The Jan Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare, and Baba Ramdev II
Muppalla
Re: The Jan Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare, and Baba Ramdev II
Postby Muppalla » 16 Sep 2011 21:05
It is just an illusion to think that they are on their own.
Postby hnair » 16 Sep 2011 21:59
That interview with Arun Khejriwal was interesting. I think the (deliberate?) target of AH movement are those elite to middle-class educated, but bored ones, who can feel attracted to maoist crap. Trekking and camping with photos posted in FB are a big deal with a lot of these crowds. Sort of "getting to know soul of India, by signing up for a guided trip" thing.
Postby ramana » 16 Sep 2011 23:03
Murugan, Reminds one of the story of two men and a donkey who tried to please all and lost the donkey.
Postby achy » 16 Sep 2011 23:14
It is rather strange that main stream Media has not analyzed the political impact of Anna movement beyond some token surveys. I think the impact is going to be felt,mainly, in Tier1 and tier 2 cities and that too only with middle class. While corruption does impact the poor most but the impact is indirect and invisible. But, for the middle class, impact is direct, visible and painful. For poor people outside the ambit of Government , the corruption will not be the over-riding or even the topmost agenda while casting their votes. Their concerns have different priorities. Also, the corruption, as Anna is talking about is economic corruption and thus it will also not have impact on people who are committed to vote on caste and other ideological basis. which means the Anna will impact votes of Middle class voters who are floating or independent votes. How is this class going to vote is anybody's guess and whether this will have any impact on electoral fortune will require lot of statistical analysis. But, If I have to make a conjecture then I think Congress will be the net looser.
Also, I think Anna is not going to float or overtly support any party in near or distant future. Anna's strength is in opposition of establishment as a pressure group, not otherway. People might follow his lead if he asks them to not vote for so and so because they are corrupt , but they will not follow him blindly, if he says to support someone in particular because he is honest.
harbans
Location: Dehradun
Postby harbans » 17 Sep 2011 09:30
It would certainly be a great thing if the awareness generated translates to less bureaucracy and less pain for the common man facing off babu's dealing with ration cards, gas connections, writing FIRs, getting passports made and hundreds of things that one has to deal with Govt functionaries. But it's also prudent to see examples of 'Corruption' free societies in History.
Societies that developed with the sole aim of Discipline and 'Lack of corruption' led to societies that were extremely Disciplined and corruption was curtailed. Germany and Japan exemplified such nations in the 30's. Maoist China and North Korea again are/ were societies that do/ did not possess transactional corruption.
The other end of the model are countries that embraced the 'indiscipline' of 'chaos' and freedoms. The Scandinavian nations exemplify that to some extent. The US has been a good example of that too.
The awareness that has been engendered must also lead to introspection as to what model we desire. Blindly mouthing a desire for a corruption free society is no panacea. It (that awareness) must be accompanied by what sort of choice we want to accompany it. The dominant role of vengeance as a solution only exacerbates the closeness of many to the former model.
Last edited by harbans on 17 Sep 2011 09:32, edited 1 time in total.
Postby niran » 17 Sep 2011 09:32
achy saar, there was this clip on the first day of AH's 2nd agitation, where a simple lady was asked why are you here? she replied am a poor lady me and husband together earn around 8 thousand INR a month we are in utmost difficulty, i mix few tablespoon of milk to a glass of water to kids, this corruption has caused mehgnai(inflation) we want corruption to end AH LPB
will aide to end corruption
there you are, the notion of middle class, laptop totting mobile yak yaking crowd support Ah onlee is false, the lady and her ilk do not peruse BRF or redif or have a twitter facebook account
but they are votes and in substantial numbers too, and they have grasped the basics
corruption leads to inflation which is kicking them on their stomach.
i come from landlord family, we have an ancient saying
"never ever kick people who you lord over on their stomach" coz if you do that, you die a violent ugly death.
the point is, wake up, get out of your wells, see the world and you will be surprised.
Postby Singha » 17 Sep 2011 10:29
ah has support from many sections. but the people at his gatherings are those who can afford to take time off ie not the poor or lower middle class. like an iceberg some of that support nsse is hidden.
btw full pg ad by namo in toi today...playing cat n mouse games with the discredited delhi bhp kshatraps imho.
