Reproducing from the Indian Express what is the most profound and candid analysis of what ails the BJP from a long time insider, the Party’s only Center Right public intellectual and middle class role model – Arun Shourie.
Inviting the Offstumped Community to discuss and debate Mr. Shourie’s analysis.
Four instances, two questions.•Indira Gandhi is able to block the implementation of the Allahabad High Court judgement by changing — with retrospective effect no less — the law under which it held her guilty of corrupt electoral practices;
•Rajiv Gandhi is able to use his control over three-quarters of the House to block all inquiry into Bofors.
Do these instances testify to the strength of Mrs. Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi? Or to the weakness of the political system?
•Scores and scores of committees and commissions have been set up to reform the civil services; the services have continued exactly as they have been.
•Subsection 3 of Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act lists a number of grave crimes, and provides that if a person is convicted for any of them, he shall be disqualified for six years, and, if he is imprisoned, for a further six years after his release. The next subsection reduces this provision to a nullity. It provides, “Notwithstanding anything [in the earlier subsections] a disqualification shall not, in the case of a person who on the date of conviction is a member of Parliament or the legislature of a state, take effect until three months have elapsed from that date or, if within that period an appeal or application for revision is brought in respect of the conviction or sentence, until that appeal or application is disposed by the court.” The result? In August 2008, four persons come straight from Tihar jail to participate in the confidence vote in the Lok Sabha —persons who are serving life sentences, as they have been held guilty of murder!
How does a gaping crater of this magnitude in the law continue? How are civil services and legislators able to ward off reform so successfully?
Birth to senility
A movement, an organisation is originally inspired by an ideal: to undo what is wrong, to establish what is right.
Whether it triumphs or fails in its initial objective, over the years it becomes a political party.
At its inception, the party too is impelled by ideals. The crusade from which it has taken birth is still vivid, the idealists who led the movement, who then founded it and toiled to raise it are a living presence. Propelled by these memories, the party seeks to change the order, it wants to recast the polity of course, but more: it wants to recast society into the ideals to attain which it has been formed.
Over time, it forsakes this idealism, and becomes a mere electoral machine.
Soon, it putrefies into a machine that fails to win even elections.
Members become increasingly anxious: after all, if the party continues its decline, they tell each other, it isn’t just that the ideals which are its very reason for existence will not be attained, that the transformation for which they have been striving will not come about; but also, their personal fortunes will evaporate. They run from leader to leader, urging reform, a return to ideals. Their efforts go nowhere. The party does not reform. It does not die. It just goes on falling to pieces.
Why does this degeneration take place? Why do efforts to arrest its decline come to naught? By what symptoms may we know that a particular organisation is on its way down?
In one of the greatest works of history, Ibn Khaldun chronicled the founding, rise, decline and eventual disintegration of dynasties. In the introduction to that work, The Muqaddimah, he set out the patterns he had deduced: the abandonment of the austerities of the desert for the luxury and ease of settled courts; the waning of the “group spirit”; the culture of cunning and intrigue within palaces that replaces the valour of open battle… We have but to tweak the conclusions a little and we have the reasons on account of which our political parties moulder and waste away. And that should not surprise us. After all, so many of them are collections around dynasties; so many of them are gangs around individuals; so many of them are — at all levels, from their central offices to their local branches —parties of four/five persons for the projection of four/five persons. Not just the conclusions of Ibn Khaldun, the very words ring true as we see the parties deteriorate and eventually crumble.*
Two suggestions about reading this updated version. Do not rush through it. I have kept examples to a minimum: after a paragraph, recall the examples you know from your own personal experience that fit the words. Second, you will miss the point entirely if you think, “Oh, this is about the BJP… Oh, this is about the Congress…” Instead of concluding that I am out to convey some “hidden meanings” and trying to figure these out, think of your own party or organisation, the party or organisation that you know best, from the inside — the Congress, the BJP, the Communist parties, the regional parties: Telugu Desam, the DMK, the BSP, the AGP. It is then that you will get the point of the updating, namely that the symptoms are true of all our political parties today.
Hence, our real problem: there is nowhere to turn for an alternative.
The orientation, and its consequences
Our system, indeed our society is heavily oriented towards the state. He who occupies offices of state at the moment, receives deference, he is surrounded by hangers-on, by pelf; he gets the opportunity, if he is so inclined, to rake in money: in a word, as they say in Punjab, “the usual pump and show.”
