CREAMY LAYER POLITICS

The Modi government has decided to  hike the creamy layer ceiling from Rs. 6 lakh to 8 lakhs per annum and has announced the formation of a committe to decide on the sub categorization of OBC categories.

The decision is fraught with political connotations. The move  is being viewed as Mandal 2.0.  To  divide the spoils of benefits, Other Backward Castes  will be  further fragmented and sub cateogorized. This will cater to the ever increasing demands from different OBC groups for more handouts.

Political mobilization of OBC seems to be the prime mover behind the move. BJP is no stranger to dalit politics. In Uttar Pradesh hustings it has proved its stategy correct by fielding non Yadav’s and backwards and garnering a comfortable majority.

In the year end Gujarat is going to polls. OBC mobilization can work wonders for BJP here. The threat from Patidar movement can be effectively neutralized.

In Bihar BJP can consolidate its ground. Though the party has tied up with Nitish, still it is in effort to create its own mass base. Nitish had created the Maha Dalit category and appropriated a section of backwards. He had undercut Lalu’s dominance. BJP is set to do a course correction here.

Some other states are also in the electoral fray. General elections are not far away. Like other moves of Modi this policy manoeuvre is also loaded politically. 

TRIPLE TALAQ : HIDDEN AGENDA OF MODI

The Supreme Court is to finally give its verdict in the Triple Talaq case. The legal adjudication of the triple talaq issue has been pushed unto the court by the Modi government. It has been on the agenda of the BJP for a long time. However, now with Modi going strong politically, and the need of muslim votes being vetoed in the hustings, the agenda had gained imminency and urgency.

Before the Modi era BJP’s stand on triple talaq was seen as an extension of its pro Hindu posturing. It also was seen as a move to establish the party’s credo of opposition to pseudo secularism, of which legal -religious codes were seen as an extension.

However, Modi has given the whole issue a new inflection.Modi government is now pursuing its agenda of abolishing triple talaq as an progressive move of gender equality and women’s rights. It has been holding that the personal rights of Muslim women are being trampled by instant talaq, and that the practise is very much against the grain of Indian Constitution.

The Muslim community, on the other hand is very defensive. All India Muslim Personal Law Board has rather cautiously enunciated that the practise is bad, but that the courts and the government should not meddle in the affairs of the community. It has promised to institute measures to give women rights to counter the evils of triple talaq.

But now the matter is in the court, and once the judgement is pronounced it will open a Pandora box of litgation for polygamy and nikaaah halaala. This is sure to put the Muslim community, especially the orthodoxy on the backfoot 

LIFELINE OR DEATHLINE ?

The lifeline of India is turning out to be a deathline. Oft bragged as the biggest transporter of Indian population, the Indian Railways has become a threat for the common man who chooses to travel in it. Khatauli rail accident has brought to the fore the lackadaisical attitude of railway authorities in security and track maintenance.

Initial investigation has revealed that track was being repaired without following the norms. No deadline was being followed, and the maintenance work was being done on an ad hoc basis. Ideally, repair time should be blocked and en route trains should be informed in advance. Red flags should be put in place. No such measure were taken.

Clearly the accident was a travesty of human judgement. In fact it was blunder which cost a score of lives. A recent Niti Aayog study has pointed that 87 percent of Railway accidents are due to `human failure.’ Clearly the Railways are no stranger to such human errors. Inspite of spike in accidents the Railways have yet to take serious measures to curb mishaps.

The government is trying to bring sea changes in the functioning of the Railways, but has failed to initiate ground level changes which can stem such tragedies. Focus is too much on profit building moves and less on safety measures.

It is no wonder that the accident has given the political parties and people to question the Modi government moves to operate bullet trains. 

ARNAB - GLADIATOR OF THE NEWS ROOM

India is good at adopting franchise. The most popular reality shows on television are franchise of American originals. Now news channels are replicating the trend.

The niche created by Arnab Goswami as the face, voice, anchor and editorial head of Times Now is now a story of the past. Arnab in his new avatar is pushing aggressively his new channel Republic along this less trod, despised-and-still-liked path.

The brash and pugnacious style made so familiar by Arnab is a take off on Fox News. Fox made its currency by branding its anchors as opinionated and combative. It chose to challenge the moderate and liberal apostles of the old school journalism.

