The full text of the speech can be found here.
Key issues from an Offstumped perspective that standout from the speech.
- There is a high degree of confidence in the BJP about the next election
- The Narendra Modi model of Minimum Government and Maximum Governance seems to be the template the BJP will tout
- One can see this template as the underlying theme in the different ideas that emerge in the speech. So when he talks of “elimination of abject poverty” he is not referring to handouts but “massive re-industrialisation” with a focus on? gainful employment, good living conditions and wealth-generation possibilities. Similarly when he talks of the Golden Quadrilateral or Education and Healthcare he is not talking of more massive government funded programs but of “employing the sharp knife of reform”.
- The speech re-iterates the fundamental issue with India – Lack of Governance and a commitment to “Good Governance that will ensure Inclusive Growth”. Once again the slum re-development plan of Narendra Modi is touted as an example of how this can be done.
But more than the policy details here is what stands out in the speech.
Govt?s performance must match the ambition of India?s youth
This is the bottomline folks for the next election. It is not about touting a phony youth icon in a not so young anymore Rahul Gandhi. It is about Performance that can match the hopes and aspirations of a young India on the move. An India that has no time or tolerance for incompetence, sycophancy and figurehead leaders.
A closing note on Populism, as Aryan a regular Offstumped reader points out this post from this blog on populism of the BJP.
Mr. Advani defends populism as a moral obligation but he qualifies his populism with a Modi template
?If by populism is meant efficient, corruption-free and well-targeted delivery of the most basic needs to the most needy sections of our society, yes, we will indeed practice more of such poverty-reducing populism”
Offstumped has no issue with such a template for Populism but would urge Mr. Advani and the BJP to take this template further.
If poverty reducing populism is the Dharma or moral obligation of the Government, Offstumped calls on them to recognize that Dharma is a handshake, a 2 way street. There can be no Dharma in the Ruler discharging his part if the Ruled dont discharge theirs.
For this moral obligation to have moral sanction, the BJP’s poverty reducing populism must be premised on this basic Dharma of Governance
the creation of an Ownership Society that perpetuates a Culture of Responsibility rather than the creation of a Dependent Society that craves for and panders to a Culture of Entitlement
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[...] Key issues from an Offstumped perspective that standout from the speech. [...]
I can sacarcely believe that a government which initiated and executed path-breaking schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ ,Golden Quadilateral etc, that possessed some of the finest ministerial talents including Shourie/Jaswant/Advani/Maran/Nitish
/Jaitley/Khanduri but merely occupied office for 5 years being subject to such villiification in our media .
Advani’speeches are always a delight to read.
And i quite his dig on that stalinist speaker of Lok Sabha
01.05.2008
WITH DUE RESPECT TO Mr.L.K.ADVANI, I COULD NOT UNDER STAND WHAT IS THE TEMPLATE OF Mr. MODI’S DEVELOPMENT.
Mr. ADVANI SEE HIS FUTURE IF HE BECOME FIRST MP FROM GUJARAT TO BECOME FUTURE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA.
TO BECOME MP Mr.ADVANI DEPENDS ON Mr.NARENDRA MODI. THAT IS WHY Mr. ADVANI DON’T SEE ANY THING ELSE AFTER Mr.MODI AND HIS ALL MODELS.
ADVANI SHOULD VISIT VADODARA AND SEE EVEN IN APRIL MONTH THE BARODIANS ARE NOT GETTING A BUCKET OF PURE DRINKING WATER. ALL PONDS AND TANKS OF VADODARA ARE HIGHLY POLLUTED.
ALL ROADS OF VADODARA ARE DIGGED CAUSING INCONVINUECES TO PASSING PUBLIC.
BJP Dy/ MAYOR IS WRITING LETTERS TO MUN. COMMISSIONER OF INFERIOR QUALITY MATERIAL USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS FROM JNNURM FUNDS. WHO LISTEN?
FOR 2008 MANSOON ONLY 45 DAYS LEFT. NO SIGHT THAT THIS YEAR RAIN WATER WILL NOT BE LOGGED IN VADODARA CITY.
