, recognizing divide is one thing, crafting a unifying narrative among them is another thing. While crafting a narrative, one has to be careful on not appearing divisive., again congress lost the plot whole heartedly here. Partly because there is no strong 2nd generation leader ship (on the lines of Scindia, Pilot, YSR etc).

[disha]

Just to buttress my point:

http://www.firstpost.com/politics/cong- ... 61705.html

Overall an excellent article - sample this:

Amidst all this, his central message is that of equality for all and appeasement of none in Indian politics.

This is the paradigm shift that Modi is attempting and this is the quicksand that the Congress and her allies are likely to walk into.

There are many claimants for the Muslim vote across India and as the elections approach, political parties will try and outdo one another in reaching out to the general electorate and especially the minorities. As Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s adviser, author and ex-diplomat Pavan K Varma pointed out in a recent article, “One-fourth of Kerala is Muslim; 30% of West Bengal is Muslim; every fourth person in Assam is Muslim; 30 million Muslims live in UP; some 15 million in Bihar; every ninth resident of Karnataka is Muslim.”

[abhijitm]

Disha, in a human race we dont even treat men and women in a same way. It starts right from when she is conceived. We protect her by not allowing gender identification, her education is free (to an extend), many companies follow gender equality while recruiting, police have been instructed to take down FIR if a woman complains, and so many other things. Why? because we accept that in the society she is being discriminated and we try to protect her right by creating an environment for her to flourish. Dalits also need a recognition and an environment, a space to grow. They are being clearly discriminated and by keeping mum or a common policy will not work for them.

[SaiK]

abhijitm, i want you to also think about language based segregation in addition to dalits. how do want that to be handled? some space for that as well?

i am sure we are not dealing with diverse issue on dalits alone. btw, are you saying if class based model is chosen, dalits will not be covered? if so why do you think so? do you have metrics on how dalits are ignored by the society? not the criminal cases,but general living and citizenry.

[abhijitm]

abhijitm, i want you to also think about language based segregation in addition to dalits. how do want that to be handled? some space for that as well?

i am sure we are not have diverse issue on dalits alone.

Absolutely, there is no second thought about this either. We are a very diverse country and national parties need to localise in order to grow. I am arguing from the point of view where BJP lacks support and where they need to consolidate. BJP has done well in localising the party in their respective states. Where they have not done so well is consolidating Dalits and in my calculation that is a risk, as long as the goal is to rule India.

[SaiK]

there are couple of ways to do this:
1. classify people by economic condition
2. focus on a growth model.

everything else is private.

btw, my goal is to use modi to correct India.. not to support bjp or congress. anyone is fine, as long as they meet objectives.

[abhijitm]

^ I understand. Same with me. I am not here to discuss the solution of Dalit problem. It has to be solved, no doubt in my mind. But here in the context of this thread my opinion is for Modi to come to power BJP has to do some changes in their policy so that they can consolidate the votes. And drafting a seperate policy for a discriminated community is not a divisive politics in my opinion.

[SaiK]

everybody is right, but we only differ on priorities.. this is true to every one billion people of desh.

[abhijitm]

do you have metrics on how dalits are ignored by the society? not the criminal cases,but general living and citizenry.

You can visit idsn.org. I dont know who is funding them but at least they are one repository.

[Arjun]

Crafting a separate policy for different groups is not inconsistent with Moditva. In fact, the BJP is working on a policy for Muslims as we speak...The difference is that the policies would focus on backward classes empowering themselves as opposed to competing on the basis of victimhood.

What does this boil down to in terms of actual policies: instead of reservation based policies or vote-banking techniques on terror cases (which is what the Dynasty does to weasel support from minorities) - set aside funds for backward communities that would be directed at creating community-based entrepreneurship groups and the like. There should be a strong focus on benchmarking social / HDI parameters of the communities and incentivization schemes aimed at meeting targets on these parameters.

[Arjun]

Hilarious piece....targets Ashis Nandy - but I wish they had taken on Shiv Vishwanathan who is far more insufferable.