Hari Seldon
Location: University of Trantor
Postby Hari Seldon » 17 Sep 2011 11:33
Anybody listen to NaMo's speech today? Am hearing rave reviews and rabid silence from the susal suspect quarters.
vishvak
Postby vishvak » 17 Sep 2011 12:31
Hari Seldon wrote: Anybody listen to NaMo's speech today? Am hearing rave reviews and rabid silence from the susal suspect quarters.
It will take time to understand that all the muck thrown for 10 years was improper. It is the media and fake secularists who have to apologize here. I guess the frogs in the hole can only work under some kind of orders, and backed by finances from abroad. Otherwise, these people have to actually be impartial to everyone - which is too dharmic for their taste.
You can wake up those who are asleep. Question is, how do you wake up those who have closed their eyes.
Location: Pee Arr Eff's resident Constitution Compliance Strategist (Phd, with upper hand)
Postby munna » 17 Sep 2011 12:52
For those interested #ModiFast has galvanized the party like no other. Senanis and Senapatis from all 'mats' (factions) of yindoo party are thronging to 'Karnavati'. I think the leadership issue of yindoo party is more or less academic now. The response is mind boggling and completes the OBC axis of Uma (Lodhs), Baba Ramdev (Yadavs) and NaMo (Other OBCs). Game is on.
Manish_Sharma
Postby Manish_Sharma » 17 Sep 2011 17:59
^^Hope he brings Kalyan Singh also back, now that vajpayee is out of picture it shouldn't be too difficult!
Postby Manny » 17 Sep 2011 18:09
shiv wrote:
Manny wrote: Black money does not tarnish the economy. The black money keeps the economy going nevertheless. It's just that the thieves, the corrupt, the parasites of society do not get their hands on it.
You post is half-nonsense.
The logic is not totally wrong. But it is partially wrong because I believe that you are referring to "black money" made by genuine businessmen who are not paying tax. But the far bigger problem is "government palm greasing" money.
Black money that is made by the government employee for moving a file that allows you to buy property, build a house or start and industry and get electricity/water for that industry
Black money made in bribes by government auditors for passing faked accounts of private black money makers.
Black money made by government employees at state borders to allow travellers through in buses, allowing overloaded lorries or lorries full of illegal material - such a poached/mined stuff.
Black money made by government ministers and babus for giving permission to set up a college, allocating the land and licensing the college despite lack of teachers and basic facilities.
Black money made by police officials and policemen to let off offenders or even accept genuine complaints
Black money made by government doctors to give preferential treatment to those who pay
Black money made by government employees as kickbacks from private contractors for massive infrastrcuture jobs (say road repair) that are overinvoiced and overbilled.
So your "black money romance" is not as good as you make it sound. In fact that is how Pakistan runs. India too runs that way partially - as you have eloquently described. Only we get angry at India-Pakistan similarities. You have made a naive and ignorant post all in all.
You are talking about govt corruption. Which is a non sequitur to what I posted. I am talking purely about business men (wealth creators) making money but not paying the corrupt govt the right to dip into that tax and then use it for corrupt purpose.
The act of bribes and corruption of taking money for service that is expected from civil babus is different from not paying taxes on those monies. Two different thing.
vijayk
Postby vijayk » 17 Sep 2011 18:37
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.co ... har-report
This blog discusses sachar report and compares Gujarat and the rest of India.
I think this message has to percolate.
abhischekcc
Location: If I can't move the gods, I'll stir up hell
Contact abhischekcc
Postby abhischekcc » 17 Sep 2011 19:01
Pranay wrote: http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?734985
Activist Kiran Bedi today said Team Anna members felt "let down" by Rahul Gandhi's lack of support for the anti-corruption movement as they thought that he would work with them to ensure that the Jan Lokpal Bill is passed in Parliament.
Bedi, one of the core members of the Team Anna Hazare, said the young Congress leader was the "biggest loss of faith in our trust".
