Just like tango
Yes Sir! Just like it takes two to tango, it takes two to govern the country, government and opposition. It is opposition which has a responsibility for keeping a watch on government, and make sure that power doesn't go to the heads of those wielding it.
Now my question is, what the hell has been happening ? The "secular", "progressive" government led by ex-bureaucrat Manmohan Singh has bend over in order to please the visiting Chinese premier.
This is not the first time when present dispension or its allies has acted in way determinant to the nation, nor I am afraid it will be the last time.
Now I never had any expectations from it in the first place. To me electing this government was slipping back into the ditch our respected secularists have been digging assiduously since the independence.
Also it is a given that progressive media is bound to act as cheerleaders for the present farce, as they have done previously.
But what about BJP ! I have always identified myself with BJP and its ideology of cultural nationalism. Even if it was voted out of power, as elected representative, and for the ideology they professed they had this duty to protect the interest of nation by countering the weak addled and malicious machinations of this government. However even as ministers are running with their individual agendas for political benefits and/or petty vendetta, BJP has displayed abysmal failure to bring this government to book.What instead goes on is petty partisanship, to score political brownie point.
The reason is simple, since it lost power its leaders are too busy settling the scores among themselves, or indulging in one upmanship, to really bother about the challenges this nation faces. The loser in this is of course India.
BJP has lost the plot since it was ousted from power, since then while it has been able to perform electorally, it has not made any attempt to reinvent its ideology or update its program.
It would be ironical, not to mention bitter if BJP were to unravel due to changes brought about by themselves.
6 comments:
I beg to differ apollo. The BJP IS different - at least it was during the 13 month term of the Vajpayee govt. Remember Jayalalitha demanding her pound of flesh , asking the Karunanidhi govt in TN be dismissed under Article 356. BJP refused to implement Article 356 - which it had been consistently opposing - preferring instead to let the govt fall. Contrast this with the Gujral govt dismissing the UP BJP govt just before elections in UP. Asked about this Com Surjeet ( whose CPM has also consistently opposed Article 356) said we will use any measure to defeat BJP. So much for their principles. This is not a one off incident. I could quote you several such.
Gaurav...I agree with you that the present day BJP has lost its bearings. Its sad for me personally , since the issues that originally attracted me to the BJP are much more relevant in the present day. Heres hoping good sense prevails.
Apollo & Sachin,
Both of you are correct.
BJP when in power made compromises on matter of national security (to my disappointment).
However it was distinct from previous establishment, and if it had come back to power, I think it would have been able to chart a distinct course
Regards
I suspect many muslims would be willing to vote for the type of party Apollo envisages.
However the BJP and its emphasis on 'cultural nationalism' and many of whose grass root workers and members are often virulently anti muslim would never be popular among muslims thus reducing them to permanent votebanks of 'secular' parties.
Anon,
Well, as I said it takes two to tango.
Being a "cultural nationalist" myself, I think problem lies on the side too
Regards
Hi Gaurav
Good post
I think other than Savarkar and to a very limited extent Advani the right-wing in India always suffered from serious intellectual bankruptcy leading to the stagnation in the evolution of true nationalist ideology.There is no rejevenutaion and regeneration of ideas
They are stuck in a time warp and for many sections of Indians,the ideology is seen representing forces bent on perpetuating Brahminical Hindu Social Order.The poor articulation and uninspiring leadership has only made matters worse
As Offstumped has written see the filmsy ground on which someone like Rajnath Singh opposes the date of visit of Chinese Premier.The nature of his critique was ridiculous.For example what on earth was that moron Yashwant Sinha trying to achieve hobnobbing with discredited Natwar or for that matter such a great son of India like Jaswant singh indulging in cheap trick to promote his book
While what Apollo calls for his the best thing that can happen,i am not sure if it can happen anytime in the next 30 years
Unless something dramatic happens,BJP will be back to the days of splendid isolation winning 100-150 seats electorally and nothing more
Prasanna,
Brilliant comment, and yes it is real possiblity
Regards
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