Hence, when the party acquires office, its leading figures acquire all this: deference, pelf, the opportunity to rake in money. As they commence to use these, five things happen:
•Even if they are personally honest, the principals in the government are implicated by association: they have the clear duty as well as the clear opportunity to put an end to the doings of their juniors; they do not do so — this is enough to put them in the position in which, when the evidence of wrong-doing erupts, they have only one option: to defend their colleague. And there is a ready rationalisation for doing so: “How can we desert our colleague when he is trouble?” Suddenly “loyalty” acquires a new meaning: it does not mean loyalty to those pristine ideals; it comes to mean sticking by the colleague — the very one who has departed from those ideals.
•That robs, first, the leaders; then the government; and therefore, the party of its claim that it is different, that is inspired by ideals, that it is in politics not for power and pelf but to recast governance and society in those ideals.
•Being in government is far more exciting than staying back in the organisation: for those still committed to the ideals that had originally enthused the movement and organisation, being in government affords an incomparable opportunity to translate those ideals into practice; for those who are impelled now by other goals — money, “power”, pelf — remaining in the backwaters of the organisation is anathema. Hence the “best and brightest” rush into government. Whether the government as a whole does well because of the few who are still dedicated to ideals or not, the party certainly languishes.
•A distance develops — first between adherents who are still inspired by those ideals and those who have forsaken the ideals; then between the leaders — who are in office and are visibly enjoying the perquisites of office — and the followers; the latter now ask, “These fellows came to office because of us; they have their bungalows, they have their cars with laal batties; what have we got?”
•And distance develops even sooner between the principal leaders themselves: portfolios, size of offices, the ear of the ultimate boss, money — everything becomes a trigger. Comrades become colleagues; colleagues become competitors, rivals. But, in a sense, these spoils can all be managed. That one principal gets more of one thing can be made up by the other being enabled to get more of another. But there is one thing which really is a zero-sum magnitude: prominence. As there is only one front page, if one of the principals is splashed across it, by definition the others are excluded. Distance becomes envy; envy becomes jealousy; jealousy becomes venom. You can see the transformation in the very faces of the principals.
Even by themselves, just these features are enough to cause the party to begin losing its vitality as even an electoral machine.
The leader and his circle
But the leader has done more to weaken the machine. The more power is vested in him, the less secure he feels. Hence, exactly as Ibn Khaldun wrote about the choice of wazirs and successors, in choosing his circle, the leader’s concern is to choose the ones who will least threaten him, who will best advance his dynasty, who will best secure and perpetuate his position — that is, he chooses weak men and henchmen, not ones who will best advance the ideals for which the organisation had been founded. The weaker the man, the more compromised he is, the more dependent he is on the leader. The more unscrupulous the henchman, the more ruthless he will be on the leader’s behalf. Weakness, vulnerability, unscrupulousness become qualifications.
The arrangement works when the going is good. No one now is strong enough to harm the leader. But no one is strong enough — in the sense vital in a democracy, that is of having legitimacy, of commanding esteem — to help him when a crisis erupts.
But there is an even more consequential change: ideals, the commitment to higher objectives, for the interests of the group as a whole, these are restraints, they are the banks that enable a river to flow. When these are replaced by the interests of an individual and his little circle, the only glue that binds – followers to the organisation as much as members of this circle to the leader — is the prospect of spoils. Pillage commences. Legitimacy begins to dwindle.
The leader and his henchmen are unable to stem the decline. Enervated by luxury, by pelf, capable now only of giving directions to others, they are no longer able to toil in the field. They give out calls: “All workers shall hold dharnas at district headquarters against price rise…” “The abhiyaan against the corruption of this government shall be taken to every village, to every hamlet¿” A few desultory meetings are organised. People are bussed in. The abhiyaan disappears as a rivulet in the desert. No one even notices that it has been abandoned. At best, the leader sets out to repeat the performance that had once secured attention — the “struggle”, the fast-unto-death-between-meals, the yatra. But you can’t make the soufflé rise twice: the very fact that nothing was done after the first performance, robs the repeat of all credibility. Some ‘emergency’ is invoked to give up the performance midway.
The leader convenes meetings of his ‘core group’, the ‘working committee’, the politburo. Members of these private coteries hold further meetings with their own private core groups.
