by Kavitha Iyer Oct 30, 2013
finding five unexploded devices, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was
about 90 km away in Rajgir. Barely two days after serial bomb blasts in
his capital city killed five and injured nearly a hundred, the chief
minister perhaps thought it was felicitous to drown his worries in
wisecracks and witticisms. Why was Modi mopping his brow so much? So
what if I didn’t start as a chai wallah, I’m still a common man. If
Gujaratis enjoy their ice cream, why’s Modi’s language not sweeter?
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
His speech yielded the nervous laughs and applause he must have been
expecting from his audience, all Janata Dal members, socialists and
lohiaites no less. But the rest of the country watching on television
was less amused. His stand-up act in the face of a serious intelligence
failure, security lapse and amid allegations that his government has for
too long gone soft on terror training modules in Darbhanga and
neighbouring areas was, to say the very least, inexplicable.
Maybe the chief minister’s speech writers can explain.
Arrogant, he said of the BJP’s christening of their rally as ‘hunkar’ or
war cry. What would you call his decision to speak for almost an hour
and dismiss the blasts and the loss of life in two lines of perfunctory
condemnation and pain?
Five Bihari men died, the numbers could have easily been greater, but
the chief minister did not deem it fit to discuss the Janata Dal’s
commitment to fighting terror and dismantling the Darbhanga module of
the Indian Mujahideen. Nitish Kumar has in the past protested the
coining of the term ‘Darbhanga module’. How can you justify naming a
terror module after the people of a region, he has asked, inviting
criticism that he has been unwilling to take on the terror training
grounds in districts including Darbhanga, Samastipur, Madhubani and
other areas.
The party insiders’ meeting was an ideal one to come clean on this
policy. But Nitish squandered an opportunity to discuss the party’s
wooing of minorities, perhaps even make the point that his commitment to
the welfare of the minorities does not translate into appeasement, that
his government will crack down on fringe elements and extremists and
terrorists, regardless of their religion.
Contrast that with the crystal clear message from Modi. He’s abandoning
his hard line hindutva image he said, maybe not in so many words but it
was amply clear anyway. Feel free to disbelieve, mock him as a turncoat,
but you can’t deny that the message is clear. What was your CM’s
message again?
We are willing to buy your argument that this was not meant to be an
address to the nation, but a booster shot for his cadre at the party’s
annual chintan shivir or gathering for introspection. Was that achieved?
Let us assume that a leader of Nitish’s expertise and experience
actually imagined that a televised speech running almost 65 minutes,
barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his state and amid election
season, can be viewed as a minimal message to party workers only.
Even so, the speech was way off the mark. The Janata Dal (United) in
Bihar is crippled by fractious leaders– Shivanand Tiwari’s outburst in
favour of Modi just before Nitish’s speech is only one example. A Lok
Sabha bypoll was lost embarrassingly, party MPs have raised the flag of
rebellion. Nitish himself will attend a Left-sponsored meet in New Delhi
today, despite his quiet overtures to the Congress. Party chief Sharad
Yadav, for his part, appears committed to a third front of some sort.
but Nitish chose neither to dwell on the party’s vision for 2014 nor on
possible alliances and other practical aspects of politicking in his
address to party workers. Surely, party building is not to be achieved
by a singular focus on Modi-bashing?
Finally, did anybody advise Nitish on a sense of judgment and a sense of
timing, when to play to the gallery and when to play statesman?
Democratic institutions and people who run them have a responsibility to
tolerate, even appreciate, differences. From the constituent assembly
and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel whose legacy leaders are now squabbling
over, Indian history has had a tradition of valuing merit in diverse
thinking.
And a party meeting in the aftermath of a serial bombing was perhaps the
best opportunity to display some wisdom, express gratitude that the
live bomb found below the dais did not explode, that some of the BJP’s
top leadership who were on the stage then, his allies until very
recently, returned home safe from Bihar? He could have express
commiserations to the thousands of Bihari people, mostly BJP supporters,
who walked home in cold fear on Sunday. not reaching out to those who
cheered for Modi smacks of the attitude that these are dispensable
voters, an attitude that is certain to backfire on Nitish.
