A rare encounter with Advani !

I don’t want to brand myself as Congressmen, but nobody is ending my long honeymoon with the congress. I like the idea of strong national political parties, as it allows the one in the government to be critical of its own performance. BJP emerged challenging congress but never championed the right cause to engage people consistently. L.K.Advani seems to have taken the back stage and the current ideological fight in BJP is needed for their betterment. Yashwant Sinha commented, since we have lost the election, our acts are being criticized. Mr. Kulkarni who is a strategist for BJP even on the day of counting commented- don’t be overtly impressed by the result in the south, north will be favoring BJP. After the debacle he gleefully raised the ‘hindutva’ issue. Rajnath Singh is using his administrative skills to keep the party together and be less influenced by media. For him hindutva is his guiding principle. Arun Jaitley is witnessing India losing on the cricket field. I don’t know if that holiday helped him!

I don’t see the silver lining for BJP, I want to interview Advani once before he retires and only if I get hired! He has to retire to disassociate himself with BJP political styles.

Chandan- Welcome sir, how have you been taking the defeat?
Advani- there was some terrestrial changes, my stars supported congress…but this happens in politics, BJP will just get better.

C- We will come to BJP later, tell me how it has affected you seeing your party members resigning from the posts?
A- Yashwant ji is a dear friend of mine and I wish we resolve the differences.

C- Your party did not even make an effort to convince him? Was he not fit for the post? But, BJP in Karnataka is doing well…
A- He is a very competent person, he has shown that over the number of years. Party makes a common decision, I think it was his personal decision to quit and not party’s.

C- Who will take the accountability for the defeat? Arun Jaitley and Mr. Kulkarni are not happy with the hard line hindutva, defeat must also be a realization…
A- It was the party’s decision to campaign, they surely contributed and did not work. We don’t follow hard line hindutva…

C- We will come to hindutva later, but what happened to the Obama’s style of reaching masses by BJP?
A- It did not work for me, I am not Obama.

C- Its not only about the use of technology but the trust factor that is important, Obama won the trust by highlighting what America wanted…
A- We know we have our supporters, Congress won because of their alliances and some good tactics. One electoral defeat should not be categorized as the end of BJP

C- I never said this is the end of BJP, what is tolerant hindutva that the party claims will follow. You said your party doesn’t believe in hard core hindutva then why tolerant hindutva?
A- I repeat we don’t follow hard core hindutva, we respect the young India who wants a nation growing forward not on communal lines. We don’t support communal disintegration of India….

Cutting him short…

C- Your party never speaks in favor of Christians and muslims as you do for hindus. Your party never celbrates Christmas and Id as you celebrate hindu festivals? Don’t you think this is not secular as claimed?
A- We have muslim leaders in our party and also Christians and we do celebrate and greet each other on every festival….

Cutting him short again…

C- Sir, I m not only talking about festivals, celebrate them and fight for their causes instead your party is accused of killing and raping them…
A- It is sad that such incidents have occurred and we condemn it fully. We would like to emerge as an alternative to congress and yes we have to be responsible and serve the country.

C- Let’s hope that you serve other communities too, coming to ideologies, Integral humanism, gandhi’s socialism or hindutva. Which one do you think will impress the youth to support BJP?
A- I think all three, we are a party since independence. We represent the majority of the sentiments of the majority of nation i.e. hindus and our practices are based on equality and justice for all.

C- You definitely do not represent the majority. Your party has lost the election. Your strength in 1999 was also coalition form of govt.
A- Coalition is important in a country like India. Coalition is a result of social injustice present under congress era. We were a coalition and with coalition we will do better

C- With congress expanding their reach, and almost forming the govt. on their own, what will be your tactics for the future?
A- There has been a shift of our support base and we will be careful in supporting the cause. Also internal party democracy and organizational skills are important. After budget we will be able to tell you our plan of action.

C- Finally, what about Varun Gandhi, tapes are not doctored as recently proved, what if court decides against varun?
A- We will respect the court and make informed decision.

