You must give it to these guys – Jawed Habib was clear about which Gods visited his parlour (see image below). He also knew which Gods he could show and get away without a scratch. “Peaceful” Gods are virulently violent you see…
Hindus and their Gods are fair game – after all there were so many Hindus who jumped up to stand with him #StandwithHabib. On the other hand#CharlieHebdo clearly showed to the world that the “Religion of peace” can’t be toyed with…
Is it time to bid adieu to Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni two legends of Indian cricket? These two are without doubt cricketing icons of India, Dhoni more so than Yuvraj who is in my opinion the most popular, scrutinized, and written-about Indian cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar. This question assumes importance particularly after the ICC Champions trophy where the performance of these two and specifically the slots they occupied – 4 and 5 were the subject of much discussion. It was also clearly obvious that India were playing an extra batsman to cover for the inconsistency in the performance of numbers 4 and 5, the slots occupied by Yuvraj and Dhoni respectively.
It’s true that these two cricketers have been great champions and servants of Indian cricket but as in every sportsperson’s life there comes a time when the mind is strong but the body is not, the will exists but the skill resists and the strokes are there but the bowlers have sorted you out and the writing on the wall starts to become clearer – many great sportsmen and women have reached this stage, when the writing is on the wall and the time to take a call on their careers stares them in the face – it is not an easy decision particularly when one has got accustomed to the rigor and discipline, the camaraderie, and the adulation of fans, colleagues and peers.
We have before us examples of Indian cricketers who took the call at the right time – when fans ask “why now?” rather than “When?” Sunil Gavaskar showed he was a master of timing not just at the crease but also when it came to taking a call on his cricketing career when he quit after playing what is considered one of the greatest innings of all time – against Pakistan at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on a minefield of a pitch with Pakistani spinners Tauseef Ahmed and Iqbal Qasim spinning the ball like a top.(1)
We have also on the other hand had the experience of another legend Kapil Dev huffing and puffing his way to the then world record tally of 432 test wickets hanging on in hope and desperation even though he was well past his prime.(2) The great G.R. Viswanath is another example of someone who did not get his timing right when it came to taking a call on their careers.
Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble left when they knew that their time was up and when they realized that MS Dhoni was building “his” own team that had no place for them . Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman had to be nudged gently but they took the call when they still had something left in the tank. (3, 4)
Now, the clock has come full-circle and it is time to take a call on the careers of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.
Dhoni is just a few days shy of 36 years of age now and will be almost 38 by the time of the 2019 World Cup to be played in England and Wales (30 May 2019 – 15 Jul 2019). Yuvraj is just a few months younger to Dhoni and will be almost the same age come the next world cup – Questions must and should be asked about whether their they would be automatic choices for slots 4 and 5. In posing this question an assessment of the following should be made:
While arguments on the basis of class, seniority, and past performances can be made, what should matter is performance and results on the field of play and for this a look at the cold facts – numbers and statistics comparing past performances against recent record should be a good indicator.
MS Dhoni’s statistics:
Table 1 (5,6) below provides a snapshot of MS Dhoni’s career. Row-1 of the table provides overall career statistics starting with his debut in 2004 through to the present (2017). Row-2 covers the last two years and Row-3 summarizes information from 2004 through 2014 (in order to compare the past performance versus the performance in the last two years to see if there is any decline in key deliverables).
As is evident from the table, there has been a significant drop in Dhoni’s batting average from 52.85 (2004-2014) to 39.90 (2015-2017) a difference of (-12.95) which indicates a steep decline in run-scoring ability and consistency.
Interestingly his Strike Rate has only dropped marginally. During the period 2004 through 2014, Dhoni scored a fifty every 4.5 matches, that has halved now to a fifty every 8.3 matches (2015-2017). Clearly when it comes to batting performance there has been a significant and steep drop in delivery.
Table 1: MS Dhoni Career Stats
| Player | Period | Match | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | Ct | St |
| MS Dhoni | 2004-2017 | 291 | 9342 | 183* | 50.77 | 89.04 | 10 | 62 | 273 | 94 |
| 2015-2017 | 41 | 1150 | 134 | 39.90 | 87.38 | 1 | 6 | 46 | 9 | |
| 2004-2014 | 250 | 8192 | 183* | 52.85 | 89.28 | 9 | 56 | 227 | 85 |
What about the other parameters listed above? How does Dhoni fare? As regards fitness Dhoni is right up there with the fittest in the world and his glove-work behind the stumps continues to be exemplary. The question however is whether he will be able to retain this level of fitness when he is 38 years old by the time of the next world cup in 2019. Then again one must remember that the next World cup is going to be played in England and Wales and Dhoni’s record in that part of the World has not been something to write home about. See Table-2 (7) (MS Dhoni’s career stats in England)
Table 2 – MS Dhoni Performance in England (as a venue & against all opposition)
| Player | Period | Match | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | Ct | St |
| MS Dhoni | 2004-2017 | 26 | 586 | 78* | 36.62 | 86.94 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 8 |
In the 26 matches he has played in England he averages 36.62, well below his career average and even lower than his overall average of 39.90 in the last two years. His strike rate is marginally lower, with a highest score of 78. The question of whether he would be able to deliver in England, 2019 is definitely valid and the selectors should be indeed concerned and discussing these aspects.
Besides the quantitative drop in Dhoni’s abilities with the bat, what is also clearly evident in the recent past and particularly in the last year is that two of Dhoni’s strengths – the acceleration at the death while batting and the ability to clear the boundary at will have both gone missing. Bowlers are also finding it easier to cramp Dhoni by bowling slightly short and into his body. The famous helicopter and ramp shots that deposited yorkers into the crowd have also disappeared. Therefore the sad truth is that Dhoni’s abilities with the bat are declining both quantitatively and qualitatively.
One can only conclude that Dhoni may still be fit and perhaps the best wicketkeeper in India but in an era where wicketkeepers in most teams are expected to perform a crucial role with the bat, Dhoni’s waning skills with the bat are clearly affecting Team India’s chances. Rishab Pant has had a wonderful year in both domestic and IPL cricket this year. His performances in International U-19 tournaments have also been noteworthy and now may well be the right time to blood him and groom him for the World Cup in England and Wales.
Yuvraj Singh’s statistics:
Yuvraj Singh has always been an “impact” player – that has always been his USP – his ability to turn a match on its head – a blinder with the bat, a spectacular catch, a stunning runout, or an important breakthrough with the ball – these define his value to the team. This is reflected in his stats (8,9) as well (see Table-3 below). Not a great average but there is evidence to show that every time he has scored a century or made a quick-fire fifty, or pulled off a magical catch, or broken through a troublesome batting partnership with his innocuous but effective bowling he has been instrumental in taking India to a win or putting them in a strong position.