Nitish, who reportedly fancies his chances as a prime ministerial
candidate, displayed what he and his speech writers are yet to learn<br /><br /> Read more at: <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article">http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article</a></div>
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
Even as bomb disposal
squad members swept every inch of Gandhi Maidan, finding five unexploded
devices, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was about 90 km away in
Rajgir. Barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his capital city
killed five and injured nearly a hundred, the chief minister perhaps
thought it was felicitous to drown his worries in wisecracks and
witticisms. Why was Modi mopping his brow so much? So what if I didn’t
start as a chai wallah, I’m still a common man. If Gujaratis enjoy their
ice cream, why’s Modi’s language not sweeter?
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
His speech yielded the nervous laughs and applause he must have been
expecting from his audience, all Janata Dal members, socialists and
lohiaites no less. But the rest of the country watching on television
was less amused. His stand-up act in the face of a serious intelligence
failure, security lapse and amid allegations that his government has for
too long gone soft on terror training modules in Darbhanga and
neighbouring areas was, to say the very least, inexplicable.
Maybe the chief minister’s speech writers can explain.
Arrogant, he said of the BJP’s christening of their rally as ‘hunkar’ or
war cry. What would you call his decision to speak for almost an hour
and dismiss the blasts and the loss of life in two lines of perfunctory
condemnation and pain?
Five Bihari men died, the numbers could have easily been greater, but
the chief minister did not deem it fit to discuss the Janata Dal’s
commitment to fighting terror and dismantling the Darbhanga module of
the Indian Mujahideen. Nitish Kumar has in the past protested the
coining of the term ‘Darbhanga module’. How can you justify naming a
terror module after the people of a region, he has asked, inviting
criticism that he has been unwilling to take on the terror training
grounds in districts including Darbhanga, Samastipur, Madhubani and
other areas.
The party insiders’ meeting was an ideal one to come clean on this
policy. But Nitish squandered an opportunity to discuss the party’s
wooing of minorities, perhaps even make the point that his commitment to
the welfare of the minorities does not translate into appeasement, that
his government will crack down on fringe elements and extremists and
terrorists, regardless of their religion.
Contrast that with the crystal clear message from Modi. He’s abandoning
his hard line hindutva image he said, maybe not in so many words but it
was amply clear anyway. Feel free to disbelieve, mock him as a turncoat,
but you can’t deny that the message is clear. What was your CM’s
message again?
We are willing to buy your argument that this was not meant to be an
address to the nation, but a booster shot for his cadre at the party’s
annual chintan shivir or gathering for introspection. Was that achieved?
Let us assume that a leader of Nitish’s expertise and experience
actually imagined that a televised speech running almost 65 minutes,
barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his state and amid election
season, can be viewed as a minimal message to party workers only.
Even so, the speech was way off the mark. The Janata Dal (United) in
Bihar is crippled by fractious leaders– Shivanand Tiwari’s outburst in
favour of Modi just before Nitish’s speech is only one example. A Lok
Sabha bypoll was lost embarrassingly, party MPs have raised the flag of
rebellion. Nitish himself will attend a Left-sponsored meet in New Delhi
today, despite his quiet overtures to the Congress. Party chief Sharad
Yadav, for his part, appears committed to a third front of some sort.
but Nitish chose neither to dwell on the party’s vision for 2014 nor on
possible alliances and other practical aspects of politicking in his
address to party workers. Surely, party building is not to be achieved
by a singular focus on Modi-bashing?
Finally, did anybody advise Nitish on a sense of judgment and a sense of
timing, when to play to the gallery and when to play statesman?
Democratic institutions and people who run them have a responsibility to
tolerate, even appreciate, differences. From the constituent assembly
and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel whose legacy leaders are now squabbling
over, Indian history has had a tradition of valuing merit in diverse
thinking.
And a party meeting in the aftermath of a serial bombing was perhaps the
best opportunity to display some wisdom, express gratitude that the
live bomb found below the dais did not explode, that some of the BJP’s
top leadership who were on the stage then, his allies until very
recently, returned home safe from Bihar? He could have express
commiserations to the thousands of Bihari people, mostly BJP supporters,
who walked home in cold fear on Sunday. not reaching out to those who
cheered for Modi smacks of the attitude that these are dispensable
voters, an attitude that is certain to backfire on Nitish.