I am sure if Advani is interviewed, he will more or less not deviate from hindutva issue as he himself grew as a leader presenting the need of hindutva. Instead BJP waiting for anti-incumbency factor to creep for congress, they have to touch the lives of people by working for social injustice apparent in India. My hunch feeling is that, BJP does not need Advani, there has to be organizational integration. Advani seems to be changing as this probably was his last opportunity to become a PM. Immediate ploy to change BJP’s image is to make it possible to implement Women’s reservation bill. I hope they do this and allow youth to participate in political circus.

My first political participation

Darjeeling district- BJP’s only constituency in W.Bengal and they won just by changing their manifesto. Darjeeling is also termed as ‘queen of hills’ but people are deprived of basic infrastructural needs. Road, electricity, water to name a few echoes the mood of a common man, demanding for uncompromising change. “This is the fight for our identity, for our land. Men, women and children will participate in this fight and we will win Gorkhaland”- this is their anthem and GJM has been able to engage the fearless young men and women. The issue of Gorkha vs Nepali has its root to 1950’s, when Indian Govt. with Nepal signed an accordance instigating the further debate on Indian Gorkha’s and Nepalese from Nepal. Significant support from the people of Darjeeling and adjoining areas seeking respect for their contribution in freedom struggle and also being faithful soldiers under British era gave the rise to GNLF party headed by Subhash Ghishing.

The initial demand for a different state got diluted as West Bengal government was not supportive of the idea and nor the central. Autonomous hill council was seen as the reward by GNLF party and also convinced citizens to live with it. In all these diplomatic ties, Darjeeling was losing ground to uplift its people on development front and also creating a divide within its own strong party. They were often criticized being sold at the hands of communists and not being strong on the demand of the state. Over a lakh population had already faced brutal attack by army in 80’s and someone had to propagate on the relentless sacrifice and create a political party. Bimal Gurung, considered a close aide of GNLF emerged engaging people on the same issue- the statehood and GJM was formed. Over the last 2 years areas under Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district have suffered business loss due to regular strikes hurting people from all communities. When hunger strikes, the divide becomes deep, even non CPI-M supporters united to fight with the outrageous GJM policy on frequent strikes. The need that originated from the hills spread to the plains, it is no longer a gorkha community issue now. West Bengal government in Kolkata, CPI-M leaders at the ground level, GJM’s have used propaganda for internal fights. The only winner seems to be the political parties and everyday issues are not respected.

GNLF has lost its ground completely; Subhash Ghishing was forced to leave his residence in Darjeeling. People gave their verdict on his party’s ineffectiveness but it seems the statehood is a distant dream. BJP supported to look into the matters of Gorkha’s and thus emerged winning the constituency by massive margin. Jaswant Singh comments- I was born in a desert but this will be my karmabhoomi. It’s a political victory for GJM to tie up with a national party but with such dismal performance of BJP at the center and Congress openly against dividing West Bengal, it is an arduous journey of an adventurous dream. It is also to be seen the ratio of ST and General and the number doesn’t seem to be encouraging for GJM. With delayed monsoon at the corner and the end of tourists’ period, people are waiting for the plan of action. Let’s hope the debate takes place in the parliament and not on the streets.

Reunion....

There are millions who think, half a million who write and not even a handful of people who stay committed to live their dreams of their original minds. Panayya was among those handfuls of people who dared to be with his mind. He always believed systems narrows down a mind’s vision, and to live somebody else’s dream is betraying self. The one who settle with their minds and is able to persuade maximum of them surely becomes the most beautiful minds of human race. Panayya did full justice to his name given by his parents.