ONLY TO DAY’s INDIAN EXPRESS THE PRESIDENT OF MAKARPURA GIDC VADODARA WROTE TO SEE NARENDRA MODI AS NO ONE LISTENING TO THEM TO UTILISE GRANTS WITH THEM FOR STORM WATER DRAINAGES. LAST YEAR GIDC LOST CRORES OF RUPEES WITH LOSS OF MEN POWER DUE TO LOGGING OG RAIN WATER IN 90 % GIDC INDUSTRIES. GIDC PREPARE VERY GOOD PLAN TO RELIEVE RAIN WATER TO VISHAMITRI RIVER THROUGH MASIA KANS PASSING FROM THE GIDC AREA AS THE KANS IS ENCROACHED AND RAIN WATER CAN’T PASS THROUGH THE MASIA KANS. ALL ON DEAF EARS. NO ENGINEER IS QUALIFIED IN VMC VADODARA TO TAKE UP PROJECTS . MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER HAVE NO TIME TO MEET THE GENERAL PUBLIC THOSE KNOW THEIR PROBLEMS.
NO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN JNNURM PROJECTS OF VADODARA PUBLIC AS PER NORMS OF JNNURM.
PRESENT MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER DON’T MEET RESPECTED PERSONS OF VADODARA. NO RESPONSIBLE OFFICER AVAILABLE IN THE VMC OFFICES INCLUDING MAIN VMC OFFICE.
THESE ARE THE CONDITIONS OF KARAMBHOOMI”VADODARA” OF Mr. MODI AND Mr. ADVANI ONLY TALK OF MODI’S TEMPLATE AND HIS MODEL OF DEVELOPMENTS
Dr. R.K.D.Goel VADODARA.
Dr.R.K.D.Goel May 01, 2008 2:38 am COMMENTS LK Advani’s CII Speech – Offstumped Commentary
01.05.2008
WITH DUE RESPECT TO Mr.L.K.ADVANI, I COULD NOT UNDER STAND WHAT IS THE TEMPLATE OF Mr. MODI’S DEVELOPMENT.
Mr. ADVANI SEE HIS FUTURE IF HE BECOMES FIRST MP FROM GUJARAT TO BECOME FUTURE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA.
TO BECOME MP Mr.ADVANI DEPENDS ON Mr.NARENDRA MODI. THAT IS WHY Mr. ADVANI DON’T SEE ANY THING ELSE AFTER Mr.MODI AND HIS ALL MODELS.
ADVANI SHOULD VISIT VADODARA AND SEE EVEN IN APRIL MONTH THE BARODIANS ARE NOT GETTING A BUCKET OF PURE DRINKING WATER. ALL PONDS AND TANKS OF VADODARA ARE HIGHLY POLLUTED.
ALL ROADS OF VADODARA ARE DIGGED CAUSING INCONVINUECES TO PASSING PUBLIC.
BJP Dy. MAYOR IS WRITING LETTERS TO MUN. COMMISSIONER OF INFERIOR QUALITY MATERIAL USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS FROM JNNURM FUNDS. WHO LISTEN?
FOR 2008 MANSOON ONLY 45 DAYS LEFT. NO SIGHT THAT THIS YEAR RAIN WATER WILL NOT BE LOGGED IN VADODARA CITY.
ONLY TO Day’s INDIAN EXPRESS THE PRESIDENT OF MAKARPURA GIDC VADODARA WROTE TO SEE NARENDRA MODI AS NO ONE LISTENING TO THEM TO UTILISE GRANTS WITH THEM FOR STORM WATER DRAINAGES. LAST YEAR GIDC LOST CRORES OF RUPEES WITH LOSS OF MEN POWER DUE TO LOGGING OG RAIN WATER IN 90 % GIDC INDUSTRIES. GIDC PREPARE VERY GOOD PLAN TO RELIEVE RAIN WATER TO VISHAMITRI RIVER THROUGH MASIA KANS PASSING FROM THE GIDC AREA AS THE KANS IS ENCROACHED AND RAIN WATER CAN’T PASS THROUGH THE MASIA KANS. ALL ON DEAF EARS. NO ENGINEER IS QUALIFIED IN VMC VADODARA TO TAKE UP PROJECTS . MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER HAVE NO TIME TO MEET THE GENERAL PUBLIC THOSE KNOW THEIR PROBLEMS.
