By T.J.S George
The President of India in June 2019, six months ago: “My Government has decided to implement the process of NRC (National Register of Citizens).” The Prime Minister of India in December 2019, just a few days ago: “My Government has never discussed the word NRC.” So whose Government is running the country? In other words, who is lying?
For the general elections early this year, BJP’s manifesto said: “We are committed to the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). We will expeditiously complete the National Register of Citizens process on priority and will implement the NRC in other parts of the country.” Home Minister Amit Shah repeated these points at various election rallies. The Prime Minister declared that there was “no discussion on NRC after I became Prime Minister.” So, do the manifesto and the Home Minister repudiate the Prime Minister? In other words, who is lying?
In his angry speech last week, the Prime Minister said that stories about detention centres in several parts of the country were jhoot hai, jhoot hai, jhoot hai (lies, lies and lies). In September, three months before this condemnation of jhoot, a detention centre with a capacity to house 3,000 inmates was nearing completion in Matia in Western Assam at a cost of Rs. 146 crore. This was the first of ten centres planned. A few days before his speech, Karnataka opened its first detention centre “for illegal immigrants” 40 km outside Bengaluru. So whose words are jhoot hai, jhoot hai, jhoot hai?
When December witnessed, across India, protests of a kind never seen since independence, the spontaneity of it surprised everyone. It was a people’s movement, spearheaded by no one in particular. For two weeks, even Modi was too stunned to speak. Then came his proclamation that anyone could make out who was behind it from the clothes they wore — an obvious reference to Muslims. But is it true that clothes maketh the man? From the clothes Modiji wears, no one will make out that he is the leader of a poor country. For, he is the most expensively dressed leader in the world today. He wears bespoke costumes customised by an exclusive tailor (Bipin Chauhan of Ahmedabad), Bvlgari spectacles, Movado watches and Montblanc pens. He once appeared in a pinstripe suit with ‘Narendra Damodardass Modi’ imprinted as stripes all over it. When rumours spread about its cost (Rs. 2 crore by some accounts), he discarded it swiftly. So who promotes one set of values and lives by another? In other words, who is the master of doublespeak?
The notable feature of the nationwide protest was the absence of a central leadership. Students and young women seemed to be their own leaders. Yet, according to the Prime Minister, “Urban Naxals and the Congress were behind” the protests. The Congress, lodged in ICU, must have felt flattered. The Urban Naxal is something else. It is part of the ironies of our time that a phrase that was intended to denote the political underground became, instead, one that meant citizens who stood up to fight the wickedness of those in power. Bengaluru will remember for long the sight of an ailing Girish Karnad sitting at a public meeting wearing a placard with the words “Me too, Urban Naxal.” So who is the patriot and who the oppressor? Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap gave an opinion when he described the Prime Minister as “Urban Nazi.”
Given the atmosphere of fear in the country (to which industry leaders drew attention recently), it is heartwarming that critics continue to flourish. May be the population of India is too large to be easily controlled. Southern film star Rima Kallingal trawls BJP leaders and says: “Let us stop making fools famous.” Many prominent stars, the moment they utter a critical word, begin getting visits from the Income Tax and Enforcement authorities. In Yogi Adityanath’s UP, Muslims who oppose the (amended) Citizenship Act, are picked up and killed. Activist Rana Ayyub released a list of 14 young men who were thus eliminated. Other reports describe how Muslim families flee as Police vandalise their homes and harass their women. All the 23 deaths in the course of the protests have been in BJP-ruled States.
This New India is getting international attention as well. The outside world sees the citizenship laws as essentially anti-Muslim. India’s stock in countries from Japan to Europe and the US has gone significantly down if foreign reports are any indication. So much for Howdy Modi. Obvious lesson will obviously be ignored: You cannot fool all the people all the time.
Hats Off Sir, T.J.S George
This is what exactly make the Star of Mysore be read to complete the evening.
truly you have relaxed the New year occasion/
I am not by any means a fan of TJS George, but it is good to hear dissenting voices calling out the hypocrisy and double standards of the present dispensation as well as their obvious incompetence. The Congress and the Gandhis might have overseen decades of self promotion, corruption, nepotism and vote bank politics, but it appears that we have, in their stead, something just as, or even more corrupt (their electoral bonds scheme a case in point) and far , far more dangerous in its attempt to reap electoral dividends by sowing communal discord (majoritarian vote bank politics). One should appreciate the editor of SOM for staying loyal to an old mentor of his, despite the obvious divergence in their political views.
