A Critique – by Dr. K. S. Sharma
Chief Minister – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Policies – Programmes X-rayed is the Title of a mega-volume of 672 Pages in Kannada, traversing and x-raying the two decades of Narendra Modi’s Political travelogue. In order to provide a Bird’s Eye-view of this long travelogue, a concise summary in English has been sketched in this Book-let entitled “A Glimpse”. Both the versions were released in a formal meeting held in Vishwa Shrama Chetana, a working class campus in Hubli, Karnataka on March 17, 2019.
Following is the Full Text of the Critique.
This booklet is being published in two parts : Part-1 covers the period from 2001 till Modi’s ascent as PM, in two stages, and Part-2 Modi as PM, each year dealt with as one stage.
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PART-1 : Modi’s Ascent as PM
Narendra Modi commenced his public career as a “Swayam Sevak”, when he joined the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh”, and later joined the ranks of Bharatiya Janata Party, the political wing of R.S.S., and thus entered the political arena of the State of Gujarat, only to be crowned as the Chief Minister of the State, even before he became a Legislator.
Within a short period of his assuming the headship of the State, the Godhra-Rail episode, which was attributed to a Group of Muslims, who set fire to one of the Bogies in the Sabarmati Express in which Kar-Sevaks, who were returning from Ayodhya, which took a toll of 59 persons, followed by the ill-famed “Gujarat Carnage”, which took place, when he was presiding over the affairs of the Gujarat State. In the events that followed, he was re-elected as Chief Minister and emerged as the “uncrowned Monarch” of Gujarat and its unquestioned Leader, when he designed and executed the “Gujarat Model of development” and under this mask succeeded in establishing a virtual “Hindu Raj” in Gujarat.
What is paradoxical is that Mahatma Gandhi, lauded as “the father of the Nation”, who advocated and practised “Communal Harmony” and who firmly believed that means were as important as ends, hailed from Gujarat, from where Narendra Modi, also hailed, but who consolidated his power in Gujarat practising communal hatred and believing in the achieving of his ends without bothering about the means in achieving them.
This Book-let entitled “A Glimpse” portrays the ascendance and governance of Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister and Prime Minister, depicting the “Seven Stages of Ascent”, even as it x-rays each of these stages.
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“The Seven Stages of Ascent” :
The Political events in the career of Narendra Modi, from 2001 to 2019, spread over a span of nineteen years, are classified in SEVEN-STAGES, which are as follows:
[1] The First Stage : covers Narendra Modi’s assumption as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001, the Gujarat Carnage of 2002 and the consolidation of power as Chief Minister between 2002 to 2009.
[2] The Second Stage : covers the period from 2009 to 2014, which presents the design and execution of Modi to emerge as the Prime Ministerial candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party.
[3] The Stages from Three to Seven : covers Narendra Modi’s governance as Prime Minister of India, during the Five years, from 2014 to 2019.
These SEVEN STAGES, presented hereunder not only narrate the important developments in all these seven stages, but also x-ray critically all these developments from a political scientist’s perspective.
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FIRST STAGE :2002 to 2009
To understand the significance of the First Stage of Narendra Modi’s ascent, it is necessary to analyse the political developments prevalent in Gujarat in 2001, which throw light on the incarnation of Narendra Modi, as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, even though he was not even a Legislator of Gujarat Assembly at that time. In the Gujarat Assembly Elections that took place in 1998 BJP defeated the Ruling Congress and formed its government in the State of Gujarat. It is to be noted that BJP was elected to power as it promised the People of Gujarat – “Liberation from Hunger, Fear and Corruption”. However disillusionment had set in the common people within the three years of its assuming power, which was reflected in the results of the various local body Elections that took place between 1998 and February 27, 2002. The Bharatiya Janata Party was miserably defeated in the Elections that took place for the Six Municipal Corporations, 25 District Panchayats, and all the Village Panchayats. The BJP had lost its hold in almost all the District Panchayats. However, in the Elections that took place for the Six City Municipal Councils, though it had won in four of them, it had lost in two City Municipal Councils of Ahmadabad and Rajkot, where it had held the fort for fifteen and twenty five years respectively. In all these local body elections, the miserable defeat of the BJP resulted in a massive gain for the Congress. It is this severe set-back to the BJP, even while it was ruling the State, that set the top powers in the BJP to bring about a change in the leadership of the State, and it decided to incarnate Narendra Modi, a hard core RSS functionary, as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, by showing the door to the incumbent Chief Minister, Keshubhai Patel. It was in September 2001 that Narendra Modi, assumed power of this new office. In this regard it is to be noted that Narendra Modi contested one of the seats in the by-elections held for the three constituencies held on 24th February 2002, and this was just three days before the Godhra-Rail Tragedy took place on 27th February 2002. What is important is that when the results of these by-elections were announced BJP faced defeat in two constituencies, while it was only in the constituency from where Modi had contested it had resulted in his victory, but with a very narrow margin. Political commentators, who reacted to these results opined that if the Congress had put up a more formidable candidate against Modi, he would have also been defeated. If this had happened, perhaps, Modi’s political future would have been sealed in 2002 itself?!
