Food for thought (6)
by Anshuman Goenka
Partha Mukhopadhyay, in yesterday’s Mint, writes very elqouently on what could/should have been done in the last five years on infrastructure. I was 29 when the UPA came to power and am 34 now: I see 30s as years of my peak productivity, and I feel very strongly about India’s macroeconomy & growth-supporting policies.
In the same paper, there is a very interesting reference to how the World Development Report sees the NREGS.
Finally, also see Anil Padmanabhan on the cold calculus that may be playing behind the theatre of the Third Front - does it have more logic than meets the eye?
March 24, 2009 | Filed Under Anshuman Goenka
Comments
5 Responses to “Food for thought (6)”
Sir,
The Varun Gandhi’s episode seems an interesting one.
I believe that a)by proudly saying that he is an Indian,a Gandhi and a Hindu in equal measure,Varun has unapologetically claimed implicitly to be the real Gandhi in stark contrast to the Sonia Gandhi’s version which seems to be balantly anti majority and full of misplaced minority appeasement.b)by distancing himself from the controversial comments in the CD,he has well gained moral high ground.
However,my suggestion to BJP as well Varun would be a slight change of strategy further in this regard.Now,Varun should resign from BJP and fight as an independent candidate supported indirectly by BJP.BJP in turn could claim moral high ground saying that when the court of law clears him,party would endorse him as a candidate.This would be akin to case where Mr.L K Advani was slapped with false hawala charges and he resigned from the BJP on moral grounds.Once he was cleared he came back to the BJP with resounding victory.
This could be a good move for the BJP to make inroads into the minority constituency without antagonizing the hardline supporters. For Varun,who is sure to be cleared by court sooner or later,this would be greatly beneficial both as a leader as well as a future high profile and charismatic leader in the BJP.
TO THE BJP’S TOP MANAGEMENT….DEVELOP YOUR OWN MEDIA POWER SOON OR THE BJP HAS NO FUTURE….SERIOUSLY!!!!
I am a sincere sympathizer of the BJP, hence this negative tone in my comments. And I am sorry but there is no other way to digest this bitter pill.
BJP’s media management team should either be fired or revamped immediately. In all these years, the party has yet to start or develop a high-reach and influential pro-BJP television channel or newspaper (except the tiny Daily Pioneer) among other media vehicles, whether it’s in India or outside.
I myself have tried to get in touch with BJP’s media cell a few times on my various trips to India within the past three years, but with no success. The few individuals that I did manage to speak to came across as typical Indian government employees; IGNORANT, UNCONCERNED and UNRESPONSIVE.
The party management obviously doesn’t seem to understand the importance of media, communications and networking for political and national success.
Are the folks running the media cell friends of the BJP? I believe that this is a very serious issue that has cost the BJP many national and state elections so far. It’s image within India and outside has taken a beating time and again inspite of it’s good intentions.
TO THE BJP….Firstly, please develop or redevelop a proper think-tank before it’s too late. And when I say THINK-TANK, I mean a PROPER THINK-TANK, not an apology for a think-tank.
Secondly, please CHANNELIZE all this pro-BJP energy coming in from various quarters systematically and sensibly; else, this ENTIRE “Friends of BJP” exercise will be in vain and become the butt of jokes in the media like “India Shining” did. I personally believe in the sincerity and potential of “Friends of BJP”, and hence would not want this to happen. Also because failure is not an option.
THE BOTTOMLINE SUGGESTION WITH RESPECT TO DEVELOPING CLOUT WITHIN THE MEDIA — “KARO YA MARO”. AND IT’S NOW OR NEVER.
Jai Hind. Jai Bharat.
The suggestions reg Varun and need for better media for BJP (Seperate TV channel) are worth considering. Better act fast atleast on the latter.
R.Kasthurirangan
I totally agree with my dear media professional friend. There is a lot BJP needs to do to improve its image.
I also suggest that it needs to highlight BJP’s good governance of states (and how those states have been therefore re-electing BJP govt) in the states which are poorly managed like AP. Also the slogans used for different set of electrotes should be different. For example, “mazboot neta, nirnayak sarkar” slogan is no un-appealing as average Indian has not seen till now the leadership skills of Advani-ji.
Please please use better slogans, otherwise ask me!
I wish the BJP is loud and clear against these glaring blunders during this 2009 elections.
1.Mahatma Gandhi had said India is a rich country inhabited by poor people. By its corrupt and short sighted policies , successive congress led regimes kept india as a third world country till NDA gave us the hope and possibility of India being a superpower. Despite two world wars, europe could rebuild itself in a short span of time. The congress has no brains and plan for a better India. They are piggybacking on NDA’s path to a glorius India.
2. Mahatma Gandhi had said that congress party was formed to achieve political independence from the British, so for domestic elections to be healthy, congress party needs to be dismantled . This is anathema for corrupt and feudal congress leaders who have become adept at winning elections, sucking life blood of India and keep the country poor and backward.
3.After 60 years of independence, we do not have 100%access to clean water and sewage disposal. Money allotted for linking river waters, plans for sewage disposal should be done on war footing. The golden quadrilateral work is pending under UPA as are all other major basic infrastructural projects underway.
Indias major asset is an educated manpower. To improve this we need many more colleges. As seats are irratinally too few, though there is a global need for tech qual indians , so school and board exams and entrance exams are making life a constant and unneccessary struggle for Young India
4.The projected future PM of congress, Rahul gandhi, is a compartment student in 12th std, who got into St. Stephens college through a sports quota. He flunked in the 1st year. He went abroad, joined some vague college, flunked there too. Such a duffer who was off and on reported to be caught smoking pot with some colombian girlfriend, is touted as the next PM. What about all the bright and smart young achievers?
What about all the people with a foresight and vision for India.
5. The presence of parsis in India is a proof of how tolerant we are. The Vijayanagara ruins show the innate violent nature of Islam. Hinduism wishes well for all-sarvajano sukhinobhavanthu.
The live commentary from Mecca during ramzan, describes in graphic detail what punishment Allah is going to give to disbelievers.Please tell the pseudo secularists to realise what a sham their arguements are . Its a hindu majority India which makes everyone live and let live.
6. caste system was useful in its time to hone skills. For vote banks, the 5-10 year time bound, post independence resevations have become more entrenched. Someone should have the clarity and strength to admit that there shall be no caste based resevations. These are also vote bank politics. Any govt help can be given on economic criteria. When anyone can sit in a train, cinema hall, temple or seashore, where is the rigid caste system? Different cates may have their own rituals ioside their houses but it has no bearing in the public domain. there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to raise the issue of cate in public life.
if anyone feels discriminated on caste basis, let them file a complaint in a special court for caste bias. Caste is more a political vote bank than social evil
If past crimes by muslim invaders should not be held agaist present day muslims, why is so called caste discrimination in the past used as an excuse for caste based reservations?
7. If India does well ,all indians will do well. It requires an honest and sensible approach . Basic problems should be addressed with vigour. Life in rural, semi urban and urban areas should have comparable civic amenities.
The BJP led NDA showed us a glimmer of hope. Let these issues be brought forth and debated too