Karnataka Ministers get ‘Modi lessons’?

Karnataka has been an exception in many ways. One is immediately reminded of the Loksabha election results that were quite different from the national trends. There is also this feeling that the BJP is growing ‘steady and strong’ in Karnataka though the party is in great disarray at the national level. Add to this list the latest ‘Modi lessons’ for the ministers, even amidst the large-scale opposition. That this government considers it appropriate to get lessons from a man who is accused of ‘riots and encounter deaths’ (and to have those lessons in a religious mutt!) itself speaks loudly of what this government is serious about. Anyways, as we have been told that these were ‘development lessons' one hopes that Modi’s lessons, which took place just a couple of days before the Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations, would make this state more peaceful and non-violent.

Will the BJP rise from the ashes?

The ‘BJP will rise from the ashes’ declared the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, recently. Let us assume that the BJP will rise from the ashes. It should. But the more pertinent question, however, is ‘would this rise turn out to be more beneficial for the nation or would it turn out to be even more dangerous than before?’.

Now, with the RSS being the official boss, and given its too well-known hate ideology, would it be possible to imagine the rise of BJP to be essentially different? Would the leaders within the BJP be able to thwart this RSS wave of hatred and division?

Well, should the BJP call itself the ‘national party’, or the ‘party with a difference’, its rise from the ashes should entail a retreat from its usual anti-minority stand and a noticeable commitment to the pluralist ethos of this nation.

Monumental Wonder or Blunder?

Ms Mayawati, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP), probably thought that erecting huge monuments in UP would bring her accolades and would also give visibility to her concern for ‘Dalit Cause’. But as noted by Amrit Dhillon in The Times of India, has Ms Mayawati squandered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Read the entire article here.

Surely, this appears to be more of a monumental blunder than a monumental wonder!!

Wondering who is really a Criminal?

The recent cabinet decision to withdraw the criminal cases against the supporters of the Reddy Brothers (RBs) has left the concerned citizens confused and shocked. If you are still asking questions, the home minister Mr Acharya has the answers. Here is what he said about the decision to drop criminal cases against the supporters of the RBs. This in a way sums up the law and order situation in Karnataka.

The Farmers and the Dalits in different parts of this State have been slapped with number of criminal cases. But the pity is that the arms of justice (read as the arms Home Minister and His team) do not reach them as easily as they have reached the RBs and their supporters. Look at the paradox- the farmers have no right to protest against the land acquisition (eg Bellary for Airport, Bangalore for NICE and SEZ, Mangalore for SEZ) or against the inadequate supply of agricultural inputs (eg farmers protests against inadequate supply of fertilizers Haveri) but the supporters of RBs can even destroy a two-century old temple because it came in the way of their mining business.

How can the needs of the Farmers and the Dalits take precedence over the greed of RBs? For the farmers it may be a question of physical survival but for the BJP it is a question of political survival!

Well, it depends who is a criminal in this State and who can get the criminal cases dropped against one’s name....

But Farmers, Dalits and Minorities beware!

Birthday and the Birthday Message....

It is ‘birthday’ time for the ruling party in Karnataka as it completes one year. And we find the government blowing its own trumpet, well almost as a team (though seven ministers were missing)! Though there are contrasting views on the ‘why’ of this celebration, the more important question is about the cost of this celebration. Does the government really care for the taxpayers’ money? Would the citizens ever come to know the total expenditure incurred on this celebration?

The Chief Minister and his team should know that the people will judge a government not on the basis of its promises but on the basis of its performance. The BJP government headed by Mr B S Yeddyurappa did make a lot of promises. But an assessment of its performance reveals many unpleasant things like church attacks, pub attack and sporadic incidents of communal violence and these are not the kind things any government will be proud of.

Even if we excuse the government for all its failures of one year, however grave the mistake by the government and however difficult to excuse the government for it, the uncertainty remains whether such unpleasant events would recur or would such unpleasant events disappear and pave the way for a better and peaceful Karnataka? Would the remaining years too turn out to be equally futile? Would the government, in future too, be found celebrating its achievements which weren’t there?

Mr Chief Minister you have said that the people have given you a birthday gift in the form of 19 loksabha seats. What is going to be your gift to the people of Karnataka for the next four years? Remember not to spend the taxpayers’ money for redundant and needless practices like ‘anniversary celebrations’, ‘gangajal distribution’ or ‘pilgrimage subsidy’ but for nobler causes like healthcare, education, poverty alleviation and employment generation.

The Victory March and the Victory Clash!

What a victory for the BJP in Karnataka and what a way to celebrate this victory. Mr Nalin Kumar Kateel, the newly elected MP from Mangalore, says that he would continue to work for the hindutva ideologies.