Everyone but the ‘core group’
The factor most responsible for the rout has been the state to which the leader and his circle have reduced the party as an organisation, but that is the one factor which the leader and his cohorts will not admit into the discourse. Is the party seen as, is it in fact different from the others? Are its candidates any different? Is every unit of the party not riddled with factionalism? That these are the reasons for the setback is manifest to all. But the leader and his circle would have none of them — for that would immediately raise further questions. The party is no longer different from others? Who has allowed the party to sink to this level where it cannot be distinguished from the very parties it has been denouncing? The candidates are no better than those of the rivals? Who has selected the candidates? Factionalism has been allowed to continue? Each state faction has a line to some ringleader in the central cabal? Who has allowed the factionalism to fester and swell?
They blame others — the rival party; the third party that has stolen their vote; the accidental reason on account of which a section whose vote was to have split got consolidated; the youth; the middle class; the poor who voted on money, the rich who did not vote; the holidays on account of which so many went out of town; the disenchantment with the party’s ally in one state, the absence of an ally in the other; the anti-incumbency factor against us in this state, the advantage that the rival party had in the adjacent state of being in office and thereby being able to use the state machinery; the ‘shameless’ use of money and muscle by the rival… In a word, everyone and everything other than themselves.
Filed under: Offstumped Community, Offstumped Community Posts, Uncategorized
It has been a few hours since this blog post appeared. I am surprised there are no comments yet
1.It will be interesting to see what Arun Shourie’s prescription for the malaise he so eloquently described in this article.
2.But my guess is that Mr.Shourie will suggest grassroot level internal democracy (the primaries style) in the political parties.The question then will be has Mr.Shourie or others in the BJP ever suggested such measures?
3.The enormous opportunities for crony capitalism that political power affords in India, the stranglehold of bureaucracy on any progressive measures, the inability of the ‘State’ and the polity to involve the intelligentsia in a bi-partisan manner on issues of national importance (poverty, health, education, security, environment) – these are the areas that need to be addressed on a priority basis.The middle class has to stepup and engage in politics on a grand scale to make any of this happen.The message seems to be there in different formats and expressions – but there is no messenger.Like the rishis of yore who compiled the Vedas and the Puranas in an open source style initiative, we Indians need to define and execute an open source movement to reform ourselves and our State.And that includes reforming our political system as well.
Arun Shourie has articulated the problem well (and so have many others).And I am afraid the story will end there.At best we will get a prescription tomorrow from Mr.Shourie.Several such prescriptions have been documented too.I don’t expect any thing else to happen.
Sorry for being a cynic.I find solace in God these days, and ‘Sambhavaami Yuge Yuge”.
masterfull anlysis.i respect Arun shourie’s intellect.
But why did nt he pointed out the rot early.Much before the elections.He raised it only after elections.He has rightfully done it in the national executive and can/should raise it again strongly in the august meeting.
which is the right way?
writing a ‘all is lost,doomsday piece’totaly damaging the leadership in a news paper or raising the issues in the party and be catayst for change?
If things dont cahnge in six months to one year then this is welcome, but now?.
And also some interospection please, on how much damage his “Modi next” proclamation did.
Masterful Analysis? Who’s preventing Shourie from raising these issues in party meetings?
Arun Shourie is using the same tactic Sinha and Jaswant Singh have adopted:Use the media to strike out at rivals within the party and strenghten their own position.Its unacceptable that these guys are allowed to damage the party for their own selfish reasons.
there is only one analysis:
BJP should now throwout Studioo based Leader whose activities are just to please the Doormat Media.
Go to people and take up their problem.Each constituency VOTE differently.
BTW are u aware that Cabinet Minister SHRI PRAKASH JAISWAL has warned of “GrihaYudh” if POWER is NOT restored in AMETHI???
nOW ANY MEDIA asked Congress about this statement of CABINET MINISTER which is NOTHING but creating TROUBLE in the country???
had anyone seen NEWS X on SUNDAY where 2 technical person showed HOW EVM Machines can be easily Hacked???
Pradyut Bora was there and he said “we have presented 10 technician who has proved how EVM can be hacked,let CONGRESS bring 10 technicians who can show How EVM cant be hacked???
