Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Inclusive Politics Vs Identity Politics

"Bettale Jagattu" from "Vijaya Karnataka" is my favorite news paper column. Last Saturday (23/05/2009) there was an analysis presented by the author (Shri Pratap Simha) about BJP's defeat in the 2009 elections. The article is available at 2014ರಲ್ಲೂ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಸೋಲಿಗೆ ಕಾರಣ ಹುಡುಕಬಾರದು ಅಂದ್ರೆ?. Here I present my response to it:

ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ಪ್ರತಾಪ ಅವರಿಗೆ,

ಕಳೆದ ಕೆಲವು ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ "ಬೆತ್ತಲೆ ಜಗತ್ತು" ಓದುತ್ತಾ ಬಂದಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಆ ಖಡ್ಗ ಲೇಖನಿಯ ಪ್ರಖರತೆ ಮತ್ತು ವೈಚಾರಿಕ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟತೆ "ವಿಜಯ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ"ದ ಶನಿವಾರದ ಸಂಚಿಕೆಗಾಗಿ ಕಾಯುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತವೆ.ಇವತ್ತಿನ (23/05/2009) ಲೇಖನ ಓದಿ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಬೇಸರವಾಯ್ತು, ಬೆತ್ತಲೆ ಜಗತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ದ್ವಂದ್ವಕ್ಕೆ ಅವಕಾಶವಿದೆಯೇ? ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಟ್ಟಿತು.

ಹದಿನೈದು ಕೋಟಿ "ಅಲ್ಪಸಂಖ್ಯಾತರ" (!!!) ತುಷ್ಟೀಕರಣಕ್ಕೆ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರವಿಭಜಕ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ಸಿಗರು ಬಳಸುವ ಪದವೇ "inclusive politics"! ಅಮೇರಿಕದ ಕಪ್ಪುಕ್ರಾಂತಿ ಮತ್ತು ಒಬಾಮೋದಯಗಳ ಉದಾಹರಣೆಗಳನ್ನು ಬಳಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಭಾಜಪವನ್ನೂ ಈ ತಪ್ಪುದಾರಿಗೆಳೆಯುವ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಇಂದಿನ ಲೇಖನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಂಡುಬಂತು. ಭಾಜಪ ಮತ್ತು ಅಡ್ವಾಣಿ ಜೀ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದು ಭಾರತ ಎಲ್ಲ ಭಾರತೀಯರಿಗೂ ಸೇರಿದ್ದು, ಅವರಿವರಿಗೆ ವಿಶೇಷ ಪರಿಗಣನೆ ಸಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು. ಮನಮೋಹನ ಸಿಂಘ್ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದು ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರದ ಸಂಪತ್ತಿನ ಮೇಲೆ ಮೊದಲ ಹಕ್ಕು ಮುಸ್ಲೀಮರದ್ದು ಎಂದು. ಈ ದೇಶದ ಜನತೆ/ಪ್ರಜಾಪ್ರಭುತ್ವ ಇವರಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾರನ್ನು ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಆಯ್ದುಕೊಂಡಿತು ಎಂಬುದು ನಿಮಗೂ ತಿಳಿದಿರುವ ವಿಷಯ. ಸಿಂಘ್ ಮುಂತಾದವರ ಹೇಳಿಕೆಗಳೂ, ಸಚ್ಚರ್ ಸಮಿತಿಯ ನಾಟಕವೂ ಒಂದು ಕೋಮನ್ನು ಒಗ್ಗೂಡಿಸಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಕಳೆದ ಐದು ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಏನನ್ನೂ ಸಾಧಿಸದ ಸರಕಾರವೊಂದು ಪುನಃ ಅದಿಕಾರದ ಚುಕ್ಕಾಣಿ ಹಿಡಿಯುವಂತಹ ದುರದ್ರಷ್ಟಕರ ಸನ್ನಿವೇಶ ಇಂದು ದೇಶಕ್ಕೆ ಒದಗಿಬಂದಿದೆ. ಅದೇ, ಹಿಂದೂಗಳು ಸಂಘಟಿತರಾಗಿ ಮತನೀಡಲು ಒಂದು ಕಾರಣವನ್ನಾದರೂ ನೀಡಿ! ಆಗ ಆಗ್ರಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾರತ-ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನದ ಪ್ರೇಮಸಂಧಾನವನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿಸಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸಿದ, ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಮುನ್ನ ಇಫ್ತಾರ್ ಆಯೋಜಿಸಿದವರನ್ನು ಹಿಂದೂಗಳು ನಂಬಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಈಗಲೂ ಸಹ ಝಿನ್ನಾನನ್ನು ಗುಣಗಾನ ಮಾಡಿದವರಿಗೆ, ರಾಮಮಂದಿರ ಪುನರ್ನಿರ್ಮಾಣವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಣಾಳಿಕೆಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಸೀಮಿತಗೊಳಿಸಿದವರಿಗೆ ಹಿಂದೂಗಳು ಸರಿಯಾದ ಪಾಠವನ್ನೇ ಕಲಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಲೋಕಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯವು 2ರಿಂದ 84ಕ್ಕೆ ಏರಿದ್ದು ಹಿಂದುತ್ವದಿಂದ, ಹಿಂದೂ identity politicsನಿಂದ ಎನ್ನುವದನ್ನು ಭಾಜಪ ಮರೆತಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಪಕ್ಷ ಈ ರೀತಿ ಬೆಲೆ ತೆರಬೇಕಾಗಿ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ಅಮೇರಿಕ ಮತ್ತು ಭಾರತ ದೇಶಗಳ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಸಂಯೋಜನೆಯು ತುಂಬಾ ಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿದ್ದು ಅಲ್ಲಿನ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ತತ್ವಗಳು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಅನ್ವಯವಾಗುವದು ಕಠಿಣ. ಇಲ್ಲಿನ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ನಡೆಯುವದೇ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ವಿಭಜನೆಯಿಂದ - ಮುಸ್ಲೀಮ್ - ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತರಿಗೊಂದು ಪಕ್ಷ, ದಲಿತೋದ್ಧಾರಕ ಎಂಬ ಹಣೆಪಟ್ಟೆ ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಂಡು ಆನೆಯೊಂದು ಓಡಾಡುತ್ತದೆ, ಹೊಸ ರಾಜ್ಯ ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಲೊಂದು ಪಕ್ಷ, ಹೀಗೆ ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ. ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿರುವದು identity politicsನ್ನೆ; ಬಾಜಪ ಅಸ್ತಿತ್ವವನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕಾದರೆ ಹಿಂದುವಾದಿ ರಾಜಕೀಯಕ್ಕೆ ಮರಳಲೇಬೇಕು.