It is in this political background, that the Godhra Rail tragedy had taken place on 27th February 2002 and the other ghastly repercussions that followed had taken place.
Let us now analyse, what is the Godhra Rail Tragedy? What is it that happened after the Godhra Rail tragedy? What are the controversies that have centered around these two events. The answers to all these questions are found in Annexure-1, to this Book-let, under the Caption – “GUJARAT CARNAGE-2002”. However, a summing up of these is presented hereunder, to enable the understanding of these events.
Gujarat government had released the following Report about the Rail tragedy that took place at the Godhra Railway Station on 27th February 2002. It stated that Hindu Kar Sevaks were returning from Ayodhya in the Sabarmati Express, and when the train reached Godhra Railway Station, Rioters belonging to the minorities hurled fuel oil on S-6 Bogie and set it on fire, and this fire took a toll of 59 Kar Sevaks, who were burnt to death.
There were reports from Independent Investigating Agencies also, which had based their Reports on the Reports released by Laborataries after investigating the burnt Bogie. According to these Reports, S-6 Bogie was set on fire not by the fuel oil that was hurled from outside the Bogie, but the fuel oil that was hurled from inside the Bogie itself. Apart from this another important revelation had come to light in these Reports. This revelation was that the fuel oil that was used to set fire to the S-6 Bogie was the same as the fuel oil used by the Rioters in the Pogrom of Minorities that followed the Godhra-Rail tragedy. Apart from this the Railways Department had carried out a separate investigation and released a Report. It had sent its Inspectors on 5th august 2002 to carryout investigations about the Godhra Rail Tragedy. This investigation laid focus on those who died in this tragedy. The Report released the list of names of those who were in Bogie S-6, which was set on fire. This list revealed the fact that most of those in this list were alive. If so, the question arose as to who were those 59 persons reported burnt in the fire in S-6? Apart from this, it was reported that only 8 of the dependants, who died in the ghastly incident, had claimed compensation on compassionate grounds. If so, who are the other 51 persons who died? Another million-dollar question arose, with the statement by the Treasurer of the State Unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, who had stated that the Gujarat Government had paid compensation to 40 dependants of the deceased in the Godhra Rail Tragedy? What was evident, from the three Reports on the Godhra Rail Tragedy, was that there were many controversies inherent in the three Reports published on the Godhra-Rail Tragedy.
After the Godhra-Rail tragedy, the Hindutwa forces belonging to the Sangh Pariwar not only engaged in the pogrom of Minorities by mercilessly massacring minorities in a large scale and also destroying their properties. While certain of these details are provided hereunder, more details are furnished in Annexure-1, which includes documents incorporated in the Report to the Nation, released by an Independent fact finding Investigation Team comprising of Four leading personalities of India, under the caption – GUJARAT CARNAGE-2002. This team comprised of the following:
[1] Dr. Kamal Mitra Chenoy
(School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University).
[2] S. P. Shukla, I.A.S. (Retd),
Former Finance Secretary, Former Member of the Planning Commission of India).
[3] Dr. K. S. Subramaniyan, I.P.S. (Retd),
(Former Director General of Police, Tripura).
and
[4] Achin Vanaik,
(Visiting Professor, Academy of Thrid World Studies, Jamia Milia Islamia)
The Report of this Investigation Team was released to the nation in April 2002, and certain important extracts from this Report are reproduced and included in Annexure-1, of this Book-let. Only a few salient aspects of this Report are stated hereunder:
[1] Most part of Post-Godhra is the violence perpetrated against the Muslims which was supported by the State and were unilateral acts of violence. This was an intentional pogrom.