It is a serious issue and in fact had expected from YOSS as he himself is a technical person.
just becoz media will say “grapes are sour” doesnt suggest that EVM cant be hacked.
HOW ALL CONGRESS RULED STATE GOVERNMENT OR ITS ALLIES DID SO WELL???
RAJASTHAN
MAHARASHTRA
DELHI
HARYANA
ASSAM
ANDHRA PRADESH
TAMIL NADU
if MUSLIM can unite then y NOT hindu????
Two results shows that:
PILIBHIT and RAMPUR where all hindus united to vote for JAYA PRADA????
Recently while travelling in train in UP, i came across many who said they voted for congi as Congi was supposed to come to power,and its better to be with winning side.
This also suggest how MEDIA which create VICTORY for congi can influence the election IN PEOPLE minds.
WE NEED HONEST MEDIA OR JUST BE SLAVE OF G FAMILY IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY FOREVER
EVMs not foolproof’
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98EVMs+not+foolproof%E2%80%99&artid=A17Hmnu6VMw=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=
JUST HOPE THAT TECHNICAL PEOPLE WITH “NATIONALIST VIEW” MUST TAKE UP THE MATTER
Let SC take up this matter urgently as this relates to the MURDER of DEMOCRACY.
http://www.indlawnews.com/Newsdisplay.aspx?3b333cf0-9dce-4383-817b-0e54c836b84d
IF “EC office” has issued a statement that NO tampering is being done then why our CEC Chawla is BUSY now aday visiting different places including house of Madam G and factory of ECIL when ELECTION is over?????
Yossarin
Can you pls provide the link to this original, complete article?
the IE link that i found has an abruptly truncated version.
@AG,
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/on-the-way-down/488780/0
oops… masterly analysis.
Damning analysis indeed. However, all suggestions of his indulging in some kind of a power game by using the media to further his plans are baseless. Mr. Shourie is a man of integrity and is not one to indulge in games.
He does make clear that this article is not BJP specific. This analysis is indeed true of most of our political parties. There is also no basis to suggest that he has not raised this internally. I wonder if he has “the leaders ear”.
But, Mr. Shourie has articulated the malise that has set in very well. Not for nothing is the BJP now thought of as a party that’s no longer different. People did not see proclaimed ideals being practiced when the NDA gained power. This, not the media rhetoric, has driven supporters away. Unless the party really exercises what it preaches, credibility will not be restored.
[...] Older » [...]
Mr Shourie’s article is overlong, disingenuous and full of platitudes, these however are only its minor flaws. (Perhaps Mr. Shourie knows of a good editor who can fix these problems?) But I fear even a good editor can’t rescue it from the sheer weight of its banality.
First the minor quibbles. I won’t bother the already exhausted reader with illustrations of long-windedness. Let’s move on to the dis-ingenuousness. Mr. Shourie claims that his analysis could be that of any failing organization. Readers are urged to see the resemblance with their own organizations and or political parties. And yet some of Mr. Shourie allegations are so crude and therefore are easily transparent. How many other political bigwigs went on a foreign vacation? Why does Mr. Shourie underestimate the reader’s intelligence? And to top it of the hypocrisy of it to complain about “the culture of cunning and intrigue within palaces that replaces the valor of open battle” and then to go on to cite people’s foreign vacations.
But the most important failing of the article is that it is so banal.It takes no position worthy of discussion. It says nothing new. Here is my understanding of it. In the beginning there is an ugly mess, which energizes idealists to change the situation. It turns out the best way to effect change is politically. A party is formed by the idealists. They gain power.Power corrupts. Leader is increasingly cut-off from the movement. A clique around the leader forms.The party get weak and ineffective and loses. The leader and his clique refuse to acknowledge that they themselves are to blame.
What in the paragraph above is news to anyone who has ever worked in a office, read a history book or played a team sport.
One thing that Mr. Shourie forgets to include in his Decline And Fall is the appearance of last sign during death throes of a party. The ominous appearance of the rudaalis. The columnists-rudaalis who are part of the core, and the rudaalis outside the core, the friendly journalists, the news media vultures, the hindutva rudaalis, the RSS rudaalis, the EVM rudaalis. All these rudaalis are (well to use Mr. Shourie’s phrase) “capable now only of giving directions to others, they are no longer able to toil in the field”. The irony!
Postmortems however excellent. rarely bring back the dead.