NO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN JNNURM PROJECTS OF VADODARA PUBLIC AS PER NORMS OF JNNURM.
PRESENT MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER DOESN’T MEET RESPECTED PERSONS OF VADODARA. NO RESPONSIBLE OFFICER AVAILABLE IN THE VMC OFFICES INCLUDING MAIN VMC OFFICE.
THESE ARE THE CONDITIONS OF KARAMBHOOMI”VADODARA” OF Mr. MODI AND Mr. ADVANI ONLY TALK OF MODI’S TEMPLATE AND HIS MODEL OF DEVELOPMENTS
Dr. R.K.D.Goel VADODARA.
Mr. Advani’s speech spoke about “need for change” as the UPA sarkaar enters its final lap. He also spoke about the ‘un-caging of the Indian tiger’ by the NDA sarkaar headed by Mr. Vajpayee. Thus he implied NDA for 2009.
I don’t buy it, not yet. I am disappointed by this speech. And I am disappointed with the BJP for they have time and again proved unworthy of being custodians of the Right.
- Srirangan
x-post from Nitin’s blog, Acorn.
Both LKA and MMS grew up in a socialist milieu here in India where ‘profit’, ‘ambition’, ‘getting rich’ etc were bad words. Why income taxes at one point in IG’s rule was over 90% above some threshold, it seems….
This insanity wasn’t of course confined to India . It was global in scope. What lay chinese suffered before Mahatma Mao departed for his netherwordly abode and the pragmatic Deng Xiaoping proclaimed “It is glorious to be rich” (circa 1978, I think) was far worse than what any Indian leader could have inflicted, even a communist one.
I was far more enthused by the BJP’s poll manifesto in the mid 90s (before they occupied the seat of government in Dilli) calling for ‘internal liberalisation’. Wow, I had thought. Finally, freeing up India’s opportunities for local genious. Sadly, I’m yet to see enough deregulation and free-marketism in agriculture which sustains 2/3rds of our people. Develvement of financial powers to the local level – cities deciding on what to spend their money, so also with small towns and even village panchayats – is the way to go.
But am jumping ahead of myself. Let me thank my stars there’s someone in India witha realistic chance of making it to the PM gaddi who understands the issues and is politically secure enough (LKA doesn’t owe his seat in parliament to someone else’s mercy, he was elected directly by the people to the LS. Unlike MMS, I must add) to speak his mind. Recall how the media came up with this weird theory that somehow ‘India shining’ was responsible for the NDA’s defeat in 2004? I never could figure out how it so quickly became establishment consensus. Had the NDA chosen to go with the DMK and not Jaya, they would have formed sarkar again in 2004, IMHO.
Now again, the media allies of the INC shall wait for India to stumble so that can pin the blame on LKA’s right wing ideas onlee. How better to discredit ‘em rightwingish economic policy. The commies will always oppose anything that benefits India and not China.
Sad state of affairs, must say.
Lezsee, aagaey aagey hota hai kya.
/Have a nice day, all.
How refreshing! Free of cant, hypocrisy, and platitude. Such a contrast to MMS!
Sri Advani could have brought up Sri Vajpayee’s called for education reform and his Shastri like call “Jai Vigyan”…to remind everyone education is a continued theme of BJP…Well written speak – needs to on Youtube or something….
Of course our english media, which seems to set the agenda for talking points, would have none of it…Yuvraj would trump everything for them…
Economic growth is untenable without security, Mr Advani needs to also address internal security, not just for Karnataka elections for the nationals in 2009.
How will internal security be better then last NDA rule ? comparison to UPA rule obviously being a cruel joke on terror victims.
What about reforms in the Police force ? de-politizing police force to remove the political stranglehold on police, training, a national ATS, increased salaries, proper equipment like M16′s if that’s what needed.
how about a ‘common maximum programme’ on terrorism, A national consensus on how to deal with terror outfits ?