Table 3 – Yuvraj Singh overall career stats
| Player | Period | Match | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | Wkt | Ct |
| Yuvraj Singh | 2000-2017 | 301 | 8644 | 150 | 36.78 | 87.76 | 14 | 52 | 111 | 94 |
| 2015-2017 | 8 | 315 | 150 | 52.50 | 104.30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000-2014 | 293 | 8329 | 139 | 36.37 | 89.28 | 13 | 51 | 111 | 93 |
There is no doubt that he can still bat, still play that majestic innings that demoralizes the opposition. In fact his batting average and strike rate since his comeback are significantly higher than his overall average and strike rate but his fielding has deteriorated alarmingly and the captain needs to hide him in the field. Since his comeback he has not turned his arm over and doesn’t look like he wants to or would be able to bowl. Clearly, Yuvraj can’t deliver on two of his three skills and that is a huge drawback for Team India. His fielding and fitness are surely going to deteriorate further in the two years leading up to the World Cup in England-2019.
In the case of Yuvraj more than in the case of MS Dhoni India has several players who can more than fill the gap. Once can’t fathom how a player of the caliber of Suresh Raina who is a great one-day batsman, a superb fielder, and someone who can bowl competently is being kept out in order to accommodate Yuvraj. There are several other younger, fitter cricketers, who can make the cut – Manish Pandey, Sanju Samson, and Krunal Pandya to name just a few.
Finally, Yuvraj’s performance while playing in England is nothing to write home about (10) (See Table-4). His average is lower than his overall career average and strike rate is marginally lower than his overall strike rate. If he can’t deliver on his other two skills namely bowling and fielding then there really is no point in sticking with Yuvraj till the world cup.
Table 4 – Yuvraj Singh Performance in England (as a venue & against all opposition)
| Player | Period | Match | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | Wkt | Ct |
| Yuvraj Singh | 2000-2017 | 24 | 688 | 72 | 34.40 | 87.30 | 0 | 5 | 8 |
Rahul Dravid in his inimitable style minced no words when he urged the selectors to take a decisive call on both players and decide on the future roadmap of Indian Cricket. The ball as they say is in the selectors’ court and they would do well to think wisely and decide on the basis of what is in the long-term interest of Indian cricket.
Perhaps a quiet word with the two cricketers should move things alone in the right direction and without ruffling too many feathers. After all, this has been the preferred method followed by the Indian cricket establishment for a long time now.
References:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/zones/insights?insights=player&player_id=7716
The macabre blood dance played out in Kerala and shared across social media sites of a bunch of barbaric Youth Congress goons holding down an innocent calf, one of them slitting its throat and then all of them enacting a war dance even as the Calf’s life ebbs out minute by agonizing minute is a reflection of the of the utter depravity of the times we live in. This was not the end of it. The CPI-M not to be left out joined in and more Cows, Bulls, Buffalos, and calves were put to the sword.
If the reaction by political parties was shocking, the reportage by Mainstream Media (MSM) and trigger happy authors was pathetic to say the least. The blame for what transpired in Kerala and what is being planned in parts of TN and Karnataka must be squarely laid at the feet of the unscrupulous elements within the media establishment who went to town proclaiming that the government had issued a decree that amounted to a “Blanket Beef Ban”.
This was followed by a predictable but utterly one-sided, ill-informed, and cacophonic barrage on the virtual highways of Social Media that firmly established this lie as the truth and led to the spiraling of what was a minor notification to the Gazette of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, into a debate on freedom, choice, and infringement of individual rights and liberty.
In a world that communicates more than ever before, the greatest casualty has been communication itself. This strange oxymoron is the only truth of a virtual world where anyone with a smart phone is an expert on subjects spanning the entire gamut of human knowledge.
I have gone over the entire Gazette notification running into 12 pages with a fine-toothed comb and have not been able to locate even one reference to Beef, Blanket, or Ban – the three Bs that have been bandied about by all and sundry. It must be said though that the NDA government erred in not issuing a clarification or calling out those who were guilty of spreading false information – by that logic this government is also guilty by association.
In this article, we take a look at what this new notifications actually outlines and show how this is actually a noteworthy attempt at regulating the sale of cattle (not just cows and bulls) and that there is no mention of any ban on beef or for that matter any mention of the word ban itself.
The first point that jumps out of the Gazette Notification (see image below and relevant portion underlined) is the fact that a draft notification was made available for public scrutiny inviting comments, suggestions and feedback as early as January 16, 2017 and those that were received were considered before the final Notification was issued. The question therefore is where were all these people who are raising objections now when they could have used the opportunity to share their views, suggestions, and even make public their concerns?
The notification further clarifies that “these rules may be called the Prevention of Cruelty to animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets, 2017)” – no mention of cow, beef, or ban clearly.
The two key points to be noted, in the gazette feature under the “Definitions” section of the notification and include an expanded and clearer definition of what constitutes an “Animal Market” and the creation of an “Animal Market Committee”. “The “animal market” means a market place or sale-yard or any other premises or places to which animals are brought from other places and exposed for sale or auction and includes any lairage adjoining a market or slaughterhouse…”
The “Animal Market Committee” shall include members drawn from the Chief Municipal Office, Jurisdictional Tahasildar, Jurisdictional Veterinary Officer, Jurisdictional Police Inspector, a representative from the SPCA (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), and two representatives from the Animal Welfare Organization making this body truly representative and inclusive.
Importantly, all animal markets functional prior to the commencement of these rules should register with the committee within a 90-day window (from the commencement of these rules). New applications for the establishment of any new animal market shall be whetted by the committee before being given permission.
Of the several responsibilities of this committee, a key responsibility would be the strict implementation of steps to ensure that no animal market is located in a place situated within twenty five (25) kilometers from any State border and/or within fifty (50) from any international border. This is one of the most important regulations in the Notification that should go a long way in preventing inter-state and cross-border smuggling and illegal trade of cattle particularly cows, bulls, buffaloes, and camels.
The Animal Market Committee is also authorized to inspect, seize, and suo moto cancel registration of animal markets that contravene the new laws after giving reasonable opportunity to the party of being heard. Veterinary inspectors of the Animal Market Committee shall screen animals entering the market for the presence of infectious diseases and injuries and decide on treatment, quarantine, or emergency euthanasia as the case may be.
Sections 14 and 15 of the notification list all practices considered cruel and harmful and the protection of animals from injury or unnecessary pain or suffering – this has been sufficiently expanded to include all modes of cruelty being practiced currently. (At the end of this article, a link to the PDF of the Gazette notification is provided for those who would be interested in reading the notification in its entirety.)
Section 22 of the Gazette notification which deals with the sale of cattle titled “Restrictions on the sale of cattle” is probably the only section that could be considered contentious given how loosely regulated the sale of cattle has been thus far in our country. This is probably the only section that could have been objected to, if at all, and even then a civilized and rational discussion could have sorted out differences if any and provided clarity. Also, the “30-day review-window” provided by the government could also have been used to make changes (if any) to this section.
