A Fundamental Clash of Visions

I have been thinking for sometime as to why I vote for the Congress. Is it because of policies, yes, but that is a very narrow time sensitive factor. Personalities, yes, but that again is narrow and time and situation sensitive. The more I think about, I am convinced that to me the Congress choice is dictated by something fundamentally appealing - and that is the answer to the question "what does the idea of India stand for".
Taking the general election 2009 as the basis, let us examine what the three major political formations in the fray stand for - not just the policies and intentions as stated in the manifestoes, but also what actual history and practice tell us.
The BJP Idea of India:
The BJP idea of India is very unitarian in outlook. Even after taking VHP and Bajrang Dal out of the equation, the BJP vision of the country is a narrow, anti-modern conception which thrives on rejection of any idea which does not fit their definition of Hindu Rashtra. There is a strong liberal section in the BJP (which seems a matter of the past now with Jaswant Singhs expulsion and the sidelining of the Vajpayee group) which does not question the fundamental secular orientation of the Indian state, but the overall construct of India is something that derives purely from a narrow interpretation of India's ancient vedic past. While the Indo-Muslim dimension of our great heritage is completely ignored, in practice some of its leaders and branches have shown a meanness of thought and action which goes totally against the cultural precepts that define "Hindustan"
The Third Front and Fourth Front Idea of India:
This rag tag formation is the probably the most opportunistic, politically unstable formation we have seen in the history of democratic India. In a way, the ideological sponsors of the formation, the Communist Parties, are as different from the partners of this front as water and oil. Most of the partners are regional, linguistic and caste based groupings whose existence depends upon their ability to fragment the thought process of Indian society into one based on narrow identities without regard for the larger good. While the idea of third front was expected to strengthen our federal structure, what has actually happened is they engendered the most despicably unhealthy form of intra-regional competition where one-upmanship was the only form of political creativity. And the truth is neither were these total representatives of the regional sentiment they claimed they did, most of them were just fronts for the articulation and protection of the interests of privileged caste/class groupings in their respective regions. For these political groups, the Idea of India is just something that enhances their bargaining power.
The Congress Idea of India:
The Congress' Idea of India is essentially a Nehru-Gandhi vision of a cosmopolitan, liberal and modern India which prides in all the components of its vast heritage. It is a very progressive conception which promotes the concept of Indian citizenship as a fraternity of voluntary acceptance (a matter of belonging) rather than as a fraternity of blood or race (like the Nazi concept of Germanhood). Indian culture is a totality of the great sub-cultures that have been spwaned in the sub-continent. From Vedic to Indo-Muslim to Indo Anglian to Buddhist to Dravidian, it is the diversity of these streams that makes up the idea of India. It is a concept that aknowledges Emperor Akbar as probably the greatest Indian ruler - as the real progenitor of the idea of India, without being constrained by his ethnic or religous background. The Congress view of our heritage has space for the Awadh of Shiite rulers as well as the Hindu Marathas. It is a worldview best represented by the Hindustani Classical singers of the Indo-Gangetic plain. Where Lord Krishna and Imam Ali can both be main protagonists in a tale. An ideological and cultural fabric which allows all citizens to share a sense of belonging. A vision so compelling, that allowed us not to become an image of our Western Neighbour, a continuation of the idea of India to which Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan gravitated rejecting his land of birth as an unnatural creation.
The Congress idea at the same time recognised the social and economic inequalities in Indian society. Abolition of Zamindari and fight against untouchability mirrored these concerns.
For all the weaknesses and unpalatable attributes that the Congress has, what makes it attractive is the chance that it offers us to respect and revel in the Nehruvian idea of a modern and liberal national entity

How to fend of a Bully ?

Ask any pshychologist "How to fend of a bully ?". Answer will be unanimous - be a bull dog. Nature of bullys is to terrorize people who look weak. The best way to stop them is to look strong, be confident and attack them in reverse if needed.

Chandra babu is one of the biggest political bullies. What he is trying to do to Chiru is just bullying. As far as leaders leaving PRP, chiru is far better off loosing these people. They came in with ulterior motives and will leave when they do not smell power. But I think Chiru is getting better at bringing his act together. He is now openly attacking Babu and TDP. It definitely energizes his cadre. I do not want to speculate if stronger PRP is better for Congress and how strong it can get etc. I like chiru as a movie star and thats it. But good to see him showing middle finger to Babu.

Now YSR can just relax and carry on his development agenda. PRP on one side and dissidents like Prasanna and bala nagireddy on the other side will be doing enough to keep babu busy.

A thought on political picture

Chiranjeevi party pedathaadu ani telisina tholi rojullo..nenu chaala alochinchaanu. Chiru party koncham effective anipinchukunnaa..prasthutham vunna rendu pradhaana raajakeeya party laki ibbandhi ani anukunna.

18 percent votes thechukovatam dvaara atu congress ni,itu TDP ni debba teesinaa....Nijaaniki pedda prabhaavam kanaparchaleka poyaadu. paiga..Deerga kaalika kaaryacharana(action plan) vunna vaadila kanipinchatam ledhu. Ituvaipu CBN thana paatha anucharulani successfull ga thana vaipu lakkuntunatlu anipisthondhi.

Besides YSR proved that he can do alone in Kostha and Telangana. For once, it cleared every doubts about his effectiveness and influence across all regions. Chiranjeevi aatalo arati pandula migili pothaada lekaa.. inkaa yemina anedhi kaalamey nirnayinchaali. Nenu ayithey sincere ga anukunaa...Chiru CBN ni replace chesthaadu ani.

Is Ramoji being let go easily?