[2] While the official Report stated that those who lost their lives in the Post-Godhra killings was less than 900, the un-official estimate of killings exceeded 2000.
[3] There was systematic pre-planning even before the Godhra Rail Tragedy took place to carryout the Post-Godhra pogrom and plundering against the Muslims. Information relating to Houses of Muslims, their institutions, places of their industrial establishments, the details relating to the partnership of Muslims in industries or commercial establishments etc were collected much earlier. It is not only this, but LPG Cylinders needed to carryout these destructive activities were collected and stocked, even lorries to transport material ransacked during the plunder were collected. All the details relating to all the Muslims in the State were collected.
[4] As the administration and the police had accorded permission to the “Hindutwa Agenda”, and acted in a manner to help the Hindutwa forces, the communal violence had spread even to villages. It could be seen that the State had closed its eyes to the spate of violence that had been unleashed by the Hindutva forces. The State government had accorded permission to the Bandh call given by Vishwa Hindu Parishat and thus encouraged its designs of carnage, which increased the acts of violence and carnage against the minorities. ………… Because of these reasons the happenings between February-March 2002 could be called as State-sponsored pogrom.
[5] The Central and State governments, by not intervening to prevent this communal violence, had failed to fulfil the oath undertaken by them, while assuming power at the Centre and the State.
[6] The great tragic happenings in Gujarat were not limited to the State alone but was a great national tragedy, as described by the Prime Minister of India. …….. If such dastardly attacks against those minorities and others, who do not consent and concur with the blind Hindutwa forces, then secular India cannot survive.
The damage sustained during Communal Violence :
The Report to the Nation referred to above, included a Section on the financial damage caused due to communal violence as reported in the various News Papers. The financial losses caused to the minorities due to the destruction and damage inflicted on the shops, industries, commercial establishments, Textile Mills, Show Rooms, Hotel Industry etc., was estimated to be around 12,000 Crore Rupees. Apart from this more than 240 Dargas, more than 100 Mosques, were demolished. In Ahmadabad, the capital of Gujarat, more than 20 Mosques and Dargas were razed to the ground. This was the result of Post-Godhra communal rage that was unfurled.
The Report to the Nation has in its Report included a few important Documents related to the Gujarat Carnage and a peep into some of them reveal the magnitude of this problem.
A Translation of a Pamphlet by the Vishwa Hindu Parishat is included in the Report. While the full text is given in Annexure-1, a few extracts will reveal the hatred and animosity possessed by these cadres and the communal venom they were spreading in the State. The Pamphlet advocated a severe social and economic boycott of the resident Muslims, so that they are disabled from residing in any part of this country. The Pamphlet contained Ten Commandments to the Hindus. Save our Religion, Save God, To attain this economic boycott is the only remedy. “These anti-nationalists amass money from the Hindus, and use the same money to destroy the Hindus” is the harsh message given through the above pamphlet.
This Report has also included “a Secret Circular of the Gujarat Police”, which has been issued by the Director General of Police (Intelligence). This has been addressed to Commissioner of Police, All Superintendents of Police of the Districts and to all Police Officers. This Circular also contained “Ten Instructions”. The following were included in these “ten instructions”. To collect data relating to Muslims involved in communal riots; To prepare a dossier on those Muslims with communal criminal tendencies; To collect all details regarding office-bearers of Students Islamic Movement of India; To prepare a dossier on Muslim organizations and To collect complete data on all the Muslim organizations in the entire State etc.
A perusal of the above documents reveal a design on the part of the State government to make it impossible for Muslims to live in the State and to see that they run away from the State. In this design there appeared to be a complicity between the State and the Sangh Pariwar. It is pertinent to note that all these had commenced much before the Godhra-Rail Tragedy occurred.
The Report also incorporated a document which revealed that the day immediately after 27th February 2002, ie. on 28th February 2002 itself the Hindu rioters had targeted not only the renowned Muslims but also the poor Muslim households. An exclusive report entitled “Murder Most Foul: The Death of Iqbal Ehsan Jabri and Family Members” has been included. What is highly tragic is that the entire family of Congress Ex-Member of Parliament, Iqbal Ehsan, was set on fire and every one of them was burnt to death, and only Iqbal’s wife had miraculously escaped from the clutches of death. Every Muslim family residing in Gulbarg Society of Ahmedabad city was set on fire and burnt to death. The report furnished details of the Hindu marauders, who had ganged up in various groups, attacked Muslim families, looted and burnt them and even caused sexual attacks on Muslim women.