Section 22 prevents the sale of young animals. Further, an animal cannot be traded without a written declaration signed by the owner of the cattle or his/her duly authorized agent. All animals sold at the animal market would be only for the purpose of agriculture and not for the purpose of slaughter or sacrifice.
It is probably this restriction that is at the heart of the entire hullabaloo. In all probability slaughter houses were indulging in illegal buying of perfectly healthy cattle from animal markets when in reality the animal markets are primarily for the purpose of trading in cattle for use in agricultural lands and for agricultural purposes. Nowhere in the notification does it say that slaughter houses are banned from buying cattle directly from farmers for the purpose of slaughter but clearly the illegal practice of slaughter houses buying from animal markets and also the practice of locating slaughter houses adjacent to or very near animal markets is being sought to be prevented or at least restricted and this is as it should be.
In the short term though it is clear that slaughter houses that had it easy and could procure cattle without any restrictions would be put to some difficulty but as mentioned earlier there are no restrictions on buying of cattle directly from farmers. The Government could perhaps look into this aspect and come out with guidelines on how slaughter houses would receive cattle going forward for their businesses to continue to thrive.
It is this aspect that media houses, politicians, and expert commentators should have debated instead of indulging in meaningless polemics and mass slaughter of innocent calves in broad daylight.
In conclusion, it is clear that the prime focus of this notification/regulation is the prevention of cruelty to animals and ensuring protection of animals from needless suffering and pain during the process of handling, transportation, and caging/penning. The clause that restricts the setting up of a slaughter house within 25 kilometers of a State border and 50 kilometers within an International border is another laudable step to prevent the smuggling and illegal inter-state and trans-border trade of cattle. The restriction on sale is only restricted to the animal market and does not prevent direct sale from farmer to slaughter houses.
Mainstream media would do well to report and inform the truth to people rather than focus on building narratives that suit their paymasters in the political arena. Politicians would be advised to focus on their primary job which is to work for the welfare of the state and subjects rather than working to expand fault lines and stoke divisive tendencies within the country.
This article was first published in Rightlog.in on May 30, 2017 under the title: “You are being taken in by the media reports about beef ban, The government report presents an entirely different story” Link to the article on the site is here (Click to read)
Link to the Notification:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxUOtzSmvRPYQU1WclFLdHc3Y2M/view
Image of Cow: http://blog.daum.net/pzkpfw3485/2247962
Manchester arena was rocked by a bomb blast at 10:33 PM (DST; UK), May 23, 2017 killing 22 and seriously wounding 59. Many of those killed or injured in the Manchester Attack were teenagers, children, or their mothers who were exiting the arena after enjoying the Ariana Grande concert and least expected to be the target of a suicide bomber. What followed however was on expected lines. Political leaders expressed their condemnation and promised solidarity and support. Left-leaning commentators talked about the need for solidarity and how this had nothing to do with religion or ideology and security pundits speculated about whether this was one of those lone-wolf attacks. We examine each of these assumptions and attempt to debunk them all.
The most common theory/method employed to make terror attacks look like regular criminal activities is the myth of the Lone Wolf.
Manchester Attack – The myth of the lone wolf:
This theory of the “lone wolf” is being given a quiet and quick burial and that is how it should be. It is time to make it fashionable once again to call a spade, a spade. Mouthing platitudes and condemning terror while sidestepping the key issues of indoctrination, ideology, and the doctrines of Jannat (Paradise) and Jihad will simply not do.
There is an ideology of terror and superiority of one religion/race that is being preached and youngsters indoctrinated and turned into killing machines that needs to be called out if this menace has to be contained if not wiped out. Maajid Nawaaz the founding chairman of the Quilliam foundation, a counter-extremism think tank and himself a reformed Islamist, author of the autobiographical bestseller “Radical” while speaking to Christian Amanpour of CNN highlighted how this myth of “lone-wolf” attacks has to be debunked. He pointed out how research has shown that terrorist attacks are rarely “lone-wolf” if at all.
Studies have shown that up to 80% of all terrorist attacks have Jihadi connections and/or affiliations that have led to the radicalization and indoctrination of the individual or individuals before these people get to the “point of operational capability”. He went on to add that these people “maybe self-starters” but they have come to this point after being under the sway of the insidious ideology of Islamism and Jihadism and therefore are never really “alone”.
He specifically identified three reasons for the perpetuation of the “lone wolf” theory:
Therefore the term “lone-wolf” is a misnomer and is used only as a convenient way to cover up intelligence lapses and political expediency. It is also an easy way to look the other way and not confront the uncomfortable truth of what is a very real, clear, and present danger – the rapid pace at which sections of the global Muslim community are being radicalized and indoctrinated. The fight is not against Muslims but against an ideology that if unchecked will spell doom for the world at large.
Manchester Attack – The ideological conundrum:
Why is it so difficult to acknowledge that there is a problem? Why is it acceptable to criticize Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism but not OK to criticize Islam? Why is it so difficult to understand that criticizing Islam is NOT the same as victimizing Muslims? Let us examine this present case – As per the Telegraph, Salman Abedi was born in Manchester and not in an ISIS stronghold. He was a British citizen who did not think twice before taking the lives of his own countrymen. His parents fled to the UK to escape persecution under Gaddafi.
He worshipped in a mosque that had in the past been accused of raising funds for Jihadist causes. His parents had moved back to Libya in 2011 after Gaddafi’s death and Salman Abedi’s visits to Libya increased in frequency. The imam of the mosque called Abedi a “dangerous” man who showed him the “face of hate” and that he was not surprised that it had come to this pass. The question however is why did the imam who was so sure that Abedi was a “dangerous” man, not report him to the police and/or the authorities? Shouldn’t red flags have gone up within MI6 and the police department when they (by their own admission) knew about Abedi’s frequent visits to Libya? Shouldn’t he have been under closer scrutiny or better still placed under preventive arrest after he had returned from his latest trip to Libya?
The Telegraph in the same report quotes one Lina Ahmed, 21, as saying: “They are a Libyan family and they have been acting strangely. A couple of months ago he [Salman Abedi] was chanting the first kalma [Islamic prayer] really loudly in the street. He was chanting in Arabic”. The signs were there for all to see but none acted.
Clearly, there is an ideology that is turning young Muslims into violent Jihadists who are willing to die and slaughter in the name of this ideology – this ideology is the ideology of Islamism (Islamic militancy and fundamentalism) and needs to be called out for what it is and tackled on a war footing. Calling it out is not bigotry and does not in any way victimize Muslims and is certainly not an attack on Islam and if pointing to fundamentalism and bigotry in other religions is acceptable then so should this be as well.