Nitish, who reportedly fancies his chances as a prime ministerial
candidate, displayed what he and his speech writers are yet to learn.<br /><br /> Read more at: <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article">http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article</a></div>
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
Even as bomb disposal
squad members swept every inch of Gandhi Maidan, finding five unexploded
devices, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was about 90 km away in
Rajgir. Barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his capital city
killed five and injured nearly a hundred, the chief minister perhaps
thought it was felicitous to drown his worries in wisecracks and
witticisms. Why was Modi mopping his brow so much? So what if I didn’t
start as a chai wallah, I’m still a common man. If Gujaratis enjoy their
ice cream, why’s Modi’s language not sweeter?
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
His speech yielded the nervous laughs and applause he must have been
expecting from his audience, all Janata Dal members, socialists and
lohiaites no less. But the rest of the country watching on television
was less amused. His stand-up act in the face of a serious intelligence
failure, security lapse and amid allegations that his government has for
too long gone soft on terror training modules in Darbhanga and
neighbouring areas was, to say the very least, inexplicable.
Maybe the chief minister’s speech writers can explain.
Arrogant, he said of the BJP’s christening of their rally as ‘hunkar’ or
war cry. What would you call his decision to speak for almost an hour
and dismiss the blasts and the loss of life in two lines of perfunctory
condemnation and pain?
Five Bihari men died, the numbers could have easily been greater, but
the chief minister did not deem it fit to discuss the Janata Dal’s
commitment to fighting terror and dismantling the Darbhanga module of
the Indian Mujahideen. Nitish Kumar has in the past protested the
coining of the term ‘Darbhanga module’. How can you justify naming a
terror module after the people of a region, he has asked, inviting
criticism that he has been unwilling to take on the terror training
grounds in districts including Darbhanga, Samastipur, Madhubani and
other areas.
The party insiders’ meeting was an ideal one to come clean on this
policy. But Nitish squandered an opportunity to discuss the party’s
wooing of minorities, perhaps even make the point that his commitment to
the welfare of the minorities does not translate into appeasement, that
his government will crack down on fringe elements and extremists and
terrorists, regardless of their religion.
Contrast that with the crystal clear message from Modi. He’s abandoning
his hard line hindutva image he said, maybe not in so many words but it
was amply clear anyway. Feel free to disbelieve, mock him as a turncoat,
but you can’t deny that the message is clear. What was your CM’s
message again?
We are willing to buy your argument that this was not meant to be an
address to the nation, but a booster shot for his cadre at the party’s
annual chintan shivir or gathering for introspection. Was that achieved?
Let us assume that a leader of Nitish’s expertise and experience
actually imagined that a televised speech running almost 65 minutes,
barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his state and amid election
season, can be viewed as a minimal message to party workers only.
Even so, the speech was way off the mark. The Janata Dal (United) in
Bihar is crippled by fractious leaders– Shivanand Tiwari’s outburst in
favour of Modi just before Nitish’s speech is only one example. A Lok
Sabha bypoll was lost embarrassingly, party MPs have raised the flag of
rebellion. Nitish himself will attend a Left-sponsored meet in New Delhi
today, despite his quiet overtures to the Congress. Party chief Sharad
Yadav, for his part, appears committed to a third front of some sort.
but Nitish chose neither to dwell on the party’s vision for 2014 nor on
possible alliances and other practical aspects of politicking in his
address to party workers. Surely, party building is not to be achieved
by a singular focus on Modi-bashing?
Finally, did anybody advise Nitish on a sense of judgment and a sense of
timing, when to play to the gallery and when to play statesman?
Democratic institutions and people who run them have a responsibility to
tolerate, even appreciate, differences. From the constituent assembly
and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel whose legacy leaders are now squabbling
over, Indian history has had a tradition of valuing merit in diverse
thinking.
And a party meeting in the aftermath of a serial bombing was perhaps the
best opportunity to display some wisdom, express gratitude that the
live bomb found below the dais did not explode, that some of the BJP’s
top leadership who were on the stage then, his allies until very
recently, returned home safe from Bihar? He could have express
commiserations to the thousands of Bihari people, mostly BJP supporters,
who walked home in cold fear on Sunday. not reaching out to those who
cheered for Modi smacks of the attitude that these are dispensable
voters, an attitude that is certain to backfire on Nitish.
Nitish, who reportedly fancies his chances as a prime ministerial
candidate, displayed what he and his speech writers are yet to learn.