He never felt like this before, his age was defying his thought….at least people around him thought that. But, he was young in his mind and as usual he carried on fulfilling his love for a girl more than half his age. As a young man he was strongly built, long forehead, short hair, deep cheeks, he no less looked like a hunter of primitive times. After dropping his numerous plans of leading a luxurious life, he finally settled to be in love with himself and started writing down his imagination. He was an instant hit, at 29 his first book on ‘Modern Gods’, which craftily spoke about politicians invited criticism and book was banned by few fanatics from all religions, but it found a place in the hearts of young brains. Since then, he has never looked back. He came from a wealthy family, his father was a rich professor and his mother was an ardent wife. But, to be a part of high scrapers multinational companies energized his father more than him. Panayya always argued working there was a sweet suicide; he wasn’t willing to risk his life with it. With money and fame- came girls, before he became a writer he was in love with a Sikh girl and many more girls. His problem of sticking to one girl and finding happiness made him infamous in the circle, but girls were all ready to risk to be a part of his lovely mind. Panayya never broke up with any one, he just got interested with another one all the time. He is 55 now and is in deeply in love with a girl. Astonishingly from past 5 years he was staying alone, aloof from everybody, his son and his children’s visited him almost 16 years back and they sent letters at times. It was June 1999 when he agreed to meet his family.

Crossing over...

I wonder about last time I hooked up to something unique and the course of life was decided. There are always a few people, few incidents which effects the psyche of a person and then things normally starts changing...I met 'nethra' a 10 year old girl roaming around the busy street with a flowery white color mudded skirt, her curly brown hair exposed to the sun were tied with a red color band, she had a comfortable slipper and every time she looked at the advertisement hoardings...she use to stare profoundly with a desire. This was not the first time i saw that, everyday she use to pass that road watching companies advertising their products, persuading customers, almost choking them at times for a purchase.....after observing her for almost a week I could not stop my excitement of meeting her…
This time she was smilingly watching the 'kingfisher airlines advertisement'. A model was wearing a typical red dress with a scarf and was looking alive and the picture with a big aircraft almost looked like a fairy tale…hoarding definitely gave hope. Nethra was so lost in her and she did not even notice someone approaching her.

"She is an Airhostess…she attends customers in that plane…."

"She looked at me accepting my revelation…..her smiling face looked astoundingly descriptive…."

"You like her or the plane?"

"She looks beautiful. Can I become like her?"

I was shocked to find the influence of the hoarding in the mind of a young child…..she started living her dreams….kingfisher was spot on in designing that hoarding, it struck a mind of a girl…I remembered I had the habit of looking at hoardings when I was a kid, I do not know whether it affected my psyche or not but it did help me in keeping my mind fresh in distinguish reel from real….I was thinking whether she would grow up living in fantasies and become a wax doll or some real strong women…..
She zapped me again….

"I know I can never be like that….I am wearing a white dress and she is wearing red…."

I put my hand on her shoulder trying to strengthen her dream…

"You look very beautiful and I am sure with proper education, you will be better than her…you must smile…..what is your name?"

"Nethra….."

She did not reveal her full name….may be even her name was a borrowed one, may be she never knew what title to include….

"But, when will i grow up to become like her?"

"I am sure you will….."

"You like airplane?"

"She nodded her head with hope…it is so big; like a bird…..I am sure you would have sat in that plane and met her?"

"I am not sure whether I met her or not but I have met beautiful girls like her in that plane…."

"Do they have lot of beautiful girls in that plane?"

"There are lots of planes like that and yes there are lots of beautiful girls like her…."

She came very close to me by then and she was grabbing my trouser….I started liking her, she was accepting me as someone who could answer to all her questions and make her feel out of ordinary…

"Do you want to become like her? She also earns money….."

She again nodded her head, her sparkling eyes had a desire….

"I have no money….I just have 4 rupees…"
She had one rupee 4 coins and she was holding it tight in her left hand, had sweaty palms when she showed me the coins…..
I passed a smile and then she smiled back….

"I am sure when you become like her you will have lots of money and you can keep it in bank…."
She smiled as if the platform was set for her on a street….

She asked me to come further….while we were going together we passed a lot of hoardings….and then we stopped in front of a hoarding….
"It was SBI…."