"Rahul Gandhi was the biggest loss of faith in our trust. We thought he is a young face, who would work with us for this country's future and ensure that the Jan Lokpal Bill gets passed," she said at a panel discussion organised by the Observer Research Foundation here.
Gandhi's lack of support for their movement surprised the civil society members, Bedi said.
The Congress General Secretary had criticised the fast by Hazare and said the need of the hour was not just a strong Lokpal but make it a constitutional body like the Election Commission.
If team Anna actually had faith in that low IQs, mother dependant personality, it shows them in a bad light. Did they not do a hard assessment of Rahul Gandhi and of Sonia Gandhi and of their role in corruption in India? How could a group that calls itself 'India Against Corruption' actually believe anything that the Gandhi family says about fighting corruption? Are those people really serious about fighting corruption or they only believe in doing drama in Ramlila Maidan?
http://www.firstpost.com/politics/as-mo ... 86071.html
As Modi begins his three-day fast for his Sadbhavana Mission that is intended to start the process of reconciliation with the minority community in Gujarat and build bridges with the rest, it is clear that it has – at the very least – become a talking point for the nation. If the process gathers momentum, it can change the political landscape very quickly. The presence of so many of the BJP's powerful leaders and allies in Modi's "fast" show that he is beginning to build political momentum already.
His latest letter to the "six crore people of Gujarat" is actually meant for the whole nation. After stating the obvious that he is human and can fail, he said the "pain of anybody in the state is my pain" and that the "poison of casteism and communal frenzy have never helped anybody."
Step by step, Modi is moving in the direction of an inclusive agenda. The only thing that remains is making direct overtures to the Muslim community. And he has two years to do that. He has an added agenda which the rest of the Sangh Parivar leadership doesn't: he is not from the privileged upper classes.
There's panic in the Congress party. All the indications are that the party is beginning to be worried about a bigger challenge in 2014 for Rahul Gandhi than it thought possible. One has to read between the lines delivered by party spokespersons to understand this.
When Modi announced a fast, the Congress went into a tizzy and quickly got its Gujarat leader Shankersinh Vaghela to start a counter-fast to expose Modi. Having just been stung by an Anna Hazare fast, the Congress has learnt its lesson, and decided to counter Modi's fast with one of its own.
Congressmen have also betrayed a sense of desperation in their reactions to the fast and the recent assessment of a US Congressional think-tank that Modi is an able administrator and potential challenger to Rahul Gandhi in 2014.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid betrayed this unease when he said he pitied Modi. "You can only pity whoever will have to fight Rahul Gandhi," he claimed. Taken at face value, this statement can be seen as high confidence in Rahul Gandhi. But in the context of the recent universal thumbs down he got for his leadership during Sonia's absence and his poorly delivered parliament speech on the Lokpal Bill, Khurshid's statement means exactly the opposite. It was needed to assure the party faithful that he still believed in Rahul.
Mani Shankar Aiyar's comments are equally riveting. "The Congress does not need to fear the rise of Narendra Modi, but as Indians we need to fear the rise of Modi because he represents the sheer antithesis of everything that has gone into the making of the Indian nation," Aiyar told NDTV. Sure, Mr Aiyar. But since the Congress thinks it is India personified, what India needs to fear is the same as what Congress needs to fear.
The media's feeding frenzy is another reason to believe that Modi's reinvention will be magnified. Over the last 10 years when he ruled Gujarat, Modi studiously avoided the media, and restricted his interactions to small interviews during election season or after public meetings.
He probably did this for two reasons: rarity is an advantage in building mystique – as Sonia Gandhi does to good effect. Moreover, he probably calculated that the less he spoke, the less likely he was to be misquoted and tripped by media sound-bytes when he was facing so much legal and civil society scrutiny.
What this has led to is extreme latent hunger in the media for Modi-speak and soundbytes. The fast will provide one such opportunity for the media to seek TRPs from Modi interactions – like the Anna fast did – and it will probably do so.
