Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP Leader Narendra Modi has lead the BJP back to power for the fourth time in what was aptly described by Kapil Sibal as a “phenomenal performance”.
The phenomenal victory amongst other things has an interesting fallout. To better understand this fallout let us examine the prime time discussion on Sahara Samay anchored by Prasun that had Ashish Nandy, Lord Meghnad Desai, Tushar Gandhi and a young film maker (dont recollect his name).
In question after question Prasun was attempting to get his guests to parse the implications of the Modi victory. It was ironical that the only guest who got the implications of the Modi win right was not even an Indian.?Lord Meghnad Desai who perhaps has had a first hand experience of Tony Blair’s New Labour experiment showed great intellectual clarity in recognizing the uniqueness of what has happened in Gujarat by not viewing it from the prism of 2002.
In stark contrast were Ashish Nandy and Tushar Gandhi reminding us of all that is anachronistic of the public intellectual in India.
Where they should have seen a strong referendum from the people rejecting Executive Paralysis, overcoming Fragmented Legislatures they saw dangers for Democracy.
Where they should have recognized a latent and fervent public desire for a Strong Executive they saw Autocracy.
Where they should have appreciated a vote against the Culture of Entitlement they saw inequities.
Where they should have heralded the rise of the Spirit of Enterprise they saw non-inclusive growth.
Where they should have credited the overcoming of incumbency without having to resort to populsim they saw polarisation.
It is clear that these public intellectuals are still stuck in the socialist mindset of the 20th Century that thrives on a Culture of Entitlement.
It is also clear that these public intellectuals are so overwhelmed with the pre-Independence era political correctness on political assertion of the Majority faith that they are unable to reconcile themselves to a brand of politics that draws its moral compass from faith while remaining wedded to the separation of Church and State and to Secular Principles of Governance.
Finally it should miss no one how deep in denial these public intellectuals are on the new India of the 21st Century that believes in a Strong Executive, is not burdened with baggage of Political Correctness and thrives on the Spirit of Enterprise.
It is sad that there is a vaccum in the public intelligenstia when it comes to articulating this new India of the 21st Century that is Right of Center in its thinking and it was left to person of Indian Origin Meghnad Desai to come anywhere close to reflecting this new India.
Offstumped Bottomline: The Narendra Modi victory has exposed the Right of Center vaccum in the Intelligenstia and the state of deep denial that the public intellectuals suffer from. Hopefully the blogosphere will fill this vaccum effectively to have a macro impact in the days to come.
Filed under: Gujarat Polls 2007, Uncategorized
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there was also a very interesting discussion on cnn-ibn, where swapan dasgupta got into an arguement sagarika. sagarika said modi invoking sohrabuddin meant that he was targetting muslims. swapan rightly put her in her place by telling her that terrorists have names and should be called by them. unfortunately, the rest of the panelists where usual suspects like vinod mehta and some dude from tehelka. meghnad desai was also there, his PoV similar to what you have mentioned in your post.
I saw the full exchange too – while it is true that Lord Desai showed great perceptiveness in his remarks and was not constrained by prevailing establishment BS aka political correctness, it is also true that Modi’s good governance record from his development project record, incorruptibility etc was highlighted by the peer. He did highlight however some of his major shortcomings.
On the other hand, not Nandy, not Tushar Gandhi said one word against lack of democracy in the Congress, dynastic politics, the utterly bankrupt policies of Sonia and her equally handicapped son, Rahul.
You are right – the Public Intellectual in India is stuck in a time warp. Gandhiji suggested that the Congress party should be dissolved upon Independence. It was not done. Hopefully, the Indian electorate would do it in the coming years.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/dec/14bidwai.htm How come everyone missed this one?
kaangeya,
That article was infuriating! I wonder if Rediff could send Varsha Bhosale packing because of her “inflammatory” right wing articles, why cant they do the same to jholawalas like Bidwai. This particular article is completely and shamelessly biased. Just read that last para! Whew!
WHAT OUR TEESTA GANG is doing and investing their energies in ? Linking Rioters to Modi .
READ THIS ARTICLE AND GET A GLIMSE OF THIS . Can activists like Mukul Sinha use their skills in 1983 riots or anyother RIOTS ?
