Allu Arjun the Stylish Star of the Millennium

Vol: 26 | No. 4 | April 2018 | R20

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Cover Story BATTLEGROUND 2019

ALLU ARJUN THE STYLISH STAR OF THE MILLENNIUM With the swiftly changing political equations across the country, how the biggest battle will play out Thank You BIPL %DODML,QIUD3URMHFWV/LPLWHG www.balaji.co.in www.dighiport.in editorial

RNI UP–ENG 70032/92, Volume 26, No 4 Allu Arjun is modesty EDITOR Prashant Tewari Associate Editor personalized superstar Dr Rahul Misra Political Editor ig names of South India cinema namely MGR, NTR, Rajnikant, Kamal Has- Prakhar Misra san, Chiranjivee, Mohan Babu are household names with global Indian BUREAU CHIEF Anshuman Dogra (DELHI), Diwakar Shetty Bcommunity. The rise of Allu Arjun is likely to script similar success story. (MUMBAI), Sidhartha Sharma (KOLKATA), Allu rose up the ladder since his debut in Tollywood and has never looked back. Lakshmi Devi (BANGALORE ) DIvyash Bajpai Allu Arjun soon began riding the wave of success and landed (USA), KAPIL DUDAKIA (UNITED KINGDOM) Rajiv Agnihotri (MAURITIUS), Romil Raj blockbuster films such as ‘Arya’, ‘Bunny’, ‘Happy’, ‘Arya 2’, Bhagat (DUBAI), Herman Silochan (CANADA), ‘Race Gurram’, ‘S/O Satyamurthy’, ‘Sarrainodu’, ‘DJ’ and Dr Shiv Kumar (AUS/NZ), Nithya Ramesh many others. On the surface, his road to superstardom has (Fashion & Entertainment ) been enviably easy marking to be the next superstar in the Content partner industry. He burns up the screen with his energy that spikes The Pioneer Pratham Pravakta out in all direction, sweeping you up with its force even in Legal Advisors casual encounter. Vishnu Sharma Adv Vijai Krishna Adv He is the only South Indian actor whose movies have Advertisement / Marketing Director reached the Rs 100 crore club thrice. His Hindi dubbed movies have collectively Diwakar Shetty Gopal Chopra surpassed 530 million views on YouTube and have a huge crossover appeal across India especially in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and among other Administrative Director Amit Pandey states. Today, his fan following is increasing by every minute and so is the number Bal Mukund Gaur of filmmakers wanting to sign him. What’s more he has hit a beautiful equation in Corporate Communication / PR his personal life as well. Riding the crest of his huge fans followers of 12.7 million in Sanjay Mendiratta Facebook alone making him the highest among any South Indian actor and many M M Upadhaya Bollywood stars. Opinion Express is experimenting with a shift from political to Graphics & Design Writeword Commuications (Studio 8) entertainment cover story. Secondly we are reporting in depth assessment of Modi wave in the country: Photographer Ratan Shukla How has the Republic fared with Prime Minister Narendra Modi steering the coun- Overseas Marketing try towards the general election of 2019? It has been a mixed record, with the will- OEMCL Ltd (Mauritius), OEHCL ltd (DUBAI) ingness to take decisions trumped by ideological blinkers and a propensity to think Advertisement / Circulation: of the virtues of Ram Rajya. The Sangh Parivar leadership has not quite reconciled Delhi / NCR - Hemant Sharma: D 239 itself regarding how far to take the concept of Hindutva in ruling a heterogeneous Defence Colony New Delhi 110024 INDIA Tel – 011 49060350 and multi-ethnic country. Two major decisions merit attention — the sudden move Mumbai - Vijay Kalantri – Advisor: New for demonetisation of a huge chunk of our currency and the hasty introduction of ExcelsIor BUILDING, 6tH Floor, A.K. NAYAK the Goods and Services Tax. The first decision was Mr Modi’s own prescription MARG, Fort, MUMBAI - 400001 (INDIA). for the evils of black money and it has badly misfired, slowing down the economy, Phone: 91 - 22 - 22019265 / 22019160 while the GST, an essential measure that earlier Congress governments had failed FAX : 91-22- 22019764 / 22019760 to bring in, was imposed somewhat post-haste. The demonetisation scheme was The magazine is published and printed by Rajiv Agnihotri for Opinion Express Communications essentially Mr Modi’s idea, and although he talked it up as a kind of poor man’s & Entertainments Pvt Ltd, from Kumpu Graphic revenge against the rich, the poor suffered the most. There has been no suggestion Press 2 Ashok Nagar, Lucknow & printed at of apology on Mr Modi’s behalf on slowing down the economy and its numerous Kumpu Graphic Press 2 Ashok Nagar, Lucknow – 226001 Tele : 91-522-4060880 & other consequences. Nikhil Offset An ISO 9001 : 2008 Certified In the field of foreign policy, Mr Modi has built on the country’s record, consid- Company 223, DSIDC Complex, Okhla Industrial erably enhancing ties with Israel and becoming the first Indian PM to unreservedly Area Phase - I, New Delhi - 110020 Tele : 91- welcome Israel into the hall of nations. Mr Modi has decided that India’s defence 26812316, 26810097, 26810458, FAX:91 45792362 E-Mail : [email protected], and geopolitical links with the Jewish state are important enough to be concentrat- [email protected] ed and the risks minimal as the Sunni monarchies are also reaching out to it. Does Registered Office: OPINION EXPRESS HOUSE Mr Modi have a roadmap beyond the victory post-2019? Judging by his exertions 24-A Clyde Road, Lucknow-226001 (India) Phone: 91-522-4060880 in Davos and elsewhere, he is rustling up plans for a major internal manufactur- Fax: 91-522-2208242 # 24x7 ing spree on the basis of abundant foreign investment. But circumstances have to mobility +91 9984437000 be propitious for such investment because men with money and resources have email: [email protected] options. The country will enter a new phase after the 2019 polls, and it will be an All disputes are subject to be under jurisdiction of courts in Delhi. entirely new ballgame. All content published may be subject to copyright, seek written permission to re-produce. Opinion —Prashant Tewari , Express is trade mark brand of Opinion Express Communications & Entertainment Private Limited. E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f Opinion Express April 2018 3 A Monthly News Magazine April 2018 Cover Story PM 2019? WHAT WILL BE MAJOR FACTORS TO DECIDE INDIA’S NEXT PRIME MINISTER