@Govind Pai
I agree with this observation of yours: ” The Congress and the Gandhis might have overseen decades of self promotion, corruption, nepotism and vote bank politics, but it appears that we have, in their stead, something just as, or even more corrupt (their electoral bonds scheme a case in point) and far , far more dangerous in its attempt to reap electoral dividends by sowing communal discord (majoritarian vote bank politics”.
But I will add a sentence or two saying that it is not the monopoly of Congress and Gandhis to indulge in self promotion, corruption, nepotism..”. One could see these creeping heavily into Modi’s government , where a Gujarathi clique of Modi and Shah with no dissenting voices in the government, repeating the same mistakes of Gandhis. The absolute power gained with a massive majority in the election, which Gandhis also enjoyed, is driving these professional politicians to ignore balanced thinking, rejecting dissenting voices and rolling ahead with the ill-thought out and ill-judged policies like the CAA.
One can see why India is not a mature democracy, as blunders are repeated in every government at the centre, because of the absence of checks and balances..
Living in the ‘outside world’, the West, I agree with his observation: ” The outside world sees the citizenship laws as essentially anti-Muslim. India’s stock in countries from Japan to Europe and the US has gone significantly down if foreign reports are any indication. So much for Howdy Modi. Obvious lesson will obviously be ignored: You cannot fool all the people all the time”. Modi was immature to the extent that he never understood the hyperbole that Americans often dish out. The Trump eulogy of Modi, is the kind every American dishes out, when he /she sees benefit in doing so. In this instant Trump, was trying to mop up the support of Indian-Americans, who traditionally are registered Democrats. Trump, never does anything , like a typical American, if he does not see benefits to himself.
India is not an ally to the US, like Britain , Germany or France or members of the NATO alliance are. That Modi , never learned.
Also, Modi was lukewarm to the majority Democratic leader of House of Representatives, who appeared earlier to Trump in the podium , and who praised Nehru. Whatever one can say about Nehru, there is no denying that he was the architect of modern India, a colossus in his time, which even Eisenhower recognised. You can already see,Democrats like Pramila Jayapal critising Modi’s policies. Although Trump can say things, it is the House of Representatives controlled by Democrats that has to approve any agreement with any country Trump makes. The Indian Foreign minister seeing Pramila Jaypal present in a meeting, boycotted that meeting. As George says: ” Howdy Modi” is ringing hollow now! Modi’s moral highground which he takes whenever he meets a Western leader also sounds hollow. Indian PMs, being from the BJP or the Congress have a lot to learn, domestically and internationally.
Modi and his clan including Mr Ganapathy of SOM were euphoric looking at how Trump praised Modi in that ” Howdy Modi” bash! Ask Trump about it, now. He will simply laugh it away. He is like any other Western leader, says what the Indian PM wants to hear, but act in his/her country’s own interest. All Western countries, particularly the US is sensitive to the treatment of minorities. Democrats in the US, even the ones with Indian-origin feel very uncomfortable with the CAA, article 370 impact of isolating J and K from the rest of India etc.., and this does not augur well to the reputation of India. The ” outside world”, using George’s words is reminded about the turmoil that Indira Gandhi’s regime caused in 1970s-the riots, the arrests etc.., and Trump hence wishes that “Howdy Modi” bash is behind him , whenever Indian origin politician like Jaypal, The Representative ( of the House of Representatives) rises the issue of treatment of minorities.
As a poster points out above, this government of Modi is operated by a clique. So far there is no dissenting voice in Modi’s cabinet, reminding Indira Gandhi’s cabinet.
” In his s angry speech last week, the Prime Minister said that stories about detention centres in several parts of the country were jhoot hai, jhoot hai, jhoot hai (lies, lies and lies). In September, three months before this condemnation of jhoot, a detention centre with a capacity to house 3,000 inmates was nearing completion in Matia in Western Assam at a cost of Rs. 146 crore. This was the first of ten centres planned. A few days before his speech, Karnataka opened its first detention centre “for illegal immigrants” 40 km outside Bengaluru. So whose words are jhoot hai, jhoot hai, jhoot hai?
Oh, dear Modi treating the citizens as fools! Haven’t Indians heard it before ,?!!
correction: “raises”