This whole complaining about this or that faction seems useless to me. People don’t change. Leaders are even more resistant to change. Change happens when leaders end up loosing followers. And the followers don’t leave because they undergo a systemic reassessment but because some new leader will steal them away from the old leader. And eventually the new leader too will get powerful, then soft, then ineffective.
I disagree with Mr. Shourie when he paints an idealized past with committed followers and sincere leaders.It is a clichéd notion not because it is overused but because it has never been true. There was never an ideal past when the followers were more committed, and the leaders hands less sullied by internal fisticuffs. The old generation speaks of the “austerities of the desert”. The desert had nothing to do with it. It just happened to be the place where the battle took place.The battlefield has changed. We must prepare to fight the battle where it is now. We must fight prepare ourselves for tomorrows battles with tomorrow’s leaders, with tomorrow’s tactics.
I do however agree with Mr. Shourie that there is valor and honor in open battles. But open battles are not just about honor and valor, they bring strength to the winner the party and even to the looser. What we really need is a fair, bloody and open, fight for leadership. If a BJPwallah cannot win an internal election in an aquarium that the BJP is, why does he think he is capable of ruling an ocean that is India.
[...] of the rot within the BJP in an Op-ed series in the Indian Express (previous posts on Parts 1 & 2). The fundamental reasonThis is the crucial factor: the decision to reform or not has come [...]
@ prashant
BTW are u aware that Cabinet Minister SHRI PRAKASH JAISWAL has warned of “GrihaYudh” if POWER is NOT restored in AMETHI???
—
Prashant, did you just put Shri before this guy who wants pension and jobs for the terrorists, while the Congress govt denied the same to the army: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK6xwFRQ7BQ
Not sure if he deserves a title like Shri for pleasing the terrorists by divisive vote bank politics.
@satya
kya kare bharat mein rehna hain to SHRI kehna he padega.
NOW NO MEDIA questioning CONGRESS on their MUSLIM MP comment on KARGIL.
RASHID ALVI HAS SAID “NO REASON TO REJOICE ON 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF KARGIL VICTORY,KARGIL WAS BJP WAR”
just see….
NDTV/CNN/TIMES NOW all shows some FACES covered outside Rita Bahuguna House and shouting slogan and after that HOUSE was burnt.
Question is MEDIA already present at site so WHY they were unable to get the FOOTAGE of those people who burnt the House of Congress UP president??
Let MEDIA answer this???
WHO BURNT THE CONGRESS PRESIDENT HOUSE AND WHY MEDIA FAILED TO GET THE FOOTAGE OF PEOPLE BURNING CAR ETC in CONGRESS PRESIDENT HOUSE
MEDIA JUST BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF,JUST TO COVER UP CONGRESS PRESIDENT “DEROGRATORY SPEECH” WHICH INSULTS WOMEN THEY ARE NOW PLAYING FOR THEIR MASTER CONGRESS BY SUGGESTING MAYAWATI GOT BAHUGUNA HOUSE BURNT???
WHOEVER MAY BE THE CULPRIT BUT QUESTION REMAINS THAT WHY MEDIA FAILED TO GET THE FOOTAGE OF CAR BEING BURNT WHICH WERE PARKED OUTSIDE HOUSE AND MEDIA COULD HAVE EASILY HAD GOT THOSE FOOTAGE
MEDIA WANTS VARUN GANDHI TO BE HANGED EVEN HE SAYS THAT THOSE WERE NOT HIS WORDS.
MEDIA WANT CONGRESS PRESIDENT BE FREED AS SHE HAD “APOLOLOGISED”
DOES BY APOLOGY IS SHE NOT CONFIRMING THAT SHE HAD ACTUALLY SAID THOSE “DEROGRATORY STATEMENT”
TYTLER WAS GIVEN CLEAN CHIT BECOZ HE “APOLOGISED”
ANDHRA MP is now saint BECOZ he “APOLOGISED”
APOLOGISED…….to whom and when.
did they apologised to concerned victims?????
in fact in one footage MEDIA even showed that those MEDIA people chasing One covered faced person…..
QUESTION ARISES THAT WHY MEDIA FAILED TO GET THE FOOTAGE OF PEOPLE WHEN THOSE PEOPLE WERE BURNING CAR WHICH WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND CAN BE RECORDED FROM OUTSIDE GATE.