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070036747&ch=12/23/2007%2011:14:00%20PM
_______________________
‘Unless the link between the rioters and the administration and the hierarchy of command is brought out, proved, I don’t think we will be able to book Modi under Section 120B of Indian Penal Code for hatching a conspiracy. That’s precisely the reason why we are why we are linking up the triggering of the riots of February 28 with the bringing out of dead bodies here,” said Mukul Sinha High Court Lawyer, Activist.
The Congress is just not able to digest its defeat. Just see what that irritating Sibal has to say:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/071223/211/6osa9.html
So, did Congress misread Moditva or was it simply a psychological gap between Delhi politics and what happened at ground zero in Gujarat.
“The fact is that we didn’t realise that Gujarat politics is so polarised. I don’t believe the development agenda on which the BJP is saying they have won the battle. The fact of matter is if you look at Modi’s speeches, throughout they were replete with hatred. He is a clever guy and his propaganda machinery is unbelievable,” Sibal said.
However, Jaitley strongly reacted to Sibal’s statement and said that the Congress was just a sore loser.
He also said that the Congress lost the elections because it didn’t have a strategy at all.
“As far BJP and Modi are concerned, there were three issues, they were willing to have an argument on ideological issues, the security issues or the issue of terrorism, predominantly the issue was the five year record of the Modi government, he gave facts and figures and people accepted them and thirdly there was the leadership issue,” he added.
Sibal denied to the fact that Modi won on the basis of development in the state. According to him Gujarat has developed because of Gujaratis and not because of Modi.
“As far as his decisiveness is concerned, he wasn’t even in position to help people or to reach out to the people of Surat when they were reeling under floods,” he added.
Regarding that Praful Bidwai article…
I’m wondering what he’s doing right now? Trying to eat his words while wiping the egg off his face must be a hard thing to do.
I submit that it is people like Ashish Nandy who are a threat to democracy. Back in 1975, “intellectuals” like him hailed the imposition of Emergency.
Guj 2007 is a monumental event. It will alter politics of India forever.
Hey Guys dont take these Scoud*** Media lightly as they are now twice bitten.
Definately will try to hit back in Rajasthan,Chattishgarh,MP,dELHI,,karnataka.
tHEY GOT ENOUGH RESOURCE in fact wait very soon there Propoganda for Above will be in full fledge.
Finally let BJP understand that WE supported them in Gujarat Because Modi delivered AND not to take us For Granted.
Let the BEST LEADER win.
Amazing variety in the reactions of losers!!!
http://jagadguru.in/2007/12/24/offer-to-pakistan-president/
Respected Sir,
Finally let BJP Understand that we supported them in
GUJARAT because MODI delivered and not to take us for GUJARAT..,
Heartly Cong.and ..,
” JEET GAYA GUJARAT ”
” JEETAYA MODIJI NE GUJARAT KO ”
MODIJI AAPKO HAMARI UMAR LAGJAI….
THANKING YOU,
A WAITING FOR REPLY..
ANIL PATEL ( 100% Blind Person )
Hon.Gen.Secr.
National Association for the Blind
Junagadh (Gujarat)
Ravindara says
“The fact of matter is if you look at Modi’s speeches, throughout they were replete with hatred. He is a clever guy and his propaganda machinery is unbelievable,” Sibal said.”
Is there any truth to this ?
If so then they have elected a demagogue!
Kapil Sibal said: “The truth has to be told. We have to fight it up front. Democracy is not about winning or losing a State election.”
For the sake of democracy, please keep ‘losing’ in good spirit.
@ Ravindra
Varsha Bhosale, miss her articles though.
Any ideas where she writes (?) these days.
I loved her ‘pinkos are commies’ comment like anything.
After Media bashing of Narendra Modi boomerang in Gujarat……Media is trying it’s level best to trivitalise Mr. Modi’s thumping victory by calling it communal polarisation…..
