[Reader-list] On why Singh, Shourie and Sangh should learn Photoshop?

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Taha

The demise of the BJP in this manner should be certainly condemned because
of two reasons:

1) With exception to Modi, Advani and some other bad people, there are
others in this party who do realize the importance of Muslims to win
elections, as also the importance of social schemes and right of poor to
have entitlements (albeit with other civil right violations). This will at
least ensure they try to do well.

For example, statistics show that the three states which did exceptionally
well in the NREGA scheme as per 2007-08 data were actually Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (all BJP ruled states for a scheme brought by a
central govt headed by the Congress), as per official figures. Only Andhra
Pradesh had done decently well which had a Congress govt.

Therefore, while ideologically I don't agree with them, on certain things
there is a common consensus.

2) Most importantly, they are the counter to the Congress. The Left can also
take the Congress, but it is confined to only three states. The BJP with a
wider national reach is the party which is supposed to fulfill its duty of a
constructive and a responsible opposition to a govt., which is now found to
be mired in so many schemes that it seems even prostitutes are better than
the corrupt ministers of this govt. (at least prostitutes only sell their
body under duress or force, whereas these ministers have sold their life and
soul  as well as the lives of rest of us for their petty gains to corporates
or cheaters).

These should have been exposed properly, and the fact that BJP is now
involved in such exercises is itself a sham. In my belief, the BJP should
actually undertake three major activities:

1) Ask Advani to resign as Leader of Opposition. Let it be led by M.M.Joshi
at the moment, or ask someone else. It's ridiculous that when the verdict
means a rejection of a person as the PM, he acts as the shadow-PM, which is
what the Leader of Opposition is in a sense.

2) Some of these second-rung leaders are totally useless, for they don't
have the capacity to win elections on their own. Do Arun Jaitley and Sushma
Swaraj have the guts to win elections from any Lok Sabha seat themselves?
And then they are found questioning the ability of Manmohan Singh to do the
same. They should concentrate on their future, or better leave politics.

Therefore, the second-rung leaders should instead be people who can at least
win elections of Lok Sabha, for only they can understand the connect between
issues as elites see and their connect and appearance on the ground, and
participate in an enabling way to ensure the problems are put up and
presented in a proper way, as also their possible solutions.

3) Not many remember that Congress actually avoids the topic of Muslim
appeasement, as it did even in last elections, for the sake of 'not
alienating Hindus'. If as what Rajen jee says, RSS is not against Muslims,
then BJP & RSS should simply launch a joint campaign where they clearly
state that they are not against Muslims and believe in their growth. They
should apologize for what happened post-Godhra (they have apologized for
Godhra), and clearly state they want to start on a clean slate. They should
also decide that while ideologically they don't trust the Muslims very much
(if it is the case), it shouldn't result in any law-and-order problem which
targets Muslims, or a state policy which discriminates against Muslims in
any manner.

This can give the Muslims a position of the BJP where special schemes may
not be launched for them but they won't be targetted for petty election
victories. Even if the BJP ensures this, they win the battle half-way. And
controlling the VHP and the Bajrang Dal is no big deal when they indulge in
violence.

They can still continue to bicker, fight and create tamashas in front of
others. Or they can think about their own future.

Regards

Rakesh