ಭಾಜಪ ಅಫ್ಜಲ್ ಹೆಸರನ್ನೆತ್ತಬಾರದಾದರೆ, ಬಾಂಗ್ಲಾದೇಶದಿಂದ ಕಾನೂನುಬಾಹಿರವಾಗಿ ನುಸುಳಿರುವ ಕೋಟಿಗಟ್ಟಲೇ ಮುಸ್ಲೀಮರ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪಿಸಬಾರದೆನ್ನುವದಾದರೆ, ಅಮರನಾಥ ಯಾತ್ರಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯಗಳು ಸಿಗದಂತೆ ಮಾಡಲು ನಾಚಿಕೆಗೇಡು ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ಕಾಶ್ಮೀರದ ಮುಸ್ಲೀಮರ ವರ್ತನೆಯ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ದನಿಯೆತ್ತಬಾರದಾದರೆ, ಜಿಹಾದಿ ಭಯೋತ್ಪಾದನೆ ದೇಶಕ್ಕೆ ಮಾರಕವೆನ್ನಬಾರದೆಂದಾದರೆ, ಮದರಸಾ ಮತ್ತು ಚರ್ಚಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುವ ರಾಷ್ಚ್ರವಿರೋಧಿ ಚಟುವಟಿಕೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕಂಡೂಕಾಣದಂತಿರಬೇಕೆನ್ನುವದಾದರೆ, ಈ ದೇಶಕ್ಕೆ ಭಾಜಪದ ಅವಶ್ಯಕತೆ ಇದೆಯೇ?