Manchester Attack – Platitudes will no longer suffice
Meaningless platitudes and calls for solidarity and support simply will not do. It is not all right to go back to our lives after a few candle light marches and all-night vigils at the site of the bombing(s). We can no longer pretend that this is normal and the odd terror attack in big cities is par for the course.
The SITE Intel Group which puts out security news with regard to Jihadist/Far-right and Far-left ideologies put out the following English language version of the ISIS which claimed responsibility for the Manchester bombing. The moot point here is not whether this was an ISIS sponsored bombing, rather what is important is to read the language used – specifically the reference to “Khilafah” (Caliphate), “Crusaders” meaning Christians, Mushrikins meaning “Idolators” calling the concert “shameless” and praying that Allah would visit more severe punishment on the “worshippers of the cross and their allies”
You can seal your borders, ban migration, pass all the laws you want but unless you take steps to prevent the spread of this pernicious ideology you will not be able to prevent another Manchester. All it requires is a fundamentalist Imam with a mic, or a crazed jihadi preacher with a broadband connection – This is the problem global leaders, security agencies, and law enforcement agencies have to address now.
This article featured in Rightlog.in on May 24, 2017 under the title: “One method employed to make terror attacks look like regular criminal activities”. Link to that article is here: (Click here)
This article first appeared in Rightlog.in under the same title on May 23, 2017. The link to that article is here (Click to read)
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) submission yesterday (Monday, May 23, 2017) to the Supreme Court where it told the Supreme Court (SC) that Muslim men resorting to ‘Triple Talaq’ will face “social boycott” and that Qazis will be asked to advise bridegrooms at the time of marriage to refrain from this practice is, to put it mildly nothing more than an eyewash. By changing the goalpost and refusing to state categorically that it would abolish the abominable practice of Tripe Talaq the AIMPLB has shown that it continues to be caught in a time warp and refuses to take even the basic steps required to ensure gender equality within its own community.
Last Thursday, just before the SC concluded the hearing on the case and reserved its judgement on the validity of the practice of Triple Talaq, the AIMPLB had submitted before the court that it did not want the practice to continue and that it would come up with a draft advisory on the practice. The salient points of this advisory that was presented to the court yesterday are listed below:
The apex court is expected to go over this advisory before taking a decision. On a casual perusal of this advisory one would be tempted to think that this is a shift from the earlier rigid position taken by the AIMPLB where it questioned the authority of the court to adjudicate in a matter of “religion and faith” and had requested the court to allow the Muslim community to find a solution to the issue from within.
However, a more careful consideration of the points would show that this is nothing more than eyewash. The court is examining the validity of Triple Talaq. It is not discussing with the Muslim community on the steps to be taken to make Triple Talaq less rigid. By coming up with an advisory that is nothing more than a reiteration of the practice Triple Talaq and by emphasizing the tenets of Shariat the AIMPLB is in effect cocking a snook at the Constitution of the country, the Executive, and the Judiciary.
This shifting of the goal post and attempt at obfuscation was expected given that the AIMPLB is being represented by such luminaries as Kapil Sibal and Ejaz Maqbool.
Most importantly, Tripe Talaq has no place in a modern, supposedly secular and plural India. Further, it goes against Article-14 of the constitution which guarantees “Right to Equality” and states “…equality before the law and equal protection against discrimination within the territory of India…” (bold for emphasis) and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of Religion, Race, Caste, Place of birth, and Sex.
The AIMPLB by refusing to acknowledge the supremacy of the Constitution of India and by continuing to hark back to the Shariat, is playing a dangerous game that threatens to destroy the secular fabric of the country. The Supreme Court and the GOI would be well advised to not fall into the trap of agreeing to this advisory as that would mean an admission of failure and nothing short of a repeat of the Shah Bano episode.
The abolition of Triple Talaq would not only mean “righting” a historic wrong but also be the first step towards the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) which is at the very heart of making India truly secular
This article first appeared in Rightlog.in on May 20, 2017 under the title: “Urban Naxals: The most dreadful criminal of modern India” Link to that article is here (Click to read)
Podiyam Panda a Maoist operative and terrorist recently (May-9) surrendered to the Chhattisgarh police. Panda is alleged to have been involved in the dastardly massacre of 25 CPRF Jawans in April. Soon Panda was singing and leaving the over ground Maoist-sympathizers, supporters, and ideologues red-faced and running for cover.
Panda soon after his surrender started singing like a canary. He specifically took the names of Delhi University (DU) Professor of Sociology Nandini Sundar and Bela Bhatia a former Associate Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS, Delhi) and an Honorary Visiting Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay.
In November 2016, Nandini Sundar was also named in a murder case along with 10 others in the murder of a tribal in Sukma district. She has been accused of instigating the murder and also of having travelled to the region under a false name, Richa Keshav.
Bela Bhatia the other co-accused has not come out with any statement but has been a long-term activist and overt supporter of the Maoists. She is presently based in the Bastar region for “research” purposes. It is again incidental that her partner is Jean Dreze, Belgian-born Indian citizen and a development economist associated with the Ranchi University and the Delhi School Economics. Jean Dreze is also the same person who was a member of the disastrous National Advisory Council (NAC) of UPA-1 and 2 that functioned as the de facto “Prime Minster” with the de jure PM Manmohan Singh being side-lined by this extra constitutional body that reported to Sonia Gandhi directly.
The point really is not about the extent of truth but rather about whether there is any truth at all and if the criterion be that even an iota of truth is enough to indict these ideologues, then this really is an open and shut case. What are a Professor and a Researcher doing dallying with hard core militants whose professed aim is to overthrow the democratically elected government of India?
These two are not the only ones. Recently DU Professor GN Saibaba was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Maharashtra for “waging war against the State” and for providing ideological and logistical support to the Maoists.
The need for intellectual heft and urban naxalism:
Naom Chomsky in one of his lectures “The great soul of power” said “The history of intellectuals is written by intellectuals, so not surprisingly, they are portrayed as defenders of rights and justice, upholding the highest values and confronting power with admirable courage and integrity” It is this feeling of intellectual superiority that is at the heart of what drives these intellectuals to lend their voice and much more to the Maoists attempts at overthrowing the Indian state.
To them, the Maoists are “freedom fighters” fighting for the rights of the land and the people against the unholy might of the state and therefore anything they do including brutal killings, torture, and massacre shall be justified as a defense against the massive oppression of the state.
For the Maoists, these intellectuals provide them with the perfect weapon to hit at the state. Sections of the intelligentsia consisting of people drawn from academia, journalists, and writers/authors are the perfect foil because they can direct and change public opinions and perceptions under the cover of their supposed intellectual heft while enjoying relative immunity within a democratic and free setup – this is the FOE and FOS drama that is often played out in an attempt to mask their real agenda.
