Response to Economist.com article...

The ground reality in India is different. Post-2004, the so-called reforms have been slowed down. Welfare programmes have come up due to the intervention of the Left parties, particular Communist Party of India(Marxist). For example, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme through which the rural poor gets 100 days of employment in a year. Though many shortcomings are there in the implementation of the scheme, it has given a breathing space to the rural poor.

During the election campaign, the Congress did not campaign on reforms plank. It campaigned saying that they had brought a scheme that gave the employment to the poor. Infact, the Congress should thank the Left parties for having helped them to come back.

Another example is banking sector. Even the people in the government had agreed, the banking sector did not collapse because of the ownership nature. Since the banks are in public sector, unlike the American banks, they have survived the worst world economic crisis.

Congress could capitalist the inaction of the main opposition party, that Bharathiya Janata Party(BJP). They had always side-stepped from the issues that affects the people.

If the Congress deviates from the trend that was set due to the pressure of the Left, they will start losing from the next state election itself.

Goliath wins, temporarily..!!

Mr.M.K.Azhagiri has won the election from Madurai parliamentary constituency. He was pitted against the sitting CPI(M) MP, Com.P.Mohan whose re-election was the choice for many from the temple city. This was the scene upto the day of mass distribution of money to the voters. It is alleged that they have distributed Rs.500 to near about 7 lakhs voters. Apart from this the distribution of sarees etc.. also were there.


This act was strongly resisted by the cadres of CPI(M), AIADMK and other allies. In one day, that is on 5th May night itself, brutal attacks were unleashed against the cadres and 16 of them had to be admitted in the hospital due to serious injuries. This has stopped their further distribution of money. It was widely believed that they had a plan for massive distribution of money on 8th and 11th of May. This could not be done due to vigil actions by the workers of CPI(M), AIADMK and other allies.


The future will not only speak about the victory, but also about the heroic struggle waged by the cadres of CPI(M)and the people of Madurai against the money power. Though many people have accepted the bribe for voting, the Madurai where the political conscience is more had seen the people firmly rejecting the bribe also. There were many in Madurai who felt insulted for being bribed. If the DMK people think that this particular gentleman and his family will not accept the bribe, the money was thrown inside the house. Elders were threatened with dire consequences if they do not accept the money.


Folklore stories are plenty for the Maduraites. They can pass on these to their upcoming generations. Stories like resisting a group of 300 people by a single man from distributing the money and material, few used left hand to press the button instead of right hand and many more like these that includes attempts to remove the fear created by the rowdyism will withstand the time.


A rumour was spread among the Madurai voters that the DMK men have been trained to find out for whom the vote is casted at the polling booth itself. One voter has described his strategy to overcome this. He was told by some people, since the Azhagiri's name figured at the top of the list, if the hand goes down to press the button you will be exposed. He had fear in his mind like others. But he could overcome that. He said, "while my right hand was near the top button, Left hand had quietly pressed the other button". With a long breath, "How many of us have time to devise such strategies...?" he asked.


One elder woman had a different story to tell. Her daughter's father-in-law expired one day prior to the polling date. She had to rush up next morning for two reasons. Though she did not accept the money, she believed that those who have distributed it might have kept in their pockets and informed their masters that the money has been given to all. So, if she does not vote it will be attributed that she had protested. She came back. Second reason is that she really wanted to protest. Hence, she voted for Mohan.


Many young voters have felt like being insulted. They had dissented when their parents accepted money. They hate to hear that there is no alternative. One youth said, "no need of any alternative. The one that is there is the best". He was pointing out that the sitting MP is P.Mohan and there is no need to change that. He saw the positiveness in the manner the CPI(M) and other parties have conducted themselves.


Getting around 3 lakh votes has proved these heroics are not mere stories. It has both blood and muscle. That is why the DMK and its machinery went to an extent, where they themselves have made some material and claimed that this was distributed by the CPI(M). The people, including the staunch DMK supporters, had laughed at this strategy. Such credibility the CPI(M) and its candidate have among the Madurai voters.


When Goliath wins, the general feeling is that they hate the result. When we say David, he does not represent the weak. David is the one who has the wherwithal to bring down Goliath. He is seen as a good. Goliath represents the opposite. He is bad but strong. But his strength lies in his muscle power and not in character. The result of the battle is always as expected. The David wins. This is the result people longing for. But when the Goliath wins, the entire humanity mourns.


Madurai is not in mourning mode. The hate feeling has widened. It may not have been translated as a winning formula for the moment. But, its strength cannot be just washed away. Madurai will once again erupt from the present turmoil.

Just the beginning of the larger struggle

Hundreds of Dalits led by the CPI(M) leaders made an attempt on Wednesday to enter the Kannanallur Mariamman temple situated at Panthapuli near Sankarankoil in Tamil Nadu.
The situation is such in this temple, the Dalits cannot go into the temple despite the court orders. The local court has given its judgement in the month of September that the Dalits have right to offer prayers. When the judgement came, the priest of the temple had locked up the temple and ran away.