WHO ENTERED UP CONGRESS PRESIDENT HOUSE????
WHERE WAS MEDIA????
TIMES NOW showed one footage where CONGRESS UP president asking her worker in phone to do “CHAKKA JAM”
Does that NOT “Inciting people to do voilence”"
BUT who is going to ask these to congress as MEDIA is soldout to them
HOOLIGAN IN THE STREET OF KOLKATTA BY CONGRESS.
BURNING THE BUSES AND OUR MEDIA WILL NEVER SHOW THAT HOOLIGAN.
THEY WILL JUST EDIT CREATE AND REPLAY THE TAPES OF RAM SENA WHO WERE NONE OTHER THAN CONGI AGENT
CHIDAMBARAM SAYS “NAXALITE IS MAIN THREAT
PATIL ex-Home Minister and “always at service of Madam ji” had said that they are just innocent boys…..
SO ANY IN MEDIA GOING TO ASK CONGRESS THAT HOW IN 5 YEAR OF THEIR RULE THAT “INNOCENT BOYS” HAS BECOME THE “MAJOR THREAT”
BOTH HOUSE ADJOURNED FOR THE DAY
WILL MEDIA QUESTION THAT WHY AND ON WHAT “PEOPLE ISSUE” BOTH HOUSE WERE ADJOURNED….
IT IS ONLY BJP IF THEY PROTEST BEING IN OPPOSITION THAT MEDIA TELLS UIS HOW MUCH MONEY WERE WASTED??????
yoss
U R FOOL IF YOU EXPECT NDTV TO SHOW WHICH HURTS CONGRESS????
C HAD ACTUALLY SAID THAT “1 CRORE WILL BE GIVEN IF MAYABEN IS RAPED”
NDTV ONLY SHOW FUDGED CD WHICH TO HUMILAITE HINDUTVA OR THOSE WHO SUPPORT HINDUTVA
arun shourie would not have written this article if NDA formed the government . he will then be busy with his portfolio. so his article is in fact an excise in hypocrisy . had he quit the party before writing this article then one can appreciate the finer points in the article.
Shourie comes out poorly after this article.with out discipline no one succeed in any thing.
.
haha and NDTV/CNN/TIMESNOW had been fooling country that UPA govt will NOT TALK till 26/11 culprit are NOT handed over.
NOW THEY CLAIM A MAJOR VICTORY FOR INDIA AS “KASHMIR” TOO IS DELINKED…
SO THIS MUCH FOR OUR “PADMASHRI JOURNALIST”
yoss
YOUR NDTV showing clip of MAYAWATI using word “balatkar” 2 years back…
Well when they show Congress UP president clip then that word is buzzed,and clip of mayawati is shown then we hear that word…
so this is NDTV a PROPOGANDA TV of CONGRESS
bjp said “IF VG had said that word we CONDEMN it”
VG said “I DIDNOT SAID THAT WORD”
cONGRESS SAID “rb statement is regretful and painful” BUT NO CONDEMN and
MEDIA GIVES CLEAN CHIT TO CONGRESS AND BJP WAS GRILLED CONTINUOUSLY.
CAN MEDIA NOW ASK CONGRESS THAT WHAT ACTION THEY WILL TAKE AGAINST THEIR CONGRESS PRESIDENT????
WHICH THEY WERE REPEATEDLY ASKING BJP ON VARUN
WHERE IS GIRIJA VYAS??????
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN?????
TAKE ACTION AGAINST UP CONGRESS PRESIDENT FOR SAYING DEGROTARTY STATEMENT AGAINST WOMEN
I JUST HAVE HUMBLE REQUEST TO BJP LEADERS:
STOP VISITING MEDIA STUDIO OR GIVING ANY INTERVIEW OR CLARIFICATION TO MEDIA.
USE INTERNET TO SAY ANYTHING TO YOUR PEOPLE AND THOSE WITHOUT NET JUST GO TO THE PEOPLE AND TELL THEM
BE WITH PEOPLE
THESE FEW “PADMASHRI CORRUPT SOLDOPUT” JOURNALIST THINK THAT THEY DECIDE THE PEOPLE VIEW”
STOP THEM
OR WE REMAIN SLAVES OF G FAMILY FOREVER
[...] of the rot within the BJP in an Op-ed series in the Indian Express (previous posts on Parts 1 , 2, [...]
rone, Tanmay, Dubash,
1. What makes you think Shourieji did not raise these issues in private. What makes you think he sat around doing nothing.
