Tuesday 22 April 2014

WHY LOKSATTA PARTY SHOULD NOT SUPPORT MODI


LSP in supporting Modi has gone to an extent, which for the first time in the political history that a party in its own ads has been campaigning for another party’s leader. A poster which reads “Nation needs Modi, Hyderabad needs JP”. One has to remember that there is no alliance between these parties.

Is it right for Loksatta, a Party with a difference to support Modi? Let us have a close look.

The purpose of politics is to bring in peace. Development and wellbeing of the people are the byproducts or consequent of peace. And for any political party it should be on its priority to do so. Unfortunately BJP has a bad track record of it. To substantiate, its core agenda itself is based on divisive nature, right from its inception in the form Bharatiya Jan Sangh.

Now its PM candidate Narendra Modi himself having the history of allegedly allowing or accentuating the Gujarat riots, 2002, where in around 1000 people died and thousands others injured and displaced. For this, Modi cannot shed his accountability and responsibility having his own cabinet ministers been convicted for the riots.

There is an argument that it has been 10 years and from then there is no single incidence of violence. We shall not mistake the duty and responsibility for virtue and achievement. That cannot, any way write off the past misdeeds.

If 2002 riots was age old incident, then out of Gujarat, under BJP what about the periodical incidents be it Kandhamal riots of 2008 (where in 38 people were killed and the violence damaged around 1400 homes and 80 worship places) and Muzaffarnagar riots which resulted in around 60 deaths and let 50 thousand people displaced.

In both cases BJP MLAs were instrumental in brewing the violence. In the latter case, two of the party members charge sheeted were facilitated on the dais shared by Modi himself and as a token of appreciation are now accorded with MP tickets.

Identity politics, in NDA coalition doesn’t end there. Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navanirman Sena, Akali Dal, PMK(Paattali Makkal Katchi) and its sister organizations Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and RSS have been with the purpose and track record of divisive, hate and identity politics. 

If all this is about BJP, the party which is supporting it, has from an NGO took shape of a political party to bring in clean politics through systematic change, thus providing an alternative platform to the traditional, identical and corrupt parties. And in its journey with all due credit, irrespective of its minimal electoral success, it has travelled in the self-regulated established path. This though with the baggage of disappointment, has garnered huge credibility, which was an investment to be proved successful in the long run.  Unfortunately the leadership has chosen to forego the long term holistic benefits for the short term limited electoral success.

The 4 yardsticks stipulated by the party for any alliance:
1.       No dynastic succession and rise of genuine leadership
2.       A conscious attempt to reduce the role of vote buying and money power in politics
3.       An agenda focused on economic growth, jobs and opportunities, not short-term freebies and
4.       An effort to unite people, not divide them on caste, religion and region for electoral gains.

From the above, if 1 & 3 are debatable, 2 & 4 perfectly fit as to not to support BJP.

Justification given for the support is to provide stability, corruption free governance and create employment.

First, as rightly mentioned by Dr.Ambedkar “Rights and Liberty of the people are more important than the stability of the government”.  BJP has proven weak track record of providing both to all sections cutting across religion and cast line basis. And if stability is what to be sought then Congress has impeccable record of providing stable governments in the last 66 years. But it is not to be forgotten that Congress has been successful in tagging corruption with stability at national and state (Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra) levels.
Second, BJP has lost all moral authority to talk on corruption free governance by continuing Babubhai Bokharia(multi crore illegal limestone mining), Purshottam Solanki (Rs,400 crore fishing scam) in his cabinet all these days on one side and bringing  Yeddyurappa, Sri Ramulu (key aid of Gali Janardhan Reddy) back in to the party on the other. So we can call BJP lesser corrupt but not corrupt free. 
Third, in the name of Development and creating jobs Modi has encouraged Crony capitalism, losing out natural resources to big corporate houses.

Loksatta Party by supporting BJP has entered into a realm of the parties like Congress, Janta Dal, Rashtriya Janta Dal and so on Started to serve the people, develop the nation but gradually diverted their course, eventually landing up in the business-politics model. If not as bad as these parties, LSP will take a shape of Left Parties, with a notion of “Perfection of ends and confusion of means”.

To conclude, Ideology, like the one of LSP, in case of conflict stays with the right and not convenience. Here the indicating ‘right’ is to fight against these traditional parties but not along with them. By doing so a fight would only be against us. Loksatta Party by supporting BJP has stretched too far for its own good.

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