Solar Nexus : Exposing Modi

Social Psychologist Cracks Modi’s Power Code: Exclusive Interview with Ah-Cheese Dandy

In what can be a paradigm shifting study, India’s foremost social psychologist Ah-Cheese Dandy reveals the hidden symbolism behind the solar power projects of Narendra Modi – the chief minister of Gujarat whose Prime Ministerial ambitions have created a wedge in the nation’s polity. Narendra Modi’s supporters in the social media have been spreading the alleged success of his Narmada Canal solar panels where it is claimed that these panels would collect sun light and allegedly convert it into electricity. In an exclusive interview to ‘The Chindu’, the social psychologist who just published a seminal piece “Mandalisation of Corruption : An antidote to Mandirisation of polity “, talked to our Non-Resident Indian Editor Varadarth Siddharajan regarding his new book ‘The Solar Nexus’ in which the author discusses the ominous trends in Indian politics generated by Mr. Narendra Modi by analysing one of his pet projects. Here is an excerpt from the interview.

Varadarth Siddharajan (VS): Prof.Dandy, Thank you for agreeing to talk to ‘The Chindu’. What is your new book about?

Ah-Cheese Dandy (AD): Thank you Varadarth. It is a pleasure and privilege. The book is about the much hyped solar panels atop the Narmada canal which was Narendra Modi’s pet project. I discuss the deep socio-psychological undercurrents in this project which reveal the nature of the man behind this project. I also contrast it with other solar projects in the country.

VS: Does your book have some revealing statistics about how the project does not fare well as it has been hyped?

AD: No. That shall be done by comrade economists from JNU. My concentration here is on the deep dark symbolism of the project and the authoritarian nature of execution, which sets this project distinct from other solar power projects in the nation. I also trace the roots of the project which are really very dark.

VS: Can you please elaborate.

AD: With pleasure… See the project is based on solar power. Naturally the question arises why not water power? Why not wind power… or for that matter why not biogas? Why go for solar power?

VS: Why?

AD: Remember that the Nazis had Swastika as their symbol. The Hindu Right also venerates Swastika. Swastika is a solar symbol. So naturally Narendra Modi an inheritor of this Hindu-Right-Germanic nexus goes for the solar power. It is simply a return of the Nazi symbols. Further by projecting this solar power project Narendra Modi is also sending a strong signal. Crescent is the Islamic symbol. By making the solar acronym to the Islamic crescent Narendra Modi is playing to the jingoistic middle class in India.

VS: This is really a deep insightful study. You have also mentioned that this project is anti-feminine. Can you explain?

AD: Hindu nationalists have always emphasized the masculine. Notice that Mr. Modi is sporting a beard and a moustache. He is always flaunting the fact that he is a male. That naturally appeals to the Hindu supremacists who actually have a strong unconscious fear of becoming effeminate due to colonial constructs. The river represents here the feminine. By covering the feminine with the masculine solar panels he has created a technological male supremacist structure which naturally gels with Hindutva. In explaining this I have of course been helped by the insights of Prof. Trendy Woniger. When I first published this in Harvard South Asian Journal, a Hindu fundamentalist terrorist posted a ‘thumbs down’ icon in the comments box of the online journal. I should say that with the ascendancy of Narendra Modi the tolerance level of Hindus is descending very fast.

VS: This is a really alarming. It is hard to imagine in what kind of dangerous environments the academics have to work with a threatening Hindu Right becoming more and more powerful. You have also stated about how the solar project of Modi is centralized, authoritarian and not as empowering and democratic as other solar panel projects in the nation. Can you explain that for our readers?