I wonder how Narendra Modi managed to win by a huge marging of 87,000 votes without getting minority vote……
Even Minorities are now aware that Media is singing a cliched song to sell itself…..
even after the victory , CNN IBN which had EGG / SHIT on its face for having tried to pass off CONGRESS as winners continue to slander MODI.The web site is full of modi bashing.It seems most channels had some Anti Modi Programs ready for telecast assuming he would lose.Unfortunately Modi WON and these fraudsters have been shown the door .So they are recycling stale stories and also telecasting the anti modi news clips which rightfully should have gone to the gutter.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/time-for-modi-to-build-an-inclusive-gujarat-nris/54891-3.html
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/for-bjp-modi-win-can-be-a-doubleedged-sword/54888-3.html
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/rule-gujarat-but-leave-us-in-peace-muslims-tell-modi/54862-3.html
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/baroda-students-fear-modibanisation/54903-3.html
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/from-teaseller-to-cm-modi-has-come-a-long-way/548193.html
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/modi-marches-on-in-spite-of-stings-and-stigma/54800-3.html
Talking about Sonia not sending a congratulatry message to Modi though Dr Singh had done the same, Moily said that the party decided against sending the message as Modi could have turned down the greeting and “we do not want our leader to be slighted,” he said.
This is said by Congress Media Cell head Mr.V,Moily……
So for anyone to guess about VACCUM in Congress
Ravindra-
Thank you for posting the lead. However not surprising.When issues are morally in the domain of nationalists(Ayodhya) ask to wait for legal verdict.When law seems to punish left libs(Narmada and Arundhati) and anti nationals(death penalty to Afzal) challenge judiciary itself. When elected to power hail democracy and when lose, abuse the same.Because of my limited vocabulary I can not think of anything more than cock sure self righteous arrogance.
Media should analyse Hire Apparent’s Rahul Gandhi’s performance . Did his crash course in Gujarati speaking worked ? UP gone , Gujarat gone under his watch as General seceratary , NOW soon I wish Himachal will follow . Why Media is not using their microscope on this character called “Rahul Gandhi” which doesn’t even blink or dare to question Abi-SHEIK Sing-V when he says rahul has potential to become PM .
Read it, inetersting,
http://in.news.yahoo.com/071224/48/6otlc.html
//
I can not think of anything more than cock sure self righteous arrogance.
//
who is self righteous arrogant man ?
The Karat’s, Bhattacharya’s and the likes who believe in an ideology of despair called commiesm are by far the most self righteous arrogant ba*ds.
The following piece of garbage appeared in CNN-IBN.
http://www.ibnlive.com/blogs/aasimkhan/203/3398/modi-iii-why-india-deserves-better.html
As usual, my reply was “moderated”.
Funnily CNN-IBN only shows the replies which go with the Ideology of the channel….:))…
May be there is something wrong in the value inculcated in me. For me and many others, i believe, a killer is a killer who ought to be punished be they commies or any other. That growth in GDP or whatever can erase the horror happening in Gujarat is unbelievable.
It was hilarious listening to Kapil Sibal taking the moral high-ground – “truth must be told”. I could not stand most of the coverage by english media – sore losers and arrogant to the hilt. The commies of course are slumbering in the cold war era, randomly throwing words like fascists enemies, communal forces etc at anything and everything, without any logic or rationality.
K Sunil Kumar ji,
Kuch Proof hai ya is it the value inculcated in you to just go around accusing people wohout proof, even with entire Central Govt and CBI spending five years trying to dig up proof?
@ Sunil Kumar
I too was raised on the same moral principles that you’ve seen. I was also told that making baseless allegations without proof (for whatever reason) is wrong. When the Indian judiciary decides that killer in question is guilty and sentences him, I will be the first in line to applaud court. Until then, we have no right to call some one killer.
Oh..moreover, please don’t try to take any moral high round over others…remember they too are on the same level as you. Don’t behave as though you are the only sane person and all of us are fools.
Some more IBNiasms …
http://www.ibnlive.com/blogs/author/451/3403/vinaytewari.html
http://www.ibnlive.com/blogs/author/1268/3352/bindutandon.html
@Sunil Kumar
AND WHEN JUDICIARY DECIDE A PERSON IS GUILTY AND BE GIVEN DEATH THEN SECULAR,INTELLECTUAL,HUMAN RIGHT QUESTIONS THE JUDICIARY….
U R RIGHT I M TAKING OF AFZAL GURU….OR SIMILAR SAHA BANO(WELL HERE THE QUESTION WAS WOMEN RIGHT)
The media certainly got a slap on its face from the electorate in Gujarat. Lord Meghnad Desai also mentioned some thing very interesting that Modi is the correct choice as the PM of India.