Source: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html
by Kavitha Iyer Oct 30, 2013
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article
by Kavitha Iyer Oct 30, 2013
Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article
Even as bomb disposal squad members swept every inch of Gandhi Maidan, Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article
finding five unexploded devices, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was
about 90 km away in Rajgir. Barely two days after serial bomb blasts in
his capital city killed five and injured nearly a hundred, the chief
minister perhaps thought it was felicitous to drown his worries in
wisecracks and witticisms. Why was Modi mopping his brow so much? So
what if I didn’t start as a chai wallah, I’m still a common man. If
Gujaratis enjoy their ice cream, why’s Modi’s language not sweeter?
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
His speech yielded the nervous laughs and applause he must have been
expecting from his audience, all Janata Dal members, socialists and
lohiaites no less. But the rest of the country watching on television
was less amused. His stand-up act in the face of a serious intelligence
failure, security lapse and amid allegations that his government has for
too long gone soft on terror training modules in Darbhanga and
neighbouring areas was, to say the very least, inexplicable.
Maybe the chief minister’s speech writers can explain.
Arrogant, he said of the BJP’s christening of their rally as ‘hunkar’ or
war cry. What would you call his decision to speak for almost an hour
and dismiss the blasts and the loss of life in two lines of perfunctory
condemnation and pain?
Five Bihari men died, the numbers could have easily been greater, but
the chief minister did not deem it fit to discuss the Janata Dal’s
commitment to fighting terror and dismantling the Darbhanga module of
the Indian Mujahideen. Nitish Kumar has in the past protested the
coining of the term ‘Darbhanga module’. How can you justify naming a
terror module after the people of a region, he has asked, inviting
criticism that he has been unwilling to take on the terror training
grounds in districts including Darbhanga, Samastipur, Madhubani and
other areas.
The party insiders’ meeting was an ideal one to come clean on this
policy. But Nitish squandered an opportunity to discuss the party’s
wooing of minorities, perhaps even make the point that his commitment to
the welfare of the minorities does not translate into appeasement, that
his government will crack down on fringe elements and extremists and
terrorists, regardless of their religion.
Contrast that with the crystal clear message from Modi. He’s abandoning
his hard line hindutva image he said, maybe not in so many words but it
was amply clear anyway. Feel free to disbelieve, mock him as a turncoat,
but you can’t deny that the message is clear. What was your CM’s
message again?
We are willing to buy your argument that this was not meant to be an
address to the nation, but a booster shot for his cadre at the party’s
annual chintan shivir or gathering for introspection. Was that achieved?
Let us assume that a leader of Nitish’s expertise and experience
actually imagined that a televised speech running almost 65 minutes,
barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his state and amid election
season, can be viewed as a minimal message to party workers only.
Even so, the speech was way off the mark. The Janata Dal (United) in
Bihar is crippled by fractious leaders– Shivanand Tiwari’s outburst in
favour of Modi just before Nitish’s speech is only one example. A Lok
Sabha bypoll was lost embarrassingly, party MPs have raised the flag of
rebellion. Nitish himself will attend a Left-sponsored meet in New Delhi
today, despite his quiet overtures to the Congress. Party chief Sharad
Yadav, for his part, appears committed to a third front of some sort.
but Nitish chose neither to dwell on the party’s vision for 2014 nor on
possible alliances and other practical aspects of politicking in his
address to party workers. Surely, party building is not to be achieved
by a singular focus on Modi-bashing?
Finally, did anybody advise Nitish on a sense of judgment and a sense of
timing, when to play to the gallery and when to play statesman?
Democratic institutions and people who run them have a responsibility to
tolerate, even appreciate, differences. From the constituent assembly
and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel whose legacy leaders are now squabbling
over, Indian history has had a tradition of valuing merit in diverse
thinking.
And a party meeting in the aftermath of a serial bombing was perhaps the
best opportunity to display some wisdom, express gratitude that the
live bomb found below the dais did not explode, that some of the BJP’s
top leadership who were on the stage then, his allies until very
recently, returned home safe from Bihar? He could have express
commiserations to the thousands of Bihari people, mostly BJP supporters,
who walked home in cold fear on Sunday. not reaching out to those who
cheered for Modi smacks of the attitude that these are dispensable
voters, an attitude that is certain to backfire on Nitish.