They had launched a new branch office and were on a verge of becoming the largest bank with maximum number of branches in the history of banking……
The hoarding was informative with SBI visibly distinct….there was nothing picturesque about the hoarding but Nethra liked it….

"Is this the bank?"

"Yes it is…..it's called State Bank of India….."

"So, when I earn I can keep my money here…..will they not steal my money?"

"No they will not…..I did not want to tell her about market dynamics and scare her out of the uncertainties of present market condition….

"Nethra I have seen you on this street several times looking at the hoardings…you come here daily?"

"Yes, I don't like playing with Ronit and Priya, they always tease me 'coz I don't have many clothes to wear and I am poor….my teacher tells me that I am not poor and I know I am not…"

There was a command in those sentences and she was looking as if she could take her friends head on and beat them with her imagination….

"Yes you are right, you are not poor….."

"But, money is very important….you can't buy anything without money…."

She was teaching me a lesson now….

"I like coming here daily and looking at these pictures…..I also like that picture of that girl…"
She showed me another hoarding of a bride; she was advertising a matrimonial website'shaadi.com'…
I was wondering how a young mind like her can relate to such advertisements….

"My mother says I will get married fast….but I don't want to….."

"Every girl has to marry? I am sure you will also get married, but you should not think about that now…."

"You sound like my father…..my mother always fights with my father, I don't like it….."

"But I am sure they love you a lot……"

"Yes they do….I also love them a lot, I would never leave them….I will also buy a house for them…."

A 10 year old girl was sharing about her dreams to me, it was not just not about her but it was also about her family….she knew she did not have money but at the same time she was rich from mind….she was not scared to disclose her desires…..rather all this while I was thinking I wish I was half as confident like her as a kid…

"Do you have any other favorite hoarding on this street…..?"

"Yes I do….she took me to a hoarding with a bunch of family members playing together…
"She asked me…..what is this? .....i like the dog in the photo; I also have a cat name 'soni'…"

She was standing in front of Life Insurance Corporation of India….
"This Is insurance, it helps you to save money and use it at the time of urgency"

"Then I can make a house and take my grandparents along with us for a holiday….."

"I am sure you will…but you have to work very hard for this"

"I will….and I will be in that plane one day and fulfill my mother's wish of a house…so that my parents don't fight with each other….." she had teary eyes when she said that….

"will you come tomorrow again….."

I will…..

After leaving her on the street….i was wondering about her all the way back home…her entire career plan was on a stretch of half a kilometer on a busy street….from becoming an airhostess, to earning and saving money, getting married, planning for a holiday, get insurance coverage and fulfilling her parent's desire….she could see beyond the vision of her eyes.
I don't think I ever planned up my entire career like her…she was just so perfect, she went on to the extent of choosing companies even without knowing much a whit about the companies. There were several hoardings on that street but she selected the best ones and almost had the blue print of her career ready in front of her eyes….

Conversation with her opened my eyes about the dreams as a child and a big question mark on its realization. She was uncluttered in her plans, it was so simple and yet achievable. She was an epitome of a child's imagination but at the same time I was a bit scared that nobody plays with her dreams. If we could set to achieve every child's dream, guide them in the journey of life…we might help many more Nethra's in making their dreams realize….and letting them live life uncompromisingly….

Nethra goes on to head a company of Air Hostess Training....

Downfall of Bharatiya Janata Party

15th Lok Sabha election has truly reflected the power of people and the message is distinct and clear for the political parties not to dare mess with people’s aspirations. This probably has been the most shocking election for both national and regional parties. The buzzword is ‘change’. Democracy is the only winner and this time too we hope that the UPA works for inclusive growth. Several parties have lost their touch with the common man due to complacency, negative political campaigns and not performing at the ground level. Losers are BJP who helped themselves reducing their vote banks, RJD for engaging people on peripheral issues, Left in West Bengal and Kerela for their complacent attitude and poor local leaders. There are also several other political parties who is finding it difficult to highlight reasons before and after the election. Debacle of Left from Bengal after three decades is a clear example that communism is not the way forward. Lack of vision and mission statement is the common element among the losers in this election.