To all these media faggots, go to Gujarat and see it for your selves, My business takes me there every fortnight and believe me it is an pleasure doing business there under Modi’s watch, virtually no corruption.
JEETGAYA GUJARAT …..
Guys…Read article in TOI, Mumbai on December 31, 2007, follow the link:
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOI/navigator.asp?Daily=TOIM&login=default
The Modi charisma (http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOI/navigator.asp?Daily=TOIM&login=default)
By SWAPAN DASGUPTA
An amusing feature of the editorial class is its ability to shift tack shamelessly. Till 10 am last Sunday, Narendra Modi was portrayed as the Indian equivalent of the Great Satan; by 10:30 am he was being pro jected as a future prime ministerial can didate who would nevertheless fail be cause ‘‘Gujarat isn’t India’’.
In the US, presidential hopefuls un known to the East Coast Establishment are invariably pelted with snooty conde scension — remember how Ronald Reagan was vilified? As someone who was abruptly catapulted from one-roomed anonymity in Delhi’s Ashoka Road to the chief minister’ bungalow in Gandhinagar six years ago, Modi is an outsider to the Indian Establishment. Unlike the Gandhis, he doesn’ have ‘connections’ in the right places and unlike many BJP leaders he hasn’t bothered courting respectability. Modi does n’t release coffee table books on polo and nor does he have a favourite London restaurant to boast of. A workaholic who sleeps only four hours and who is crazy enough not to have taken even a day’s holiday in six years, Modi revels in his distance from the frivolity of high society.
It is this aloofness and refusal to be co-opted by the beau tiful people that make him a delicious target of those who think they were born to rule. Socialites have been wilfully discourteous to him; he has been called a ‘‘mass murderer’ and an ‘‘ugly Indian’’ to his face; and rookie pundits have suggested that he can be bribed into supporting the nuclear deal with an American visa. The know-alls have even sug gested that Modi can be tamed and ‘‘corrupted’’ by the trap pings of success. ‘‘Modify your image,’’ they have advised him, ‘‘and we’ll take another look at you.’’
So far Modi hasn’t budged. He has unsettled the Estab lishment because he is undaunted by hypocritical political correctness and persists in calling a spade a spade. It is said that this bluntness is actually hate-speak couched in code. If so, it is a code the voters have easily deciphered and identi fied with. The BJP used an old Barry Goldwater slogan in one election advertisement: ‘‘In your heart you know he is right.’’ It struck a chord.
Modi has been accused of arrogance by many, including those who are ostensibly on the same side. In practice this has meant the dogged refusal to bend the rules to facil itate special favours. Modi has shown that good politics lies in not allowing cronies to cream off taxpayers’ money and that good economics involves zero tolerance of waste and inefficiency.
The Indian electorate is inherently schizophrenic. One side of it wants lollipops and freebies; another side of it yearns for a tough, no-nonsense and scrupulously honest politician. Modi has tried to get the patriotism of the voter to prevail over his selfishness. He has succeeded because he has come to personify courage and integrity. The day he suc cumbs to either fear or temptation he is politically neutered
The Gujarat model is not in conflict with the Bharat mod el. What has clicked in Gujarat is a leadership style built on innovation, dedication and a resolute defiance of a com promised Establishment. A Modi folklore has been created around an Angry Middle-aged Man with a 56-inch chest It has corresponded with subliminal perceptions of good leadership. And the Gujarat voter is no different from the Indian voter.
Modi has aroused great expectations. His political oppo nents will want him to be confined to Gujarat forever; the Establishment wouldn’t mind him in Race Course Road as long as he removes some of his vital organs surgically.
Let’s hope Modi stays the course. Let’s hope he injects pol itics with a dose of freshness.
Two points:
a) To insult Modi is to insult electorate (citizens) of Gujarat.
b) If Modi is denied visa, Bush, Blair, Sarkozy should also be denied.
[...] overstating the significance of a national brand. The Modi victory in Gujarat has shattered many myths about the media’s power to make and unmake brands and the media’s ability to influence electoral outcomes. In fact [...]