This Report also includes excerpts from the various News Papers on the “Gujarat Carnage”. While fifteen exerpts have been included in the “Report”, only a few very significant of them are reproduced hereunder:
“Times of India” reported the reaction of Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, on the violence after Godhra. Modi stated: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”.
The following reaction of a BJP hardliner, reported to be close to Chief Minister Modi, on the future electoral impact of the communal carnage, said- “The Party leadership can certainly translate the Hindu backlash into votes, in case it decided to go for fresh Assembly elections in May or June” [Reported in “the Indian Express”, Ahmedabad edition – Page 5, March 15, 2002).
The International General Secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad had said: “What is happening in Gujarat is not communal riots but people’s answer to the Islamic Jehadi”.
In the reports appearing in the Press about “Gujarat Carnage”, the most important one has been that of the Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who during his visit to the State of Gujarat on 4th April 2002, in the presence of Chief Minister Modi, had said- “I have full faith in Modi that he would follow the ideals of Rajadharma” [“Rajadharma” means ethics of the Ruler]. [Reported in “Economic Times”, Delhi Edition on 5th April 2002]. The on-going events in Gujarat establish beyond doubt that the Chief Minister had thrown to the winds the faith placed by the Prime Minister, Vajpayee, that Modi would follow the ideals of Rajadharma. As a consequence to the terror unleashed by the Hindu marauders against the Muslim minorities, lakhs of these minorities had deserted Gujarat and had run away to other States, having lost Crores and Crores of their property.
In this context it is pertiment to make a note of another document, published by the “Human Rights Watch” (April 2002, Vol.14, No.3(c) with the caption : “We have no orders to save you” State participation and complicity in communal voilance in Gujarat, and the “Summary” is included in Annexure-2 of the Book.
In the General Elections that took place to the Gujarat Assembly, after the above happenings in Godhra, BJP had scored a massive mandate under Modi’s leadership and thus Modi has emerged as the “unquestioned Monarch”, having won the mandate on the “Hindu Wave”, which was indeed “the Modi wave”, and had consolidated his power in Gujarat. Interestingly after his return to power as Chief Minister, Narendra Modi shifted his stance from “aggressive Hindutwa” and wore the mask of “development” in administering the State.
Thus from 2003 to 2009, we find Narendra Modi, trumpeting “Gujarat Model of development” as the “role model for the development of India”. What is paradoxical is that “Gujarat Model of development”, in reality embodies neo-liberal policies and in no way is helpful to the Common Man of India. It is designed as a “Model” to spread a red carpet to the Multi-national corporations and the Crony Capitalists in India. This is nothing but “Jobless growth” which does not create jobs and multiplies unemployment. The ones who gained immensely from the Policies of Modi undoubtlessly are the Big Capitalists of India, i.e., Ambani, Adani, Tatas etc.
Thus it can be said that in this First Stage, (between 2001 to 2009) Narendra Modi had slowly and steadily consolidated his position as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and commenced preparing for his Journey to become the Prime Ministerial Candidate of BJP.
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Second Stage :2009-2014
The period from 2009-2014 in the political travelogue of Narendra Modi can be described as the Second Stage, in his ascent to Prime Ministership. After consolidating his power as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and firmly sitting in this saddle, Narendra Modi, began his preparation for his emergence as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP. The Political situation in the country in 2009, can be described as being similar to the political situation in 2001 in Gujarat, which enabled his ascent to Chief Minister of the State of Gujarat. The BJP had lost its electoral battle in the Lok Sabha Elections of 2009, even though it had projected one of its senior-most leaders, and former Deputy Prime Minister Advani in the Central Ministry headed by Vajpayee, and projecting him as a strong Prime Ministerial candidate, as against Congress led UPA’s Prime Ministerial candidate, who was described as a weak Prime Ministerial Candidate, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Despite this projection, BJP had lost heavily, and Congress-led UPA had reemerged as the ruling party with Dr. Manmohan Singh elected as Prime Minister. This political situation, in which Advani was losing his HOLD within the BJP, was turning out to be a fertile ground for the emergence of Narendra Modi in BJP at the national level. The turbulence within BJP, when it lost the 2009 Lok Sabha battle, could be felt, with the unfolding of the following events. The elections to the State Assemblies of Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh and Haryana were held in 2009, and BJP lost the Elections in all these States, while the Congress and its allies had captured power. In this background, it was reported that RSS Chief, Mohan Bhagwat, had made the following remark: “Perhaps an operation is needed for the BJP. Even if need be chemotherapy becomes necessary, it may have to be administered”. Under these circumstances, Venkaiah Naidu, one of the Senior Leaders of BJP had said- “Advani will not contest the next elections. We will not contest the next elections under Advani’s leadership”. It is important to keep in mind, that Venkaiah Naidu, who was very close to L.K. Advani, during his heydays, had made this remark. A perusal of these developments clearly indicated that the BJP was in the look out for a new leadership. This political situation kindled a ray of hope in Modi, and signaled to him that the situation was getting ripe for staking his claim for BJP’s national leadership.
