Narendra Modi vs the Dynasty: Contrasting Ideas of India

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 28 Oct 2013 09:46

http://www.firstpost.com/politics/patna ... 97229.html

I had started to work a bit awkwardly in the morning. A friend called at around 8 am. “If you have to reach Gandhi Maidan for Narendra Modi rally, you must start now. There is no public transport and there is an emerging human sea on the roads. I thought I must call and warn of what you about to face, a long walk.”

The place of my stay was around 8 km away from Gandhi Maidan. Taking a car or a cab was ruled out, so I looked for a rickshaw, manual or auto. I couldn’t find anything. So I walked. On the way I could hear enthusiastic chatter among some residents and passers by about the rally. Two km down the road, I saw a stream of people, which turned into a wave, pushing us all along towards the venue of the rally.

The other thing that I could gather through this rather educative walk was that the people there didn’t seem like a crowd who had been mobilised by the lure of money, food or travel to Patna but a conviction in Modi. (Although some others had equally strong passion against him.)

As I reached early, I had an opportunity to meet to with BJP President Rajnath Singh at Maurya Hotel, on the roundabout of Gandhi Maidan. Looking out of his windows to Maidan, he declared that this was going to be the biggest political rally in the entire country.

The size and response to this rally would surely unnerve Modi’s political rivals. But those are about the numbers of win and loss. With lives lost, the equations and metrics have changed.

BhairavP · Post by **BhairavP** » 28 Oct 2013 09:49

^Ack thoo on Mira Kamdar - hell, a cousin of hers was killed in the 26-11 attacks, and she still spouts this bile?

disha · Post by **disha** » 28 Oct 2013 09:50

Nytimes editorial is sold out. Why, the do not read their own reports!! Just see the highlighted items ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/world ... india.html

NEW DELHI — A series of low-intensity bombs exploded on Sunday in the northeastern city of Patna, apparently targeting a vast rally featuring the opposition leader Narendra Modi, whose Bharatiya Janata Party hopes to unseat the long-dominant Congress Party in national elections next spring.
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Krishna Murari Kishan/Reuters
An explosion occurred near where the opposition leader Narendra Modi was to speak.
Five people were killed and 83 injured, the authorities said late Sunday.

Homemade bombs, fitted with wires and timers, exploded in a series of crowded places: at a railway station, outside a movie theater, near two landmark buildings, and two on the Gandhi Maidan grounds, where Mr. Modi was preparing to speak, according to Abhayanand, the state’s director general of police.

Four people were arrested Sunday afternoon, said Manu Maharaj, Patna’s district police chief. He said that one man was arrested at the scene of a blast and confessed to being involved, and that all four men in custody were being interrogated.

Bharatiya Janata Party officials had hailed the rally as the largest to be held in the state of Bihar, a high-stakes electoral battleground, and decided to proceed despite the blasts. An enormous crowd roared in response as Mr. Modi invoked the Hindu epics, asking them to chant traditional battle cries.

Bihar has presented a problem for Mr. Modi’s party. Commanding 40 seats in the lower house of Parliament, the state will be critical if the Bharatiya Janata Party hopes to win a comfortable majority. But Bihar has a relatively large population of Muslim voters, many of whom are wary of Mr. Modi for his uncompromising stand in favor of his party’s Hindu-nationalist ideology.

The state’s top official, Nitish Kumar, broke off a longtime coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party when it became clear that Mr. Modi was the probable candidate for prime minister.

In comments to reporters on Sunday, Mr. Kumar described the blasts as “a well-planned conspiracy to disturb and vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of the state,” and appealed for harmony between India’s political parties. He refused to speculate on the theory that the blasts were set by Indian Mujahedeen, a banned Islamic militant group, but did suggest they may have aimed to divide the state on religious lines.

“If it was to disturb the communal peace and harmony of the state, we all have to take it and fight it out jointly,” he said.

