This reverse roadmap will take the country backward

The new education policy declared by BJP-led central government will... 

1) Deprive poor and backward categories from English education

2) Increase the gap between the 'haves' and 'have nots'

3) Make it more costly for middle class and the poor to access education

4) Destroy the base of equality in education

5) Reduce number of teachers. Deprive subjects of their respective subject teachers

6) Constrict aided education

7) Destroy the diversity of languages

8) Bring in more options for those willing to spend for education and leave only option of becoming skilled labours to those who do not have adequate means

9) Kill creativity and diversity and will use the 90 crore people only as labourers in this era of globalisation

The very concept of equal and just education is being torn down by introducing this new education policy. Education is brought in the name of human resources development, but this new policy views the majority only as labourers. This is not a roadmap to take the country forward, instead it will take the nation backward.

- Kapil Patil, MLC

President, Lok Bharati

What mistake did Sharad Yadav commit?

Mera Gora Rang Le Le, Mohe Shyam Rang De

(Oh Lord, Take away my fair colour,

Give me your dark complexion!)

These are words from a popular song written by poet Gulzar, but the sentiment expressed in the song is quite ancient. Radha has been singing it for quite a long time. The dark complexion of Lord Krishna has lured the Indian minds for ages. When socialist MP Sharad Yadav praised the South Indian dark complexion, he ignited a storm of protests. Union Minister Smruti Irani got so much enraged that she ridiculed him for his views

The anger of Smruti Irani is quite understandable, but why Kanimozhi and Mayawati should should feel enraged about reference to dark complexion as compared to fair complexion. The pride of dark complexion was a major part of the Dravidian movement. Leaders like Namdev Dhasal, inspired by thoughts of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, had taken motivation from Black Panther movement in America and established Dalit Panther on similar lines to inculcate self-respect among Dalit youths. In the eighties, Ambedkarites academicians like Arun Kamble were paying tributes to dark complexion and challenging western concepts of beauty.

 The South Indian politics even today is sustaining on the pride of Dravidian movement. It is really unfortunate that Kanimozhi, daughter of doyen of Dravidian politics Karunanidhi has developed some kind of inferiority complex due to dark complexion. After the sad demise of Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) founder Kanshiram, there is none to guide Mayawati in dialectics of Indian politics based on Ambedkar's revolutionary thoughts.

The aggressive Hindutva is based on the superiority of fair complexion of Aryans who arrived in Indian hinterland from North and forms the basic understanding of socio-political conditions by RSS and Savarkar. Vast population of Indian who do to geo-climatic conditions of Indian peninsula are dark complexioned. There are numerous odes to dark complexion in history, culture languages, sculptures paintings and music of Indian subcontinent. So when Shard Yadav appreciates dark complexion in his speech delivered in Parliament what wrong has he committed. One will never know what the issue is and why so many stalwarts are upset by Sharad Yadav's observation by watching shrill and uninformed debate on TV channels. Except few, most of the participants have very scanty knowledge of Indian culture and its ideological basis.

 Smruti Irani is a minister for human resource development and obviously someone from the government who speaks with authority on cultural issues. The question she posed to Sharad Yadav and enrage she exhibited is part of the ideology she represents shows racial bias. Thanks to the continued British rule in India, the inferiority complex based on our skin colour and culture is deep rooted in Indian psyche, especially among educated urban majority who always looks to West for every aspect of life. So we have to peep within to know why we are so obsessed with fair colour and no point in just holding Smruti Irani responsible for that kind of bias.

Sharad Yadav is an erudite politician espousing socialist teachings of Dr Lohiya and known for giving an ideological touch to whatever he says in the house or in a public meeting. He is accustomed to controversies but is not known to backs track whatever he has said. He is an accomplished orator, knows his responsibility and never takes back his words. When there was too much of pressure to apologize he said, “Chahe Dharti Phat Jay, Hum Mafi Nahi Mangenge.” 

Sharad Yadav is not an anti-feminist leader. He is known for his participation and support to various agitations launched for rights and dignity of women. 

