Skip to main content

Rulers in Gujarat, India succeed in creating delusion around BJP politics: NGO meet

By Rajiv Shah*  

A civil society-sponsored meeting organised in Ahmedabad has admitted that the current ruling establishment in Gujarat as well as in India has been able to successfully create “delusion” around itself, strong enough to “deceive” large sections of people to pull them towards their side. Held ahead of the Gujarat state assembly polls, to be held in the state December 2022, the occasion was release of a Gujarati book titled “Sacchai Gujarat Ki” (Truth of Gujarat), authored by Hemant Shah, a top functionary of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).
Addressed, among others, by former BJP chief minister Suresh Mehta (1995-96), who broke from the party in 2007 after differences with Narendra Modi, whom he served as industries and tourism minister in 2001-02, the meeting was held amidst murmur among the organisers that the BJP is likely to sweep the polls. “Aam Aadmi Party is unlikely to get more than five seats”, of the them, a senior activist, said, adding, “as the Congress, it is in a shambles, and I doubt if it will get more than 30 seats in a house of 182.”
A strong Modi critic ever since he broke from the BJP, Mehta, 86, recalled how Modi, when he was Gujarat chief minister, was successful in creating an aura around his so-called development model. “It all began in 2005, with Sharadotsav”, he said, “when, violating all legal and constitutional norms, he held winter festival in Kutch. For the first time, the executive under Modi devised ways to utilise government funds without the approval from the legislature.”
According to Mehta, the then Modi administration worked out ways to raise money – even extort – from outside the taxation framework. Money was collected for the festival from everyone, ranging from villagers to top industry houses such as Welspun and Adani. “Government money began being used, without any accountability, for political end”, he alleged, adding, “not only did this continue under him when he was chief minister till 2014, it continues till date, when he is India’s Prime Minister.”
Mehta said, “No previous Prime Minister till Modi came to power in 2014 ever used a government platform for criticising the opposition, making strong political statements.” Underlining that Modi is in poll mode using government money, he added, “ahead of the announcement of the polls by the Election Commission, Modi has been going around across Gujarat at government events, where he does nothing but attack opposition, making election speeches. He is least bothered about the division between government and political function.”
No previous Prime Minister till Modi came to power in 2014 ever used a government platform for criticising the opposition
Mehta underlined, the result is, an illusion is created among the general public, which fails to see how religion is being used for political ends, like in Madhya Pradesh, where a renovated temple was inaugurated using state funds. “The situation has come to such a pass that rapists and murderers of Bilkis Bano are freed, yet there is no flutter. Human rights activists Teesta Setalvad and ex-DGP RB Sreekumar are arrested, but no one questions the act.”
According to Mehta, no previous Gujarat leader ever used the Narmada project for political ends, but as for Modi, “you can see how he spoke the other day: that it was he who ensured the completion of the project, while his predecessor Congress rulers failed to do anything... This when despite spending Rs 90,000 crore, Narmada waters have not reached large sections, while out of 44,000 displaced families, only 11,000 have been rehabilitated.”
Hemant Shah, who is a top PUCL (Gujarat) activist, speaking in a similar tone at the meet, held at the Gujarati Sahitya Prashad hall, identified how India has been divided into different types of people, of which the biggest chunk is of those who are completely awestruck by the so-called developmental model – Sabarmati riverfront, metro train, flyovers etc. -- thinking, without Modi, all this wouldn’t have been possible.
There is little concern about poor educational and health standards in Gujarat, he said, adding, one can imagine how all this is happening with the help of propaganda funded by the government. “Full page advertisements in all top Gujarat dailies every day, all with government money, are creating this type of illusion”, Shah, a former associate professor in a Gujarat University-affiliated college, said.
As for other category of people, they include those who have been compromised either by corrupting them or by threatening them with legal actions. Then, there are those who are living in a state of constant fear. “It is democracy which is in peril”, Shah claimed, adding, “If things continue as they are, days are nor far off when India as a country will cease to exist.”
---
*Editor, Counterview

Comments

Martin Macwan said…
Is this, creating delusion, is a new phenomena?
Unknown said…
This fine tuned propaganda is understood by very few educated n politically people and even among them most are quiet out of fear or greed.Rest of the public is misled by our media which is giving wings to fake news and false propaganda. With the powerful corporates, media and govt on one side, the opposition lacks the resources to engage in this unequal fight
Natubhai Parmar said…
Bureaucracy is also equally
responsible for Modi's rise.
Mike Ghouse said…
Rajiv,

I thank you for bringing the Sachai to the Indians.
Your news always is worth readin
It is scary: even Governors are throwing their weight around in non-BJP ruled states.

TRENDING

Reducing emission? India among top nations whose coal as energy source going up

By NS Venkataraman*  The State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global temperature of 1.4 degree celsius above pre-industrial 1850-1900 base line.

Lockdown 'total failure' of science more than of politics: Open letter on 4th anniversary

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to fellow academicians, scientists and medical practitioners in India, marking the fourth anniversary of India's lockdown (25 March 2024), the Managing Committee* of the Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has insisted on the need to "repair two years of immense damage to science".

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor*  Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk  Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.  

Poor private sector engagement 'impacting' carbon pricing policy in Global South

Counterview Desk  The joint report by Environmental Defense Fund and Observer Research Fund, "Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects", delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South.  The report claims to provide insights and recommendations for effective carbon pricing strategies in diverse economies.  A note: The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) have launched the Navigating Carbon Pricing: The G20 Experience and Global South Prospects” report. The report delves into the complex landscape of carbon pricing, examining its application within the G20 nations and the potential implications for emerging economies in the Global South. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of various carbon pricing instruments currently in existence, providing valuable i