Several articles and campaigns run by these self-proclaimed intellectuals like Arundhati Roy for example are nothing more than thinly veiled propaganda pieces that push the insidious agenda of these militants, completely lacking in balance and the principles of truth and justice.
The Maoist documents clearly state the need to build a strong base in cities that operate at three levels – secret, semi-open, open and legal. The Maoist insurgency and terror survives in the deep forests only and only because of the moral, intellectual, social, logistical, legal, and ideological support provided by the “Urban Naxals” who have over the years inserted themselves into academia, mainstream media (MSM), and even positions of power within the administration.
As we have seen without the overt and covert support provided by the “urban naxals” the Maoist movement would collapse like a pack of cards. The root of the problem lies in the cities and the government is mistaken in focusing only on the forests. The government would be well advised to tackle the urban naxals first – attack the root and the tree is bound to fall, chopping away at the branches is only an attempt at “pruning” the problem and is bound to fail.
For a permanent solution, the roots have to be tackled – they have to be defeated at their own game through a concerted effort that combines awareness, propaganda, rule-of-law, social boycott, and taking the necessary steps to remove these people from positions of influence and power. What are terrorist ideologues doing in our Schools and Colleges? If they are not removed now, they will inject their venom deep into the system and destroy it from within much like the wood termites that can silently and surely bore through the largest trees. These ideologues and Maoist sympathizers are against the very idea of India and the sooner they are prevented from causing any further damage to the body polity of our nation the better. The question though is this: Is the government listening?
This article first appeared in Rightlog.in on May 13, 2017, under the title “That’s it, we reached the melting point. At a minimum, the following need to be done at the earliest”. The link to that article is here: (Click to read)
Lt. Ummer Fayaz Parry was killed twice – once when he was riddled with bullets, his lifeless body discarded like a rag and the second time when some unconfirmed reports from the valley suggested that some “misguided” youth pelted stones at the vehicle carrying his lifeless body to his ultimate resting place. Be that as it may, what we are witnessing in a small pocket of Kashmir is not kashmiriyat but Islamism.
The false narrative perpetuated by the “usual suspects” – a motley club of the left-liberal cabal, opportunistic politicians, and the co-opted journalists living in an echo chamber of this, being an unequal fight between a group of “misguided” youth fighting with sticks and stones against the might of the Indian army armed to its teeth with modern weapons needs to be junked and given an unceremonious burial in an unmarked grave.
The cold blooded killing of Lt. Ummer Fayaz is a watershed moment in more ways than one. For a start, in one sense the terrorists killed “one of their own” – Ummer Fayaz epitomized the true essence of “Kashmiriyat” someone who chose India over Pakistan, service to the nation over terrorism, a difficult life in the army versus a life of relative comfort as an engineer.
The terrorists by killing an unarmed man when he was on leave and was taking part in a family marriage function crossed the last line of tolerance. There has been an unwritten rule in the Kashmir valley that unarmed members of the defense forces and their family members were not to be targeted. This brutal killing of Ummer Fayaz comes close on the heels of the cold blooded murder of five policemen and two bank guards by terrorists owing allegiance to the Hizbul Mujahideen.
All seven killed were local Muslims – Kashmiris who believed in the idea of India. This brutal killing has the imprints of the Pak hand all over it in its brutality, ruthlessness, and the torture and mutilation that was seems to have happened both ante and post mortem.
Born on June 8, 1994 in the little hamlet of Sursanoo located in Yaripora village of Kulgam district Ummer was a bright boy who completed his schooling from the Goodwill Army School in Pahalgam.
His father Fayaz Ahmed Parry an apple farmer had big dreams – he wanted his son to become a pilot. Ummer himself was preparing for the All India Engineering Entrance Examination having performed exceptionally well in his 12th standard examination securing 96% but qualified for the National Defence Academy (NDA). Despite his father telling him about his dream and despite having prepared for the Engineering Entrance Exams, Ummer chose a career in the army over everything else.
He performed exceptionally well in the NDA training as well and was posted as an officer in the second battalion of the Rajputana Rifles. He was on leave to attend his cousin’s wedding and was not afraid of going back home because he thought that he “knew” the people back home and there was nothing to worry. The unkindest cut is the fact that he was betrayed and stabbed in the back by some of his “own” people.
The local Hizbul Mujahideen is suspected to be involved in this killing – the very same group that was headed earlier by Burhan Wani who was killed by the army last year. The muted condemnation and the lack of outrage exhibited by the so called moderate separatists of the Hurriyat conference, their paid rabble rousers, and those of the left cabal living in their own echo chambers at the death of Lt. Ummer Fayaz Parry stands in stark contrast to the outrage and noise that they generated when a terrorist like Burhan Wani was shot dead.
We had journalists write moving eulogies about the “poor headmaster’s son” the great “social media phenomenon” who was unjustly “martyred” by the army. The echo chambers that reverberated then are strangely silent today or perhaps not strangely, given their obvious dislike of the Indian state and more importantly the present dispensation at the center and the state.
This killing of an unarmed army officer more than any other event is a true watershed moment politically, militarily, strategically, and tactically for the army as well as the NDA government both at the center and in partnership with the PDP at the State level. It is not enough to make the right noises and promise retribution through the army.
It is time the necessary steps are taken to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the valley and bring it back to normal at the earliest. Failure to do so would mean a failure to fulfill the mandate that the people gave them.
At a minimum the following need to be done at the earliest:
-Give a free hand to the army and the local police to deal ruthlessly with the terrorists – something on the lines of what was done under Mr. KPS Gill in Punjab during the eighties
-Refuse to have any talks with sympathizers and covert supporters of terrorists – moderate or otherwise
-Place all leaders of the Hurriyat and similar organizations under house arrest and revoke their Indian passports and prevent their free travel within India or outside India.
-Clearly differentiate between the disgruntled elements within the population and those who have been radicalized – take the strictest action against the radicalized elements and look at bringing the disgruntled elements into the mainstream by offering jobs and/or opportunities to set up their own businesses.
-Clearly state that no talks would be held (a) till the time terrorism is completely wiped out (b) with Pakistan or sympathizers of Pakistan (c) without representatives from the Kashmiri Pundit community and those from Jammu and Ladakh included as equal stakeholders in the dispute (d) till the time it is clearly accepted by all stakeholders that Kashmir has, is, and will always remain an integral part of India.
-Take the necessary steps to revoke article 370 of the constitution which was only a temporary provision under the constitution at the time it was introduced
-Start the process of rehabilitating and re-populating the valley with the Kashmiri Pundits to correct the ethnic imbalance and turn the tables on the jihadi elements within the valley. These settlements should be initially under army protection.
-Declare a state of emergency in those parts of Kashmir that have been most affected and are facing the worst terrorist attacks.
This interview first appeared on May 12, 2017 in Rightlog.in under the same title. The link to the site is here: (Click to read)
We spoke to her about her many interests, her politics, and what drives her. Read on to get an insight into her personality and her passion to work for the people of Karnataka.