The UPA's spectacular economic and political failures are also playing into Modi's hands. They have left a vacuum in the political space that Modi can easily fill. UPA-2 has been widely seen as a corrupt government, and its economic policies – on growth and inflation – are now seen to be miserably failing. The UPA's social sector schemes – most of them poorly thought out despite being in the right direction – have contributed as much to the economy's woes and they not have as much of a political constituency of the poor as one believed.
At the leadership level, Manmohan Singh has been stumbling from disaster to disaster, and Sonia Gandhi's much-touted acumen has been completely missing in action. As for Rahul, he has been exposed for the lightweight he is.
Even when it comes to dealing with our neighbours, Pakistan and China, there is no coherent policy.
In contrast, Modi is the strong man with a reputation for balancing fast-paced growth with equity. Gujarat has been the only state with China-like growth figures, and its agriculture has also been robust. While Gujarat's industrial prowess is well-known, his agricultural revolution is less talked about.
Gujarat has seen double-digit growth in agriculture between 2001-08 and an eight percent average over the decade. If India had achieved that, our overall growth would be in double-digits by now and the Food Security Bill would not be an albatross around the economy's neck. Quite clearly, Modinomics works.
While 2002 will always be held against him, the fact is Gujarat has been communally peaceful since 2002. Modi has put down all communal elements with a tough hand. His record as the man who can keep the peace is what will help him now that he is trying to build bridges to other communities.
As for dealing with Pakistan and China, Modi does not face the handicap of being seen as weak-kneed. Not after Manmohan Singh's bumbling leadership. Modi will be widely expected to follow a macho policy on our external threats – which goes down well with the bulk of the population.
Modi da man...whom destiny awaits. He certainly has the heart and the character to be the answer to Bhupen Hazarika's ringing question to the great river in his masterly 'Ganga' - "Bhishma rupi, ek krita-ragani, janati nahin ho kyun? " I'm sometimes surprised at my hero-worship, reminiscent of my boyhood years, cynic that I have now come to be. NaMo namaha indeed.
One thing I noticed is the first generation of OBC CMS in the north Laloo, Mulyam, chautala etc were castiest, vote bank politics types who turned out to be autocratic, corrupt. Same case with Dalit leaders like mayawati and paswan. Now it is modi, nitish and . These seem to be capable, cleaner and good administrators. Funny how in the south we are still stuck with corrupt coterie.
Location: http://bharata-bhuti.blogspot.com/
Postby RamaY » 18 Sep 2011 06:13
+1008 HS garu.
vijayk wrote: One thing I noticed is the first generation of OBC CMS in the north Laloo, Mulyam, chautala etc were castiest, vote bank politics types who turned out to be autocratic, corrupt. Same case with Dalit leaders like mayawati and paswan. Now it is modi, nitish and . These seem to be capable, cleaner and good administrators. Funny how in the south we are still stuck with corrupt coterie.
My CT is
Southern india is still in Bharatiya mode working in federal mode. South can offer a strong Bharatiya capital that can rally uttarapatha as well but current capital is fixed in space. So a weak center means corrupt samantaas?
Solution to this is to move the capital to Dakshinapatha or have a strong center at Indraprastha!
Hari Seldon wrote: Modi da man...whom destiny awaits. He certainly has the heart and the character to be the answer to Bhupen Hazarika's ringing question to the great river in his masterly 'Ganga' - "Bhishma rupi, ek krita-ragani, janati nahin ho kyun? " I'm sometimes surprised at my hero-worship, reminiscent of my boyhood years, cynic that I have now come to be. NaMo namaha indeed.
Unless something sinister happens, he is indeed the PM in waiting.
Postby Pranav » 18 Sep 2011 08:59
JLP bill having a concrete impact on electoral politics -
Support to Jan Lokpal bill: INLD to give written undertaking by Sep 30
SIRSA: A day after Arvind Kejriwal, a member of Team Anna, asked anti-graft activists to start a mass awareness campaign, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo and former chief minister Om Parkash Chautala on Saturday reiterated his party's promise to give a written assurance to support Anna Hazare's draft Jan Lokpal bill.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 024943.cms
Location: Smoking Piskobidis
Postby Murugan » 18 Sep 2011 10:03
Star News Interviewer to Modi
Will You beg pardon for (his misdeeds in 2002) riots?
