Gujarat poll not easy, but BJP has still upper hand

The election campaigns for the first phase by both the political contenders- ruling BJP and the opposition Congress- are in full swing. BJP has been ruling the state for 22 years. Mr.Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to May 26, 2014. He was sworn- in as Prime Minister of India on May 26, 2014, as his party, BJP won Lok Sabha elections with a massive mandate. When Modi was the Chief Minister of the state, his Gujarat model of development earned all-round applause and it made a great contribution to attracting people in 2014 Lok Sabha elections towards him and his party. Gujarat has also been considered as Hindutva laboratory. It has been a developed state. BJP has been very strong in the state for a long time. The Patidar community constitutes 16 percent of Gujarat population. Patels in the state are economically, intellectually and politically far ahead of all other communities in the state. They became supporters of the BJP after the formation of KHAM formula by the former Congress Chief Minister Madhav Singh Solanki. On the basis of the total support of Partidar community, BJP won the elections after elections very easily. But in this assembly election, Partidars under the leadership of young, vocal and liberal Hardik Patel appear to be opposed to BJP. They have been agitating for reservation in a government job and educational institutions. As according to the Supreme Court, the reservation limit of 50 percent cannot be crossed, the Gujarat govt. turned down their demand. They formed Patidar Anamat Association Samiti(PAAS) under the leadership of Hardik Patel. They organized a massive rally in support of PAAS. The police had to resort to firing to control the mob of Patels at that time. In the police firing, around 10 young Patel boys were reportedly killed. This unfortunate incident of police firing antagonized the Patidar community very much. Hardik Patel came closer to Congress against the BJP in this assembly election. Now, it is to be seen how Patel voters vote in this assembly election. Apart from Hardik,two more young leaders Alpesh Thakor and Ginesh Mevani of backward and SC/ST communities respectively have shaken their hands with Congress. Alpesh has already joined Congress party. So, the stack against the BJP this time to win the elections is not light, but heavy enough to be pushed out. Realizing the mind of the people in the state of Gujarat that this time they are not going to vote his party in a natural way, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself started playing emotional and Hindu Muslim cards in favour of his party. In his election meeting, he talks of Pakistan, Hafiz Sayeed and Chaiwala taint himself to win people’s favour. By playing the emotional card of being the son of Gujarat and has been a victim of being Chaiwala before coming into politics, he tries to draw the people towards his party. By talking of Hafiz Sayeed and Pakistan, he tries to polarize majority community of Hindus in his party’s favour. Now, he never talks of Gujarat model of development in his election meeting. Apart from Patels’ discontents, anti-incumbency factor, the negative impact of PM two pet economic steps -Demonetization and GST - on the business community have made them disillusioned with the BJP govt., though they have been its traditional voters. But despite all these hurdles for BJP to win Gujarat elections, PM Modi is still the trump card for the party. And BJP still has the upper hand in Gujarat.Gujarat elections are scheduled in two phases, on December 9 and December 14, and the state will have its verdict on 18th December.

US urgently needs to act against Pakistan

Merely telling that there will be a repercussion of the release of designated terrorist and Jama-Ud-Dawa Chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest on bilateral relations by the US serves no purpose. Pak has no concern about its global reputation. Hafiz Saeed is the mastermind of Mumbai Terror attacks of 26/11 in which 166 innocent people were killed and more than 300 injured. He must be re-arrested. The US must ensure his re-arrest by putting pressure on Pakistan. 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks had shocked and shaken the entire world and all had spoken in unison against the terrorism. Despite India handed over all pieces of evidence of the complicity of Hafiz Saeed in Mumbai attacks, it appears that Pakistan deliberately did not present them in the court to facilitate his release. It also appears that it is not only Pak government but also its judiciary dances at the tune of the military establishment, which provides all types of help to various terror groups in Pakistan. So, the US must know that the epicentre of all terror acts in the world is Pakistan. The saviour of the terror organizations in Pakistan is its military. Pak military has always been very important player in governance since its inception and because of this half of its existence has been under the military rule. Hafiz Saeed is the representing the organization of terror, which is the enemy of humanity. Earlier, it was experienced that whenever India raised the issue of Pak sponsored terrorism and its own concerns over it at international platform, the big powers of the world usually took it very lightly and no country ever paid any seriousness to it. But after 9/11, when the pain of terror was experienced by the US and other western powers also, all started speaking in the language of India against terror. Terrorism is the greatest enemy of the humanity. The country which values humanity above everything will always be supported by the entire world. Pakistan is a rogue state. It does not understand the language of civility. It is to be treated as a rogue only then it will stop sponsoring terrorism in India and elsewhere. India is itself capable of pulverizing the terrorism. It does not need any help from others to deal with the terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. There must not be any doubt about the involvement of Pakistan in sponsoring, aiding and abetting terrorism with an aim of creating mayhem in Jammu and Kashmir of India and other countries of the world. If the US really wants to punish Pakistan for aiding, abetting and nurturing terrorism, it must start without any delay the process of declaring it a terrorist state. It baffles most of the observers that why the US is not taking direct action against Pakistan. If Pakistan fails to re-arrest Hafiz Saeed, what action will the US take against it? US must also open its mind what it wants to do with Pakistan in regards to terrorism. It will not go long that whenever any US dignitary visits India, he or she speaks against Pakistan and when the same dignitary visits Pakistan he or she does say nothing there. It means the US is just befooling India. The US President Donald Trump must act against Pakistan and show the world that the last vestiges of terrorism will be wiped out.