Mr. Modi, for his part, appeared calm and jovial at the rally, and the crowd erupted in cheers when he addressed them in Bhojpuri and Maithili, two local dialects. He said the Congress Party had failed miserably in its attempts to control inflation and unemployment, and contrasted his own humble background with the dynastic succession of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

“I used to sell tea on trains,” Mr. Modi said. “Even the Railway Minister doesn’t have my experience of what one faces on trains.”

It was a note that appeared to resonate with the crowd. Amit, who said he had come to the rally from a village three hours to the north, said Indians are “tired of dynastic rule.”

“We have had the same family for 60 years,” he said.

“We don’t need this shehzada,” he added, using the Hindi word for prince to refer to Rahul Gandhi, who is the son and grandson of previous Indian prime ministers and is widely expected to be the Congress Party’s nominee for prime minister.

Throughout the day, speakers struggled to keep the crowd’s attention as five separate bomb blasts went off. Each time, the official speaking did not acknowledge the explosion, awkwardly continuing speeches and trying to maintain the momentum of the rally.

The Bharatiya Janata Party spared no expense in the run up to the rally, trying alternative tactics to bolster awareness and attendance. In a nod to Mr. Modi’s background as a tea seller, the party dispatched mobile tea vans throughout the city and gave “NaMo Tea Stall” posters to tea stands to brand themselves with the first two letters of Mr. Modi’s first and last names.

Mr. Modi’s event in Patna, with the unfolding drama of the explosions, did manage to eclipse a simultaneous rally organized by the Congress Party near New Delhi, headlined by Mr. Gandhi. The two events had been billed as “the battle of the rallies” by some journalists, but coverage favored Mr. Modi, and one observer noted on Twitter that she could not catch Mr. Gandhi’s speech because news channels “had him on mute.”

Amarnath Tewary and Zach Marks contributed reporting from Patna, India.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 28 Oct 2013 09:52

disha, addVikas Bajaj, Business, International Economics

@vikasbajaj

Vikas Bajaj has worked at The New York Times since 2005. Before joining the editorial board in 2012, he was a correspondent based in Mumbai, India. He previously covered housing and financial markets for the Business section in New York. Born in Mumbai, Mr. Bajaj grew up there and in Bangkok, and he received a bachelor’s in journalism from Michigan State University. He came to The Times from The Dallas Morning News. :

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 28 Oct 2013 09:59

http://www.niticentral.com/2013/10/25/f ... ent-108328

Most political analysts miss this crucial point. In fact, personally I am stumped by this particular piece of statistics. Since 1980, [barring the sole exception of 1989], the political combination that wins majority seats in General Election in Tamil Nadu has ultimately gone on to form the Government at the Centre. It is part of local political folklore that voters of this State are able to guess accurately the outcome of elections in rest of the country and vote accordingly.

Put pithily win Tamil Nadu rule India. Flummoxed? Read on.

disha · Post by **disha** » 28 Oct 2013 10:04

BhairavP wrote:^Ack thoo on Mira Kamdar - hell, a cousin of hers was killed in the 26-11 attacks, and she still spouts this bile?

Modern day gunga-dins., cannot stand up and say - what NYTimes editorial did is morally reprehensible and resign. The pride of being associated with a "prestigious" "bordello" is more important than morals.

Anyway, NYTimes is mouthpiece of the US Gov and presents US Gov's views on the topics. Given that USG (US SD and the US WH) has been caught in the "Modi Visa Monkey trap" of their own making - they have to rationalize a way out.

Modi elected as PM itself is a watershed event. When that happens, never will a foreign government try to interfere sordidly and nakedly into India's internal affairs. For me that itself is enough. It will be like #HyderabadGoli to Bombama (tm).

BTW blast suspect has already blamed Muzzafarnagar for Patna Serial blasts (just heard news - so typing here ...)

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 28 Oct 2013 10:27

^^^

I guess one ought to be relieved, that Babri Structure demolition and 2002 Riots are no longer have any emotional resonance amongst the Muslim community. If one is to believe, his comments.