He sought to know what wrong he did say. “Humne Galat Kya Kaha?” Were Ram and Krishna not having dark complexion? Why is the song “Mera Gora Rang Le Le, Mohe Shyam Rang De De,” is sung? Most of the population of the country – men and women are having dark complexion. Actually, South Indian women are more beautiful, more beautiful than their North Indian counterparts. Not just because of their dark complexion, but also because of their sculpted figures and features. The fair complexion has logged in our head, and that is why you read in matrimonial advertisements the expectation of fair complexion. Men having dark complexion also want fair wives. What is so objectionable in this statement of Mr. Sharad Yadav?

  

What Ram Manohar Lohiya used to say? It is not that dark complexion has always been ignored, at least in India it has not happened. In Sanskrit literature women having dark complexion have been regarded as beautiful. It was not necessary that she must be dark, but she was regarded as Shyama even if she was young and beautiful. i.e. youth and beauty was treated as one and the same.

Sharad Yadav is a hard core Lohiya follower. You will always find quotes from Lohiya in his statements. After Madhu Limaye, Sharad Yadav is the only speaker in the Indian Parliament of the democratic socialist thought. The supporters of male-dominated society are trying to label Yadav an offender. The roots of country’s social degradation lie in the male-dominated mentality and the caste system. Sharad Yadav is a true follower of Lohiya who propagated gender equality. Sharad Yadav is included in the category of those whose thoughts are amply clear as against discrimination on the basis of caste, complexion, race and gender.

What shall be the criteria for treating a woman beautiful? Sharad Yadav finds the South Indian dark complexion more appealing than the fair one. Actually, Sharad Yadav should have been congratulated for daring to raise the issue of politics based on pride of fair complexion. In his essay titled, “Complexion and Beauty,” Lohiya has analyzed this politics of fair complexion:

“This perverse perception about beauty must have originated from political impressions. Europeans, having fair complexion are ruling the world for about three centuries, they have become rulers and they always ruled over power and prosperity. Others, however, lacked power and prosperity as well. Had the Africans ruled the world, just like Europeans did, the perception of woman’s beauty across the globe would have been different. Poets and authors have mentioned that the skin of Africans is silky like satin. They would have felt the touch and look of their skin not just silky, but also a matter of pride. They would have found the thick lips of Africans beautiful and their broad noses pleasing. Politics also rules over beauty concepts. Power, especially, the unfettered power always appears to be alluring.”

In classical Indian literature one finds fair complexion having praised by way of an exception. The Indian concept of Shyam rang is the best complexion, was wiped out with the advent of British rulers and during the past 250 years, the Indian mind got dominated by the fair complexion. Empowered by the Maxmuller’s Aria Theory, the Aryan racial political Hinduism has further brightened the fair complexion. The superiority of Aryan got a new support through complexion. The Black Prime movement was started in America in the sixties raising slogan of “Black is Beautiful.” However, at that time, the Indian newspapers were filled in with advertisements seeking fair-looking wives. When America and Africa was witnessing revolt of Blacks after centuries of inhuman exploitation, racial discrimination and barbarous insult, Indian woman, who was insulted because of her dark complexion was being pushed in further denigration.

Now, two hundred years have passed after Raja Ram Mohan Roy stood against the Indian tradition of Sati after hearing his sister-in-laws cries. One hundred fifty years have passed after Mahatma Phule opened school for liberating women. Half a century has also passed after Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar brought in the Constitution prohibiting discrimination on the ground of caste, creed, religion, race or sex of a person. Even today, people are being taunted, rejected for having dark complexion. The discrimination based on complexion has just become more “dark”.

Those who hold Gandhiji’s broom for their own political convenience don’t want the thought of Gandhiji or the path shown by him. What Gandhiji had said about the women’s complexion? Gandhiji was initially in South Africa. He has written a full-fledged book on the history of South African Satyagraha. Valji Govindji Desai has translated the book in English.