Build Ram temple through consensus or on court verdict

The strong pitch for constructing Ram Temple on the disputed site at Ayodhya is being made by Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat with the nearing of Gujarat elections to build political tempo in favour of its political wing the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party. While the matter regarding the construction of Ram Temple on the disputed site at Ayodhya is subjduce in the Supreme Court of India, the statement given by none other than the RSS chief that the Ram Temple will be built on the disputed site at Ayodhya assumes significance. Bhagwat’s statement must be taken seriously. No one opposes the construction of Ram temple but it must be through consensus or on court verdict. The Ram Temple Babri-Masjid dispute is very old and it has been plaguing the nation since independence. Both parties to the dispute claim their rights on the disputed site. The nation has already paid the price for the unfortunate incident of Babri-Masjid demolition on Dec.6, 1992. It is alleged that the Babri-Masjid was demolished on the instigations of RSS, BJP and various Hindu organizations. The Govt. at the Centre at that time failed to enforce the rule of law and despite giving an undertaking in the apex court, the then BJP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh of Uttar Pradesh failed to protect the Babri-Masjid. In the repercussion to the demolition of Babri-Masjid, there broke out a series of communal violence all over the country. The 1993 Mumbai communal violence allegedly engineered and masterminded by Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who is reportedly living in the haven across the border and despite India's demand to hand him over to it, Pak takes no notice. Now the question here arises that when the matter is subjudice, what is the need of raising the issue? The issue of Ram Temple has been raised by Mohan Bhagwat at the three-day Dharm Sansad organized by RSS religious wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Karnataka's Udupi. Now, election time is coming near. Gujarat assembly election process is underway. Next year nine state assembly elections will take place and just after a year in 2019 Lok Sabha elections will due to be held. It has also been experienced that whenever any major state or general election is about to be held, either RSS itself or its any wing religious, political or youth brigade raises the issue of Ram Temple with the sole motive of polarizing the majority Hindu votes in favour of BJP. But the matter of the face is that all Indians whether they are Hindus or others want a grand temple of Lord Ram at Ayodhya to be built, but it is to be done through consensus or on the verdict of the court. There must not be the use of muscle power to build Ram temple on the disputed site at Ayodhya by hurting the sentiment of the other party representing in the court of law. Court verdict on the construction of Ram Temple is acceptable to all. It must be acceptable to Hindus and Muslims both. Secular social fabric of the nation must not be torn at any cost. Nothing should be done to hurt the feeling of any community. India is a sovereign secular socialist democratic republic. Its character must be respected and protected. Ram Temple must be built without hurting the feeling of any community.