In India Arnab decided to cultivate a similar cult of journalism. He cocked a snook at his colleagues and challenged the established copy book norms of conservative news presentation.

The more the journalist tribe raised hue and cry about his style of operating the more mileage Arnab garnered in terms of TRP's. 

His base of viewers were a captive audience who bayed for blood of studio guests. Arnab went along and did a mayhem. 

Apparently his erstwhile employer, The Benett and Coleman Ltd., faced heat from somewhere high up and eased the star anchor out.

Arnab has now started his new innings at the Republic. It's tone is more raucous and rough. It embraces strident nationalism as before, but has become viciously belligerent and malicious. The reporting borders on yellow journalism. Sample the unbridled attack on Shashi Tharoor. He has got embroiled in a lawsuited for 'stealing' content from this previous employer, The Times Now. 

It is a begining of a tumultous innings. Long ago he has thrown to the winds the polite fiction of being a middle of the road liberal journalist. Now he is a performer, who dabbles in the art of making a good profit from the days news. 

WAKE UP YOGI

The Yogi cabinet has taken a slew of decisions that impact on a narrow few. Special diesel and petrol coupons for the privileged legislators and construction of Mansarovar House at the cost of 50 crore are two such decisions that have been taken.

A giant statute of Lord Shiva is to be erected in Varanasi's Dasamedh Ghat in which is going to face the famed Kashi Vishwanath mandir.
These decisions again raise the uncomfortable question that to what constituency is the Yogi government focusing. What exactly is the priority of the government and why development projects are not given preeminence ?

The government seems to be follwing an unashamed saffon agenda. Peripherial Hindu  concerns are getting their pound of flesh from the government, and tokenism is replacing policy formulation.
On the law and order front, situation is fast slipping out of hand. Saharanpur is case in the point.

Caste violence is again rearing its ugly head. Sporadic communal clashes are happening off and on. The government is busy shuffling and reshuffling its bureuacratic and setting deadlines for setting the house in order.

Sad part is that the signals emanating from the most high in the state are soft. They don't augur hard business for trouble mongers. Empty sloganeering won't do. This Yogi has to understand. He should mean business at the policy level. Hard nosed policy making is required. Strong measures are needed. Religious rhetoric should be done away with and ''a government for all' should urgently show its work on the streets.

DIGVIJAY'S WINGS CLIPPED

Digvijay Singh has been stripped of his post of general secretary of Goa and poll bound Karnatka. The move is seen as a punitive and corrective action on part of the Congress party set its house in order prior to the 2018 Karnataka hustings. 

It is also seen as a reprimand to the  Dijvijay Singh under whose helms the party was unable to form the government in Goa despite becoming the largest party.

There was much hue and cry when party lagged behind the pro active BJP  in taking initiative to form the government in Goa. It also became a butt of jokes of BJP on this count. 

With Congress political fortunes fast dwindling the party high command is unwilling to take any chances in the forthcoming polls. It wants to be seen as a strong, decisive party and hence the imperative to make correct moves. 

It also desperatively needs to win and thus sacrificing the old guard Digvijay was a decision that the High Command was wont to take. The action has come in rather belatedly, but better late than never.

Clipping the wings of a senior leader like Digvijay Singh is also a sign of climatic change within the party. Actions are now started to be taken against senior leaders which doesn’t bode good for entrenched party functionaries. Though it is a fairly good signs for the party and its fortunes.

 A decisive Sonia and Rahul is needed to change the prospects of the party for the better. Digvijay shouldn’t be the full stop but rather the comma in the ongoing internal narrative of the party.

THE YOGI GAMBIT

Some would call it a bodyblow to secular politics of the country, others would assert it as the demand of democracy. The anointment of Yogi Adityanath as the chief minister of India’s largest state has shocked millions. It has upset the sage predictions of political pundits, who had earlier reeled names of various favourites for the top post. Yogi’s appointment is also being seen as a risky gambit by Modi, whose penchant for wagering political bets is ever increasing.

The fear of saffronization of politics has again cast its ominous shadow on the body politic. It may well act as a catalyst, a rallying point for diverse and dispersed political parties to huddle together in a umbrella front against the BJP. This may augur well for opposition unity, who are yet to cast aside petty issues to hammer a common united front.