“In 1914, in this vast region, the population of Habshas was about 50 lakh and that of Europeans about 13 lakh. In Habshas, Zulu are regarded as hefty and beautiful. I have deliberately used the word ‘beautiful’ for Zulus. Our notion of beauty i.e. white complexion, and fine and straight nose. If you keep this notion aside for a while, you will find the God has created Zulus without any deficiencies. Both, men and women are heighted and having equally broad chests. Their legs and arms are rounded, filled-in with muscles. You will hardly find any Zulu bent-down. Their lips are broad and thick, but at least I will not term those disproportionately broader than their overall physic. They eyes are round and bright. Nose, is broad, but perfectly befitting a broad face. Their curly hair perfectly match with their black, Negroid and shining skin. If you ask a Zulu, as to which of the tribes in African Habshas are more beautiful and he will stake claim of his own tribe. And, I do not find any lack of knowledge in it. Zulus have naturally got muscular figures without making any specific attempts to sculpt their arms and legs, as the ones being tried by Europeans in attempting to make their hands and legs muscular. The skin of the people residing on the Ecuadorian line is bound to be dark. That is natural, and if we believe that whatever the nature creates is beautiful, we will be saved from the wrong notions about beauty. And, will also be freed of the feeling of shame and the dislike if in India our complexion turns dark.

There is no possibility of Mrs. Irani having read this freedom song sung by the Father of the Nation.  Gandhi liberated India from the British rule. But, Indians are yet to be freed from the discriminatory notions and slavish mentality.

Kapil Harishchandra Patil,

Member, Maharashtra Legislative Council,

President, Lok Bharati

kapilhpatil@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/kapilpatil.mlc

Ban on cow slaughter: a violation of freedom of choice of food and profession

The grant of assent to the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 1995, not only takes away the fundamental liberty of people to choose their own food, but also marks first victory for the hidden agenda of the “RSS Parivar”. It appears that, the ‘Parivar’ is now trying to regulate the freedom of faith of people and henceforth the hidden agenda of the Parivar is going to decide what people should eat and what not.

President Pranav Mookherjee has granted assent to the Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995 after passage of 19 years. The legislation, which has taken away the fundamental liberty of people to choose their own food, was passed by Maharashtra legislature when Shivsena-BJP combine was in power. It failed to get presidential assent during the regime of Atal Bihari Vajpaiyee. Nor did President Shankar Dayal Sharma also touch the bill during the National Front government led by Janata Dal. It seems the president had to grant assent immediately after Narendra Modi came to power.

Nowhere across Maharashtra or anywhere in India cow are slaughtered. Indian society has adhered to this tradition for ages. During the Vedic period, Purohits used to eat slaughtered cow meat, but thereafter most of Hindus started worshiping cow. Jammu and Kashmir was the first state in India to ban cow slaughter. Thereafter, in several states legislations were enacted prohibiting cow slaughter. Mughal ruler Babar was the first ruler to impose ban on cow slaughter. Sawarkar, the godfather of political Hinduism, used to say that cow is not mother, but a useful animal. In his book, titled, Ksha Kirane (X-rays), Savarkar sought to know why not eat cow beef, instead of protecting cows. Some religious texts tell us that God resides in the cow. In its Varah form, the God has become pig. Then why not establish Pig Worshipping Centers and start worshipping pigs? Babar himself has said that if this country is to be ruled, one must respect the feelings of majority Hindus.

Cow is connected with religious feelings, and according to the Constitution, one must respect religious sentiments, and therefore there has to be ban on cow slaughter. The ban on cow slaughter is there since long, and nobody slaughters cows. But, why then a separate bill was brought for banning slaughter of cow-race i.e. bulls, bullocks, male buffalo etc. All these animals are not regarded divine under the Hindu mythology. Generally, farmers dispose of animals like bulls, bullocks and male buffaloes having completed 15 years of age and thus becoming useless for agricultural purposes. It becomes economically unviable for farmers to just keep feeding animals not useful for agricultural purposes, and most of the times such animals find their way to slaughter houses.

It is always better to let animals lose to eat plastic and garbage across the city. It gives rise to two major industries. The meat of bigger animals is comparatively cheap and thus it makes a major source of proteins for the poor, especially the backward classes amongst Hindus, as they do not treat beef forbidden. At the same time, the slaughter of these animals has provided a source of livelihood to a number of Muslims.

This new legislation has not only taken away the proteins from the diet of the poor, but will also render thousands in leather-goods business jobless.

Along with slaughter houses, a huge industry of leather goods has risen. Slaughter houses generate cheap and good quality leather for this industry. It supports self-employed persons making shoes and chappals as also various leather items like bags, purses etc. This entire industry will now be destroyed. The domestic leather industry, especially the major ones at Dharavi, Delhi, Chennai and Kanpur has provided employment to lakhs of persons, majority Hindus. Unfortunately, the end of this domestic leather industry is beginning in Maharashtra.