Door must be kept open for talks

Centre's special representative for Kashmir is on his second round of visit to the trouble torn-state. It must be known to all stakeholders in the state that the problems of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be resolved in two or three rounds of talks. As the problem is longstanding for years, the solution will take time to be found out. Dineshwar Sharma is a very senior and has been an upright IB officer. He has a vast experience of talking to players in this type of problems as he had been to North-eastern states for the same reason. By appointing Sharma as Centre's special representative for Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed at last that he had the policy to deal with the Kashmir problems. Dialogue, discussion and talks can only be the medium of resolving the Kashmir problem. One thing must be made clear before embarking on any dialogue process that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and it will remain so. Whoever comes to the talking table must know this and there would be no talk on this point. All those who are Indians and living in Kashmir can put their views before the Govt. interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma. There must not be any reservation or condition on talking to the countrymen in Jammu and Kashmir. It must also be impressed on the people of the Valley, who have been misled by the separatist leaders at the behest of Pakistan, that Jammu and Kashmir is their state and they are all Indian citizens. All the grievances of the misguided and misled youth must be heard patiently and necessary action should be taken to remove them under the ambit of the Constitution of India. All talks on Jammu and Kashmir with all the stakeholders in the state must be held within the ambit of the Constitution. It is the responsibility of Centre's special representative to impress on the misguided and misled youth and separatist leaders of Jammu and Kashmir that Pakistan is only leading them nowhere and its only aims and objective are to disturb and disintegrate India by its own people. That is why it pays them to do its bidding against India. They must also be impressed that Pakistan would never succeed in its nefarious design on India. It is a good beginning made by the Centre's interlocutors Dineshwar Sharma that he talks to all political and non-political representatives to keep himself abreast of the latest developments in the Valley. One of the most important stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir is the Kashmiri Pandit community. It is Pandits who suffered most from Pak-sponsored terrorism. They have been evicted and driven away from their home and hearth by the secessionist, separatist, militant and terror element in early 1990. Hundreds of Pandits lost their lives. At last, to save their lives and prestige, they left the state in lakhs for different corners of India. They were made to live in different cities of the country as refugees. So, there must also be a point how Pandit community would return to their homeland with due respect and guarantee of safety and security.

Take cognizance of hospital's apathy

The Government at the Centre and in the state of Haryana must take a serious note of Gugurugram Fortis hospital's apathetic treatment to Adya Singh, a little girl of barely 7 years old, due to which she died as she had been suffering from Dengue fever. She was in the hospital for the treatment for 15 days. But the doctors could not save her life and the hospital slapped a bill of Rs. 16 lakh for the treatment. It appears that no humanity is left and only what matters most is the commercial interest of the hospital in the country. Fortis is one of the most prestigious and the costliest hospitals in the country. It was Gurugram branch of the Fortis hospital where the little girl Adya died of Dengue in absence of the proper and prompt treatment as alleged by her father. It appears to be the sheer negligence of the hospital staff, including all doctors. Private hospital like Fortis, Max, Batra, Sir Ganga Ram Apollo, Medanta and others' main objective is to fleece as much money as they could from the patients. They appear to be less interested in curing the patient and more in fleecing them. Their main aim is to extract all money and pay less attention and provide sub-standard service. It is very easy to say that the profession of doctors is very refined and sophisticated and they are dedicated to the service of the humanity. But now-a-days, it is experienced that medical profession has completely become commercial. It is the commercial interest of the Fortis management that the doctors are allotted the fixed number of patients to see. In this mad rush for completing the quota of patients, doctors fail to provide proper, suitable and responsive treatment to the little girl like Adya Singh. Haryana and Central governments have rightly taken serious note of the hospital's apathy in treating the girl. It is alleged that doctors were negligent in providing proper treatment to Adya. She was on the hospital bed for 15 days for which the hospital charged 16 lakh rupees. Whoever hears the huge charge of a failed treatment, he or she expresses concerns over the commercialization of healthcare in the country. Lower middle-class people cannot even dream of treatment in the big private hospital like Fortis. Haryana Govt. has rightly constituted a 3-member team to go into the death of the little girl Adya Singh at Gurugram's Fortis hospital. The three-member probe committee must go into all aspects and whoever is found guilty of negligence in his or duty as a doctor must be stringently punished. It is also to be probed how 16 Lakh rupees was charged for treating the girl and how and under what circumstances she died. It is praiseworthy that Union Health Minister JP Nadda has also taken cognizance of hospital's apathy and its huge charge of Rs. 16 lakh. Taking note of the death of a seven-year-old girl at Gurugram's Fortis Hospital and the subsequent bill of Rs 16 lakh slapped on the family, the Haryana government has constituted a three-member team to look into allegations by girl's parents. The team has been asked to submit a report within two weeks.