AD: I compare the Kerala solar power model with the so-called successful Gujarat solar power project. In the case of the Kerala model the Chief Minister has risked his name, character etc. for the sake of making the project as much democratic as possible. The benefits of executing the project flow through various channels at each level. There are many beneficiaries and there is obvious gender empowerment. Shalu Menon and Saritha Nair are seen in the corridors of power in Kerala. Where are such women in Gujarat solar project? Notice how the Kerala solar power project provides a wholesome glimpse to the entire nation into the inner workings of the government. There is transparency. There is drama. See how the news channels all the time talk about solar project in a sensational way. But what is the case of Gujarat solar power project? There is no such drama. Scandals are an important way of empowering people. Scandals democratize our polity and business. However under the authoritative dictatorial regime of Modi there is no scope for such things to happen. A reductionist approach of merely a solar power project only for providing electricity but no entertainment is not a good thing for a democracy like India. Only a degenerate middle class psyche can support such no-corruption projects. The obsession of Indian mind with a corruption-free government, a government that delivers is actually a very dangerous thing. It is this tendency which can promote people like Modi into power. Imagine five years of no corruption, no major scams, no cover-ups, no gang rapes … what will the panellists discuss in the TV show rooms? What kind of news we will have in 24 x 7 channels… We will end up having only development, we will end up having only happy faces… we will end up having a nation proud of itself… now that can lead to jingoism… now that will make Pakistan feel bad about India… We have to respect the feeling of our neighbours also. What if Modi and his police stop all LeT operatives? Can you imagine a year without any major bomb blasts or even ‘chota-mota’ bomb blasts? Then what will the conspiracy theorists do? A bomb blast followed by our democratic leaders tweeting about how it could have been masterminded by our own security agencies… is that not a mark of matured democracy? (He gets visibly emotional)… All this will be put to an end by Narendra Modi. The solar project in Gujarat is just a glimpse of what will happen to India if Modi will come to power… And an India with only solar power and development schemes executed with no scams means no Radia-Burkha tapes as well. That will be a sad day and that India will be a sad place to live. And I am afraid we are going towards such a state.

VS: That is a very scary scenario. So what do you suggest we should do?

AD: The progressive democratic secular forces should come together. The UPA-III should promise the people of India that if they come back to power they shall bring in a ‘Right to Scam’ bill. Indian mindset of seeing scams with a negative perception should be changed. They should be made to understand that scams are part and parcel of the democratic process. A scheme executed without scams is an anti-aam-aadmi scheme. Academicians, media and progressive liberal intellectuals should all come together and make Indian psyche accept this basic fact of a healthy democracy. That is what I aim to do through this book.

VS: Thank you Prof.Dandy. Ever vigilant scholars like you are the real saviours of our system. With such a committed vision we can really save Indian polity from any dangers from any person. On behalf of the readers of ‘The Chindu’ we wish you all the best.

[chetak]

U’khand hid info on Modi kits?

Monday, 15 July 2013 | SUNIL KUMAR | DEHRADUN





Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP election campaign committee chairman Narendra Modi, who had made a two-day tour of disaster-affected areas in Uttarakhand after the cloudburst on June 16-17, has sent around 1,200 tonnes of relief material, sending the Congress-led State Government in a tizzy.

Each box, also known as ‘Modi kit’, has 43 items, enough for a family for seven days. Sources said that by sending relief material, Modi has sent message across the State that Gujarat is always present for the help of distressed people and the State Government has no option except to receive the material.

Sources said that Congress leaders were saying the donation should be kept secret, but Modi has been sending huge quantity of relief material and taking publicity for it as well. They have been making all efforts to counter it.

On Friday, Dehradun district administration received 29 bogies — two from Surat, three from Ahmedabad and 24 from Gandhinagar — carrying 14,150 kits sent by Gujarat Government, at Harrawala station.

Each kit weighs 40 kg and has 43 items, including flour, rice, pulse, sugar, tea, spice, soap, toothpaste, brush, oil, comb, candle, match box and utensil etc.

Interestingly, officials have been told not to disclose to the media about the relief material. Due to this, they have been asked to unload such kits at the Harrawala station and sent immediately the material to the destination with the help of 80 trucks.

This figure is enough to explain how much the quantity of relief material from Gujarat is. Sources said that the State Government has received around 40,000 such packets so far. More or less, everyday they have been receiving two bogies of relief material from Gujarat.

Talking to The Pioneer, Uttarakhand BJP in-charge Radha Mohan Singh said that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi sends relief material to all disaster-affected areas.

For instance, when Bihar got affected due to floods, he had sent relief packets, also known as ‘Modi kit’.

He alleged that the Congress-led Uttarakhand Government is making politics over it. When they send All India Congress Committee (AICC) relief material, they have been sticking AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi pamphlets, but they have been removing the Gujarat Government stickers from the packets.

“It shows they don’t want to provide relief to the affected people which were sent from Gujarat.” Interestingly, Congress leaders and workers have been making all efforts to dump such kits at their houses or their relative’s houses. “It has ascertained our claim that the State Government is doing politics on the issue.”

