NARENDRA MODI
Modi is a big challenge to Congress, says Manmohan Singh. Congress cannot afford to be complacent. It is true that the popularity of Modi is
increasing. The corporate and big
businesses want Modi to be the next Prime Minister. They see in him a savior of the economy. Young people seem to see a ray of hope in
Modi. What does Modi have to offer to
the people of India?
Support of
Vacillating Urban Middle Class:
The young people, particularly the middle class think Modi
will give them unending opportunity for employment and Moll filled cities to
enjoy life. The urban middle class is a
vacillating class. It swings to the side
that offers an illusion of prosperity. They
are devoid of link with the history of our nation. They have no idea how India won its freedom
and what happened around the time India became independent. The youth are alienated from the history of
India. The history text books have been
tampered by the BJP to suite their version of facts.
They do not realize that the Congress party has worked much
more for the urban youth than the BJP or Modi in Gujarat. Foreign Direct Investment in retail, which
BJP had opposed so vehemently, is meant to serve the interests of the urban
youth. Jawaharlal urban renewal mission
(JNURM) was initiated by the Congress government. It has brought immense changes in the big and
medium cities in our country which has given a big space to the youth. The state where BJP was ruling the funds meant
for JNURM were diverted to other projects.
The Gujarat model that Modi is offering is not manufactured
by Modi. Gujarat was a prosperous state
long before Modi assumed power. The huge
Diaspora of Guajaraties overseas and even in African countries has been
bringing in quite a lot of prosperity to Gujarat. Modi has only taken the same tempo of
progress forward. It is more the logic
of development of business in Gujarat than Modi which is responsible for
progress in Gujarat. If Gujarat is grown
at a faster rate the contradictions in the state have been growing even at a
faster rate. The growth of industrialization and growth of capital has
sharpened the inequalities in the society.
The adivasies, the slum dwellers live in abject poverty. There is wide
spread malnourishment among children.
Gujarat ranks quite high in malnourishment of children. If wealth grows in Gujarat poverty abounds at
a faster rate.
Modi is making use of the present global slow down to make tall
promises. If he understands economy and
has really any solution to the slow growing economy why does not spell this out? In his speeches he has been hitting his
opponents below the belt. He has
vulgarized the entire campaign by his abuses lies and distortions.
I wonder if the youth
in whose name and for whose aspiration he speak will be disappointed when it is
time for him to deliver.
Modi’s Statue of Vallabhbhai
Patel:
Modi’s attempt to erect a large statue of Vallabhbhai Patel
in Gujarat is an attempt to bring Patel’s idea of India to the nation
building. The reason why Modi is so keen
to promote Patel is that Patel was a rabid communal and Hindu nationalist. His dislike and even hatred for Muslims was
very evident in the way he spoke about the problems and sufferings of Muslim
during the partition. He tried to
prevent the Muslims who had fled to Pakistan in panic to return to their homes
in Delhi. He wanted the Muslims to be
out of Delhi. Patel was a home minister and it was his duty to prevent Vir
Savarkar’s conspiracy to kill Gandhi. Even
after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi he was very casual in his efforts to
do a proper investigation and bringing the guilty to justice. By the way, when Modi made a slip and said ‘Madanlal’
Karamchand Gandhi could this slip have been deliberate? Madanlal by the way was one of members of the
group which was responsible for killing Mahatma Gandhi.
To build a statue of Vallabhbhai Patel is to rejuvenate the
legacy of Patel’s communal and Hindu Nationalist spirit. When he said if Vallabhbhai Patel had become
a Prime Minister, instead of Nehru, the destiny of our country would have been
very different. Knowing Vallabhbhai
Patel, his Hindu Nationalist aspiration, his dislike for Muslims and his
complicity in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi he would have turned India into a Hindu
Nation. Modi and BJP would like to make
up for the failed opportunity of Vallabhbhai Patel and reboot efforts to build
India into a Hindutwa Nation. Modi
shares the sentiments of Patel to the last coma. He has even stated that Unity of Hindus will
make the nation strong. He wants to unite
Hindus and divide the Muslims.
Modi and the
Industrialists:
How come he has become a blue eyed boy of the Industrialists? Almost all the big industrialists starting
with Ambanies, Godrej and ending with Tata are singing eulogy for Modi. They find him to be the best candidate for
the post of Prime minister. What do the
industrialists want? They want growth in
their profits, expansion in their industries and growth. Modi does not talk about inclusive
development. Industrialists want the
trade unions to be restrained, social movements to be crushed, social
securities to be minimum.
If we analyze all the scams that have taken place in the
recent past it will be surprising to see that in all these scams the big
business and corporate houses are involved.
The 2G scam, Coal Gate Scam, or any scam you name it is the corporate
houses which have maneuvered the bureaucrats and even politicians to gain undue
favours and profit. Corrupt practices
like bribing, tax evasion have been their standard way of operating their
businesses. They think Food Security, Employment Guarantee is a big drain on
the economy. BJP has been chanting the
same mantra. Yeshwant Sinha has repeatedly
stated that the country cannot afford Food Security bill. BJP did not hide its opposition to both the
MGNREGA and Food Security bills.
Freedom, democracy, human rights and trade union movement are looked up
on by BJP, Modi and the industrial class as obstacle to the growth. Is it a little wonder then why the corporate
houses will prefer Modi?
Alex Tuscano