Seen from the point of view of Modi, Mahant’s appointment is an tribute, a homage, to the RSS, the mother font of all primal ideological ideas that feed the BJP. It is a reminder to the core constituency of BJP that the party has not lost its way in its bid of modernization. That the agenda of economic growth in no way detracts from the ancient injunctions of the Sangh.

The crowning of Yogi is also an calculated effort to keep the flame of Hindutva steadily burning amdist all the brouhaha of development, so to speak. It can be banked upon to be cashed during the 2019 hustings.

All this is sure to endear Modi to the Pasha’s of RSS, and their goodwill will surely come handy to Modi in times of need.

Holding the Hindutva flag aloft , along with the New India mantra, way well bring some extra votes in the upcoming Gujarat,Chattisgarh and Delhi MCD elections.

The subtext of Hindutva was there all along during the last phase of  Modi’s campaigning. All that talk about graveyards, differential electricity supply during religious festivals is suddenly making sense. Fighting the UP elections without giving a single ticket to the Muslims now can be fully understood.A lead up to the consecration of the Yogi as the ruler of Uttar Pradesh.

MISSION DELHI MCD

With MCD hustings round the corner, parties have started to streamline their election activities. Candidates have begun to cast their hawk eyes on the ticket of their respective parties. Hushed tone parleys have given way to boisterous wrangling and lobbying for ticket.The Congress and BJP offices are bustling with activity. It’s going to be a triangular fight this summer. Congress,BJP and Swaraj Party have girdled their loins. Strategies have been chalked out and battlelines drawn.

BJP Delhi Chief Manoj Tiwary has novel plans to field the candidates. New faces will be fielded he asserts. This is creating heartburn for senior party functionaries and prospective older candidates.

It’s a ten year rule that is at stake for BJP at the city’s civic elections. So the gambit is being viewed with trepidation.

Congress on the other hand is trying to hold strong to the Punjab victory. Sources hold that Congress is going to field Capt. Amrender Singh to lead the election campaign. It’s a do or die situation for Congress and a tried and tested hero from the Punjab battlefield is but a natural choice for the embattled party.

Aam Aadmi Party naturally has thrown its hat in the ring and its bitter foe Swaraj India Party is also in the election ring. 

Fifty percent seats are reserved for women in the three civic bodies. Thus seat allocation is going to be an interesting exercise in intra party management too. 

BATTLEFIELD UTTAR PRADESH

It's a bare all, dare all in the fourth phase of electioneering in Uttar Pradesh. Standards of civility and public correctness has been thrown to the winds in gay abandon. In a rush to grab the headlines the thrusts and parries of politicians across the party line has touched a new meanness.

On Monday suddenly the donkey epithet was sprung on the unsuspecting populace, who just grinned and beared. The suspense lingered till the last as to who the special personage was on whom the venerable title was conferred.

While Akhilesh played on with the donkey turn of phrase, others generously let loose their verbal quiver on their opponents.
Mayawati took a leaf out of Modi's book and coined a acronym for the Prime Minister.
Manohar Damodar Das Modi to her meant  'Mr Negative Dalit Man.'

Modi played his game well again and christened the Bahujan Samaj Party as 'Behenji Sampatti Party.'

The new found creativity of political leaders is writ large with desperation. With the third round of polling safely in the box, almost a third of the game is out of the hand of political parties.

As the polling moves on to the fourth phase politicians are on the edge.

On Sunday, Modi blatantly played the communal card and positioned himself as a well wisher of Muslims and demanding proper electricity supply during Ramzan as well. The pains of Muslims seems  have touched the bosom of Modi in election time. Hope it lingers on well beyond too.

Fourth phase is going to be interesting fight in one more than one sense. 189 crorepatis and 116 candidates with criminal cases are in the fray.

Fourth phase will cover 53 constituencies in 12 districts, including Bundelkhand.

So no wonder that Modi shed tears for the poor state of affairs of the region.Largesse were promised
if voted to power.

AICC President Sonia Gandhi's Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency will be covered in this phase.
The other districts going to polls in the fourth phase are Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur.

SALUTE TO ISRO

ISRO has created a record by launching a bunch of 101 satellites in 600 seconds. The total payload of the lauch vehicle is 664 kg. Launched at very high speed of about 27, 000 km/hr or 40 times the speed of an average passenger liner, the launch exercise was a showcase of expertise garnered by Nations's space organization over the years.