Modi:
Is 2002 riot pardonable? If modi is guily he should be hanged!
Whaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmm!!!
(In Indrajal comics, when Mandrake or Lothar give a jhaapad to villains )
2nd full page ad by NaMo in TOI today.
its the moment when Tirpitz have come through undetected in the fog of denmark straits and heaved to outside scapa flow while the Admiralty is having its annual summer ball.
I am not seeing any way out for RG other than a cabinet reshuffle and taking up a important post to build a track record in the remaining 2 yrs. else what will he compete on other than bloodline and a smile? the ability to down more samosas in a single sitting than diggy raja or rock climbing does not count.
Postby skumar » 18 Sep 2011 12:42
Manny wrote: You are talking about govt corruption. Which is a non sequitur to what I posted. I am talking purely about business men (wealth creators) making money but not paying the corrupt govt the right to dip into that tax and then use it for corrupt purpose.
Any talk about people holding back on their taxes for reasons they feel are justified, is seditious.
The answer obviously lies in improving governance and not in withholding taxes. If every business in India was given an option not to pay taxes with proper justification , every such business would come up with a reason for every crore in taxes it has to pay and the government would not collect any taxes.
Our problem lies in the fact that our government raises fuel prices to the highest levels among nations on a PPP basis to subsidise the corruption in governance. The deficit from the 2G scam would have provided for at least a year worth of complete fuel subsidies; CWG would have probably provided for a couple of more months. The focus is so much on skimming, nay robbing, that our government has not strategically invested in oil trophies around the world and as a result, our fuel basket is the highest in the world. Our power tariffs are amongst the highest in the world and it makes us uncompetitive, which is criminal for a developing economy like ours. NM has done simple things but these simple things are so effective that businesses like it. Very few businesses would say no to paying taxes in Gujarat.
Location: (IT-vity && DRDO) nagar
Postby sum » 18 Sep 2011 13:47
Have to say, watching NaMo interviews on all channels ( each channel seems to have got a slot) is amazing as the kind of jhapads he is delivering to each of the DDM is something.
Seems only NDTV doesn't seem to have been given a 1-1 with NaMo.
Also, interesting to note Amma wholesomely rallying behind NaMo
Last edited by sum on 18 Sep 2011 13:49, edited 1 time in total.
OT but interesting. India's electricity T&D losses are 31%. Delhi, the stage of AH's fast, has T&D losses of 46%! Surely, like in Pakistan as in a post on the TSP thread, the government is providing "free power" to some for a price. China has T&D losses of 7%, most of it not preventable, due to technology issues. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are at 18% each.
And, China probably pays our government to buy defective generators from them at great cost but lower than Indian equivalents, generators which go bust within a year of operations.
Last edited by skumar on 18 Sep 2011 14:11, edited 1 time in total.
Singha wrote: 2nd full page ad by NaMo in TOI today.
No EVM manipulation then it the end of die nasty.
Just wondering how many of the nehrus were actually CM of a state before being a PM?
Chachoo Nehru? Indira? Rajeev?
How many of the Nehrus don't want to be a CM first of a state before being a PM?
Sonia, RG, Vadra parivar...
It is indeed very ironic and jhappads on the whole dynasty politics and their media-chamchas, that likes of NaMo without any background have become such clean politicians at state level.
Imagine the pain and anger of likes of RG when their bankrollers in USA point this out.
If I am not mistaken, in India, every PM other than Nehru dynasty has been a CM earlier eg. Shastri, Morarji, VP Sing, PVN Rao, ABVP, etc.
MMS, G Nanda( temporal), IK Gujaral are 'juggad only' PMs.
on another note BC Khanduri of NHDP-1 fame just became CM of Uttaranchal.
http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column ... ng_1588429
For about ten days, the Government of India's Department of Advertising and Visual Publicity stopped advertisements to this newspaper. It's through the DAVP that ministries and public sector undertakings publicize commercial requirements, i.e. "tender ads", in newspapers. The DAVP is under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting headed by Ambika Soni, whom a 2005 US embassy confidential cable (exposed by Wikileaks and published by The Hindu in March 2011) described as one of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's three principal advisors and the one trusted the most.
