As cracks appear in BJP's Hindutva agenda, Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel "quits" second time in two months

By A Representative
In a move which has surprised few political observers in Gujarat, chief minister Anandiben Patel on Monday declares her decision to quit the powerful post, which she suggested has not been easy to handle as she succeeded a "towering" Narendra Modi.
She said, succeeding Modi to work as chief minister was “as difficult as counting stars”, though hastening to adds, she has not “fallen back in taking forward the quick pace of development” set by her predecessor.
All knew, Anandiben would quit in November, when she turns 75. The only surprising factor in the whole episode is, she declared her decision on a Facebook post, saying she had offered to quit to top BJP leadership two months earlier, too. Hence, she says, “through this letter (Facebook post), I again ask the party's senior leaders to relieve me.”
Amidst speculations who might succeed, she said in her open letter that she was just “following” the glorious precedence in the party of voluntarily quitting responsibility to allow younger leaders to take over, she said, she turns 75 in November, and believes enough time should be given to the new leader to organize the Vibrant Gujarat business summit in January 2017, and later the assembly elections in December 2017.
What may have expedited Anandiben's decision to quit, which in any case was coming, say observers, is the latest round of Dalit agitation, which for the first time broke a major Hindutva experiment – of driving a wedge between the Dalits and the Muslims, begun two decades ago, reaching a zenith in 2002 Gujarat riots.

Vijay Rupani: Front runner

Cow vigilantes, ideological cohorts of the BJP-Sangh Parivar, had attacked Dalits in Una, leading Dalits to “find friends” among Muslims, seen by the Hindutva brigade as the main antagonists of cow protection.
The latest round of Dalit agitation in Sabarmati on Sunday saw at least a thousand Muslims participate in an agitation, with Mufti Abdul Qayyum, acquitted by the Supreme Court from charges of terrorism in the Akshardham attack of September 2012, participating in the event. As he came to the stage, there were slogans of “Dalit-Muslim ekta zindabadad”.
Even more interesting was when Dalits belonging to the area next to the Naroda-Patiya, where one of the ghastliest massacre of Muslims took place in 2002, took out a silent rally on July 27, tying scarf on their head, said to be as a mark of protest against the “betrayal” they had suffered at the hands of the Vashwa Hindu Parishad. Many described it as an attempt of Dalits to “repent” for attacking Muslims.
The Hindutva talk of "Hindu unity" as the main support base for BJP received another setback: Already turned against BJP, Patel agitation leaders began declaring their intention to befriend those considered their main enemies till now in the quota game – the Dalits and the other backward class (OBC). The Gujarat CM failed to control or cajole Patels, agitating for a year now.
Hardik Patel, released from jail, first supported the Dalit agitation, and then said he also “supported” the OBC demand for better facilities to fight backwardness.
Meanwhile, among those who are considered as likely successors of Anandiben who could carry forward Modi's Hindutva agenda, wrapped in the developmental scarf, are India's BJP chief Amit Shah, the right-hand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by state BJP chief Vijay Rupani.
While Shah is ruled out because Modi “requires” him to manage all-India politics, many consider Rupani as the front-runner. An affable leader, he is known to be close to both Shah and Modi.
Other likely options being considered include Ganpat Vasava, speaker of the Gujarat state assembly, and state industries and finance minister Saurabh Patel.
An adivasi from South Gujarat and known for keeping BJP flock together, Vasava's choice, it is believed, might help BJP win tribal votes, an area where the BJP particularly weak. As for Saurabh Patel, a refined politician, known for openly pro-industry stance, but is weak on Hindutva agenda.

Comments

1857 War of Independence... when Hindu-Muslim separatism, hatred wasn't an issue

"The Sepoy Revolt at Meerut", Illustrated London News, 1857 By Shamsul Islam* Large sections of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs unitedly challenged the greatest imperialist power, Britain, during India’s First War of Independence which began on May 10, 1857; the day being Sunday. This extraordinary unity, naturally, unnerved the firangees and made them realize that if their rule was to continue in India, it could happen only when Hindus and Muslims, the largest two religious communities were divided on communal lines.