Mr Nalin Kumar Kateel please clarify to the people of your constituency as to what you mean by the hindutva ideologies. Does it mean more and more attacks on the minorities or would you take this coastal land back to its glorious days of peaceful coexistence of different communities?

Development at What and Whose Cost?

Look at this. Barack Obama can say that ‘It's important to listen to what scientists have to say, even when it's inconvenient, especially when it's inconvenient’ but our political leaders in India don’t seem to attach any importance to it. See for example the case of 200 MW Gundia hydel power project in Hassan, Karnataka. Being located in the Western Ghats one expects that the least a government can do is to get a clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Unfortunately the Karnataka government is going ahead with the project without listening to either the protesters or the experts from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

It is true that the present government harped on development and governance to come to power. Is this the kind of development this State is condemned to?

When will the Chief Minister and the KPCL listen?

For more on the project and the opposition to it click here.

Understanding the 'Intelligent' Voters in Karnataka

Understanding the 'Intelligent' Voters in Karnataka

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Confessions of an Optimist turned Pessimist!

The 15^th Loksabha election results have surprised one and all. The results suggest a clear mandate in favour of the Congress and the UPA. There are many theories which explain this turnaround by the Congress and the UPA.

The 15^th Loksabha elections were mainly fought on issues like security and stability. The voters have made their choice and have elected a government, though a coalition, that would provide them with security and stability. This, in general, is the trend in most parts of the country.

Coming down to Karnataka, however, the situation is different. The state has witnessed frequent incidents of communal disturbances particularly after the BJP was voted to power. This being the situation, there was a high likelihood of BJP biting the dust for its role, either tacit or explicit, in supporting its various outfits that sought to vitiate the communal harmony in the state.

Unfortunately, the results don’t reflect a rejection of the so called ‘communal’ party. Again, there are many theories to explain this trend. As per one theory, it is not that the majority of people voted for BJP but the majority of people voted for different secular parties/candidates and it was this split of secular votes that brought victory to the BJP.

While it may be true that in some constituencies (Bangalore and Mangalore) the floating population would have contributed to this swing in favour of BJP, but what about other constituencies where there is less likelihood of the presence of outside population (Chikkodi and Chitradurga)?

The theories apart, what is in store for the people of Karnataka now that 19 seats have gone the saffron way? Would some districts like Mangalore, Udupi, Chikmaglore, Davanagere and Hubli have a repeat of communal incidents? Would the BJP resort to hard core hindutva strategies and further malign the secular atmosphere in this state?

If instead, the BJP reinvents itself and works more aggressively on its promises of better governance and inclusive development???

Would this be a reality? When? 

Would I be a pessimist turned optimist? When?

Election Manifestos and Millenium Development Goals- A Comparison

Review of Election Promises Made by Political Parties

View more presentations from endpoverty2015.

Source: http://endpoverty2015.org/inda_elections

Decoding the Loksabha Elections in Karnataka

With the completion of second phase of elections in Karnataka the fate of 427 leaders has been sealed. No doubt that this election has thrown up several interesting features in Karnataka.

‘Operation kamala’ which led to many leaders mainly from the Congress and JDS ‘converting’ to BJP. 

There were 45 crorepatis who contested in the 15^th loksabha elections!

There were four former chief ministers in fray.

A total of 427 candidates (there were only 172 in 2004) from 28 constituencies. Bangalore Central with 37 candidates had largest number of candidates and two constituencies, Chikkodi (7) and Bellary (7), had least number of candidates.

The very poor voter turnout in the first phase of elections held on 23rd April and Bangalore city witnessing only 46.6 per cent voter turnout.

The second phase of elections was more satisfactory in terms of voter turnout though it was marred by naxal threats in some areas.

As per the 2001 census data there are only three districts which have a sex ratio in favour of females, namely, Udupi (1130 females per 1000 males), Dakshina Kannada (1022/1000) and Hassan (1004/1000). Interestingly, these three districts had very high voter turnouts with Dakshina Kannada recording the highest voter turnout (72 %) followed by Hassan (68.5 %) and Udupi-Chikmangalore (62.5 %).  

With what has happened in Dakshina Kannada in the last few months (most vivid being the police beating many Christian women during the church attacks and the assault on women during the pub attack) this high voter turn out only reaffirms that many women have chosen the right way to give vent to their rage in terms of voting in high numbers. Three cheers to the women of Karnataka and especially to the women of Dakshina Kannada, Hassan and Udupi-Chikmangalore!

An Agenda for the 'Victorious Team' from the 15th Loksabha Elections!

Agenda

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It is the election fever: But to whom shall we vote?