Indian newspapers make their real money from the ads they publish: this also subsidizes the newspaper for the reader who pays only Rs2.50 for an issue (each actually costs around Rs11-12 to produce). The government obviously does not place ads in each and every paper that is printed in India; and even among large-circulating mainstream papers, ad-rates vary depending on the reach. For a government to temporarily halt such ads to a mass-circulating metro-based newspaper like DNA is unusual.
Delhi-based journalists are at home with I&B bureaucrats even if the ministry is not part of their beat simply because it is also a nodal ministry for logistical matters. Our ad-sales division — the people who procure ads for publication and are thus the ones who make us our money — were anxious at losing out on revenue without any warning. They asked their contacts at DAVP and were told it was on instruction from the minister's office. Nobody knew why.
Ad-sales asked us journalists if we could unravel the mystery. We wondered whether or not it was linked to DNA's dropping the Edit page, but a responsible and reliable official assured us that such was not the case. Discreet inquiries with the minister's office led us to believe the government stopped the ads for a limited time to, well, to teach DNA a lesson.
We advised ad-sales to seek an appointment with Soni. True, meeting a minister — even for journalists — is not an easy thing, but it was the only concrete step we could think of (I'm not much of a backroom-journalist). It was a pleasant surprise when the ad-sales executives immediately got a slot to meet the minister.
Soni was pleasant enough. She told our guys she was unaware of any DAVP action; but in any case the government was rationalizing the flow of ads to English and language newspapers.
Her body language, according to the ad-sales team, suggested otherwise. And then, during a general chat about the newspaper, she came to the point: she said that DNA ought to look at its coverage over the past few weeks and introspect.
The past few weeks was of course dominated by Anna Hazare's agitation, arrest and fast. From the beginning DNA felt this to be an important event; it was covered robustly and splashed prominently, with an occasional sharp headline. The government did not cover itself with glory in handling the agitation, and once it was over it was said that the Congress party was angry with the media, particularly TV news channels, blaming the media for the frenzy that was whipped up.
Soni's statement led us to infer that our Anna Hazare coverage was being punished by a suspension of government ads, and that Soni met our ad executives just to ensure the point was driven home.
This was not surprising because DNA recently has faced suspicion and hostility from the government which has apparently adopted an attitude of "you're either with us or against us". The prime minister's media advisor has privately accused DNA of an agenda against the government, and its Editor-in-Chief of being close to a political party in the opposition.
For the record: I am close to no political party. In fact, I wrote a 1996 biography of Farooq Abdullah and I have ghost-written a 1994 book by the then minister of state, Salman Khursheed (apologies for having to divulge what was till now a secret). Both gentlemen are ministers in the present government.
As for being critical of the ruling party, isn't that what being the "watchdog of democracy" is all about? And which self-respecting journalist would support an oligarchic government bogged down by corruption? This does not mean that DNA attacks only for the sake of attack: when the prime minister restarted dialogue with Pakistan, only we ran a page one edit supporting the move.
The day after the meeting with Soni, DNA started getting DAVP ads again. Presumably, from the government side, mission was accomplished. The government apparently feels no shame that an emerging power like India should be witness to such clumsy attempts at arm-twisting the media.
Location: Nai Dilli, Bharatvarsh
Postby Tamang » 18 Sep 2011 16:40
sum wrote: Seems only NDTV doesn't seem to have been given a 1-1 with NaMo.
NDTV is ignoring the event, it is busy in some NDTV special event today.
WSJ:
Sonia Gandhi Mystery Deepens, Chocolates Spied
By Paul Beckett
The mystery around Sonia Gandhi's unexplained absence from India this summer is getting even more bizarre.
The Congress party, as has been repeatedly noted, has said only that its President went for treatment abroad.