In the field of satellite lauch ISRO has broken the world record set by Russia. In 2014 Russia had launched in space 37 space satellites in one go. Now,  in the current spectacular feat by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV,  India has managed to lauch 101 foreign satellites and one indigenous satellite

Space technology development is a pet idea of Prime Minister Narender Modi. In the recent budget an hike of 23 percent was accorded to the Space Department. The Prime Minister had been inteacting with space scientists and applauding them for their achivements.
Now the sights of ISRO is set even higher. It has planned a trip to Mars and Venus.

BATH IN THE RAINCOAT

Prime Minister Narender Modi is past master in the art of political oneupmanship. In a dexterous move he very skilfully deflected the oppostion's attack on demonetization, and changed the script of the political discourse of the day.
In Rajya Sabha when Modi rose to reply to motion of thanks the Congress expected some rivetting verbal fireworks and dribble of caustic comments. Little did they anticipitate a frontal attack on their icon of propriety, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The 'bath with raincoat on' comment which Modi made not only painted Congress and its rule with tar, it also laid the onus of misrule, to an extent, on the erstwhile prime minister.
Known to be the leading light of the economic reforms of 1991, Singh steered the country from a period of 2004 to 2014. He has impeccable credentials as a leading economist of international standing. Along with PV Narasimha Rao he snapped the mesh of  License Raj and ushered economic liberalization.

Economic laissez faire had been the crown of pride of Congress government. The latest buzz word of Modi - minimum government - is a new age term for the same. As with many other concepts, Modi has succeeded in recoining and then cashing on political philosophies of Congress.

It is a war that he has waged against the old order, and against order of things, which are entrenched with a Congress world-view and proprietorship. In an effort to cast the institutions in a new mould Modi has sharply stepped on the toes of die hard votaries of yesteryear glories of the Congress Raj.
It is a clash of political ecosystems, of worldviews. Seen in this light, Congress is again and again bought into the limelight with its policy paralysis malady.

Demonetization had been proposed to Mrs Gandhi who shirked to implement it. The quote was taken out of a memoir and flashed with impunity across the face of Congress. Holding back no punches Modi moved in swiftly and struck  humiliating at Congress.

Much is at stake for Modi. He is under attack for his demonetization move. The present elections are being fought on demonetization agenda, among others. BJP's loss in elections will be seen as a verdict against Mod's demonetization. Hence the need to strike vulnerably at Congress.An attack which would change the pace and mood of political parrying, atleast for some time as necessary. 

PANEERSEVLAM BARES HIS FANGS

The crisis in AIADMK has overnight escalated. Late night in a sharp move Shashikala had removed O Paneersevlam from the post of party treasurer, and had threatened other severe measures against him.

Events moved swiftly after Paneersevlam showed his rebel face and charged Shashikala with pressurising him to tender his resignation and supporting Shahsikala as the chief minister candidate.
High drama unfolded as Paneersevlam paid obeisance at the memorial of Jayalalitha. He meditated there for about 40 minutes and then spoke belligerently about the raw deal meted out to him. The memorial moment was symbolic. The timing well calculated. The bellicose tone well measured. The admixture of hurt and aggression is probably planned to garner supporter from party members.

The crisis has brought to the fore the simmering discontent in the party. It has also cast a shadow on the smooth transfer of power unto the hands of Shashikala.
If followed to the end, the stand off has all the ingredients for a constitutional crisis. It remains to be seen if Paneersevlam can muster enough MLAs if a show of strength is required.

BJP is a wait and watch mode, so is DMK. The case of disproportionate income has cast its its shadow on the swearing in of Shahsikala. Deepa Jaykumar, niece of Shahsikala has opened a front against her aunt.

The situation is fluid. Other political actors can make the scene messy. It remains to be seen if Paneersevlam's  belligerence will create a breakup of AIADMK.

LEARNING DAYS FOR TRUMP

These are learning days for US President Donald Trump. With no prior experience of holding a public office, the highest office of the land has become a sudden hot seat for Trump. Quite early in his tenure Trump has taken a head long course with the Judiciary. An executive ban order on refugee influx has triggered a confrontation with the judiciary which has stayed the presidential decree.
If Trump continues with the present order of things he will continue to ruffle feathers both in the country and aboard. As of now, many allies, friends and neighbours have had a hearburn.