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 28 Oct 2013 10:43

I told you so moment if true!
https://twitter.com/sharmarohitraj/stat ... 1104175104

sharmarohitraj ‏@sharmarohitraj
Now what ! @timesnow has access to an Intel report which says Nitish was warned about possible IM blast yesterday @SushilModi

Said the same thing yesterday. There must have been follow up after BodhGaya Blasts but follow up action must come from Nitish .
This sends a very wrong signal to IM.

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 28 Oct 2013 10:47

Folks, can someone confirm this - NIA does not have a single successful prosecution since its inception?

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 28 Oct 2013 10:50

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 28 Oct 2013 10:51

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaseen_Bhatkal Announcing the arrest of one of India’s most wanted terrorists who was on the run for five years, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said: “Yasin has been arrested last (Wednesday i.e. 28 August 2013) night. [7] [8][9] On 31 August 2013, during initial interrogation, Bhatkal admitted to recruiting young men from Bihar for terror attacks across the country.[10]

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 28 Oct 2013 10:53

chandrasekaran · Post by **chandrasekaran** » 28 Oct 2013 10:58

Call me paranoid or whatever. It's also very curious to note that all paid media, that generally never covered Shri NM's rallies so far, were on full attendance y'day. Granted it was at Bihar, but were they expecting something ?

Manish_Sharma · Post by **Manish_Sharma** » 28 Oct 2013 11:00

syele wrote:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/new ... 774203.cms

Lok Sabha polls to be 'Mahabharath yudh' between Congress-RSS: P Chidambaram

Christiandambaram reading his son kartik christiandambaram's statement in loksabha and quoting bible, doesn't know that kauravaas were in power and winners of Mahabharat were out of power at the time of great war?

kmkraoind · Post by **kmkraoind** » 28 Oct 2013 11:03

vivek.rao wrote:OK. MAFIA and her minions have announced their intention that they will let their communal dogs kill any one who dares to stop them using every means available to them. The Nytimes and several CON supporting journalists Nikhil Wagle to Shivam Vij showed it does not matter. If it comes to massacring Indians or protecting power of CON DIEnasty, they will go with the latter. It does not matter to them. Now how do we fight the menace?

I am fighting their menace in my own way.

RoyG · Post by **RoyG** » 28 Oct 2013 11:04

chandrasekaran wrote:Call me paranoid or whatever. It's also very curious to note that all paid media, that generally never covered Shri NM's rallies so far, were on full attendance y'day. Granted it was at Bihar, but were they expecting something ?

Interesting thought. Connect the dots:

Media giving Modi airtime

Nitish ignores IB warning

Rahul claims he could be killed at anytime

Grounds not pre inspected

Congress penalizing security officials for jihadi encounters

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 28 Oct 2013 11:19

Ok this is Naraendra Modi himself.

Narendra Modi ‏@narendramodi 12h

People's blessings are the strongest Suraksha Kavach. Till these blessings are there this journey of awakening the nation will continue.

Will people's blessings jam radio signals of remote detonators?

Just hoping that the security team for BJP rallies start to take extra precautions.

bhargava · Post by **bhargava** » 28 Oct 2013 11:31

chandrasekaran wrote:Call me paranoid or whatever. It's also very curious to note that all paid media, that generally never covered Shri NM's rallies so far, were on full attendance y'day. Granted it was at Bihar, but were they expecting something ?

+100...All news channels ( hindi and english, with no exception.. i browsed roughly 10 channels ) were showing Sri NaMo ji. Something was amiss..

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 28 Oct 2013 11:38

Why the Patna blasts won’t help Nitish Kumar’s prospects

Quoting from the article.

With Lalu out of active politics, will the Yadavs trust the RJD to defend their caste interests? Or will they shift allegiance to the BJP? While it will ultimately depend on how effectively Modi pitches himself – and reports suggest that the spontaneous turnout pleasantly surprised the BJP yesterday – in Bihar, a not-so-subtle shift is already underway.