The Dalits protested on being kept away from worshipping in the temple. Administration was also playing into the hands of dominant section. It is refusing to implemente the court orders. CPI(M), on behalf of Dalits, took up the issue and held talks with the administration.
Instead of implementing the law, The local administration imposed section 144 to stop the dalits to enter the temple. The CPI(M) and the Dalits were firm in their decision in exercising their rights to enter the temple.

The attempts by the administration to create division within the dalits were futile. They stood behind the CPI(M) that is conducting the struggle for untouchability eradication. Dalits led by the CPI(M) party leaders had assembled in Sankarankoil to proceed towards Pandhapuli.
The police arrested the leaders and the dalits for violating the orders. In total, 400 people were arrested. The police didnot allow even the MLAs to visit the temple. Addressing a meeting on the Golden Jubilee Grounds, Ms. Balabharathi came down heavily on the official machinery for banning the CPI (M)’s temple entry.

Before the arrest, CPI(M)'s MLA K.Bala Bharathi spoke to the presspersons. In that, The administration is not able to execute the order of Munsif Court that the Dalits should be allowed to worship in the temlple. Hence, the party is taking up the issue and wil make sure that the dalits enter the temple as they desire, she said.

She charged that the district administration is functioning with casteist feelings. The state government is just standing as silent spectator for these events. Chief Minister should take initiatives to solve the issue immediate. If the trend continues, the CPI(M) will conduct statewide agitations.

It is atrocious on the part of the Chief Minister who is busy in issuing statements and writing letters as if he is sitting in Opposition. When the Dalits were struggling to exercising their rights, he was busy in writing about Sirudhavur where the farmer Chief Minister Jayalalitha and her associates have grabbed the land of dalits.

Chief Minister Karunanidhi was trying to pinpoint the State Secretary of CPI(M), N.Varadarajan, saying it was Varadarajan who first took the issue of land grabbing. Karunanidhi was trying to focus the attention on the decision of electoral alliance between the AIADMK and CPI(M). He says, Varadarajan took up the case two years back.

The point here is, N.Varadarajan has not withdrawn his complaint. The dilly-dallying is only on the part of Government who is just sitting over the matter for the last two years. Infact, it is Karunanidhi who is having some pact with the corrupt elements in the other parties. The exoneration of Sedapatti Muthaiah and Indira Kumari are pointers towards this.

He once even invited J.Jayalalitha also to join DMK. The agitations for the social justice cannot be diverted by the cheap politics carried out by the Karunanidhi and co. The firmness shown by the people of Pandhapuli is proof to the belief that the struggle of the oppressed groups will succeed despite the opponents' efforts.

KBC III : "Kaun Banega Candidate"

NDA decides to conduct a KBC type contest to pick up its Prime Ministerial candidate. Amitabh Bachan conducts the contest.
Advani tries his luck. He is through to the last question.
AB : Advaniji... We are in a very important stage...
Advani : Ball is in your court Amitabh... my next book may be on you ... I will name it "your country, your life"...
AB : Ha..ha..ha.. Thank you, Advaniji...
Advani : I think all lifelines are left...
AB : Ji haan Advaniji...50-50, Audience poll and dial a friend... all these options are there...shall we go to the question..?
Advani : OK...
AB : As we know, India is also affected by the Global economic crisis... The reason is
(a) The country has followed the neo-liberal policies
(b) Ram Mandir was not built at Ayodhya
(c) Modi is a potential prime ministerial candidate
(d) The pace of the neo-liberal policies was slow
Advani : It is tough indeed... All the options are seems to be right... I think I should start a book titled "no country, no life..."
AB : You have all the lifelines, Advaniji..
Advani : you have confused me, Amitabh...
AB : I used to hear from your party people, that yours is a party with a difference...
Advani : Yes, we had a lakshman rekha... we never explained the limit of that rekha...But it got exposed finally, people came to know it was Bangaru lakshman rekha... Now everybody is trying to cross that rekha...wants to prove better than Bangaru...
AB : so you, as a party, have no economic crisis...
Advani : Not at all... we have experts in all the departments...Katara in Human Resource, Venkaiah Naidu in Land Development, Lalji Tandon in Textiles, Praveen Togadia in Steel, If I don't mention my name, the list will be incomplete... I am expert in Hawala dealings...
AB : OK...Advaniji..let us come to the answer... Would you like to use any of the lifeline?
Advani : Yes... 50-50..
AB : Computerji...Advaniji has chosen his lifeline... Remove two options...
(Computer has removed option b and c)
AB : Advaniji...now you have left with two options...
Advani : my problem is not solved...I will go for audience poll..
AB : Oh...Computerji..get ready...
(Audience votes)
AB : Advaniji, the people says the answer is A. The country has followed the neo-liberal policies.
Advani(scratching his head) : hmmmmm...
AB : Advaniji... Are you going with the people...
Advani : I would like to try the last lifeline too...
AB : OK... Whom would you like to call... who is that friend...??
Advani : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh... as far as the economic policies, we sail on the same boat..
AB (Dials for MMS ) Hello... I am Amitabh Bachan calling from Kaun Banega Candidate...(He lists out the question and options).