Nothing was done in his previous tenor as Home minister to deal with the repatriation of illegal bangladeshis, who are a very serious national threat, what does he propose to do about it this time around ?
what about the repatritation and security of kashmiri pandits ? MMS’s recent monetary support offer being a good start, but not enough.
The victims of terrorism, can thank ‘enforcile dysfunctional’ Manmohan, Sonia miano for this headline
India among world’s most terror-hit nations: US
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14659792
Mr Advani ought to take a page out of the Modi anti-terror rule book, or perhaps re-incarnate Mr Modi as his home minister in 09′.
Aryan, you are right.
I have noticed it long back, while Modi do the things what he openly speak, But advani does not. He talk about illegal bangladeshi migrant, but did not take any action during his rule as a home minister. he did not give much priority to complete the boarder fence, But he had enough time to praise Mr. Buddadev whenever he landed in Kolkata leaving his state leader and coalition partner in embarasshing position.
Does Modi do so? not never, Does CPIM do so, Not at all.
Aryan…It would be disastrous if Modi is not the Home minister in the BJP government. Modi is our only option against INTERNAL risk, enemies, traitors.
However, we might have to wait until 2012, as Modi himselves has indicated that he might not be in a position to take any central role till then.
Over all a good speech, Advani does not have to write anything new, coz this is what the BJP is about.
I am only worried about the in fighting in the BJP, the central command must crack the whip and throw out all whiners.
BJP / NDA I am eagerly awaiting Elections 2009.
Why Modi is good for the nations development here is a part of the article written by Balbir K Punj :
“Gujarat shows the way
During last winter’s Assembly election in Gujarat, the ‘secularists’, while demonising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, sniggered at his claim that the State’s development is the best in the country. Union Ministers like Mr Kapil Sibal were at pains to pick holes in his statistics. But the people stood like a rock behind Mr Modi and he was retuned to power with a solid majority.
Now, in these times of crushing inflation, skyrocketing food prices and global decline in agricultural production, comes the report that Gujarat has achieved 33 per cent increase in wheat production during the rabi season. The State’s wheat acreage has gone up from 6.64 hectares in 2005 to 13.93 lakh hectares in December 2007. Production has gone up from 27 lakh tonnes to 37 lakh tones in just one year. This when the countrywide increase in wheat output is stated to be only marginally higher while global wheat production has declined substantially. At least Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram should congratulate Mr Modi for helping out at this critical juncture.
The report on Gujarat also adds that the higher output and acreage are due to “sustained campaign by the State Government to increase overall acreage under the crop over the past few years.” The campaign included irrigation initiative like water harvesting and cleaning up of village ponds, making use of the Centrally funded national food security mission and ensuring the availability of proper seeds. Mr Modi has kept his word that every village would get specified hours of quality power. In water scarce Gujarat, has ensured micro-management of irrigation water, apart from extending the canal-based water supply from Narmada to the dry region of Saurashtra.
Gujarat’s success story inevitably leads us to the larger question of farm crisis management and runaway inflation. On both issues the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre seems to be clueless. There are clear signs of discord between the UPA and the Left, within the Left parties and among the UPA members. The Left is calling for stricter controls, ending futures trade, even banning private procurement and cracking down on trade. But how much of all this the Left Governments themselves practice is a matter of debate.”
To read full article: http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnist1.asp?main_variable=Columnist&file_name=punj%2Fpunj132%2Etxt&writer=punj
Let’s not judge a person by his words. Can anyone answer what Advani has done as our home minister? Zilch!
Considering that he is accepted widely as the leader of the right wing forces, that’s a major let down. All this talk about individual responsibility and fairness is futile if there is no proper law and order system in the country to guarantee individual rights.
BJP is unfit to be called the representative of the right. It’s just another rabble-rousing party exploiting the fears of people. That’s how it moves its cadre.
Advani pre-home minister phase
L K Advani brought hindu revivalism from the fringe of the hindu society to the mainstream, launched the hindu revolution, launched the movement that destroyed the babri mosque, and brought BJP to power.