This interview was conducted via email and validated through a telephonic conversation
Rightlog (RL): You certainly have your fingers in several pies – actor, dancer, lawyer, columnist, and spokesperson for Karnataka BJP – have I left out anything? Do you really find the time to pursue all of these?
Malavika Avinash (MA): I hail from a traditional Iyer family so perhaps the flair for classical arts came naturally, though I must say my parents ensured that an education in fine arts received the same importance as conventional education right from my formative years. As for acting, it stemmed from my dance. I, in fact, started as a child artiste at the age of 8. It became a full-fledged profession after college. I studied law to become a politician because when I peep into my farthest memory, I have always wanted to be a politician. So I can say, Politics is by design, acting by accident. My father though hoped that I’d be the first Woman Chief Justice of the SC of India. Now, more than ever before Politics (my first love) has become the mainstay while all other activities are complimentary.
RL: Politically you shot into the limelight when you campaigned for the BJP in Bellary during the high-profile contest between Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj. Was that your first foray into politics? Tell us how that experience was.
MA: When I was a child, listening to “Desh Raag” made me emotional. This may sound metaphorical but I don’t know how else to decode my strong sense of Nationalism…So, when (an Italian born) Sonia Gandhi arrived on our soil, in my State Karnataka to fight an election in 1999, the first thought was to do whatever little, alilu seve* (as they say in Kannada) to prevent her victory & help a nationalist like Sushmaji win. I was already a popular actor by then… but I will always cherish the electrifying experience of campaigning with and for a leader as tall & inspiring as Sushmaji so early in life! I was barely 23 years old. Subsequently, I also campaigned for the BJP in 2004.
*A reference to the squirrel in the Ramayana which did its bit, helping Rama in building the Rama-Setu – the bridge to Lanka
RL: You also had a brief stint with the JDS. How was that experience and what made you shift to the BJP?
MA: I will draw a corollary for you. Say, you are unhappy about something your mother said, or did, or heard so from someone that she did. You get angry, upset & go to your next door aunt’s house who offers you coffee. After an hour, good sense prevails & you go back home. JD(S) was technically 6-8 months but in my mind & heart, it was over & done with, within a month. I never belonged there.
RL: Coming to the BJP, there has been a lot of dirty linen that has been washed in public – something that is rare to see in a cadre-based party like the BJP. I am referring to the public spat between your two top state leaders – Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa. What are your thoughts? Is the Central leadership working on a patch-up?
MA: BJP is a party that stands for both discipline and internal democracy. Our Prime Minister has also many a time reminded us, the cadre that they should not speak out of turn.
RL: We have been hearing a lot about your probable candidacy from the K.R. Nagar Constituency. In fact, the local press was full of this news, running banner headlines last week. So, tell us should we expect to see you as a Candidate, an MLA, a Minister perhaps in 2018?
MA: I honestly am not aware of how & where from the news originated. All I remember is receiving a copy of the Kannada Prabha two weeks ago which did a screaming headline on the subject. Actually, 2013 is when I commenced full-time work for the party and since then, I have been the official spokeswoman besides being a star campaigner in the General elections, MLC elections, local body elections & by-elections touring the entire State for several months. None of the official responsibilities that I render now was sought by me. I simply perform to my fullest capacity and as directed by the leadership. If the party leadership believes that I should be fielded, I will be more than happy to represent the party. After all, the prospect of being a people’s representative is every karyakarta’s dream. Also, Mysuru being the cultural capital of the State has a rich heritage and a solid foundation of Governance laid down by the Royals. However, KR Constituency in particular & Mysuru, in general, have been let down by the incumbent Congress MLA, Somshekhar & this Government. This is despite the fact that CM Siddaramaiah hails from Mysuru. Tourism which is Mysuru’s pride deserves to be viewed from a modern & development-oriented perspective. Slipping from the top position to number 5 in cleanliness (this year) is a clear pointer to what has gone wrong. Forget large projects, even an easily implementable & much required Dasara Abhivrudhdhi Pradhikara still remains on paper. Since Avinash my husband hails from Mysuru, in my 15 years of marriage, no month has gone by when we haven’t visited Mysuru to meet with family members. If fielded, Mysuru’s culture & tradition is such that I am confident the people will welcome Mysuru’s Sose (daughter-in-law) with open arms. Having said that, my being fielded or not will in no way determine my sincerity or commitment to the party which shall remain perpetual. The leadership is the best judge of how a karyakarta’s talent is to be utilised for the betterment of the party.
RL: You continue to be active in Movies and Television. You also write a column for Vijaya Karnataka. Has your political affiliation at any time come in the way of you expressing your opinions freely or in choosing projects to work on?
MA: Initially I was very choosy about the characters I portrayed on television. In this I was fortunate to have mentors like TN Seetaram who offered me memorable characters like Malavika in Mayamruga or Gargi in Manvantara, or Madhavi Patel – IPS in Mukta and K. Balachander who cast me in and as “Anni” – all characters strong protagonists who became role models for society. I have walked out of projects and argued with directors when I felt that the character or lines were anti-women. I vividly remember cops saluting me on the street when I was playing the role of an IPS officer and an elderly gentlemen asking, “I do know you are a lawyer, when did you complete your IPS?” Such was the impact of TN Seetaram’s series, that even senior Judges and reigning politicians were avid viewers.
The late CM of TN Jayalalithaaji, (although CM at that time) would watch my “Anni” each night before retiring for the day. Although I have played the role of a villain and also tried my hand at comedy, I believe that I am most respected for the idealistic characters I have played. No one writes such characters for TV anymore. Most satisfying however has been “Baduku Jataka Bandi”, the longest running reality show that evolved with time into an Alternate Dispute Resolution Forum for domestic issues and as a platform for discussing burning social issues, which brought together all the three that are close to my heart – women, law & media, not to mention a forum where I could be myself.
As for writing, somehow my editors have been very accommodative and do not edit a word of what I write which has mostly dwelt on the interface between women, law, and media with Hindu Nationalism at its core.
RL: Your husband Avinash is himself a very popular actor both in movies/theatre and a veteran in South Indian Cinema. Do dinner-time conversations revolve around politics at all or is it art that dominates your conversation?
MA: Avinash became a Swayam Sevak at the age of 8 or 9, his formative years being spent in the shadow of stalwarts during the Emergency Movement like Yadav Rao Joshiji, Su Ramanna, H.V.Sheshadriji, Narahariji, Jagannath Rao Joshiji. He fondly recalls memories of drawing the “Deepa Or Lamp” the erstwhile Bharatiya Janasangh’s symbol, all night on the streets & walls of Mysuru at the behest of his brother, Yelandur Ranganath (who at 79 is still an active Swayam Sevak) knowing fully well that their candidate may not even get back his deposit. He is as fierce a nationalist as I am if not more and a keen follower of our PM. He and my entire family were very troubled with my flirting with JD(S) and relieved when I returned “home”. Although he has never been interested in joining politics, invariably the news channels blare through the evening at home. But our day invariably ends with us watching one or two classics of world cinema each night. This is a practice we have followed since the day of our marriage.