Obviously, the JD(U) cannot afford to alienate the minorities by competing with the BJP for the upper caste votes. Not after parting ways with Modi for secularism’s sake. But, given his weakening backward caste base, only Muslim vote will not see Nitish through. He will also need some upper caste support. Achieving that combination is anyway a tough ask; in a communally polarised election, it will be impossible. More than anyone else, it is Nitish the administrator who can help Nitish the politician today. (If he was an administrator, he would not need to focus on the useless sikularilism)

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Oct 2013 11:39

it was biggest rally after the delhi one and a direct challenge to Niku's backyard...so media would be there.

niran · Post by **niran** » 28 Oct 2013 11:50

it could be two things
a)- TRP ratings is with NaMo
b)- might have been some nudge nudge wink wink so that the planed mayhem could be telecast live.
but with some of the media persons me talked with were proud of themselves to have witnessed history
and prouder to have helped victims and proudest to be alive.
the mood was like- yeah! bring it on, we is ready.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 28 Oct 2013 11:53

Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi on live TV: the winner is clear

archan · Post by **archan** » 28 Oct 2013 12:09

Pratyush wrote:Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi on live TV: the winner is clear

But an interesting thing happened. Almost all — except one English and a Hindi channel — put Rahul’s speech on mute and played Modi’s. After about five minutes, that English channel too started beaming Modi’s speech. And some time later, almost all channels entirely focused on Modi’s speech.

Is there a way channels get to figure out how many are watching them at a given point of time? If yes, then perhaps that English channel figured out that people were switching to other channels that were telecasting Modi's voice on the split screen and then it had to switch. TRPs.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Oct 2013 12:13

there are still around 6 months left for the elections..so calm down folks....people are getting all worked up and exhausted.

its a long haul for next six months . even the open-warfare phase of MH lasted some 18 days. and pot was simmering for 12+ yrs before that.

this thread is about to reach 500 pages. should I archive it and start a new one ?

archan · Post by **archan** » 28 Oct 2013 12:17

Lets archive it once it hits 500 I guess.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Oct 2013 12:17

ok..should be by end of week at the rate things are moving.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 28 Oct 2013 12:45

From Gujarat to India: Is Modi the tallest Congress leader now?

By Akshay Mishra.

kapilrdave · Post by **kapilrdave** » 28 Oct 2013 13:50

It is remarkable that NM is still keeping quiet about the attacks on him and his followers. Other leaders are also not making so much noise. If at all, congis are more vocal even though they are nowhere in the picture on surface. The state was of nikumma, rally was of bjp and suspects are from IM. Then why are they getting worked up? Can't imagine their response if this happened to papooh's rally.

I think NM wants to play down this attack for now. He still wants to talk about only development and not get into sickular issues which he is being forced into. IMO He is waiting for the appropriate time to talk about this attack - the peak time. If he talks about it right now people will fear from coming into his rallies. But one thing is certain from now on that whether the people attends his rally or not, they will not miss to see it on tv at least whenever he comes to their state.

disha wrote: BTW blast suspect has already blamed Muzzafarnagar for Patna Serial blasts (just heard news - so typing here ...)

Yeah. Do that congress and lose UP also

.

Singha wrote: this thread is about to reach 500 pages. should I archive it and start a new one ?

Keep it archived. Keep it safe. And keep backups. This thread is going to be useful for someone to write a best seller.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 28 Oct 2013 14:05

Why Muslims should reject the politics of veto

Sri · Post by **Sri** » 28 Oct 2013 14:34

^^^ Saar I am already researching this dhaaga. Please keep it safe.

a_bharat · Post by **a_bharat** » 28 Oct 2013 14:40

Perhaps the plan was to create stampede and use the ensuing chaos to assassinate Modi. Even if IM were the executors, the schemers could very well be the Congress folks and their involvement should be thoroughly investigated. BJP needs to raise hue and cry for any steps to be taken towards a proper investigation and not yet another cover up that the regime at the centre is well known for.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 28 Oct 2013 14:48

^^^

10 years of most venal propaganda in the MSM, and by the various NGO free loaders. Coupled with a sense of entitlement. Will create a few hundred delusional men. Eager to avenge the wrongs of the past.