Advani as home minister
* set up chief of defence staff – CDS
* set up defense acquisition council
* set up Intelligence coordination group
* set up economic intelligence council
* One border One force initiative, bring all border security forces under one banner
* set up Central industrial security force, to protect airports and other internal strategic assets
* banned SIMI
For anyone ignorant of Mr Advani’s accomplishments, please visit
http://www.mycountrymylife.com/
Jiggs,
It goes without saying, that Mr Modi will be influential in policy making in NDA government in 09. It remains to be seen though, how influential ?
The day Modi becomes PM, I’m convinced that would bring peace in India. Our enemies, Paki jihadis and chinese communists, unlike us, believe in ‘Real Politik’ i.e. diplomacy based primarily on practical considerations, rather than ideological notions. They are only attacking us now because they know we have a weak leadership.
Once the, ‘chappan ki chati’ wala ‘merchant o death’, comes to power, they’ll recognize him as one of them, a ‘real politik’ practitioner. They’ll back off like submissive powers would when they have a dominant ‘real politik’ opponent. It’s politicial science 101 =)
Aryan,
“Advani pre-home minister phase
L K Advani… launched the movement that destroyed the babri mosque…”
and responsible for the subsequent riots!
For that alone, if our law enforcement is any good, Advani would have been rotting in the jail now!
Isn’t our Advani trying very hard these days to distance himself from precisely this pre-home minister phase?
Jujung,
“L K Advani… launched the movement that destroyed the babri mosque…” and responsible for the subsequent riots!”
Wow, what a nice leap of logic ! if we take that logic further, shouldnt akbar, aurangzeb and babar be then held responsible for those riots ? Did Advani put that god-forsaken structure there after destroying the ram temple ? Did Advani invite the ‘faithful’ to India to destroy temples and massacre hindus ? One has to put the ram janmabhoomi movement in context of India’s brutal mughal history and it’s temples
http://www.bharatvani.org/books/htemples1/
http://www.bharatvani.org/books/htemples2/
“Isn’t our Advani trying very hard these days to distance himself from precisely this pre-home minister phase?”
In his book he has dedicated 80 pages on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and Somnath reconstruction.
http://mycountrymylife.com/index2.html
There are few other ‘structures’ in some holy sites, set up by some fanatic bigots that will eventually be sorted out =)
jujung,
“L K Advani… launched the movement that destroyed the babri mosque…” and responsible for the subsequent riots!”
Wow, what a leap of logic ! take that logic further, shouldnt Babar, akbar, aurangzed be held responsible for those riots =) One has to put the Ram janmabhoomi temple movement in context of the brutal Moghul history in India….
http://www.bharatvani.org/books/htemples1/
http://www.bharatvani.org/books/htemples2/
“Isn’t our Advani trying very hard these days to distance himself from precisely this pre-home minister phase?”
read his book, he has dedicated 80 pages to the ram janmabhoomi movement
http://mycountrymylife.com/
The crux of the line of discussion is whether the NDA can be a better alternative to the UPA in the next elections. For that we have to revisit the NDA era and take a look at their performance. Their achievements were (a) Operation Vijay – freeing Kargil from Pakistani intruders (b) The second nuclear test explosion at Pokhran (c) The Golden Quadrilateral – linking every corner of India through a network of roads (d) Disinvestment of loss making PSUs and (e) A buyoant foreign exchange reserve and a booming stock market. Yet they lost, when they confidently went into pre-mature elections with the India Shining slogan. According to some, it was the Gujarat riots that led to their defeat. But, I think that they ignored the interests of the very common people comprising mainly of the service sectors at the expense of the interests of the business community. Retrenched PSU employees and the poor agriculturists found no relief from the NDA. Advani should introspect more on those issues. As Home Minister, his performance was questionable in the context of the Kandahar hijack and conequent terrorist trade-off and the Gujarat riots as rightly noted by Aryan (01 May) and Jujung (03 May). Since he has already been projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP, the electorate should scrutinise his past performance.