RL: The Siddaramaiah government is going to be completing 5 years in office. What is your assessment of his and the Congress’ tenure?
MA: Siddaramaiah was perceived to be a torch-bearer of Lohiawaada by the media and intelligentsia, not so much a typical Congressman. But in his 4 years as CM, he has proved to be more Congressman than any traditional congressman, with his Bhagya “brand” of appeasement politics. Be it the display of arrogance of power when it comes to dealing with even senior officials or the callousness with which he is handling the drought situation – farmer suicides are the worst the State has faced in 30 years… and he has been shifting the blame entirely onto the Central Govt. Instead, his Government should have dealt with it on a war footing including the drought and acute water crisis… but instead he blames his officials while he chooses to watch 2 films back-to-back – Bahubali at ₹1050 a ticket.
The failure of Law & order is a hard reality; criminals and mafia are on the loose. We have had 6,400 murders in 4 years including 18 political killings of BJP & RSS workers, so much so that even IAS officers like DC Priyanka Mary Francis & AC Shilpa Nag of Udupi face physical attacks on their lives from the sand mafia, not to mention the humungous corruption…landing Karnataka with the no 1 rank on the most corrupt state chart, enormous cash recoveries from ED raids on his ministers, furthermore he conveniently chooses to hand over all cases of corruption against his ministers to the ACB (Anti-corruption bureau) functioning under himself. He has not only fooled the people with his Bhagya schemes, he has denied the people of the State their due by scuttling central schemes, by not disbursing the ₹1,748 crore drought relief package among others, being a reluctant participant in the Niti Aayog and at a personal level, attacking the PM and using unacceptable language. The Congress Government in Karnataka since 2013 for the average Kannadiga is a seamless continuation of the UPA (I-II) misrule along with corruption at a micro-level.
RL: Most political pundits were predicting a BJP win in 2018. The twin debacles in Nanjangud and Gundlupet seem to have recalibrated their views. How confident are you of a BJP victory and is the 150-seat mark still an achievable target?
MA: The by-election for an opposition party in any State is always an unequal battle with all the weight of the Government machinery behind the ruling party. BJP however, achieved resounding victories in Hebbal & Devadurga by-elections. Plus, considering that we have never won elections in Nanjangud & Gundlupet, our vote share this time has increased sizeably. These elections are not pointers to the general elections. Given the failures of the present State Government, commendable work rendered by the 2008-2013 BJP Government in the State, the path-breaking work of the Modi Government at the centre, and with BS Yeddyurappa’s dynamic leadership we are sure to come back to power in Karnataka. One must also give due credence to the meticulousness with which our PM and Party National President have planned and executed various elections since 2014 – nearly 70% of the land mass in the country is ruled by either the BJP or the BJP in coalition with another party and this is no mean achievement.
RL: You are also on the Governing Board of Kalakshetra, Chennai. Tell us how that came about and what are your responsibilities as a member?
MA: The Kalakshetra Foundation which was established 80 years ago in Chennai by Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale is recognised by the Government of India as an institution of National importance. It houses two Higher Secondary Schools, a full-fledged weaving & crafts unit, and the world famous Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts spread over 100 acres.
Our Governing Board is presently chaired by the Former CEC, Sri. N.Gopalaswami and for a dancer like me it’s an honour to have been appointed to the board by the Ministry of Culture, GOI. The disheartening part though is that the UPA’s corruption has managed to rub off even on institutions of culture and arts. As you may be aware, Kalakshetra was embroiled in various cases of corruption & maladministration during the tenure of the UPA-appointed director Lela Samson against whom now the CAG has instituted an inquiry. So, since Nov 2015 when our Board was appointed we have been actively engaged in returning this great institution back to its lost glory.
RL: Finally any thoughts, message for the people of Karnataka?
MA: Ours is the state that represents the legacy of Basavanna whose Anubhava Mantapa was perhaps the earliest Democratic Parliament that mankind has known providing equal participation to the downtrodden and the learned, to every community and most importantly to women in Governance. Kannada is a language with 8 Jnanapith awardees in its kitty and has also been conferred with the status of a classical language.
This article first appeared in Rightlog.in under the same title. Link to the article on the site is here: (Click to read)
As the government mulls over what changes should be brought into the education system in India and is in the process of formulating a new National Education Policy (NEP) even as commentators of various hues have gone into a frenzy discussing what should go in and what should be junked with a few alarmists predictably raising the bogey of “Saffronization” it is perhaps pertinent to recall that 2,800 years ago, circa 800 BC, a gigantic and grand University existed in a place called Takshashila (Takshila).
The ruins of Takshashila exist in present-day Pakistan but during its heyday this University housed more than 10,500 students and offered over 68 subjects spanning the Vedas, languages, grammar, philosophy, medicine, surgery, archery, politics, warfare, astronomy, accounts, commerce, documentation, music, and dance to name just a few. Master scholars like Kautilya, Panini, Jivak, and Vishnu Sharma were part of the faculty at this University teaching students from Babylon, Greece, Syria, and China.
The Nalanda University which flourished from 500 AD to 1,193 AD till it was razed by the Turks under Bakthyar Khilji even conducted an extremely difficult entrance examination that had a pass-rate of 3 out of 10 students! The Nalanda University transcended ethnic and national boundaries with students from China, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Persia, and Turkey passing through its portals. When its Dharma Gunj (Mountain of knowledge) library was set ablaze it burned for several months – so huge was the collection of books and manuscripts.
Why is all this important? It is important because so few (even those in the area of policy making and governance) know about the rich educational, historical, and cultural heritage of our country.
Educational policies and pedagogy that do not take into consideration (a) the heritage and history of the land (b) instill pride in students of their rich heritage (c) frame policies that are rooted in the culture of the land but global in reach and outlook and (d) inculcate values and competencies that can help in nation building will only continue to perpetuate the inadequacies of past education policies.
PM Narendra Modi has set a deadline of end-2017 and the HRD minister Mr. Prakash Javadekar has his job cut out.
The work for Mr. Javadekar and his deputy Mahendranath Pandey decidedly got more difficult as they have decided to junk the recommendations of the TSR Subramanian committee that was constituted during the tenure of earlier HRD minister Smriti Irani on the premise that these recommendations were a “mere compilation” of old reports. With Mr. Javadekar announcing that a new committee will be constituted to look into the changes to NEP it remains to be seen if the deadline will actually be met.