But, why do you think all this is being done? Because, unless you destroy the domestic leather industry, the foreign players will not be able to dominate the Indian leather market, and that is the reason why all this is being done. But, before that the first casualty of this entire episode will be the farming community. Famers get some money in their hand if they dispose of old animals that are not useful anymore by selling those to slaughter houses. It is really, useful to sell such animals to slaughter houses than just allow them to roam free. The skin, meat, bones every part of their body is put to use. There is thus substance in the statement of farmer’s leaders that this enactment is going to push the farmer in more trouble.

The word cow-race is really confusing. The ban on cow slaughter is already in place. Nobody is objecting to it. This attempt to force farmers to continue to fee old, useless animals is being done in the name of ‘cow-race’, entirely for enabling foreign multinational players to dominate the Indian leather market.

This act has at a time caused injustice to farmers, leather goods manufacturers, slaughter houses, employees of slaughter houses and the supplementary employment generated out of these professions. This act not just takes away the liberty to choose your own food, but also violates the Constitutional fundamental rights.

President Pranav Mookherjee could have sent the bill back for reconsideration. But, he has not done so. It was really not expected of the person of the stature of Pranav Mookherjee that he will surrender so early to Modi government.

Kapil Harischandra Patil, MLC

President, Lok Bharti

kapilpatil@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/kapilpatil.mlc

https://twitter.com/KapilHPatil

(In 1996, Kapil Patil had strongly protested against the Bill, created a movement against it and had also led a group to the then President of India)

Lost Courageous Personality

Kavita Karkare faced the life very bravely after her husband, Maharashtra Anti Terrorists Squad chief Hemant Karkare, died fighting Pakistani terrorists. As Karkare used to say that the terrorism has no religion, she also embraced the principles of secularism.

Hemant Karkare was purportedly targeted by the terrorists because he put behind bars the persons likes Pradnya Thakur, Colonel Purohit, who allegedly indulged in anti-national activities. Utterly abusive language was used against him and his entire family. But, it could not disturb Karkare. We should always feel debt-ridden for the fact that he courageously destroying the horrible ploy of the Thakur and Purohit etc. We will be always remembered as to how courageously the wife of the martyr, Kavita Karkare, faced the verbal attack from some fanatic Hindus at that time. While renowned police officers hesitated facing the 26/11 attackers, Karkare, Kamte, Salaskar, Shinde and Ombale entered into the fierce fight. Karkare should be termed as the first martyr who died while fighting foreigners and fellow countrymen at the same time. Through his martyrdom, Kavita Karkare and her family has given up a lot for the country.
The martyrdom of Hemant Karkare has created a place in the hearts of Indians. The established political parties, which politicized the issue of terrorism, did not understand this wound in the heart of the common man. Those tried to portray Hemant Karkare were completely exposed within three days of the 26/11 terrorists attacks. It is not expected from them that they would admit their mistake. Kavita Karkare gave them a fitting answer by rejecting their assistance. A chief minister of a state has come with a huge sum of money, but Kavita Karkare boldly sent him back.

Kavita Karkare was a teacher and thus was a part of the Shikshak Bharti family as well. She was honoured with Savitribai Phule - Fatima Shaikh Puraskar. She also participated in programs of Lok Bharti. She has shaped future of several teachers while working as a professor in B. Ed. College at Tardeo. Her death has taken away an innocent, Godfearing and equally courageous person from us.

The children of brave Hemant and Kavita Karkare are like their parents and that’s why they have decided to donate her body, showing equal courage and nationalism.


Kapil Patil, 
Teachers MLC, Mumbai
President, Lok Bharati

What is the need to cancel the public holiday of Gandhi Jayanti?

Date: - September 29, 2014

To,

Hon. Shri. Swadhin Kshatriya,

Chief Secretary, Maharashtra.

Sir,

The implementation of the scheme announced by the Government of India namely, Swachha Bharat, Swachha Vidyalaya, is supposed to start from October 2, 2014 – the auspicious day of Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti. The day is a public holiday, as Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated as a national occasion. Therefore, the schools are also closed. However, this year the public holiday is cancelled for implementing the scheme proposed by the Hon. Prime Minister. The students will, therefore, be required to attend school on that day and clean classrooms, school premises and rest rooms. A letter is issued by the Secretary, State Education Department to all schools across Maharashtra by citing the letter received from the Additional Secretary, School Education, Central Government.