अग्नि: शेषं ॠण: शेषं शत्रु शेषं तथैव च (అగ్ని శేషం, ఋణ శేషం , శత్రు శేషం తథైవ చ )
पुन: पुन: प्रवार्धेत तस्मात् शेषं न कारयेत (పునః పునః ప్రవర్దేత్ తస్మాత్ శేషం న కారయేత్)
- सुभाषित: (సుభాషితములు)
This verse simply means that "Leave no remanence of Fire, Loan Or Enemy. They will rebound and destroy you when you are least expecting". This has been proven many times in the history. Prithviraj pardoned Ghori when Ghori was defeated miserably in his hands. He let him go back to afghanistan. Ghori came back with bigger army and defeated Prithvi, and he killed prithvi at the first chance. This was a classic example of why you should not pardon your enemy and think that he already learnt a lesson.
Is Y.S making the same mistake as Prithviraj Chauhan? Is he thinking that Ramoji is down and dead? I was talking to a TDP supporter at work, he said that Ramoji is waiting for the right time. He is down but not dead. This did not surprise me at all. I am cognizant of Ramoji's nature. He is another jackal like babu. While I understand YSR's intention to make the seond term a scandal free term, I think it may prove costly at later point. Ramoji could not do any more harm to Y.S after all he has done to Y.S in the first term, One may say, what he can do now? Answer is you never know. Why leave enemy like him? Why waste all the hard work that Undavalli has put in? Is Y.S letting Ramoji go easily? Or something else is happening below the radar?
Only time will tell...

Second term - కథా కమామీషూ

"ఆయా రాం, గయా రాం", "గోడ మీద పిల్లి", "కప్పల తక్కెడ", లాంటి సామెతలు ఎవరి కోసం పుట్టాయో కాని, ఈనాటి నాయకులను చూస్తే వీరి కోసమే పుట్టాయేమో అనిపిస్తుంది. గాలి ముద్దుకృష్ణమనాయుడు , జోగయ్య, దేవేందర్ గౌడ్ లాంటి జంపు జిలానీలు, ఇంకా తలసాని లాంటి జంపు జిలానీ అవ్వాలనుకునే వాళ్ళని చూస్తే ఎవరిని నమ్మాలో, ఎవరు కొవర్టులో తెలీదు. పాపం చిరు కి ఒక్క సంవత్సరం రాజకీయ జీవితంలో వంద సంవత్సరాల అనుభవం వచ్చింది. చిరు రాజకీయలకి నిజంగా అన్ ఫిట్ అనిపిస్తుంది. రాజకీయాలు active గా involve అయ్యి అడాల్సిన ఆట. చెప్పాలంటే చదరంగాన్ని మించిన 'చెద'రంగం. ఇందులో success కావాలంటే ఎత్తులకు పై ఎత్తులు వేసే మేధస్సు (KVP), కొండనైన డీకొట్టేందుకు సిద్ధపడగలిగే తెగింపు (వైయస్), లేదా ఎందుకైనా తెగించే జిత్తులమారి తనం (బాబు) కావలి. ఇవేమీ చిరు కి లేవు.

పెద్దగా ఆర్భాటం చేసి బయటికి వెళ్ళిన గౌడ్ గారు మళ్ళీ తెగులుదేశం (అచ్చు తప్పు కానే కాదు) లోకి సొంత ఇంటిలోకే వచ్చినట్టు రావటం చూస్తే అసలు ఈయన కోవర్టు ఏమో అని అనిపిస్తుంది. కాంగ్రెస్ లోనికి రావటానికి ప్రయత్నిస్తున్న తలసాని ని చూస్తే మనకి వీళ్ళకి అధికారమే పరమర్థమనిపిస్తోంది. మరి తలసాని లక్ష్యం అధికారమా? లేక ఈయనా కోవర్టా? ఏమో, దేవుడికే తెలియాలి. ఏది ఏమైనా, కాంగ్రెస్ లో ఆల్రెడీ పనిచేసిన వాళ్ళకి పదవులు రాలేదు, ఇలాంటి సమయంలో తలసాని ని పిలిచి, తాంబూలం ఇచ్చి మేయరు పదవి ఇవ్వటం అంత మంచిది కాదేమో. మరొక్క surprise - వై.ఎస్. నోట, రోజా మాట. మరి నిజంగానే బాబు ని ఇరకాటం లో పెట్టడానికో లేక మరే కారణమో ? ఏది ఏమైనా రాజకీయ పరిస్థితి కొంత గందరగోళం గానే ఉంది. కానీ ఇలాంటి సమయంలో సరైన ఎత్తులు వయగాలిగితేనే ఎవరైనా survive అవ్వగలరు.

వై.ఎస్ రెండో టర్మ్ కొంత అప్ హిల్ టాస్క్ లానే ఉంది. వర్షాలు పడలేదు. ఐదేళ్ళలో మొదటి సారి కరువు వచ్చేటట్టు ఉంది. ధరలు పెరుగుతున్నాయి. ఆదాయం తగ్గింది. ఆర్థిక మాంద్యం వల్ల అన్నీ దెబ్బతింటున్నాయి. కరెంటు కోత తప్పేటట్టు లేదు. బాబు చక చకా పార్టీ ని బలపరుచు కుంటున్నాడు. ఇవన్నీ చూస్తే చాలా familiar లాగ అనిపిస్తున్నాయి కదా? అదే - వై.ఎస్ కి ఎప్పుడూ పోరాటం తప్పదు. కానీ ఎదుర్కొనే సత్తా ఉన్న నాయకుడు. Just tighten your belts ! Stay put. Wild ride ahead. :)

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