Nitish, who reportedly fancies his chances as a prime ministerial
candidate, displayed what he and his speech writers are yet to learn<br /><br /> Read more at: <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article">http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article</a></div>
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
Even as bomb disposal
squad members swept every inch of Gandhi Maidan, finding five unexploded
devices, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was about 90 km away in
Rajgir. Barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his capital city
killed five and injured nearly a hundred, the chief minister perhaps
thought it was felicitous to drown his worries in wisecracks and
witticisms. Why was Modi mopping his brow so much? So what if I didn’t
start as a chai wallah, I’m still a common man. If Gujaratis enjoy their
ice cream, why’s Modi’s language not sweeter?
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
His speech yielded the nervous laughs and applause he must have been
expecting from his audience, all Janata Dal members, socialists and
lohiaites no less. But the rest of the country watching on television
was less amused. His stand-up act in the face of a serious intelligence
failure, security lapse and amid allegations that his government has for
too long gone soft on terror training modules in Darbhanga and
neighbouring areas was, to say the very least, inexplicable.
Maybe the chief minister’s speech writers can explain.
Arrogant, he said of the BJP’s christening of their rally as ‘hunkar’ or
war cry. What would you call his decision to speak for almost an hour
and dismiss the blasts and the loss of life in two lines of perfunctory
condemnation and pain?
Five Bihari men died, the numbers could have easily been greater, but
the chief minister did not deem it fit to discuss the Janata Dal’s
commitment to fighting terror and dismantling the Darbhanga module of
the Indian Mujahideen. Nitish Kumar has in the past protested the
coining of the term ‘Darbhanga module’. How can you justify naming a
terror module after the people of a region, he has asked, inviting
criticism that he has been unwilling to take on the terror training
grounds in districts including Darbhanga, Samastipur, Madhubani and
other areas.
The party insiders’ meeting was an ideal one to come clean on this
policy. But Nitish squandered an opportunity to discuss the party’s
wooing of minorities, perhaps even make the point that his commitment to
the welfare of the minorities does not translate into appeasement, that
his government will crack down on fringe elements and extremists and
terrorists, regardless of their religion.
Contrast that with the crystal clear message from Modi. He’s abandoning
his hard line hindutva image he said, maybe not in so many words but it
was amply clear anyway. Feel free to disbelieve, mock him as a turncoat,
but you can’t deny that the message is clear. What was your CM’s
message again?
We are willing to buy your argument that this was not meant to be an
address to the nation, but a booster shot for his cadre at the party’s
annual chintan shivir or gathering for introspection. Was that achieved?
Let us assume that a leader of Nitish’s expertise and experience
actually imagined that a televised speech running almost 65 minutes,
barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his state and amid election
season, can be viewed as a minimal message to party workers only.
Even so, the speech was way off the mark. The Janata Dal (United) in
Bihar is crippled by fractious leaders– Shivanand Tiwari’s outburst in
favour of Modi just before Nitish’s speech is only one example. A Lok
Sabha bypoll was lost embarrassingly, party MPs have raised the flag of
rebellion. Nitish himself will attend a Left-sponsored meet in New Delhi
today, despite his quiet overtures to the Congress. Party chief Sharad
Yadav, for his part, appears committed to a third front of some sort.
but Nitish chose neither to dwell on the party’s vision for 2014 nor on
possible alliances and other practical aspects of politicking in his
address to party workers. Surely, party building is not to be achieved
by a singular focus on Modi-bashing?
Finally, did anybody advise Nitish on a sense of judgment and a sense of
timing, when to play to the gallery and when to play statesman?
Democratic institutions and people who run them have a responsibility to
tolerate, even appreciate, differences. From the constituent assembly
and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel whose legacy leaders are now squabbling
over, Indian history has had a tradition of valuing merit in diverse
thinking.
And a party meeting in the aftermath of a serial bombing was perhaps the
best opportunity to display some wisdom, express gratitude that the
live bomb found below the dais did not explode, that some of the BJP’s
top leadership who were on the stage then, his allies until very
recently, returned home safe from Bihar? He could have express
commiserations to the thousands of Bihari people, mostly BJP supporters,
who walked home in cold fear on Sunday. not reaching out to those who
cheered for Modi smacks of the attitude that these are dispensable
voters, an attitude that is certain to backfire on Nitish.