Every sensitive citizen would welcome the cleanliness drives undertaken either by the Central Government or the State Government. But, what is the need to cancel the public holiday of Gandhi Jayanti for the same? This is a day of national occasion, meant to remember the Father of the Nation and to celebrate the joy of freedom. Every festival is meant to celebrate with joy, what is the need to take away that joy from the school children’s life?

Perusal of letters issued by the State Government and the Central Government in this regard clearly show that the “Swachha Bharat, Swachha Vidyalaya” drive is to be undertaken betweenSeptember 25 and October 31. This is essentially a part of Nirmal Bharat scheme and in which a public toilet facility is to be made available in every school across the country. On August 15, while addressing the nation from Red Fort, prime minister Narendra Modi appealed to construct public toilet facility in every school and the drive is undertaken to comply with the appeal.

In fact, the Supreme Court on India has already issued directive of constructing public toilet in every school one-and-half years back. There is a clear provision to that effect in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education, 2009. Citing these two references, I myself took an initiative and sought from the Deputy Chief Minister funds for constructing public toilets in schools in Mumbai and in March 2013, the Finance Department even allocated funds to the extent of Rs 36 crore. The red tapism ate up a complete year, but the implementation finally began on August 15, 2014. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was inaugurating the first public toilet in a school at Dharavi, when the Prime Minister was making an appeal from the Red Fort. In Ganesh Vidyalaya in Dharavi first bio-toilet is fixed and similar toilets are expected to be fitted in every other school in Mumbai in coming six months or a year. So, “Swachha Bharat, Swachha Vidyalaya” drive had already begun in Maharashtra even before the Government of India announced to undertake it. And, therefore, there is no need to cancel the public holiday onOctober 2, 2014 and the work can be completed anytime during Deewali vacations and can be continued even beyond vacations.

The day of Gandhi Jayanti is of traditional holiday in India. It is meant for recollection the contribution of all the freedom fighters that fought for India’s freedom. Cancellation of the holiday raises doubts about the underlying hidden agenda of attempting to reduce the importance of Mahatma Gandhi under the guise of implementation of the scheme!

Kindly, intervene at the earliest and retain the public holiday of Gandhi Jayanti and issue appropriate directions to all the schools across Maharashtra to implement the cleanliness drive any time before October 31.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

 Kapil Patil, MLC

Mr. Prime Minister, I have four questions

Hon. Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi,

Sir, you are going to address the nation on September 5, on the occasion of the Teacher’s Day. For the first time it is so happening that the prime minister of India is going to address the nation and this is really a sweet shock. This is also aimed at honouring teachers and therefore I welcome the move and hearty congratulations.

The whole nation is eagerly awaiting your message, but the instructions issued by the Central Government compelling students to listen to the prime minister are distressing. What is the need of compelling students? And again the timing is 3.00 PM to 4.45 PM – quite inconvenient.

The Fatwa issued by the Central Government instructs schools to have television sets on hire. From where they would bring so many television sets – one for each class and again they would be compelled to pay the rent. In Maharashtra schools have not received non-salary grants for past ten years. The backlog is huge. There are hardly any funds to repair dilapidated school buildings and the schools are finding it difficult to pay electricity bills. The central government’s Fatwa further instructs the schools to have an internet connection. However, there is no continuous electricity supply in half the villages across India, then how the internet is going to work. A photograph of children from Chhote Udepur village in your own state, Gujrat, was published recently in newspapers. 125 students from a tribal hamlet are required to cross river to reach their school. There is neither any bridge for them nor boats for them to cross the river, they are compelled to swim across it. But, it is most likely that there would be a cable connection for these tribal children to listen the prime minister’s address to the nation. In several villages voting machines are required to be taken on donkeys and probably this time we will also see photographs of donkeys carrying televisions sets to schools.

 

There would be a major event in the country on September 5, so is the eagerness.

But, Mr. Prime Minister, I have four questions:

1)      Finance minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley, presented your government’s first budget in the Parliament. While delivering budgetary speech he clearly said that now there is no need to spend more on education. He has not allocated a rupee more on education.  How would education sector grow and reach every one, if the allocation is not at all enhanced. On September 5, I would like to hear your reasoning behind this decision.

