Monday, August 31, 2015

Grand show of strength

The Swabhiman Rally in Patna by the grand alliance of JD(U), RJD, Congress and SP clearly showed that if they remained united till the casting of the last vote in Bihar assembly elections, they would certainly come out victorious. It was organized on a big scale to exploit the Biharis' anger over DNA remark by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bihar at Muzaffarpur rally against them. Modi had questioned CM Nitish Kumar's DNA in terms of politics, which the later depicted it to connect with all Biharis. Among the crowds assembled in Patna from all over the state at the historic Gandhi Maidan were carried away by RJD boss Lalu Yadav's one liner. This Swabhiman rally also established that Lalu is still the biggest crowd puller. Congress President Sonia Gandhi, JD(U) leader and CM Nitish Kumar and the party President Sharad Yadav, RJD Chief Lalu Yadav, SP leader and Mulayam's brother Shivpal Singh Yadav and Congress leader Gulamnabi Azad were at the front row on the dais. They represented the secular format of the nation. They have united to defeat BJP-led NDA in Bihar elections. CM Nitish Kumar emphasized PM's DNA remark and successfully painted it before the mammoth gatherings at Gandhi Maidan as an insult to Biharis because their self respect was hurt by it. The crowds were receptive to him. With the participation of Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the rally, the tag of secularism was attached to the grand alliance. Congress may have the least presence in the state, but when the question arises who is the first among secular political parties to be the torch bearer of secularism, it is the Congress party. So its mere presence in the rally would infuse a sense of security among minorities. Sonia made frontal attack on PM Modi and exposed his failure to deliver on the promises he had made to the people during LS elections as a BJP PM candidate. She mainly spoke on national issues where PM Modi has failed to deliver so far. She has rightly said that one-forth of his tenure has already elapsed, but he has not delivered on a single promise. On the day of Swabhiman Rally in Patna, PM Modi in his famous Man Ki Baat on radio broadcast said that no new ordinance would be promulgated on Land Bill and from today itself i.e. August 22, 2015 the Land Bill of 2013 enacted by UPA would come into force. This is nothing but the U-turn of Modi govt under farmers' pressure. This has been painted at the Patna rally as his bowing down before the people. CM Nitish Kumar has rightly said that Biharis may be poor, but they cannot tolerate when their self-respect is hurt. One thing that clearly comes out of the Swabhiman rally is that caste cannot be separated from elections in Bihar and all Bihar leaders played the caste cards to the full to garner support from their fellow caste men. Lalu Yadav clearly and openly questioned his cate men whether they have left him or still behind him in totality. His caste men present at the rally in full strength beckoned that they were still behind him. This Bihar election is going to be keenly contested one and future of all leaders from both camps are at stake. Whichever alliance may come out victorious; the naked display of casteist politics has no takers at least among the educated people of Bihar. They want state leaders to rise above caste.