P 8-14 BATTLEGROUND 16 2019 THEP 44 ICONIC STAR Testing 20 Times Power 29 Club Bond with 35 the west Farmer 36 Friendly Sound of 40 Success 4 April 2018 Opinion Express Saffron Surge in North East Modi juggernaut expands Pan India courtesy RSS

Chandan Mitra most backward region. Gradually, the In this context, the BJP’s success BJP is expanding in North-East state by in Tripura suggests that the state’s JP spectacular show in state leading to the integration of seven Bengali-majority voters switched their Tripura and Nagaland has sister states with the main land. allegiance to the BJP while the party’s opened a door for the party To say the BJP’s victories in the sustained efforts to win over the tribal ambitious plan to start GE North-east, especially in Tripura, are vote also paid off. The Bengali-speaking 2019 campaign. The look historic seems almost like an under- people of West Bengal and Tripura have Beast political strategy of BJP to garner statement. Routing the CPM in Tripu- traditionally aligned with the Commu- over 100 lok sabha seats in order to ra after 25 years is an unprecedented nists and looked only to the Congress ensure the repeat of 282+ seats in GE achievement comparable only to Ma- as a possible alternative so far. The col- 2019 is well in place. With exception of mata Banerjee’s feat in dislodging the lapse of the Congress across the country Mamta Banerjee in West Bengal and Left Front from power in Bengal after has obviously impacted voters in the Navin Patnaik in Odisha, the entire 34 years in 2011. Considering the BJP East too. If the Bengalis in their home- east is looking saffron. The credit of the failed to win a single seat in the last as- land start to accept the BJP as their pre- tremendous victories must go to Modi sembly poll in Tripura, its tally of 40 out ferred option, it may bring bad tidings Amit Shah duo, RSS organization, BJP of 60 this time is truly spectacular. With for Mamata Banerjee. The ascendant clinical planning and off course access Nagaland and probably Meghalaya also BJP will henceforth be vastly embold- of tremendous funding. in its kitty, the BJP can now credibly ened to mount a feisty challenge to Tri- Right from the day Modi govern- claim to be a pan-India party, barring namool, first in the Lok Sabha and then ment took over the centre: the tremen- some states in the South although it the assembly polls of 2021. dous focus on North-East has trans- hopes to wrest Karnataka from the Con- What is it that the BJP had to offer formed the entire eco system of India’s gress later this year. to voters in Tripura? Essentially it was