2)      This obviously means that the education would be further privatized. Privatization and commercialization of education has rendered education inaccessible to common people. Now, common people cannot afford to become doctors or engineers, as it requires huge amount, anywhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 40 lakh. The children from poor household cannot even dream of becoming either doctor or an engineer. From where would they bring such huge amounts? Will you please address this issue in your address? The country is eagerly awaiting the answer.

3)      Teachers are being exploited through the process of contract in education. In Maharashtra they are called Shikshan Sevak (now, teachers on probation), while in Gujrat they are known as Vidya Sahayyak. In Gujrat they are drawing meager salary of Rs 2,500. In terms of Hon. High court, this amounts to bonded labour. This governmental exploitation began during the first term of NDA. The first experiment was carried out in Gujrat. Will there be a declaration of ending this exploitation through your address to the nation? Teachers across the country are eagerly awaiting to know.

4)      In Gujrat, Dinanath Batra has started a new experiment in education. This “renowned” educationist believes that the modern values are destroying the fabric of our society. He has, therefore, prepared textbooks based on Eighteenth century values. He has created completely new stories in the name of Swami Vivekanand, who gave the call for humanity by starting with “my brothers and sisters” in the religious conference at Chicago. The textbooks also contain untold (and also unheard of) stories of Dr. Radhakrishnan. What the prime minister of the country in store to say about this Batra experiment that is seeking to introduce the poison of division on the basis of caste, creed, religion and language at the school level itself? The country is eagerly awaiting to hear you.

Honorable Prime Ministerji, these are not the questions asked by Vetal to Vikram. Our teachers working in rural areas by crossing huge hurdles and shaping the new generation are simple in nature. The Farmaan of your address has already reached them and they have began preparations for making arrangements so as to ensure that the school children listen to you. They hardly had any time to put forth questions, and you have added burden to that by instructing them to arrange for television sets, cable connections etc. That would take at least two more days. Not an issue. But, they are happy that they are being remembered at least on the Teacher’s Day. Mr. Prime Minister, they would be a lot happier, if they get answers to these four questions. 

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Kapil Patil, MLC.                                                                           

President, Lok Bharati

kapilhpatil@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/kapilpatil.mlc

Date : September 1, 2014

Challenge to the Constitution of India

Immediately after his honeymoon with the country’s media was over, Arvind Kejriwal declare that all the media persons should be locked in prisons. It is not hearsay what Kejriwal said during a private gala fund-raising dinner at a deluxe hotel in Nagpur. There is a video tape available. The next day he unhesitatingly took a “U” turn claiming he had not said so. This “U” turn in  politics is now known as “Kejriwal” turn in Delhi. But, the threatening of media has not stopped yet. Kejriwal, apparently, is yet to land after he went up in sky with power in Delhi.

More than three decades have passed after the emergency of June 1975. The generation born after emergency has no experience of being locked in jail. But, many of the generation that experienced the harassment meted out during emergency are still alive. This generation either in sixties or seventies very well knows the significance of losing an independent press. Those blindly loving Kejriwal may support him on this count. But, no other political leader has ever threatened the media in this fashion.

It is really good for the public at large that the fascist attitude of the leader of the political party born without any ideology are bein exposed. A Hitler was born under the mask of false (YebHekeÀ) nationalism and false socialism. Fascist powers are always born in the vacuum of hopelessness.

The corrupt regime of the Congress-led UPA government has given birth of two major calamities in the country. Narendra Modi and Kejriwal are the faces of these two catastrophes. A blurred political picture of a heavy weight political fight is created in the country after Kejriwal decided to contest against Modi in Varanasi. Behind are backed by  corporate capitalist powers. The only difference is that Modi has on his side domestic capitalists, while foreigners are supporting Kejriwal. America opened its doors for Modi only after it realized that Kejriwal cannot replicate Tehrir Square in India. They realized about Kejriwal’s limitations little later. Otherwise, they would have prepared to install a prime minister right from Ramleela Maidan. Media took little note when Swami Agnivesh revealed that Anna Hazare was supposed to be martyred at Ramleela Maidan itself. But, there was substance in the revelation and that was the reason why Anna Hazare parted ways from Kejriwal and company.