Bharatiya Janata Party poor show was more or less expected as they positioned themselves mainly on negative political campaigns targeting the most humble man in the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. It is the analysis time for the BJP and other parties and one just wishes that the party was proactive in designing campaigning strategies. Divided opinions on projecting Narendra Modi as the face of the nation, opposition to nucleur deal and Varun Gandhi’s criminal language will hover around BJP party offices for days to come. Dr Murli Manohar Joshi confession on the need for disciplined approach of the party member is an indication of a serious image makeover we shall witness in their approach to woo the voters. If BJP wants to emerge as the single largest secular party, the only way ahead is to out beat Congress on development lines and by strictly monitoring their effectiveness at the ground level and presenting the best alternative to the nation. Introspection is required and someone needs to look at the foundation.

BJP is formed with an ideology of ‘integral humanism’ but their political style in portraying themselves have been divisive and communal defying the logic of its formation. The only liberal face of BJP was Atal Behari Vajpayee but brand Atal no longer is a part of active politics and BJP is missing a stalwart like him. It is to be seen that BJP and other losers have spent most of their time spreading anti congress campaigns rather than focusing on true agenda that touches an individual’s interest. Right to expand income and ride the development of 21st century is somewhat only provoked by the congressmen. BJP’s lack of experience in running a government was visible as they lacked in feeling the undercurrent for positive and inclusive development as the decisive factor in selecting a government. It not only failed to understand the pulse of the people but went ahead with no major state or national level alliance with political parties. Its dismal performance in Rajasthan is a clear sign of the change visible in the nature of voters. The only activity performed by BJP in last two decades which gained considerable support or created news has been on Hindutva lines. Although BJP voices as a secular party but their close association with hard core hindutva parties could turn fatal in the future. It is naïve that L.K.Advani dreams of being a Prime Minister on the issue of Ayodhya and Swarna Jayanthi Yatra. BJP is constantly missing the idea of highlighting the core issues to run a country like India whose unity is based on people’s respect for other religions and communities. BJP’s focus on going anti-congress hurt them as it is clear that people were pro-congress and anti-BJP and that is what matters in a democracy. People’s idea of democracy needs to be understood. BJP did not start badly as alternative to Congress during emergency times. It worked hard towards voicing the strength of democracy and did enjoy the trust of the people but stability cannot be achieved in raking majority-minority issues. Murli Manohar Joshi’s verdict on muslims voting against BJP seems to be the truth and BJP needs to learn a lesson if they understand the meaning of ‘integral humanism’.

BJP went wrong on several issues in the last few years and did not stop to commit serious offenses as elections approached. Criticizing congress on signing nuclear deal on security lines was primarily the result of its anti-congress policy. The clear distinction on civilian and military nuclear use did not stop BJP and left parties from being myopic. Openly criticizing Prime Minister, cash display in the parliament, BJD omission from NDA, outside support to Varun’s comment questions the integrity of BJP as a national party of a largest democracy. Congress confidence in proving majority in the parliament and signing nuclear deal probably was the first indication of its preparation to form the next government. Congress approach was distinct and clear, its national and local agenda was well defined and Rahul Gandhi with other younger party members worked hard to get new births in the difficult constituencies.

Time has changed since the inception of BJP but they refuse to budge an inch and still think Hindu’s will help them form the government. Beauty of democracy has been exhibited by its people and ‘governance’ is the key word in India. Though Congress has not been able to avert ‘terrorism’ and steadily advance in key economic issues but their efforts and clean politics by its top leaders is the only available hope to the people of India. With the increasing support of the regional parties to the UPA, we can expect a stable government. BJP dubbed Rahul Gandhi as an amateur politician and was shown the road to the exit door. BJP needs to do some soul searching if they dare think of surpassing Congress. Right now, they are missing both the issues and the leaders.