The Indian political landscape has undergone a sea change particularly in the recent years. Well, earlier it was said that Indians don’t cast their votes but vote their caste. (Political scientist Mr Yogendra Yadav terms it as one of the six myths of Indian Elections. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7973477.stm) Given the rising instances of hate speeches and hate campaigning our political leaders are engaging themselves in, it seems as though the caste factor has been relegated to the periphery. So it is the religion that has become the new avatar in the Indian political scene and has hogged much of the limelight instead of the caste or may be in addition to the caste!

It is not my argument that the people no longer vote their caste. If it were true, the credit would naturally be linked with the increased levels of literacy and development, among other factors. But as we see around, amidst higher literacy rates and the growth rates that this country has witnessed, the caste remains as an important factor in India.

But today, more than ever, it is the religion more than caste that has surfaced into our polity and created unprecedented havoc. The communal tensions have devastated many of the states. Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujrath, Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka are some of the states where the communal riots have been either frequent or large-scale.

So the question today is not whether people are going to vote their castes (this they have always done and they will continue to do to some degree!) but whether they are going to vote their religion at the dictates of the communalists? It would be quite in place to place on record the statements of some political leaders and some religious leaders.

Recently at the Hindu Samajotsava in Mangalore, many religious leaders called for a ‘Hindu vote bank’.

In the last three-four weeks we have repeatedly seen and heard of the drama that has unfolded with Varun Gandhi, who is one of the youth faces of BJP, making a anti- Muslim hate speech at an election rally in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh.

Ananth Kumar Hegde, a BJP candidate from Karwar in Karnataka has been issued a notice by the Election Commission for his anti-minority speech. He is reported to have said that “I have 63 criminal cases against me, and I am not afraid of one more. I don't need a single minority vote to win”

Prof B K Chandrashekar, a Congress Leader in Karnataka recently expressed his unhappiness stating that the Congress had neglected Brahmins by not giving any Lok sabha seats to them. He said that ‘though the Christian population is less than one per cent in Karnataka two LS seats have been given to them but the Brahmins who constitute 4 per cent of the population have not been given a single LS seat’.

And now Mr Ashok Sahu, former Police officer and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Orrissa's Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency has been booked for his hate speeches against minorities. He is apparently untraceable and has gone underground!

Where is this democratic and secular country heading towards? Considering the fan following of communal leaders like Narendra Modi (of Gujarat carnage fame), Lal Krishna Advani (of Babri Masjid demolition fame), Pramod Muthalik, Praveen Togadia, Ashok Singhal, Varun Gandhi and many others, it sends shivers down the spine to imagine the cost of this hate speeches on the secular fabric of India.

The political scenario in Karnataka is most intriguing. The state has seen a steep rise in communal violence. There have been communal clashes in Mangalore, Mysore, Sira, Davanagere, Chikmangalore, Hubli, to name a few. It appears that the BJP has given a free rein to various Sangh Parivar outfits as the various outfits have been engaged, so to say, in a parallel administration. Whether it is conversion or cultural policing or cow slaughter it is these outfits that are on the forefront in ‘nabbing the culprits’. (Recently released report on ‘cultural policing in Dakshina Kannada’ by PUCL exposes the government failure by way of letting loose the various outfits which have brought disgrace to the State of Karnataka)

Even as we discuss about BJP rule being partisan, anti-minority and thus causing many communal disturbances, it is ironic that many leaders from other parties, especially the Congress, are joining BJP! In addition, there are two popular Kannada film actresses, Shruti and Tara, who have been campaigning for BJP! Are these actresses blind to the communal hatred unleashed by the BJP government during its rule in Karnataka or are they trying to adhere to the call given by Swamijis to promote a ‘Hindu vote bank’? 

It is a pity that religion is being pushed to the political sphere and politics is taking center stage in religious discourses. A large number of Indians have become mere spectators to this religious game that is played on the political field and political game that is being played in the religious sphere!

What will the Indian voter do this time around? Is s/he aware of the disturbing and dangerous scenario that is threatening to break the strong walls of Indian Secularism? Or will the communalists succeed in marching towards the portals of the parliament to embarrass Ambedkar, the great architect of our Constitution?

It remains to be seen how long the Indian voter would yield to the communal gimmicks so cleverly employed by the political and religious leaders.

Its a million dollar question indeed! What are the voters going to do this election? Will they cast their votes? Will they vote their caste? Or will they vote their religion?

BJP's attractive 'package' for the panchayat leaders!

One of the imporatant poll promises of the BJP government has been better governance. But have a look at the style of its governance!  

Varthabharati, a kannada daily recently reported (April 5, 2009) that BJP has fixed a very attractive 'package' for the leaders from village, taluk and zilla panchayats. 

Probably that explains why many from the Congress and JDS are joining BJP!

Great governance indeed. What would be the fate of this country if it comes to power at the centre?

Hopefully the voters would sufficienly assess the 'quality' of BJP's governance and respond adequately by voting it out!