FORGET THE MODI OF 2002

Those who have visited Gujrat recently would agree that the province has made tremendous progress in one decade in spite of natural calamities. I am no body to condone the administrative lapses of 2002 but to accuse Anna Hazare if he praises Modi and Nitish in the context of development is beyond comprehension. When the issues are development and governace, some people are not ready to give even a left handed applause to Modi.We must not forget that Gujrat of Modi, in the matter of development, has the certificate of Rajive Gandhi Foundation.

There are innumerable cases in history when errant people made valuable contribution to society and the Nation at large. We have read that Valmiki who was a dacoit for most of his life, gave shelter to Sita, groomed her two sons and gave the epic 'Ramayana' to the mankind. Would you go on harping on the past of Valmiki?

Objective assessment demands that a man be evaluated in the light of his lapses as well as good deeds. Nehru happened to be the Prime Minister when the worst masacre in the history of India took place in 1947 as a consequence of his partitioning the country and Rajive Gandhi witnessed the shaking of earth with the fall of a banyan tree --the masacre of the Sikh community after assassination of Indira Ji in 1984. It can be argued that the loss of life in 1947 could be minimized if the advise of Mahatma Gandhi against partition was accepted and massacre of the Sikh community could be reduced if the advise of the then president of India Gyani Zail Singh was saught. Be as it may, the performences of Nehru Ji and Rajive Gandhi are evaluated in totality.Why be selective in case of Narendra Modi?

GANDHI, JP AND HAZARE

In the recent past we have witnessed three movements of all India nature. The first and the foremost was the freedom movement of Mahatma Gandhi that culminated in the independence of our country on Friday, August 15, 1947. The movement was negative one to throw out the British rule from India. Frankly speaking, the alternative model was neither ready nor it would have been acceptable to all the elements. Gandhi Ji knew that he was heading desperate elements that will not remain together for long time. He wisely suggested to disband the Congress Party after achieving the goal of independence. No one in the party listened to him. What happened thereafter is history. A.B.Vajpayee had aptly described once that the Congress Party had died with the death of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru Ji carried its corpse for decades, even that has vanished now'. Then came the movement of Jai Prakash Narain against the rule of Indira Gandhi.

Jai Prakash Narain termed his movement "Total Revolution" and this again was negative in approach to overthrow the Indira Gandhi's regime. The movement had huge success but Jai Praksh Ji was not a visionary like Mahatma Gandhi . Contrary to Mahatma Gandhi, JP insisted on the conglomeration of his movement to form a political party the Janta Party. The party no doubt had huge success to the extent that the Congress Party was thrown out of power. In due course of time, the desperate elements of JP movement withered away and the movement turned out to be an exercise in futility.

The newest one by Anna Hazare is not a negative movement to throw out a government. It is for creation of clean society and he insists on the instrument of change--the Jan Lokpal Bill. But, Anna has neither the organizational skills of Gandhi ji nor the political experience of JP. His movement like the other two comprises desperate elements and contradictions have started to surface. We wish hem well.

To my mind, what is needed is a movement like that of Chanakya . But where is Chandragupta?