[Reader-list] Modi's image builders have dictators on client list

Wed Nov 21 14:14:08 IST 2007

Dear All,

Surely this has to be one of the strangest comments I have read so
far. It is true tragic-comedy in the old sense of the term. I am not
sure whether the fact that today votaries of the right are defending
the CPIM is the tragic element or the comic element.

Pawan Durani ji the fact that a leader is a mass leader and wins
elections democratically is no defence of his/her actions. I am amazed
that you can argue for majoritarian politics in this matter of fact
fashion. Are we to assume that a "democratic" decision to kill 4,000
people over two days is alright, because the people behind this were
elected democratically? Your statement that Narendra Modi cannot be
held responsible for what happened is complete nonsense. Please spare
us this Hindu-apologist garbage. Narendra Modi is a mass murderer.
There can be no quibbling on this.

It is interesting that you equate Buddhadeb and Modi in this fashion
because today morning's news carries a story on the NHRC's equation of
Nandigram 2006 with Gujarat 2002.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/241118.html

I am deeply troubled by this. I do not think statements like this are
helpful in thinking through and opposing what occurred in either
instance. We need to be able to fashion languages that can take into
account the particularity of violence. In this way all the CPIM has to
say is "Nandigram is not like Gujarat," which is true, and that's the
end of that. Nandigram is like Nandigram. That's bad enough. Of course
this question of the brutality with which the state reacts to demands
by farmers, is something that needs to be thought through. And this
brutality is the preserve neither of the left or the right. Remember
the killing of farmers agitating for water in police firing in
Rajasthan, under BJP rule, last year and in 2004

http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20071119/81460.htm

best
Aarti

On Nov 19, 2007 2:55 PM, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com> wrote:
> both Budhadeb Ji & Modi ji are mass leaders and win elections democratically
> . They may not be held responsible for they are not one in the mob.
>
> Pawan
>
>
>
> On 11/19/07, OISHIK SIRCAR <oishiksircar at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > What's unfair about it? The fact that their hands are stained with blood?
> > Or that politicians' public images van never be decorated or improved?!
> >
> > On Nov 18, 2007 11:07 PM, Pawan Durani < pawan.durani at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > >>>>>>>>>>  And together, they can perfect the fine art of decorating
> > > and
> > > improving
> > > the public image of politicians whose hands are stained with
> > > blood>>>>>>>>>
> > >
> > >
> > > Thatz an unfair statement.
> > >
> > >
> > > On 11/19/07, Shuddhabrata Sengupta <shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Dear All,
> > > >
> > > > Narendra Modi certainly could do with some image makeovers, and
> > > > Buddhadeva Bhattachary could do with some too. In this case, Modi-ji
> > > is
> > > > one up on Buddha Babu. He has hired a lobbying firm to make him look
> > > good.
> > > >
> > > > I thought that I would post the news item that details this piece of
> > > > information (which appeared on Times of India and was forwarded to me
> > > by
> > > > a friend, so that those who have a line to Muzaffar Ahmed Bhavan in
> > > > Kolkata on this list may take the information where it is needed
> > > most).
> > > > Perhaps those on this list who are partisans of Modi-ji could act as
> > > > consultants to those who root for Buddha-Babu, and they can compare
> > > > notes on how each leader is faring under the loving attention of the
> > > > right kind of PR.
> > > >
> > > > And together, they can perfect the fine art of decorating and
> > > improving
> > > > the public image of politicians whose hands are stained with blood.
> > > >
> > > > regards
> > > >
> > > > Shuddha
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------------
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Modis_image_builders_have_dictators_on_client_list/articleshow/2549293.cms
> > > >
> > > > Modi's image builders have dictators on client list
> > > > 18 Nov 2007, 0136 hrs IST,TNN
> > > >
> > > > AHMEDABAD: Adolf Hitler was a brilliant propagandist. Narendra Modi
> > > too
> > > > believes in the power of image.
> > > >
> > > > Which is probably why the chief minister hired a US lobbying firm
> > > which
> > > > has serviced clients like former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and
> > > > President-for-life of Kazakhstan Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev.
> > > >
> > > > This Washington-based firm, Apco Worldwide, was hired by Modi sometime
> > > > in August this year, in the run-up to an important Assembly election,
> > > to
> > > > improve his image before the world community. Among its recent clients
> > > > are Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former Communist youth
> > > leader-turned-Russian
> > > > billionaire with mafia links.
> > > >
> > > > The firm has a distinction of taking contracts of boosting images of
> > > > leaders who fell out of favour of their followers.
> > > >
> > > > On the face of it Apco Worldwide's brief is to build and sell Brand
> > > > Gujarat to the international community. But according to sources Modi,
> > >
> > > > who was denied visa by the US earlier because of the taint he earned
> > > in
> > > > the 2002 riots, wants his image to be improved so that he gets to
> > > visit
> > > > the US in future.
> > > >
> > > > The Modi regime feels lobbying is required to attract much-sought
> > > after
> > > > foreign direct investment (FDI) which has been a cause for concern
> > > even
> > > > though Gujarat is topping the charts among Indian states in terms of
> > > > overall investments, according to latest statistics brought out by the
> > >
> > > > Reserve Bank of India.
> > > >
> > > > Modi, of course, still nurtures the wish to get an US visa and some of
> > > > his NRI friends have advised him to use the services of lobbyists for
> > > > the same. Sources in the government told TOI that if it works and Modi
> > >
> > > > comes back to power, Apco's contract will be renewed in January for
> > > > Vibrant Gujarat 2009, the event that Modi prides himself in, for
> > > > bringing investments to the state.
> > > >
> > > > The Gujarat government will pay Apco 25,000 USD per month for the Modi
> > >
> > > > image building exercise.
> > > >
> > > > Sources in the government said Modi thought of this image-building
> > > > exercise during his visit to Switzerland earlier this year. His
> > > > government shortlisted some seven national and international firms,
> > > > without floating tenders of which two were shortlisted. Even though it
> > > > quoted a sum that was three times more than others, Apco was picked
> > > for
> > > > the job.
> > > >
> > > > The reason given was that Apco has a better team. Apco has former
> > > > senators from Republican and Democratic parties working with it.
> > > >
> > > > _________________________________________
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> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > OISHIK SIRCAR
> >
> > Fellow in Reproductive & Sexual Health and Women's Rights
> > Faculty of Law, University of Toronto
> >
> > 60 Harbord Street
> > Room 016 B
> > Toronto, ON M5S 3L1
> >
> > oishiksircar at gmail.com
> > oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca
> >
> > 416.876.7926
> _________________________________________
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