Shiban Khaibri
Ask the “select” opposition usually led by the Congress as to what was their immediate goal and top on priority, to be sincere in their reply, they in one voice shall chorus — to oust Modi and till he is ousted, keep on discrediting and undermining his credibility . Whether it be the case of Congress, Trinmool Congress, Communists, RJD, Samajwadis, Janta Dal, , BSP, Aa Aa Party or the regional level National Conference. There is Lutyens club, a very powerful select group of writers, intellectuals, columnists , business houses, some NGOs and the like in garnering opinions of a particular shade, to show sympathy covertly for Pakistan whose raison d’etre and the article of faith is harming India with ultimate goal to destroy it. Waging a bloody proxy war against this country for nearly 4 decades is a glaring example. These ones provide a logistic support to such parties, in fact some rue that there is not enough unity between the otherwise inter-se warring parties. “Not in my name” is one more but fresh offshoot of this powerful group who also get oxygen from communists. That is why, they did not surface in the cities of India, at least in Delhi effectively, with candle lights mourning the cold blooded murder of seven Hindus returning from a pilgrimage in Kashmir. Not to speak of Award Wapsi group who because of having lost that official patronage, the sinecures and free junkets which they were used to like the Lutyens liberals, writers and opinion makers .
The other face of this coin is however, that all opposition eyes are glued to what Nitish Kumar is up to. Only yesterday, Congress President is reported to have talked to Laloo Prasad and Nitish both ostensibly to impress upon them the need to concentrate on how the Maha Gathbandhan was kept united (despite diversity). The grand agenda before it is how Modi could be unseated.
For that, Maha Gathband-han requires not only to remain as one but devise measures and methods to dislodge the “saffron brigade” . Nitish on the other hand, has made it amply known that he was not inclined to be aspiring to contest for the highest executive post of the country, the Prime Minister for 2019 elections.
Nitish is known for his steadfast principles and rarely has there been a mismatch between what he preaches and what he does. Is it partly because Nitish knows that despite so much of criticism against his every move, every step taken for the progress of the country, Modi emerges as an undisputed popular leader with 73% following and that by contesting against him, the opposition, particularly the Congress was going to mar his left over political career. Even noted paper like Forbes acknowledges it that Indian Prime Minister is ranked as No. 1 in the world enjoying such a vast support even after the daring demonetization step taken by him in the country. Not only that, Modi raised his profile as a global leader in recent years. Expressing the intention not to be for any race for the Prime Minister’s post in 2019 elections by Nitish was followed and not preceded by the development of the Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav coming under the CBI net for some corrupt practices. Now there is a simmering undercurrent of dismay as well as indignation in JD(U) circles over Tejaswi issue which are likely to get strained after Tejaswi is pressurized to resign or in the alternative is sacked as the latter , very arrogantly, has dismissed any reports of his tendering resignation as ,”It was all witch hunting and political vendetta”. Money laundering, illegal land deals, floating fake business companies are a few charges against the powerful Bihar family and the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, the Income Tax shall expectedly proceed as per law. Laloo obviously cannot get any immediate reprieve, his tireless efforts to build a Gathbandhan against Modi notwithstanding. If with Tejaswi’s resignation, the alliance government falls which is unlikely, Nitish will not seek support of the BJP members and could rather go in for fresh elections. Laloo shall be content with his other son Tej Pratap continuing so that the government did not fall.
It looks strange that Congress which had to pay a heavy price for scams, financial bungling, kick backs and other corrupt practices during its tenure in UPA1 and 2 should support Tejaswi and point fingers at the CBI instead of supporting Nitish in hastening for seeking the resignation from Tejaswi. May be the second justification of the “political vendetta” against Tejaswi could be the BJP “being scared of me” like Rahul Gandhi often keeps on saying. How fast can Tejaswi come clean from the court to prove that it was political vendetta or face conviction is a matter of time and the four days ultimatum is too short to expect any miracle. How many from this Lutyens club openly questioned Laloo as to how he amassed such a huge fortune in less than three decades compared to his economic background but only the “time and the manner” and the “intentions of the government” are questioned. This , the countrymen , barring the hard core cohorts of such corrupt leaders, are watching intensely but not helplessly as day in and day out, there is an increasing feeling in them that leaders of corrupt practices have no license to keep on amassing wealth and make fortunes while claiming to be the messiah of the poor. Modi could be wrong on many issues, his some policies too could be questioned but still people now realize that he alone can checkmate such corrupt people to a larger extent. It is their money. Here a small story is worth mentioning. A thief caught hold of a person and threatened him to cough out “your money”. The man revealed his identity as having been a political leader and in power. The thief became more resolute and perhaps realistic, “give me my money back.”
It is a hard fact that while Nitish Kumar and therefore the Janta Dal (U) try to project a clean image and so far Nitish has emerged unblemished, at the same time, Laloo known for his hard postures will try every trick in the book to save his family from getting politically eclipsed. Having been debarred from contesting elections, he wants to keep ruling Bihar through his family members for which he has the hopes pinned in 2019 elections to see BJP led NDA defeated. That is why he calls himself as the architect of Maha Gathbasndhan. Now not only by supporting the NDA candidate for the President’s post, Nitish has shown that he could not be found waiting for getting political directions from this gathbandhan especially from Laloo and Congress but if a person deserved on merits and a clean honest image , why should he be opposed. This one move alone has sent shivers down the spine of the impatient constituents of the Maha Alliance to find that the oft claimed unity could not sustain and survive. Added to it, is the individual Parties’ internal crisis and priorities .Congress is busy to impose on the cadre the leadership of Rahul Gandhi who by now should have been elevated to the post of President. Which section in that party is preventing this thing from happening? Mamta Bannerjee has too many fronts opened to be in a quandary which one to stick to especially when because of her administrative policies she has projected herself to be the leader of Muslims much more than of other communities. Samajwadi Party must be feeling more embarrassed by the utterances of Aazam Khan than by the family squabbles. DMK is also engrossed in family succession war and now jolted by the likely entry into politics by the super star Rajni Kant.
Self proclaimed liberals , secular democrats and Leftists continue to be soft and liberal towards the elements inimical to the progress and unity of India. How many of them signed the mercy petition to save the terrorist Yaqub Menon is fairly known. How many of them directly condemned in strongest words Pakistan and Jihadi terrorists for killing Hindu pilgrims in Kashmir. Most of them were putting blame on Modi for having “failed” in Kashmir. Rahul Gandhi as usual and as his routine held Modi responsible. If Modi has according to them, failed in Kashmir, what were they doing to salvage it? How many public meetings did the Congress and its alliance partner the National Conference hold in the interior parts or even in outer parts of Srinagar? Their Srinagar “leader” says that he wanted Burhan alive to “make him a bridge “between the two countries. When the young terrorist was alive, how many sittings, persuasions, pieces of advice, teaching of Indian (ness) did Soz undertake. Is this the way, the Congress was hoodwinking the people and helping restore normalcy in Kashmir? How could Congress strengthen the “Maha Gathbandhan” when it is itself in utter confusion?
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