Wordsmiths & Newsplumbers

BY R.K.MISRA An idea rarely gets bigger than the brain cell it occupies, or so goes the saying. And thus every time   polls near, the foxes develop a pronounced interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry. Two   events on the national political canvass held in close proximity provide a clear indicator of the Narendra Modi- led BJP government’s strategy for the general elections 2019. While the first was the promulgation of Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir on June 20,the second was the two day   meeting in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on June 25 to formulate it’s strategy for next year’s Lok Sabha elections. The meeting was   attended   by   BJP national chief Amit Shah, Union ministers   Purshottam Rupala and Mansukh Mandavia , Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel ,BJP Gujarat in-charge Bhupendra Yadav two Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) leaders -Yashwant Chaudhary and Gujarat prant pracharak Chintan Upadhyay- besides the state party chie

BY R.K.MISRA India is in ferment. It’s rulers are hard at working teaching a new language. I reproduce here  the first part of a scintillating piece of journalism by L.K.Sharma which appeared on 9 June 2018 in   Open Democracy , a UK anchored global media platform  publishing up to 60 articles a week and attracting over 8 million visits per year. About the author Open Democracy states - L K Sharma has followed no profession other than journalism for more than four decades, covering criminals and prime ministers. Was the European Correspondent of The Times of India based in London for a decade.  Reported for five years from Washington as the Foreign Editor of the Deccan Herald.  Edited three volumes on innovations in India.  He has completed a work of creative nonfiction on V. S. Naipaul.  His two e-books The Twain and A Parliamentary Affair form part of The Englandia Quartet. As a greenhorn,I was privileged to work alongside the great master. He was my chief reporter at the T

BY R.K.MISRA The BJP under Narendra Modi is a good teacher and the Congress helmed by Rahul Gandhi, a fast learner. After the Congress succeeded in fending off a determined BJP effort to form the government in Karnataka, Gujarat, is warming up to mind games between the two principal opponents, one seeking an encore and the other determined to safeguard it’s turf. Gujarat, always important in the scheme of BJP’s national affairs, has acquired added importance as the home state of the Prime Minister. After Congress managed to snatch back Karnataka in the recently concluded state assembly elections, despite Governor Vajubhai Vala inviting the BJP to form the government, it has been emboldened enough to explore the possibility of a coup in Gujarat. The BJP, on the other hand, is determined to ensure that no such Congress moves fructify as it would be lethal to lose Gujarat in the run-up to the general elections due next year. Also figuring in the list of correctives is a change

BY R.K.MISRA India’s ruling party has perfected a formula to win elections and master the mandate. Every politically important poll you have variations of this theme dished out in myriad forms and features. The formula is simple. Use symbolisms. Flail at Pakistan, muddy the minority and harvest the hindu. Cite muslim mobilization to seek hindu voter consolidation. Many times it works as in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and the north-eastern states and sometimes it does not as in Bihar.The by-election results declared  May 3I are further cause for saffron concern. The cleaver failed to cut in Kairana, UP lok sabha seat as the jats, muslims and dalits forged a front to frustrate the BJP. The controversy stirred up around the portrait of Mohammed Ali Jinnah at the Aligarh Muslim University falls in this category. It was part of the saffron poll programme, aimed at the hindu voter in Karnataka. The BJP, MP from Aligarh, Satish Gautam who raised the issue in a letter to the AMU v