Although the fact remains that governments are well within their rights in accepting or rejecting recommendations the government would be well advised to not junk all of the recommendations of the TSR Subramanian committee. This is particularly important in the light of the fact that this government is already into its third year in office and cannot be seen to be vacillating on one of its key promises to its constituency. Constituting a new committee that will look into the recommendations afresh and come up with a new set of recommendations would mean that little to nothing would be implemented in this term of office and that would be truly an opportunity lost.
Below is a list of recommendations that the government needs to look at bringing into the education system at the earliest and with no further delay. Committees and white papers can always be prepared and revisions brought in later (if needed). Some though not all of these recommendations are also included in the TSR committee.
The time for this government to act is now without any further delay and/or indulging in meaningless exercises of constituting committee after committed. Now is as good a time as any.
Karnataka has for long been BJPs “Southern Gateway” – the first and only state south of the Vindhyas where the BJP has a strong electoral and political presence. BJP even held power for five years from 2008 through 2013 with Yeddyurappa as CM. Despite a drubbing at the hustings in the State polls held in 2013, the BJP made a strong comeback bagging 17 of 28 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections riding a Modi-led Tsunami that swept all in its wake.
Karnataka goes to the polls in 2018 and the State and Central BJP were confident that the BJP would come back to power on the back of a dismal performance by incumbent CM Siddaramaiah. However if recent events are any indication then the BJP is in for a very tough fight if not a rude shock. The claims of winning 150 seats in 2018 ring hollow as the BJP is caught up in infighting and rebellion.
The loss in Nanjangud and Gundlupet bye-elections would have stung the BJP – it was no ordinary loss, it was a comprehensive defeat by huge margins to the Congress and goes against the popular mood across the nation in favour of the BJP. Clearly, Siddaramaiah has dug his heels in and the support from people of his community, the Kurubas remains strong.
Second, the bitter and public spat between the two top state leaders of the BJP, Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa the former the sitting BJP state party president and the latter the Leader of the opposition in the State Assembly has created rifts within the state unit and given sleepless nights to National President Amit Shah and BJP National General Secretary and state in-charge Muralidhar Rao.
On Tuesday, May-2 Yeddyurappa cocked a snook at the Eshwarappa camp by appointing V. Srinivasa Prasad as Vice President of the State unit of the BJP. Srinivasa Prasad is a recent entrant into the BJP from the Congress and the very same man who lost the Nanjangud bye-polls a few weeks ago. This ill-advised move by Yeddyurappa is only going to add fuel to the fire and increase the infighting within the party.
To understand why the central BJP and the Modi-Shah combine are putting up with the antics of Yeddyurappa and are seen to be siding with him in the internecine battle of wits between him and Eshwarappa, one has to understand the caste equations within the State of Karnataka and how they impact the poll prospects of political parties.
The Karnataka Caste equation:
Note: The above chart relies on old caste census data and not the new census data that was commissioned by the Siddaramaiah government because this new data has been the subject of much controversy and has not been universally accepted by experts as well as several bodies within the State.
The Lingayats (18%) and the Vokkaligas (16%) have long been the dominant castes in Karnataka. While it could be argued that the lower castes form the majority (SC + ST = 24%), this has not played out on the ground. The lower castes may outnumber the Lingayats and Vokkaligas, but not one has occupied the CM seat including stalwart backward leaders like late B. Basavalingappa and M. Malliakrjuna Kharge.
Of the 22 CMs since independence, 8 have been Lingayats, 8 Vokkaligas, 2 Brahmins, and 4 belonging to the OBC category. The Lingayat community right up to 1990 was strongly behind the Congress. However the sacking that year of the powerful Lingayat leader and CM Veerendra Patil by late Rajiv Gandhi led to a majority of the Lingayat community moving away from the Congress to the BJP.
Yeddyurappa who is a Lingayat has for long used this to his advantage and he is in fact only the second CM besides JH Patel of the JDS from the Lingayat community to have occupied the CMs post in the last two decades since 1990. Past history has shown that the Lingayats and the Vokkaligas vote largely on community lines and not on party lines – This is probably the reason why the central BJP leadership is wary of disciplining Yeddyurappa particularly when the 2018 assembly elections are just round the corner. Although the shrewd Amit Shah has been working on the ground with tacit support from the RSS in an attempt to build a rainbow coalition in favour of the BJP from amongst the lower castes it is still too early to rock the boat and hence the long rope for Yeddyurappa.
Eshwarappa – the other factor:
Eshwarappa, the former Deputy Chief Minister and present leader of the opposition in the Assembly is in the forefront of the rebellion against Yeddyurappa.
Eshwarappa is a Kuruba (the same caste as present CM Siddaramaiah) and was nursing ambitions of becoming the main leader within the Karnataka BJP. The re-entry of Yeddyurappa and his immediate elevation to the post of party president has upset his applecart.
The central leadership is understandably upset with his public display of displeasure and his “Save BJP” campaign. As BJP National General Secretary and state in-charge Muralidhar Rao noted “Discussing party issues on the streets is not healthy; there is internal democracy in the party to discuss any issue.”
Eshwarappa also holds Yeddyurappa directly responsible for his (Eshwarappa’s) humiliating defeat in the 2013 state elections from Shivamogga (Both Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa are from Shivamogga).
Although the central BJP has been critical of Eshwarappa and has also stripped 4 of his alleged loyalists from key party posts, it has stopped short of initiating any direct action against Eshwarappa as they are wary of losing Kuruba support and also because Eshwarappa has had a long association with the BJP going back to his student days in the ABVP and then the erstwhile Jana Sangh.
BL Santosh – the RSS factor:
BL Santosh an RSS Pracharak and nominee to the State BJP is the third factor. He has been openly blamed by Yeddyurappa as the man behind the present rebellion in the State BJP. It is believed that Santosh was the person who had recommended to the Central Leadership in 2011 that Yeddyurappa had to be replaced by someone with a “clean” record following former Lokayukta head Santosh Hegde’s indictment of Yeddyurappa in a slew of corruption cases involving illegal mining and land deals.
Yeddyurappa knows that he cannot take on BL Santosh from within the party and therefore has come out in the open with his accusations against the latter of engineering the Eshwarappa-led rebellion
Whether or not Santhosh has engineered the Eshwarappa rebellion the fact remains that he is a Pracharak that the BJP cannot afford to offend for now. This explains why, although Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa were summoned to New Delhi and read the riot act and asked to behave, no action was taken against the latter.
The BJP state executive is scheduled to meet on May 6 and 7 at Mysuru. Central ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and District Presidents (640 party members in total) are all expected to participate in this crucial meeting. The state-in-charge Muralidhar Rao has his work cut out. If the BJP does not bury its internal differences, unite under one leader and project a united front to the people of Karnataka in 2018 they are in serious danger of committing Harakiri and may well snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Politically Right Views (Ramesh Venkatraman) 