So the INC need not do any thing to trigger an attack on Modi at present. They have been investing in hate Modi policies for the last 10 years. Now is the time for them to reap the dividends for the efforts put in the Demonise Modi program.

Any attack on Modi is just the Endgame of the long terms hate Modi program.

panduranghari · Post by **panduranghari** » 28 Oct 2013 15:03

vivek.rao wrote:Look at the crook

Shivam Vij ‏@DilliDurAst 13h
If political parties can engineer riots and fake encounters for electoral gain, I don't see why they can't do small bomb blasts.

Lends credibility to argument that Rajiv and Indira were murdered by the family. Perhaps Rahul is on target or he will be bumped off the get sympathy for Priyanka. God knows how devious one can get.

It important that these tweets by assorted worthies and kept for future reference.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 28 Oct 2013 15:04

Killing Modi makes eminent sense to mafia. BJP and patriotic forces invested too much in him and find it difficult to find an alternative. But does it mean upa3 will come by killing Modi? I am not sure. First everyone will know in their bones what mafia did. Backlash from Hindu voters will transcend communities, states and will be pan Indian. People like Manohar Parikar can be good replacement in an election in such conditions.

People want Modi because he is honest, decisive, has record and a vision. In short he himself has become a vision like Sardar Patel. Such visions will continue.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 28 Oct 2013 15:14

archan wrote:Lets archive it once it hits 500 I guess.

Request. Please archive it once it reaches 544 pages

abhijitm · Post by **abhijitm** » 28 Oct 2013 15:16

Please dont archive the thread. Let it be here till the poll.

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 28 Oct 2013 15:16

Why amangal for Mangalam?

The corporate world is shocked because of the way the CBI has filed an FIR against Kumar mangalam Birla in the Coalgate matter. And in a way, a few voices against the Congress are raising their voices. Its first effect is being seen on the election donations; the corporate world is spending money for the BJP with both hands, but is clenching its fists tight when it comes to the Congress. Kumarmangalam Birla has 35 per cent shares in a media company. Kumarmangalam’s son has come back from New York armed with a media management degree and his aim is to become a media baron. Keeping his son’s wishes in mind. Kumarmangalam was about to give him 51 per cent shares of this media company so that he could control the company. For a while now, this media group’s three channels and a multi-language news magazine has been taking an anti-government and anti-Congress stance. Once in a while, the news anchors would directly attack the Congress crown-prince Rahul Gandhi, too, and this was just not going down well with the Congress. Sources reveal that several warning were issued to Kumarmangalam from the Congress so that his channel mends its ways, but Kumarmangalam washed his hands off the affair saying he did not control the media group at present. Thus, the Congress and the UPA government started to feel that Kumar, too, has an anti-Congress and pro-Modi take and a political strategy was drawn to teach him a lesson. Setting Kumarmangalam as an example, the Congress wants to pass on the message to another top industrialist who has a big share in several media groups that he get over his Modi love while there’s still time, or he could face the same fate as Kumarmangalam.

Nira’s pains

The CBI may tighten its noose around Nira Radia, who made headlines in the 2G scam. A spate of new cases may be registered against her. Until now, top industrialists such as Mukesh Ambani and Ratan Tata were speaking in her favour and defending her but after seeing how things stand, they too have decided to hold their peace. On the other hand, there are business houses that are upset with Nira and want that the strictest punishment should be given to her. Reliable sources close to Radia say that she is considering packing up her businesses in India and moving to London.