September 17, 2011, was the 62nd Birthday of Chief Minister Narendra Modi; on that day Modi sought the blessings of his mother, and launched a three-day “Hunger strike for Harmony” with the objective of establishing “Peace, unity and harmony”. Modi’s “Hunger Strike for Harmony”, normally a State event, was projected as a national event. This could be seen as an event launched to wash off the slur that had stuck to Narendra Modi due to the “Communal Carnage-2002”. L.K. Advani, former Deputy Prime Minister, inaugurated the Hunger Strike by Modi, and was attended by Arun Jaiteley, BJP leader in Rajya Sabha and the former President of BJP, Rajnath Singh. It is pertinent to note that the following were present as Observers of the event: Jayalalitha, the C.M of Tamil Nadu, had deputed her representative; Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal; and Two BJP Ministers in the Bihar Cabinet were present on the first day of Hunger Strike. On the second day, Law Minister from Karnataka, was in attendance. Sushma Swaraj, the BJP leader in the Lok Sabha, came on the third and concluding day of the Hunger Strike. Participating on the concluding day, Venkaiah Naidu, National Vice-President of BJP said- “Modi is BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate”. With this pronouncement of Venkaiah Naidu, Modi had succeeded in getting his “Brand” projected at the national level for the candidature of BJP for Prime Ministership. The reaction of Sitaram yechuri, leader of CPI(M), to the above developments, is significant. He said: “In the recent political developments of our country, there is no other irony as the Hunger Strike of Modi. This paradox is that the one who pioneered the country’s, biggest communal carnage in Gujarat, had undertaken the Fast for communal harmony”. However what was clear was that Modi had been projected as the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
What looks strange but a fact, is that there was a competition for the Prime Minister’s post, which was not even vacant, between Modi and Advani. While Advani can be described as “a Prime Minister in waiting”, Modi could be called as “an aspiring Prime Minister”. While the Lok Sabha Elections were to be held in 2014, as early as 2011, a keen competition for being the Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP, had commenced between Modi and Advani. Even as Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi was preparing to launch “Hunger Strike for Communal Harmony” in Ahmadebad, Advani was preparing to launch a national “Rath Yatra” from Bihar. One needs to understand the intent, the purpose, the place of launching, the timing of this event, to read the mind of Advani, behind this “Rath Yatra”. It was scheduled to be launched on 18th October, 2011, the birthday of Jaya Prakash Narayan, who had pioneered the national movement against corruption and against the Emergency clamped by Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India in 1975, and had decided to launch it from the birth place of Jaya Prakash Narayan, in the State of Bihar. The curious part of this launching was that, even though Advani, had got elected from Gandhinagar constituency in Ahmedbad, Gujarat, he had chosen the State of Bihar for the launch. Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, was leading the coalition of JD(U) and BJP, and was known for not only his secular credentials but also as one who had fought corruption. It was no secret that Nitish Kumar had opposed Narendra Modi, from campaigning for BJP in Bihar, even though he was fighting the Bihar Assembly Election in alliance with the State BJP. Here what was paradoxical and perplexing was that while in Post-Godhra in Gujarat, Narendra Modi, had pioneered “Godhra Carnage”, wherein more than 2,000 Muslims were massacred and burnt alive and where properties woth Crores of rupees belonging to the Muslims was plundered and destroyed, in one of the worst communal conflagrations, was now parading wearing the secular mask, and Advani, who was one of the Prime movers in the destruction of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, an event of ghastly communal hatred, was also wearing the mask of secularism. Strangely, we find that, two known communalists were now wearing the common mask of secularism and competing with each other to become Prime Ministerial candidates of BJP.