Nitish, who reportedly fancies his chances as a prime ministerial
candidate, displayed what he and his speech writers are yet to learn.<br /><br /> Read more at: <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article">http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html?utm_source=ref_article</a></div>
<div style="left: -99999px; position: absolute;">
Even as bomb disposal
squad members swept every inch of Gandhi Maidan, finding five unexploded
devices, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was about 90 km away in
Rajgir. Barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his capital city
killed five and injured nearly a hundred, the chief minister perhaps
thought it was felicitous to drown his worries in wisecracks and
witticisms. Why was Modi mopping his brow so much? So what if I didn’t
start as a chai wallah, I’m still a common man. If Gujaratis enjoy their
ice cream, why’s Modi’s language not sweeter?
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the JD(U) Chintan Shivir. PTI
His speech yielded the nervous laughs and applause he must have been
expecting from his audience, all Janata Dal members, socialists and
lohiaites no less. But the rest of the country watching on television
was less amused. His stand-up act in the face of a serious intelligence
failure, security lapse and amid allegations that his government has for
too long gone soft on terror training modules in Darbhanga and
neighbouring areas was, to say the very least, inexplicable.
Maybe the chief minister’s speech writers can explain.
Arrogant, he said of the BJP’s christening of their rally as ‘hunkar’ or
war cry. What would you call his decision to speak for almost an hour
and dismiss the blasts and the loss of life in two lines of perfunctory
condemnation and pain?
Five Bihari men died, the numbers could have easily been greater, but
the chief minister did not deem it fit to discuss the Janata Dal’s
commitment to fighting terror and dismantling the Darbhanga module of
the Indian Mujahideen. Nitish Kumar has in the past protested the
coining of the term ‘Darbhanga module’. How can you justify naming a
terror module after the people of a region, he has asked, inviting
criticism that he has been unwilling to take on the terror training
grounds in districts including Darbhanga, Samastipur, Madhubani and
other areas.
The party insiders’ meeting was an ideal one to come clean on this
policy. But Nitish squandered an opportunity to discuss the party’s
wooing of minorities, perhaps even make the point that his commitment to
the welfare of the minorities does not translate into appeasement, that
his government will crack down on fringe elements and extremists and
terrorists, regardless of their religion.
Contrast that with the crystal clear message from Modi. He’s abandoning
his hard line hindutva image he said, maybe not in so many words but it
was amply clear anyway. Feel free to disbelieve, mock him as a turncoat,
but you can’t deny that the message is clear. What was your CM’s
message again?
We are willing to buy your argument that this was not meant to be an
address to the nation, but a booster shot for his cadre at the party’s
annual chintan shivir or gathering for introspection. Was that achieved?
Let us assume that a leader of Nitish’s expertise and experience
actually imagined that a televised speech running almost 65 minutes,
barely two days after serial bomb blasts in his state and amid election
season, can be viewed as a minimal message to party workers only.
Even so, the speech was way off the mark. The Janata Dal (United) in
Bihar is crippled by fractious leaders– Shivanand Tiwari’s outburst in
favour of Modi just before Nitish’s speech is only one example. A Lok
Sabha bypoll was lost embarrassingly, party MPs have raised the flag of
rebellion. Nitish himself will attend a Left-sponsored meet in New Delhi
today, despite his quiet overtures to the Congress. Party chief Sharad
Yadav, for his part, appears committed to a third front of some sort.
but Nitish chose neither to dwell on the party’s vision for 2014 nor on
possible alliances and other practical aspects of politicking in his
address to party workers. Surely, party building is not to be achieved
by a singular focus on Modi-bashing?
Finally, did anybody advise Nitish on a sense of judgment and a sense of
timing, when to play to the gallery and when to play statesman?
Democratic institutions and people who run them have a responsibility to
tolerate, even appreciate, differences. From the constituent assembly
and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel whose legacy leaders are now squabbling
over, Indian history has had a tradition of valuing merit in diverse
thinking.
And a party meeting in the aftermath of a serial bombing was perhaps the
best opportunity to display some wisdom, express gratitude that the
live bomb found below the dais did not explode, that some of the BJP’s
top leadership who were on the stage then, his allies until very
recently, returned home safe from Bihar? He could have express
commiserations to the thousands of Bihari people, mostly BJP supporters,
who walked home in cold fear on Sunday. not reaching out to those who
cheered for Modi smacks of the attitude that these are dispensable
voters, an attitude that is certain to backfire on Nitish.
Nitish, who reportedly fancies his chances as a prime ministerial
candidate, displayed what he and his speech writers are yet to learn.
Source: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/ignoring-blasts-to-target-modi-3-questions-for-nitish-kumar-1201881.html
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