Parakh to be tested

The CBI’s priorities have changed with regards to the Coalgate matter. Kumarmangalam Birla and Navin Jindal is not longer on its priority list. The CBI is now training its eyes on former Coal Secretary P C Parakh. The organisation is sifting through all quotes given to news channels, the interviews he has given, and relevant information is being collected from the same. And while Parakh stays in Hyderabad, sources reveal that the case may be registered in Delhi. And as soon as the memories of the case become dim in public memory, he may be arrested quietly.

PM’s problems

Has Dr Manmohan Singh become a liability for both the party and the government? Otherwise what is the reason he is not even mentioned in the election speeches by the crown-prince Rahul Gandhi? According to Rahul, all that is well with India is because of his mother Sonia and all that is wrong with it is because of the Central government. When this is how the prime minister is treated at the home front in India, how will the international community respect him? Pakistan has never created such terror at the border and has never before disobeyed the rules of ceasefire with such rapidity. Even America, which is used to speaking for no reason at all, is not saying anything in the matter. So now fingers are being pointed at the prime minister’s foreign tours, too.

Mulayam’s intentions

Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party is playing a game of extreme communal polarisation for the coming 2014 Lok Sabha elections. And what a strange coincidence it is that the state government tried to raise a fire from the embers of the Muzaffarnagar riots by releasing the statistics that are against the very rules of humanity. The government statistics state how many Hindus died in the riots and how many of them were Muslims. When the SP government came under fire because of this, Mulayam tried to defend Akhilesh government saying that the data was revealed at the administration level, and that he has no knowledge about this. The same way, arresting the sadhus and sannyasis during a VHP march and arresting BJP politicians and throwing them in jail is part of the same strategy.

Rajnath from Lucknow

BJP Party President Rajnath Singh is playing his political innings cautiously. In the changing scenario, he has emerged as the number two leader in the party after Narendra Modi. But he has carved out a political niche for himself despite acting as Modi’s Hanuman. Thus, Rajnath is all set to contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 from Lucknow instead of Ghaziabad. And because Lucknow is Atal ji’s seat, Rajnath believes that the party can’t launch a lightweight from the constituency. He has only two names in mind for it — his own and Modi’s.

A safe Bahuguna

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has got another lease of life from the Congress high command, or he was in danger of losing his post. What happened was that this time, Priyanka Gandhi is considering contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Allahabad constituency. Bahuguna family has significant influence over people in Allahabad, especially the Brahmin families. Rita Bahuguna has been pretty active here in the past and the Gandhi family does not want to risk annoying the Bahuguna family at this juncture.

Joshi’s ticket to be cut

Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray’s issues with Manohar Joshi don’t seem to be resolving any time soon. So it is possible his ticket from south central Mumbai may be cut. The Sena leadership believes the party gave Joshi a lot — it made him the chief minister, speaker, central minister. And what did he give to the party in return? If sources are to be believed, Manohar Joshi is really getting along with Sharad Pawar nowadays. Thus, if he does not get a ticket from Sena, he might hold Pawar’s hand.

Source: http://www.gossipguru.in/

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 28 Oct 2013 15:20

Media seems to have got hold of IB letter to Nikamma on terrorism threat. He will be in serious problem. Shinde was watching Rajjo movie music programming after the bombs went off also and now facing presure to resign.

kapilrdave · Post by **kapilrdave** » 28 Oct 2013 15:23

Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi: Rallies with different strokes

While Modi’s rallies were truly “mega”, seeing upwards of two lakhs in attendance, only around 10,000 came to listen to Rahul speak on Sunday.

Why so high figures for NM and low for RG, hain ji? Couldn't you say, NM's rally had more than 100 attendees and RG had less than 10 lakh? That is not factually incorrect, no?

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 28 Oct 2013 16:07

Rudradev wrote:
archan wrote:Lets archive it once it hits 500 I guess.
Request. Please archive it once it reaches 544 pages

Please archive it once it reaches 644 pages