Another aspect needs to be marked. During this period, the national executive of BJP was held and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, was absent for this meeting. But, one of the BJP leaders from Gujarat, who was present in this meeting, addressed the National Executive and pleaded for declaring Narendra Modi, as the Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP, as he was fit to be the Prime Ministerial candidate. However, the National Executive did not take any decision in this matter.
Narendra Modi, had registered the third successive victory in the Gujarat Assembly polls and had successfully continued as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. With this victory Modi’s dream to become the Prime Minister of India got another fillip, and he continued his design to achieve this goal. It is necessary to note an important event that had taken place a few days earlier to this launching. It was reported in the media that a Secret Report was prepared for presentation to the American Congress, which mentioned that “for the Lok Sabha Elections scheduled in 2014, Modi is likely to be the Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP”. In January 2013, Narendra Modi, launched two international events from Ahmedabad, in Gujarat. They were [1] Vibrant Gujarat” – the Global Capitalists conference, on 11th January 2013. An analysis of these events will show that though both these events appeared to be innocuous, they were uncommon Global events designed with an ulterior purpose. In “Vibrant Gujarat”, it was not only the Indian Czars of Capital but also the International Czars of Big Business who were participating. It is important to note as to how these national and international participants were praising Narendra Modi to the skies. Mark some of the statements made during this Global International Conference.
Mukhesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries said – “Brother Narendra Modi, is a leader with a grand vision”. The Chief of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group , Anil Ambani, said “Modi is the king of kings, the leader of leaders, Monarch of Monarchs”. Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, Ratan Tata, said- “Modi government has kept the Investors in Gujarat pleased and satisfied”. The working President of Mahendra and Mahendra, Anand Mahendra said, “Today people are saying that the development of Gujarat is on Chinese Model, but tomorrow people will say, China is developing on the Gujarat Model”. While these are the voices of sycophants of the Indian Corporate Lords, let us examine the voices of praise of the Multi-national Lords. The Chairman of the U.K – India Business Council, Pyatishtia Hewitt said- “Modi’s achievement is greater than that of China”. It may be recalled that it is the same England, which had banned Modi from travelling in England when Godhra Carnage took place in 2002, which was showering Kudos to Modi, now. The Chairman of the U.S.-India Business Council, Ron Somers said- “The progress of Gujarat is tremendous. This is not only a model to other States in India, but also a Model to the other nations of the world”. These encomiums from the Indian and Foreign Business magnates reflect the net of globalization spread around Modi. Naraendra Modi, addressing this Conference had said – “Earlier Gujarat was the Indian Gataeway to the World and now Gujarat has become the World’s Gateway to India”.
On January 13, 2013, “International Kite Flying Festival” was held in Gujarat, in which 50 Nations of the World had participated. Modi, inaugurating the Festival said “In Gujarat Kite Flying Festival is being observed for the last so many years, and this year we have transformed this into an International Festival”. In this connection it is necessary to understand the meaning of the idom “Kite-flying” – it means “testing Public Opinion by circulating rumours”. Yes, was not Modi, floating the views of national and international sycophants, to test public opinion and consolidating his ascent to power? Indeed, there was a deep design of Modi, behind these Two International Events, and this was meant to pave his way to the Delhi throne!
The next episode relates to the ascent of Modi and the descent of Advani.