So you accuse him of indiscipline when he speaks out and of being a coward when you observes the same discipline and only raises these issues behind close doors.
Do me a favor and go dig up his old articles (From say 2-3 years back). Shourieji articulates these issues in great detail.
It is only now that they are getting the attention they deserve. Your ignorance should not be left at his door step.
2. This is a man who’s primary source of income is the books he self publishes. If he wanted, at every juncture of his professional career he could have compromised and become a very wealthy and influential man. The Singhvis and Guptas (and that clown Chawla) dont measure up to his ankles.
But he didnt. How can you now assign ulterior motives to his protests. What post did he ever hold. That of Divestment minister. Of Comm. Minister. Sure. He made a lot of money didnt he. He created his own coterie, his own darbar, put a lot of relatives to work, built his own divestment dynasty didnt he. WT….
And what post did he ever hold in the party structure. So what exactly is he clamoring for?
3. Dubash, I dont know what hole you crawled out of, but as a member of the RJB storm troopers, I can assure you there did exist a large and committed band of leaders and cadre that drove that movement. Drawn primarily from the RSS but also those that joined the movement with nothing but patriot’s heart to serve their nation.
So stop this asinine suggestion that there was never a committed core. There was and there still is.
Finally, folks carefully listen to what Shourieji is saying. This is not the insinuation of insidious turncoat. It is the cry of a gallant son.
mpanj,
I have not made any comments on the content of the article itself.The issue I’ve raised is the timing of the article.We can be sure that Shourieji has raised these points in party meetings after the results. What was the need to publish this article when the BJP is in a difficult phase of transition?
Couldn’t he wait for a few more months?Isn’t it public knowledge that the media is always hungry for news of infighting in the BJP?If senior leaders like him go on airing their grievances publicly wouldn’t that damage the morale of BJP workers & supporters?Sushma Swaraj,Rajnath Singh,Arun Jaitley & others aren’t discussing party matters in the media.
The rider that the article is applicable to all parties & not only the BJP may be true but you can’t deny that he’s written it with the situation in the BJP in mind.
Its very clear that he’s criticising the functioning of the election team of the BJP.[A coterie around Advaniji,Advaniji's leadership,Jaitley's analysis,etc].
He has every right to express his views and there may be many people who support him but as a senior leader he should know that there is an appropriate time & place for everything.
Tanmay,
you’re clearly a die hard BJP supporter and I respect that.
But there can be no ‘right’ time to discuss this. I had the utmost respect for LKA – but his sorry posturing on the Jinnah issue (just to lay claim to ABV’s position) began the slide.
And now when we see that there is every attempt being made to silence a discussion. When even a perfunctory initiative is nipped in the bud, Shourieji and others are forced to air their arguments in public.
And how worse can it possibly get. Are we to wait for BJP to get back down to 2 seats.
As Shourieji points out, BJP like others has become an organization with the only objective being power. By hook or by crook.
Waiting another 6 months will actually hurt the larger movement.
There is so much to address. Media bias, changing demographics, Congress’ capitulation to Pakistan, the imminent drought, youth vote.
The rot is now so deep and pervasive that it will take 2-4 years to address.
As he points out. nominees at every level will need to be uprooted and dedicated karyakartas appointed.
I dont think all the vacancies can be filled right away. Educated, dedicated people have turned away or have been deliberately turned away.
But identifying and acknowledging the decay and its sources is the first step. The quicker we complete that process the better.
Finally, Remember – It is principles that matter above all. Not people.
As much as we support NaMo, if he ever has a ‘Jinnah’ moment we must reconsider our support.
People come and go, principles live forever.
@mpanj +1
[...] author, and politician Arun Shourie's detailed analysis of the political party BJP (Part 1, 2, 3, 4) which ensued a lively debate in the comment section. Cancel this [...]
I have lost All Hope in BJP.
Only Man in BJP Who Can Unite All Hindus is Sree Narendra Modi
but The Entire Media is Against Him.
If Mahatma Narendra Modi Doesnt Enter National Politics, BJP would be confined to the State of Gujarat for Ever.
There is NO Vote Catching Leader in BJP Today