Public sentiment and freedom of expression must be protected

Both the public sentiment and freedom of expression must be respected by artists, writers, directors, filmmakers, painters, singer etc. Rajput community is fiercely opposed to the screening of the film Padmavati directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Deepika Padukone has played the main role of Rani Padmavati of Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. This is the cinematic presentation and this may be based on the figment of the imagination. So, it must not be taken seriously or be made an issue of prestige. Rani Padmavati was the wife of Raja Ratan Singh of Chittorgarh in Rajathan. Aladdin Khilji of Khilji dynasty was the emperor of Delhi. Rani Padmavati was strikingly beautiful and one of the courtiers of Aladdin Khilji had described her beauty to him. Upon hearing about her beauty, it is said that he moved to Chittorgarh with his battalion of soldiers for the war against Raja Ratan Singh. He could not defeat Rajput king but through deceitful means, he arrested and brought him to Delhi. A war again broke out between the commanders of Raja Ratan Singh on the order of Rani Padmavati to get him free from the clutches of Khilji, but unfortunately, he was killed. After that Rani Padmavati along with 16000 Rajput ladies jumped into the bowl of fire and committed Sati to protect their honour and the prestige of the nation. Rani Padmavati is revered as Goddess by Rajput in Chittorgarh. Any portrayal of her in the taste below her stature is not tolerable for Rajputs. They demand an immediate ban on the film Padmavati. Film Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali says that the role of Rani Padmavati played by Deepika Padukone has been painted with utmost care and she has been held in the highest esteem in the whole cinema. As the film paints the war between Aladdin Khilji and Rajputs, the political parties, especially the ruling BJP, don't miss the chance of exploiting the controversy over it in terms of Rajput votes in view of the Gujarat assembly elections. The film was to be released on December 1, but now it would not be allowed to be released before Gujarat assembly elections. Now come to the freedom of expression that when the film director undertakes the responsibility that there is nothing in the film which could hurt the sentiment and damage the prestige of Rajput community, their fierce opposition to its screening baffles the general public. Now it is for the government of the day to not allow the handful of muscle men to throttle the freedom of expression. Some openly threaten Deepika of cutting her nose like what Laxman did to Ravan’s sister Supernekha in the Ramayan. Some other declares of awarding the prize of Rs. 5 crore rupees for beheading the artists. And the government of the day is listening to these threats as mute spectators. Rajputs allege that the character of Rani Padmavati has been painted in bad taste. They say that Rani never danced while Deepika was dancing in the film in her role as the trailer shows. Without witnessing the movie, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindhia and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh banned the film Padmavati in their respective states. Which film is to be released and which is not to be released is the power of Film Censor Board. It would be better for the Censor Board to watch the movie and then decided what to do with it. The banning order given by both the CMs in their respective states amply indicates that our leaders use every issue for votes. Neither the public sentiment be hurt nor the freedom of expression be curtailed at any cost.

International recognition

Moody's India upgrade is good. It is also a good news that the international rating agency like Moody's has not only praised economic measures taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but also upgraded India's sovereign rating to BAA2 with a stable outlook from Baa3 earlier. This is the first time that Moody's upgraded India's rating since 2004. Moody’s upgrade of India’s economic rating can be interpreted as recognition of the raft of structural reforms taken by the current government over the last 3-4 years. This is the first time in 13 years that the international rating agency has raised India’s assessment – to Baa2 from Baa3 – indicating that the economy has moved from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’, and is on a high growth trajectory. Among the principal policy changes that have contributed to improving India’s rating are the implementation of a comprehensive reforms programme, including the introduction of the GST, the Aadhaar system of biometric accounts, direct benefit transfer schemes and measures to address bad loans. The upgrade essentially means that the cost of international borrowing will now become cheaper for the Indian government and Indian corporates, and also lead to a surge in equity markets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took two important economic decisions. One is of demonetization and other is of GST. The entire nation affirmed faith in PM's speech that after 50 days of demonetization, all economic ails will be removed from the country. Black money, corruption, counterfeiting of notes, stone pelting in Jammu and Kashmir, Naxalism and terrorism would be finished. PM with his declaration of demonetization in a televised addressed to the nation at 8 PM on Nov. 8, 2016, that all high currency notes of 500 and 1000 will no longer be legal tenders. He called up all citizens to exchange their demonetized high currency notes from banks. He appealed to the countrymen to bear with the problems in standing in a queue outside the bank for 50 days in the interest of the nation. The demonetized high currency notes of Rs. 500 and 1000 constituted 86 percent of total currency notes. If RBI report is anything to go by, about 99 percent of the currency came into the banking system. The expenditure on the printing of the news notes exceeded their value. This is one part of the result of demonetization. Its second part is its impact on small and medium business and employment in the country. If CMEI report is anything to go by, 15 lakh people were rendered jobless in the first three months of 2017 due to demonetization. As all economic activities came to a halt, there prevailed gloom in the market. With the introduction of GST, which is PM Modi’s pet economic move, the small and medium businessmen were harmed beyond expectation. Its official paraphernalia of taxation is so lengthy and computerized that it is beyond their understanding. The Moody’s may have upgraded India’s rating, but the ground economic reality tells a different story. The poor are becoming poorer and the rich are becoming richer. The gulf between the poor and the rich has also widened. So, it would be better if Modi Govt. had not patted its back merely at Moody’s upgrade India rating. Prices of all edibles and essential commodities are also going up and up.