Now, barely one week after returning to New Delhi, Mrs. Gandhi was well enough to chair a meeting. This was not just any meeting, but a gathering of Congress's Central Election Committee, which appears to have the unenviable task of wading through reams of candidates to select to run for seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Despite Mrs. Gandhi apparently not being well enough to appear in public, the Business Standard reported that she achieved almost the same level of candidate-selection productivity as the committee's previous meeting held, in her absence, at the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Race Course Road meeting "cleared the first list of the names of 73 party candidates for the UP elections," the article said. "While a total of 98 names were discussed at the meeting on Thursday, only about 70 were finally cleared."
Mrs. Gandhi, to hear her Congress lieutenants tell it, is not just on the mend but actually improved. After greeting the committee "attired in three-inch wedge heels and a bluish grey salwar suit," the article said, one party functionary gushed that she looked "younger than usual" and was "more than usually cheerful."
One might ask, looking across the political landscape, what she has to be cheerful about unless it is the prospect of Narendra Modi going for a weekend without food, but that is beside the point.
In comparison, the normally outlandish Digvijay Singh verged on the morose when he noted only that "nobody could make out that she has undergone any operation." But even he couldn't refrain from slipping in an upbeat coda: "Touch wood, she was looking quite good!"
None of this is to belittle what Mrs. Gandhi underwent, whatever it was. We don't know, because of the official silence. But how her absence – and her return – have been treated, especially by her Congress underlings, speaks volumes about the culture within the party.
If you actually believed all these comments and quotes and had to guess where she had been, you'd think she'd spent a few weeks at Canyon Ranch and had brought back some nice gifts for her admirers.
"She accepted our bouquet of flowers and greetings," the unnamed functionary gushed. "We were delighted with the milk chocolates with nuts that she served us apart from the coffee."
He sounds like a schoolboy who has just met the Queen circa 1955.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, waves to the press after leaving Cromwell Hospital, London in November 2010.
On reading it, I was reminded of Margaret Thatcher. Not that the two women have much in common politically. But during Mrs. Thatcher's time, her reputation as the Alpha Male among her Cabinet was legendary. Next to her, grown men — tough men with decades of experience in political combat — were said to go wobbly.
One of the most famous sketches on the British satirical puppet show "Spitting Image" shows the Iron Lady, as Mrs. T was known, taking her Cabinet out to dinner.
"Would you like to order sir?" the waitress asks the prime minister.
"Yes, I will have the steak," she says.
"How'd you like it?" the waitress asks
"Oh, raw please," Mrs. Thatcher responds.
"And what about the vegetables?" the waitress asks.
"Oh," says Mrs. Thatcher. "They'll have the same as me."
(You can watch the clip here; it's contained in a documentary about the program.)
NDTV's Great Indian Tamasha could do well to take inspiration if it is thinking of featuring Mrs. Gandhi anytime soon.
Paul Beckett is the WSJ's South Asia bureau chief. You can follow Mr. Beckett on Twitter at @paulwsj.
Postby Reddy » 18 Sep 2011 17:27
Mataji goes to the land of freedom for few weeks. The land of freedom suddenly says Modi is the most progressive and fit to be PM of India. And, suddenly whole India goes in a tizzy.
The questions is -
Did a deal between Mataji and the land of what ever fell through?
Or, Is this a case of propping up the strongest opponent and bitch slapping him (to put other wannabes in place) just before the d'day to show who is the boss?
Something is not right here!
Wish/ hope NoMo is clever and shrewd enough to survive what ever is going to hit him soon.
Khan is well known for being willing to work with anyone.
if NaMo emerges as a strong contender all will be 'forgiven' and his tourist visa will be hand delivered by the US consul with a apology letter.
damaging leaks based on data strong armed by Fed from swiss banks would be released to taint the INC.
if Khan is one thing above all - he is willing to adjust and work with any new ruler. they have a lot of practice doing this.
Vashishtha
Location: look behind you
Postby Vashishtha » 18 Sep 2011 18:21
This to me looks like the motive... All this hype about modi becoming pm is a bit too soon dont you think?
To keep up with all the hype BJP will be forced to announce the pm candidate and if that turns out to be modi then there will be enough time for the media dogs and pseudo-secular activists dogs to eat him up and thus tarnishing his image before the 2014 elections arrive....