ತಮಿಳುನಾಡು, ಆಂಧ್ರ, ಮತ್ತು ಬಂಗಾಲಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಪಕ್ಷವೇ ಇಲ್ಲದಿರುವದು,
ಉತ್ತರ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಕ್ಷವನ್ನು ಬಲಪಡಿಸುವದನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರೀಯ ಪಕ್ಷವನ್ನು ಸೆಳೆದರಾಯಿತೆಂಬ ಧೋರಣೆ ತಳೆದಿದ್ದು,
ಮಾಧ್ಯಮದ ಪಕ್ಷಪಾತಿ ವರ್ತನೆ,
ಮಧ್ಯಪ್ರದೇಶ, ರಾಜಸ್ಥಾನ ಮತ್ತು ಉತ್ತರಾಖಂಡಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ತೋರಿದ ನಿರ್ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯಇವು ನನ್ನ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಜಪದ 2009ರ ಸೋಲಿಗೆ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಕಾರಣಗಳು. ಹಿಂದುತ್ವದ ತಳಹದಿಯ ಮೇಲೆಯೇ ಈ ದೋಷ ಮತ್ತು ದೌರ್ಬಲ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಸರಿಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಲ್ಲಿ 2014ರಲ್ಲಿ ಸೋಲಿನ ಕಾರಣ
ಹುಡುಕುವದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಬೈಠಕ್ ನಡೆಸುವ ಅಗತ್ಯ ಬೀಳಲಿಕ್ಕಿಲ್ಲ.
ಕ್ಷಣಕ್ಷಣವೂ ನಮ್ಮ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರದ ಕೆಡುಕನ್ನೇ ಬಯಸುವ ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಮ್ಮ ದೇಶದ ಮುಸ್ಲೀಮರಿಗೆ Soft Corner ಇದೆ ಎಂದು ಬರೆಯುವ ಎದೆಗಾರಿಕೆ ಇರುವ ಈ ದೇಶದ ತೀರಾ ಅಲ್ಪಸಂಖ್ಯಾತ ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತರಲ್ಲಿ ನೀವೂ ಒಬ್ಬರು; ಕನ್ನಡ ಸುದ್ದಿಮಾಧ್ಯಮದ ಸಿಂಹ ಎಂದೆಂದೂ ಹೀಗೆಯೇ ನಿರ್ಭಿಡೆಯಿಂದ ಬರೆಯುತಿರಲಿಎಂದು ಆಶಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

--ತಮ್ಮ ಅಭಿಮಾನಿ ಓದುಗ

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Varun is free, finally!


The Supreme Court of India has today upheld the Advisory Council's view that imposition of NSA on Shri Varun Gandhi is illegal. It is a matter of relief for all the law abiding citizens of this country. Such misuse of Constitution would have set a bad precedent, the SC has nipped the problem in the bud with this great judgment.

It was very clear from day 1 that the case is extremely politically motivated. Garnering votes of a particular community was the purpose. If somebody says he stands by the Hindus, he is booked under a draconian law of the land meant to be used only under emergency like situations. It reminds me of a famous phrase "It happens only in India". In the same state of India, a muslim leader makes a communally enraging speech and he is not even arrested. There are parties and leaders in India who openly support and declare that they are for minorities (read muslims). Interestingly these are 'secular' people (more appropriately sickular people). It is so easy to have labelled Varun ji as a communal person just because he supported the Hindu cause. 

I went through the entire text of National Security Act 1980 of the Constitution of India. The act is mainly meant to allow the administration to take individual(s) into preventive custody when the state or central administration is convinced that the person(s) is detrimental to the defense of the country. It also mentions another clause that even to maintain public order this act can be used. Person(s) arrested under this act are not eligible for bail! I failed to understand how Shri Varun Gandhi fits into any of this. He is not helping any foreign aggressor to be harmful to the defense of the country. The other thing about maintaining public order is also a non-sensical pretext. The video clips of the speeches which were allegedly made by Varun ji were shown couple of weeks later on the television. From the day the alleged speeches were made to the day they appeared on TV, no untoward incident was reported in Pilibhit or any surrounding area. Even after that nothing has happened that qualifies under "disruption of public order" except for minor skirmishes on the day of Varun ji's arrest. Cases were already registered against him for making those speeches and investigation was on. Then suddenly UP government imposes NSA on him thereby preventing him from campaigning for the elections. Such harsh treatment! It could only be done because he is a Hindu leader and supposedly he talked about defending Hindus from aggression. What a pity! This is a nation with 85 crore Hindus! This gives rise to my mind - Is the UP governemnt running from Lucknow or Azamgarh? If the Azamgarh is controlling the thinking of administration there, it is a matter of serious concern not only to the brothers and sisters of UP but to the entire nation. The capital city of Indian Mujahideen (Azamgarh) becoming the capital of our largest state is a warning sign to us. 
A muslim congress leader Kidwai has made speeches which could incite communal voilence. But UP government has not even arrested him; let alone booking him under NSA! Karunanidhi said LTTE's chief Prabhakaran is his friend. Vaiko declared there will be bloodbath in Tamil Nadu if Prabhakaran is killed by SriLankan army. 
Who should be booked under NSA, Varun or Vaiko???