Inadvertently Trump has run into the check and balance mesh that the constitution had erected to ensure fair play and dissuade heavy handedness of administration. The staying of executive order has once again proved the efficacy of constitutional provisions and foresightedness of founding fathers of Nation.

Trump should do well to pause and ponder. It is quite understood that he is in rush and pressure to prove his electoral promises true. But the way things stand portend, opposition to the President's obdurate moves are hardening. The California ruling has set a precedent which other courts are wont to follow. People have taken to street and political opposition will but cash on Trump's discomfort.

Furthermore, legal appointments are going to be viewed with sckepticism. The appointment of Chief Justice of Supreme Court is in the offing. The appointment will be viewed with a filter to check nepotism, or at least signs of a pliable candidate.

Trump has much to prove. He has to grow much as a politician, an responsible and responsive President, who knows when to stay the course and when to yield and change path. 

TRUMP BLOWS THE TRUMPET

The newly elected President of United States Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order which would clamp a temporary ban on immigration from refugees from six African and Middle Eastern nations. The aim of the order is to curb terrorists entering the borders of United States in the garb of refugees. The imminent order is in line of the election promise of Trump in which he had pledged to halt refugees from terror-infected nations.
Trump also aims to jump start the building of wall along the Mexican border, and put an end to refugee influx.
Though expected, Trump's order is seen as a  discrimination on religious lines.
Trump's action can trigger reactions from targetted nations. It may be in the form of civil protest, or more violent upstaging. The move can escalate diplomatic tension between the United States and targetted nations.

STAND UP RBI

Reserve Bank of India is the purse keeper of nation. As a purse keeper it is wont that the Central Bank guards the interest of the nation. It is incumbent that RBI maintains a strict vigil of its monies. It is also necessary that the Bank 

TOO MUCH OF MODI

The old order changeth,yielding place to new. Modi is no stranger to Lord Alfred Tennyson's pithy dictum. From the time he took charge Modi has been affecting changes in the order of things. Names has been changed, institutions demolished,personalities eased out of position of power.
The latest salvo has been fired by Khadi Gram Udyog Commission on behalf of Modi. In the calender of the Commission Modi has replaced Mahatma Gandhi as the icon of Khadi. He is shown seated behind a spindle and spinning a khadi yarn and an acquiesent and beaming Gandhi is relegated to background.

Party motormouth have done their duty overtime since then. Heath Minister of Haryana Anil Vij has endorsed the move, and called Gandhi a personage of bad omen. The name of Gandhi has devalued notes. Modi is a better brand than Gandhi, he continues in the same bad breath.

Facts and figures have been tossed up to bolster the claim that Brand Modi has given the Khadi business a strong fillip, its business has been boosted, and people have embraced the cloth as never before.

Though an obstinacy to change unto new ways is seen as an regressive mindset, some icons need to be preserved for their totemic value. Gandhi is one such icon. However, it is imperative that newer symbols and perosnalities, as well as ways and means should be adopted to carve new niches in old institutions.

However, too much of Modi acts as a backlash. It is interpretated as showmanship, as an effort to dominate and smother.
The silence of Modi in this matter, as in every other, is deafening.
Modi should speak and set matters to rest. He should maintain sanctity of institutions and should prove by his actions as well as words.

He should know that surfeit of Modi can well translate into no Modi.

KEJRIWAL'S MISSION PUNJAB

It's been a year of discontent for Kejriwal. As any other year he had been at its vitriolic best. He had exchanged barbs with all and sundry, and had made frontal attack on  Prime Minister Modi .

Betraying his political restlessness Kejriwal has now made a move beyond his marked territory. His compatriot and deputy Manish Sisodia has made a nascent and powerful announcement - look out for Kejriwal as the next Chief Minister of Punjab.

It is quite clear that Kejriwal will act now as an engine of party's growth beyond Delhi. For a party which had bagged a mere four seat in the 2014 hustings, its now a do or die situation.

With Modi's frontal attack on corruption via demonetization, Kejriwal has lost his primal thunder. His bluff, buster and boast sytle of politics needs some new meat. Punjab will be his testing ground as to how much Kejriwal and AAP can reinvent itself and challenge BJP, Akali's and Congress.