The National Executive Committee of BJP, which met in Goa on 10th and 11th of June 2013 resolved to appoint Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat as the Chairman of the National Publicity Committee of the Party, keeping in view the Lok Sabha Elections of 2014. To register his protest against Modi’s appointment, Lal Krishna Advani, who has served both Jan Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party for more than Fifty Years as its leader, and who has played an important role in its development, submitted his resignation to all the three important positions he held in the Party. The contents of his letter of Resignation, reveal many home-truths. The gist of the letter is as follows: “For some time now, I have been watching the working style of the Party and the way in which it has been moving and I find it difficult to adjust to these developments. Has it remained as a Party of ideals built by Dr. Shyam Prasad Mukhaerjee, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Nanaji Deshmukh and Atal Behari Vajpayee? I am getting suspicious about it. Most of the leaders now, are only possessing their own individual agendas. Hence, for the above reasons, I submit my resignation to all the three Party Post I hold ie., National Executive, Parliamentary Board, and the Election Committee”. According to Advani, it was clear that the ascent of Modi in the Party had seen the erosion of the ideals of the Party and the emergence of the path of individual agenda. In view of these developments, the RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat intervened to persuade Advani to withdraw his resignation. The other Senior Leaders of the BJP also requested Advani to withdraw his resignation. In the light of these persuations, Advani withdrew his resignation. All these had happened within thirty six hours with lightning speed. The fire got ignited; it was also dowsed. But then what next? Modi had stabilized in his new position. Advani had reverted to his old positions. Modi had ascended and Advani had descended. Could it be said that the National Executive of BJP had almost put the seal of approval on Modi’s Prime Ministerial Candidature? This had in Advani’s view eroded the ideals of the Party and had led to the beginning of individual agenda.
In view of the above developments it could be said that the BJP was undergoing Modi-fication. The following would establish this new Phenomenon. The cold war that was brewing within the BJP had got exploded. Let us examine a few of these instances.
One of the veterans of the BJP, Lal Krishna Advani had expressed his desire to contest Lok Sabha Elections from the Bhopal constituency. His request was rejected and was given ticket from his earlier constituency, Gandhinagar, in Gujarat State. Similarly another Senior Leader of the Party, Murali Manohar Joshi’s Varanasi Constituency was changed and given Ticket from Kanpur, allotting Varanasi constituency to Narendra Modi. Another Senior Leader, Jaswant Singh desired to contest from the Barmar Constituency in Rajasthan. He was denied the Ticket from there and was given to Col. Sonaram Choudhary, who had crossed over from the Congress to the BJP. In Karnataka, B.S. Yediyurappa, who had left BJP to form his own Party, KJP, was taken back to the BJP and allotted the Shimoga Ticket. It may be recalled that Yediyurappa, was facing charges of corruption.
Witnessing these changes in the character of BJP, Jaswant Singh had remarked: “The conflict between the Fake-BJP and the Genuine BJP had started. In BJP: the chanting of “Namo, Namo” was going on”.
A perusal of the changes in the BJP indicated that the Party which was boasting that it was a Party of Principles had got transformed into a Party welcoming Party hoppers, corrupt persons and opportunists, thus proclaiming a new definition for Democracy: “Somehow get elected and assume power: Having done so, somehow manage to stick to power; when the period of Rule ends, somehow manage to get re-elected to power”.
During the Second Stage Modi had succeeded in his goal of obtaining Prime Minister’s Candidature of the BJP.
(The booklet in English, including Appendices, is available in print at Rs. 100.
For copies and details write to : Dr KS Sharma, Viswa Shrama Chetana, Gokul Road, Hubli-580 030, Karnataka. Or mail to [email protected].)
About the Author
Dr KS Sharma (born 1934), called by his friends as a 85-years-young Activist-Scholar, who still works 16-18 hours a day, is a Retired Professor of Law based at Hubli, Karnataka. As Founder-President of IRTUC– Indian Revolutionary Trade Union Confederation, he has been a leader of working class for over 45 years now, focused on unorganized labor, and as Founder-President of Karnataka State Govt. Dailywage Employees Federation, successfully organized one lakh dailywagers of Govt of Karnataka who got regularized after 30 years of struggle that included street battles and legal battles going upto the Supreme Court. As Chairman of JAC of RTC Workers of Karnataka, he had led two successful strikes for the just demands of the public sector RTC workers and Employees numbering one lakh. He is a great scholar, teacher, poet, writer, dramatist, literary critic, columnist, publisher, orator, and an activist-social scientist who was a President of ISSA , Indian Social Science Academy, for some time. Post-retirement, he did his doctorate on Indian State : From Marxian Perspective. He is the Founder President of a group of Institutions including an ITI, Institute of Naturopathy and Yoga, Dr. Da Ra Bendre (Jnana Peeth Awardee) Research Institute ( which edited and published about 150 books by Bendre), Indian Institute of Marxist Theory and Practice, FMRRC- Fluorosis Mitigation Research and Resource Centre all located in Vishwa Shrama Chetana campus, Hubli.His has been a contributor to countercurrents.org. He may be contacted at : [email protected])