MMS : It is D.
AB : Advaniji... What are you going to do... You are going to listen to your friend Manmohanji or will go alongwith the people...?
Advani : My answer is D...
AB : Computerji...give us the correct answer...
In the screen the answer flashes.. India is also affected by the Global economic crisis... The reason is
A - The country has followed the neo-liberal policies...
(Advani goes) .......
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Saffronisation of Armed Forces

IT was Sangh Parivar's second U-turn on the enquiry of a case that occurred on September 29, 2008. Initially, they had distanced themselves from the Sadhvi & Co., saying that they are not part of Sangh Parivar. When Sadhvi Pragya was arrested, initially there was a lull in Parivar camp. Hush-hush could be heard, but there was no reaction.Suddenly, Rajnath Singh, coined a slogan, "Terrorism has no religion". The media took it as a sign of distancing from the accused. Rajnath Singh, at least for a while, liked the focus on him. Suddenly the RSS, the mother organisation, woke up and had parleys with Advani and Rajnath Singh.Here came another slogan from none other than the president of BJP, Rajnath Singh, "Hindu cannot be a terrorist". And he said that the accused will get legal help from the party.

The U-turn was made when the serving Lt Col Purohit was arrested. Here the Army's response to the arrest also came. It said this is a "freak case" and called it an "isolated incident". The response is all the more disgusting to those who have watched the process of the BJP and its cohorts having tried to communalise even the Army. The process started when the BJP got the opportunity of sitting in power. On May 31, 1999, two senior military officers drove along with the then Defence minister George Fernandes to the BJP executive meeting to brief on the Kargil operation. The first one was the then additional director-general of military operations, Lt Gen N C Vij who later became the Army chief in 2003. The second officer was Air vice marshal S K Malik.After their brief, the national executive of BJP passed a resolution urging the international community to condemn Pakistan for the intrusion into Kargil. The oath of secrecy undertook by the military officers was breached, but they were let off without even a mild warning. In fact, N C Vij became general and took over as chief of the Army staff on January 01, 2003.

Next incident came immediately after the Kargil war, when the infantry division commander Lt Gen V N Budhwar had permitted the Sindhu Darshan festival in Leh that was organised by the RSS. The process that started during the Kargil war was carried forward further.This process did not stop there. The government collapsed due to the withdrawal of support by AIADMK. Portraits of chiefs of tri-services were adorning the stages from where the BJP had carried out its election campaign. They claimed it as a victory of BJP during their speeches. The second rung leaders of BJP had claimed it as a victory of Hindus against Muslims. Communalisation and politicisation of Army was continuing.Not to forget is the great achievement of BJP led government that dismissed the Naval chief admiral Vishnu Bhagwat. He was the only one Naval chief who was dismissed in India's history. BJP and George Fernandes had no regret in doing that. For none of his mistakes, he bore the brunt. But the then Defence minister, George Fernandes, escaped unscathed though Jaya Jaitley was caught taking bribe in his official bungalow.

The communalisation and politicisation of military by the BJP and its allies have instigated even an honest and upright officer like Air Marshal M S Shekhon to look for a favour from political leadership. He was Air Officer-in-Charge, Southern Air Command, which is a not so important portfolio. He wrote to the then chief minister of Punjab, Prakash Singh Badal to help him to take over as Air Officer-in-Charge, Western Air Command, the most important post in Indian Air Force after chief of Air Staff. The exposure of his letter to Badal had made him to resign.

In 2004, despite their India shining campaign, BJP and its allies had lost the parliamentary elections, as expected. The recent events have proved that the damage has already been done. Anti Terrorist Squad is looking for more army personnel. The whereabouts of 54 people trained by Purohit are yet to be traced. These events have escaped the attention of Army intelligence people. Three services have a wide network of counter intelligence operation. But it is very difficult to detect the anti- national activities by the counter-intelligence officer himself. Lt Col Shrikant Purohit is from the Intelligence Corps. This has helped him evade from Intelligence lens while giving arms training for several years.

More startling facts are coming out now. "Sadhu" Amirtanand Swami who was arrested by Anti-Terror Squad(ATS) of Maharashtra on November 12, 2008 in connection with the Malegaon blasts is also an ex-serviceman. Eight years ago, he was a non-commissioned officer in Indian Air Force.Not only in the Defence services, the RSS-BJP combine has an outfit called "Sankalp Sanstha" that brain washes the civil servants and has them in their camp. Knee jerk reactions like "freak case" or "isolated incident" comments will not help to stem the crisis. A thorough enquiry into the events by the political and military leadership will only help in putting an end to such things.

Ganesh