Hope bjp doesn't fall for this one.
gakakkad
Postby gakakkad » 18 Sep 2011 18:44
The beckett guy understands Indian politics quite well... I have a feeling he is a regular here...we were discussing about export figures in the economy dhaga and next day he writes an article on it...
Another interestin article by Paul Beckett..
How Indian papers report news
That one is with respect to 2g scam...
One thing i give to Khan..just does not work with anyone. There may be exceptions to the rule, but it's really not the rule. Kham likes to set examples. Khan supports Gaddafi through UK if he gives up on Nukes. It showers even some largesse of arms etc. For all said and done, Khan has tried his utmost to reduce global conflict. His interpretations and preferences may be debatable, but his doctrinal ideal is not. Khan is aiming for pluralist, democratic societies. If a Nation just does not have it in them to be one, there's not much Khan can do alone without damaging himself. Egypt is an example. Mubarak though a key US ally and extremely relevant to Israeli relations was put in a limbo..Khan was pretty clear as that there must be no civilian casualties and the demonstrations must be allowed. Khan did the same for the AH anti corruption movement. Khan does not need Chinese doctrine to run the world, it needs an Indian one..resonating with it's core values. Many decisions that Khan makes around the world are done at local levels and depend on the understanding of local officers who may have predilections of their own. Khan has been known to rectify those peccadillo's too. The Chennai counselor issue brings that to closure.
Meanwhile Khan also needs to take care of it's interests. It knows that the chances of open democracy in places like Saudi are next to nil. It also knows it and others need the oil beneath. So there are compromises. But these are not compromises on Khans' own doctrine. Not one bit, Khan will go to War and pulverize Saudi and half the planet if it challenges it's core doctrines. Khan's strength lies in his complete allegiance to his value systems, his doctrine by which he wants to live. Khan is prepared to stand by those values and fight for them even if it means pulverizing half the planet. That makes Khan strong. India on the other hand, is prepared to stand by it's value systems in a meek manner but certainly not fight for them strongly. So we see Khan hardly compromising with Iran or Myanmar even though both are rich in resources, while India compromises with just about any tin pot dictator from Mugabe to Gadaffi to Saddam to Arafat to the Generals of China or Myanmar or Pakistan.
Reddy wrote: Mataji goes to the land of freedom for few weeks. The land of freedom suddenly says Modi is the most progressive and fit to be PM of India. And, suddenly whole India goes in a tizzy.
Look at this in chamcha CON magazine Tehelka...
http://tehelka.com/story_main50.asp?fil ... litics.asp
A poll survey commissioned by the Congress in Uttar Pradesh (UP) shows that the Rahul Gandhi card has turned its fortunes in the state. The survey results also serve to lay a lot speculation to rest after it predicts that the Congress would win 172 seats in the 404-member House, thanks to 12 per cent swing in its favour.
The survey was conducted by AC Nielson, the second of its kind to assess the party prospects in the state. The survey report received last week, says the Congress is back in the reckoning because of a Muslim polarisation in its favour.
An enthused Sonia Gandhi, on Thursday, chose to chair the Central Election Committee (CEC) herself, her first appearance in front of party leaders since her return to the country after surgery last month, to decide the second list of candidates. The party has already released the first list of 70.
Gandhi didn't only show interest in deciding upon the candidates but also told her party members at her 10 Janpath residence that everyone in the Congress will have to spend more time in UP to make Rahul's dream - to return the party to power in the state – come true.
Gandhi has, however, left it to Rahul to decide whether the party should give a little push to cover up the deficit of some 30 seats to form the Congress government or to go for alliance with some small parties, post-poll or during the elections.
Dunno, but part of what makes NM attractive is that the west in general has limited or almost no leverage over him - no relatives studying there, no exposure to the cool life there in youth or later, no great attachment to the west in ideological or cultural terms, no moving around in circles that are beholden to the west, no corrupt monbies stashed away in tax havens abroad that can be seized and balls squeezed...whew! And add to that his vision, will, character, record, mass appeal, the whole 9 yards.....This man NM is the ideal desi neta material ....whatta package!
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