Sources said that getting upset with the unending help from the Gujarat Government side, the Congress high command has been consistently sending their representatives in the State. On Sunday, Rajiv Shukla reached the State and will convene a meeting at the Secretariat on Monday

[Hari Seldon]

From twitter, ETV news.

Behenji Mayawati today expelled BSP MP Vijay Bahadur Singh from party for praising NM a few days ago. As per script, I guess.

[Yagnasri]

He is going to be with bjp. sure shot winning mp candidate

[Hari Seldon]

Columbia's Arvind Panagriya on why Modi's projection as PM is 'inevitable'

Also debunks the Dreze-Amartya sophistry as well as the FSB boondoggle. Good read.

[panduranghari]

What?! And I thought PVNR was the last polyglot in desi polity... would be awesome if NM could speak some flawless Telugu during his Hyd tour on 11-Aug eh? BTW, any hyderabadis going to LB stadium to hear the man himself? I'll be there. Would be nice to have a BRF mini-meet to analyze the speech in minute detail at a pub nearby afterwards....no?

He spoke a few words in Malayalam, Konkani and Marathi when he was in Kerala, Goa and Maharashtra recently. At least he attempts to communicate in a Indic language. Never heard Chidu or Khur shid speak in anything but English. Also the grammatically incorrect English of Mani Aiyar is shameful.

edit- t replaced with d

[archan]

Kindly refrain from using foul language and name distortion. It brings down the level of dialogue and only distracts from the topic.

[panduranghari]

do you have metrics on how dalits are ignored by the society? not the criminal cases,but general living and citizenry.

You can visit idsn.org. I dont know who is funding them but at least they are one repository.

Isn't IDSN funded by the Vatican? I remember reading on Rajiv Malhotras Yahoo group. Perhaps I need to recheck 'Breaking India' bibliography too. I remember this being mentioned in it.

Abhijitm we all aware quite unhappy with the discrimination Dalits face, but it does not mean we can allow foreign control over our problems. I remember quite distinctly there is a professor in Belgium/Netherlands who has proposed a independant country of Zormia (sp??) which includes all of NE India. I believe he also speaks on behalf of Dalit Network.

[abhijitm]

^ please dont get too much into i referring this website. I just stumbled upon it to find incidents.

[Hari Seldon]

Kindly refrain from using foul language and name distortion. It brings down the level of dialogue and only distracts from the topic.

Are you are referring to the unreal times satire piece that Arjun has posted? That entire piece has been taken verbatim, there is no distortion. fyi.

[a_bharat]

Modi should be careful with facts and should immediately acknowledge mistakes (like when he misspoke on China's 20% GDP expenditure on education), instead of having BJP spokespersons defend the indefensible on TV shows.

[Arjun]

Are you are referring to the unreal times satire piece that Arjun has posted? That entire piece has been taken verbatim, there is no distortion. fyi.

I think Archan was referring to the post immediately prior to his, which has since been edited.

[kapilrdave]

Rahul baba was honored as the last person receiving the telegram service. What's his qualification for that? Wonder why not PM or Prez or Kalam or SRT or Lata?

PS: It's just a rant. I know his qualification .

[harbans]

Modi should be careful with facts and should immediately acknowledge mistakes (like when he misspoke on China's 20% GDP expenditure on education), instead of having BJP spokespersons defend the indefensible on TV shows.

True, but this was a sort of inadvertant kind of error. Not an distortion meant to cheat, guile or mask something in a malafide manner. NM meant that we must spend a much larger sum of our GDP on education, research, teaching etc. I find that a heartening coming from a leader. Education, R&D are core to making India a developed nation. Apart from the obvious error, there were many good examples in the comparison context throughout NMs speech. The basic jist that we need to spend higher sums on education has been lost in the misinterpretation cacophony caused by INC and Psec groups and parties.

[Sri]

Modi should be careful with facts and should immediately acknowledge mistakes (like when he misspoke on China's 20% GDP expenditure on education), instead of having BJP spokespersons defend the indefensible on TV shows.

He should be careful 'Yes'.

But why apologies for lack of funding in education by CCP?