[Reader-list] ''Shiela Dikshit - Pramod Muthalik'' - Sangh Sangh !

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear all

After reading this article, I am thinking who is the more hypocritic of the
two: the BJP or the Congress.

Let us be very clear about the nature of the parties. As my friend Aashish
(who is a member of this list as well) told me once, all parties in India
(the only exception in some sense for me here is the Left, at least
ideologically) are basically conservative. This is very much true, as I
shall point out.

Gandhi, the Father of our Nation was infact conservative in certain sense,
especially if we look at it. He was absolutely conservative about the
creature called 'market', and must have been highly appalled at the nature
of consumerism which has grown in India and elsewhere in the world. Of
course, he was radical when we point out caste and non-violence as an
instrument of dissent, but I don't think he would have supported the 'pub
culture' which has grown in India, although he would never support violence
against women.

The Congress, born from the values Gandhi and Nehru gave, is essentially a
conservative organization. Infact, if I may add so, in order to pander to
fundamentalists or conservatists on both sides, has been their hallmark. On
one hand, they passed the 'Muslim Personal Law' to ensure the Shah Bano
judgement was turned redundant; on the other they also allowed the locks of
Ram Mandir to be opened. The end result is known to all.

The BJP is of course conservative, as it grows from the RSS, which has a
particular code of life as based on Hindutva. Hence, they have problems with
Valentines' Day, pubs and so on. Of course, Congress doesn't also like them,
but yes they don't interfere with them as well, as long as it doesn't cause
any problems.

Infact, if the Congress must be criticized for being conservative, the BJP
in Gujarat must be criticized for not implementing the mantra of
'prohibition' effectively in cities and urban areas. The reason is simple.
The Gujarati middle class is one of the strongest supporters of Modi and
BJP, and is also the major consumer of foreign branded alcohol. What's more,
the investors coming in 'Vibrant Gujarat' since the last few years also have
approved of their dissatisfaction with such prohibition. Infact, this was
one of the issues, which was raised by Congress (and of course it failed),
in the Assembly 2007 elections.

Regards

Rakesh