Anna’s stand was that Swaraj and foreign money can never go together. And he was right, because we can deliberate on the issue of foreign capital in Indian market, but using foreign funds for political purposes is like mortgaging sovereignty of the country and our legislature to foreign capitalist powers. No nationalist would be willing to surrender his liberty of decision making. For that you need not even be a socialist or belong to  leftist thought. About 33,000 NGOs in India are receiving foreign aid. The aid amount in 2011-12 stood at staggering figure of Rs. 11,546 crores.  American contribution was Rs. 3,838 crores. Anybody can easily guess why foreign funding has risen by 11 percent during last three years. The task of demolishing the socialist and leftist movement in the country has been done through these NGOs. It was beneficial to the ruling class under the Congress umbrella and was intended at weakening the movement of county’s poor and downtrodden.

I really have no objection, if these activists, who hated politics till yesterday, are coming to its fold. Howsoever clean they may be,  there lies a threat to Indian democratic set up if they seek to politically interfere on the basis of foreign funding. You can easily realize how huge the threat would be if you check agenda and economic program of the foreign funding agencies.

Most of our population appears under influence of fascist thought namely, Narendra Modi because of which not only the minorities, but also those who respect and are for to independence and social justice are under threat. We still have two-and-half months before our next Prime Minister occupies the seat. But, Narendra Modi is moving around as if he is already the Prime Minister of India and is badly slapping senior leaders from his own party like a dictator. Now, the environment inside BJP seems to   remind senior leaders like Lalkrishna Advani, Jaswant Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari of emergency. His own party leaders are now experiencing how Modi will behave if he becomes Prime Minister of India.

Somebody compared Narendra Modi with Bhashmasura from Mahabharta. But, it appears that Modi’s ideal is Aurangzeb. Same longing, same modus operendi. Aurangzeb killed his own brothers, but not his father. Narendra Modi is equally compassionate. He thinks that if he captures highest leader of his party, the gate to Delhi will automatically open for him.

A specific class of neo rich people in our country do have attraction towards Modi’s development principles. It is easy for the corporate world and the media obliged by them to portray colourful stories as to how Modi is  non-corrupt and how the development express highway passes only through Gujrat. But, Modi’s road to development has been constructed through criminal exploitation of natural resources, inhuman displacement of farmers, exploitation and bloodied hatred.

Those who have seen Modi’s attitude must have noted the alter ego within him. Howsoever he may try to cover himself with liberalness, Ramrajya, the cruel animal inside him has not remained hidden.

What did he say in Goa? Modi said, “Goa is lucky for me. It was here in Goa, I got license to run Gujrat.”

Is a state like a shop or a vendor’s cart?  What one can say, if the Sangh-Putra, who keeps singing songs of the motherland, treats the state like a shop or a vendor’s cart?

A large section of our society rode the wave of globalization and has reached the border of higher-middle class. The middle class once raised voice over issues of social justice and problems faced by poor, but now it looks at these issues with hatred. Now it feels burdened because of these problems and therefore, this class has attraction towards both Modi and Kejriwal simultaneously. This attraction is not towards these two persons, but towards presidential democracy.

Though Modi and Kejriwal are contesting against each other in Varanasi, both have a common agenda. The way Kejriwal fought Delhi elections and the way BJP promoted Modi abundantly makes it clear that both these parties are propagating presidential democracy. Their further agenda is also common. Congress may not have formally nominated Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate, but the “primary” experiment done by Rahul Gandhi for selecting party candidates at some places, shows that it also has attraction towards presidential democracy.

India is a union republic. (mebIejep³e) Market-oriented capitalists have the agenda of demolishing India’s parliamentary democracy system and take it towards presidential democracy and if the same program is being implemented by Modi, Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi, then the threat posed before the country is graver. Dr. Babasahed Ambedkar was attracted to Presidential democracy till 1935, however, while preparing draft Constitution for the country, he accepted parliamentary democracy. He had warned that there was threat of turning the presidential democracy into dictatorship, especially in view of the tendency towards worshiping individuals in the country filled with social differences. He had in clear terms said no to handing over future and independence of the continent-like country to one person.

Those who have decided to contest 2014 LokSabha elections on the lines of presidential democratic system have posed a challenged to our constitutional set up.

-        KapilPatil, MLC

President, LokBharti.

kapilhpatil@gmail.com