The curious case of multiple entries of a female voter of Maharashtra: What ECI's online voter records reveal

By Venkatesh Nayak* Cyberspace is agog with data, names and documents which question the reliability of the electoral rolls prepared by the electoral bureaucracy in Maharashtra prior to the General Elections conducted in 2024. One such example of deep dive probing has brought to the surface, the name of one female voter in the 132-Nalasopara (Gen) Vidhan Sabha Constituency in Maharashtra. Nalasopara is part of the Palghar (ST) Lok Sabha constituency. This media report claims that this individual's name figures multiple times in the voter list of the same constituency.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Spirit of leadership vs bondage: Of empowered chairman of 100-acre social forestry coop

By Gagan Sethi* This is about Khoda Sava, a young Dalit belonging to the Vankar sub-caste, who worked as a bonded labourer in a village near Vadgam in Banskantha district of North Gujarat. The year was 1982. Khoda had taken a loan of Rs 7,000 from the village sarpanch, a powerful landlord doing money-lending as his side business. Khoda, who had taken the loan for marriage, was landless. Normally, villagers would mortgage their land if they took loan from the sarpanch. But Khoda had no land. He had no option but to enter into a bondage agreement with the sarpanch in order to repay the loan. Working in bondage on the sarpanch’s field meant that he would be paid Rs 1,200 per annum, from which his loan amount with interest would be deducted. He was also obliged not to leave the sarpanch’s field and work as daily wager somewhere else. At the same time, Khoda was offered meal once a day, and his wife job as agricultural worker on a “priority basis”. That year, I was working as secretary...

Proposed Modi yatra from Jharkhand an 'insult' of Adivasi hero Birsa Munda: JMM

Counterview Desk The civil rights network, Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JMM), which claims to have 30 grassroots groups under its wings, has decided to launch Save Democracy campaign to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra to be launched on November 15 from the village of legendary 19th century tribal independence leader Birsa Munda from Ulihatu (Khunti district).

Ground reality: Israel would a remain Jewish state, attempt to overthrow it will be futile

By NS Venkataraman* Now that truce has been arrived at between Israel and Hamas for a period of four days and with release of a few hostages from both sides, there is hope that truce would be further extended and the intensity of war would become significantly less. This likely “truce period” gives an opportunity for the sworn supporters and bitter opponents of Hamas as well as Israel and the observers around the world to introspect on the happenings and whether this war could have been avoided. There is prolonged debate for the last several decades as to whom the present region that has been provided to Jews after the World War II belong. View of some people is that Jews have been occupants earlier and therefore, the region should belong to Jews only. However, Christians and those belonging to Islam have also lived in this regions for long period. While Christians make no claim, the dispute is between Jews and those who claim themselves to be Palestinians. In any case...

Morbi’s ceramic workers face silicosis epidemic, 92% denied legal health benefits: PTRC study

By Rajiv Shah A new study by the Gujarat-based health rights organisation, Peoples Training and Research Centre (PTRC), warns that most workers in Morbi district’s ceramic industry—which produces 90% of India’s ceramic output—are at high risk of contracting silicosis, a deadly occupational disease.

Fate of Yamuna floodplain still hangs in "balance" despite National Green Tribunal rap on Sri Sri event

By Ashok Shrimali* While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday reportedly pulled up the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for granting permission to hold spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival on the banks of Yamuna, the chief petitioners against the high-profile event Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan has declared, the “fate of the floodplain still hangs in balance.”

Bangladesh alternative more vital for NE India than Kaladan project in Myanmar

By Mehjabin Bhanu* There has been a recent surge in the number of Chin refugees entering Mizoram from the adjacent nation as a result of airstrikes by the Myanmar Army on ethnic insurgents and intense fighting along the border between India and Myanmar. Uncertainty has surrounded India's Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project, which uses Sittwe port in Myanmar, due to the recent outbreak of hostilities along the Mizoram-Myanmar border. Construction on the road portion of the Kaladan project, which runs from Paletwa in Myanmar to Zorinpui in Mizoram, was resumed thanks to the time of relative calm during the intermittent period. However, recent unrest has increased concerns about missing the revised commissioning goal dates. The project's goal is to link northeastern states with the rest of India via an alternate route, using the Sittwe port in Myanmar. In addition to this route, India can also connect the region with the rest of India through Assam by using the Chittagon...

Search This Blog