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Eminent Historians' view of Bhaarat

From "India Shining" to "India was shining"...


Thus was the title of the article in 3rd May 2009 edition of The Hindu news paper. The article is written in such bad taste and with such malice towards our Nation I was surprised and extremely sad at the same time. The article is a commentary on the preamble of the BJP's manifesto meticulously authored by Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi ji describing the glorious past of Bhaarat. The responses from The Hindu's "Eminent Historians" (read the Thapars and Habibs) have one and only motive; to show utmost disrespect to our (and 'may be' their) Mother Land. One thing I could immediately do was to unsubscribe from The Hindu and I did it. Scholars at http://www.tamiltalk.org have come up with a fitting rebuttal to the newspaper's 'story'.

Here I reproduce entire reply from the tamiltalk.org team. 

The Hindu vs Dr Joshi Haindava Keralam This befitting rebuttal titled “The Hindu vs. Dr.Joshi” has been issued by a team of Scholars from www.tamiltalk.org , to expose the Anti National and Anti Hindu daily from Chennai - The Hindu

Monday, May 11, 2009

Who is Communal in this country?

The intellectuals of our country are very quick to answer who is not communal. According to them Church, Muslims, the Congress party and its 'secular' partners and Communists are not communal.
I am neither a known intellectual popular person of this country nor an 'eminent historian'. So I have the liberty to think about the happenings around me and take an unbiased call as to who is communal. Let us look at what the parties mentioned above have done in this country. The 'intellectuals' of this country say one thing correctly that communalism is bad for this country. But now we need to see who is actually communal here. 
The church which converts Hindus is communal.
The people (no donuts for guessing who it is) who killed Swami Lakshmanananda Sarasvati and his associates in Kandhamal on Shri Krishna Janmashtami are communal. (see youtube video)
The Islamic fundamentalists who opposed the allotment of land for the Amarnath pilgrims are communal.
The congress party which submitted an affidavit in the Supreme court that Bhagawan Shri Ram is only a fictional character is communal.
The congress party which killed 3000 innocent Sikh brothers in 1984 is communal.
The fundamentalists who drove away 4 lakh Hindus out of Kashmir and the mute spectators at the governments at that time are communal. (see youtube videos)
A 'journalist' who calls Varun Gandhi communal but supports a fatwa directing voting for a particular party is communal.
The church which distributed Satya Darshini, demeaning the Hindu Dharma and its Gods and Goddesses, is communal.
The congress party which changed the route of Metro rail in Delhi not to affect the Jami Masjid foundation but is hell bent on destroying Ram Setu is communal.
The UPA ministers who talk of naturalizing illegal Bangladeshi muslim migrants and say SIMI should not be banned are communal.
The communists which chased away Tasleema Nasreen from Kolkata and West Bengal are communal. They partner with Madani in Kerala who has allegedly has terrorist links. In West bengal an editor of a news paper had to apologize for publishing an article which the muslims did not like. His office was stoned; the government seemed to be looking towards the vast waters of the Bay of Bengal while showing the back to the happenings in Kolkata.

Now, looking at all this does a Hindu have an alternative to becoming communal? The 'intellectuals' want people not to vote for communal parties but they ask them to vote for the congress party which was responsible for the bifurcation of this Nation on communal lines! 

A few thousand displaced in Kandhamal and it calls for a catholic ( and supposedly secular too) advice but lakhs of Kashmiri are living as refugees in their own country and if some party talks about them it is to be labeled as communal and self-proclaimed secularists advise people not to vote for that party! Irony...

- A Hindu