Opinion Express April 2018 5 the assurance of change encapsulated gress in Kerala, Thiruvanathapuram is strategist Himanta Biswa Sarma has in its election winning slogan - “Chalo probably the last capital where the red been more damaging than the Congress Paltai” (let’s change). After 25 years, the flag will fly proudly. Bolstered by the president could have imagined. If the CPM looked jaded with nothing new to BJP’s resounding victory in Tripura, Congress also loses Karnataka in the offer. Impoverished voters of underde- the BJP will redouble its effort to first next few months, the idea of a “Con- veloped Tripura were not impressed replace the Congress as the only opposi- gress-mukt Bharat” would be almost by the fact that the otherwise popu- tion to the Left and eventually march to fully achieved, barring the odd Punjab, lar Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was power in the next poll. saved by a strong local leader. recently “crowned” the poorest Chief Beyond Tripura too, today’s poll re- Minister of India. The aspirational urge sults have made the BJP and its allies RSS is the backbone of gripped Tripura voters this time. And the dominant party in the North-East. BJP stupendous success in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image With 26 seats between its seven states, North East as change-maker swung the polls for which were the near monopoly of the A disciplined cadre and abundance his party although the BJP had no local Congress, the BJP can be expected to of resources is a must for any political leader of Sarkar’s stature. Indeed the lap them up in 2019. This is further bad party to succeed in democracy. A well CPM’s empty rhetoric of ushering an news for the Congress as it had hopes oiled party machine is the basic require- egalitarian revolution sounded patheti- that the absence of a marked Hindu ment for attaining any electoral suc- cally hollow to the new generation of vote in these States should enable the cess. The hard work done by RSS in the voters who thought Modi was the man Congress to retain its erstwhile base. civil society continues to pay dividends of the hour. Clearly the elections in three small to BJP across the country. The best ex- The BJP’s critics ensconced in New states of the North-East have signalled ample of it is the marriage of civil so- Delhi failed to gauge the political mood a turning point in India’s electoral map. ciety interests and political ambition in in remote Tripura and thought the cad- While Amit Shah’s strategies have tri- North East where RSS has been work- res would yet again ensure the status umphed once more, Rahul Gandhi’s in- ing from the 1970s. quo continued. For the CPM, its decima- ability to work on strategies and tactics It is because of this investment of tion is now almost complete. Though it has resulted in further erosion of the time with civil society issues by RSS, managed to trump a demoralised Con- party’s support base. The loss of Assam that BJP has been able to build a political network in areas which is culturally and socially different to the ideological thinking of the RSS. It is the confluence of social and cultural networking of RSS with BJP’s political and electoral machine which explains the rise of BJP as an important party in the North East. A similar investment was made by the Congress Party during the freedom struggle. The political action was only one part of the Congress activity, the party was involved in hundreds of other civil society issues. From nation building to character building, the Congress worked on a myriad of issues, almost crafting the mindset of the Indians. It is this mental world which has been challenged by the RSS-BJP combine in the last 50 years. To understand the success, it is important to understand the work done by the RSS in North East. To start with Ar- unachal Pradesh, RSS runs Arunachal Vikas Parishad in Arunachal Pradesh which in other states is known as Van- vasi Kalyan Ashram. It runs schools and maintains hostels for the students. There are thousands of RSS affiliated schools in the state alone. The RSS runs National Integra- tion programmes which allow students from the North East to stay with different families in different parts of India. Apart from the BJP, more than 4000 trained ‘sevaks’ work in Arunachal Pradesh who run Shakhas and other

6 April 2018 Opinion Express programmes which works at the level refashion the discourse of nationalism Assam on this issue, making minority of social but impact the political mood. into its own image but only succeeded in votes irrelevant. For Congress to come Apart from it, affiliated organisations the last 25 years. It is this shift which is back today, it cannot harp on the issue run Civil Service Orientation Services. finding an imprint in our electoral histo- of alienism of BJP. There are programmes dedicated ry cutting across regions. It is this world- BJP has become as indigenous as to students who require engineering view, aided by rapid urbanisation and Congress in the North East. RSS-BJP coaching. On top of it, new Yoga Centres consolidation of a larger Indian national combine might rest on national integ- have also come up which focus on indi- identity, that is emerging as the main op- rity, focusing on local issues and threat vidual character building. Additional to position to highly volatile, violent, domi- which it faces from migrant popula- this is the massive network of Bal Bari nant and majoritarian global Islam. tions which can change the local politi- schools. Though RSS insists that it has RSS-BJP’s intensive interaction cal axis. nothing to do with the BJP but the fact with the civil society has also succeeded Though Congress recently started is that RSS, unquestionably, has laid in underlining its role as the only party a Professional Congress, it still needs the ground for BJP in the North East. which unites and keep India united. As- people who can create a daily ritual of Central to this social action are the face- sam result broke this very myth of geo- interaction between the worker, leader less pracharaks who devote their lives graphical and ideological limitations of and civil society. It is through this in- to an ideology that also ends up shaping BJP. It made them local and national at teraction that social opinion in conjunc- civil society sentiments on a number of the same time. tion with political action translates into political issues. Such has been the impact of the ef- mass politics. Most of its departments The special focus is imparting les- fort that the issue of food habit has been are defunct today and have not func- sons on cultural nationalism (which kept aside in the North East, and prayer tioned properly for years. is debatable) and national integration houses have been built for local com- Various frontal organisations of the which provides an alternative discourse munities who worship elements of na- Congress have an episodic and politi- to the civil society. ture in the state. co-electoral relationship with the civil Unlike Congress of the 50’s and 60’s Despite having an acrimonious re- society where intimate bond with the which was then the sole repository of lationship with Christian Missionary organisation is missing. The absence of nationalism, the RSS-BJP combine has establishment all across India, RSS has this bond further dilutes ideological un- shifted the axis by claiming nationalism worked both ends in the North East. It derpinning of an individual. It should as its own domain. Today, they claim to has organised non-Christian communi- worry the Congress. It is for this reason be the sole repository of nationalism. It ties in their cultural realm preventing that despite a massive anti-incumben- has allowed them to combine culturally conversions and also engaged the exist- cy, BJP was able to retain Gujarat by a and socially different voices into one, ing non-Hindu religious establishment thin margin. At the end, personal bond like pre-colonial Congress. Congress by sharing political space with them. infused with ideology does work. refashioned the dominant discourse of It created space in states, such as (Dr. Chandan Mitra is a jour- the nation into its own image. It started Tripura where Congress has not been nalist, currently Editor of The before independence but was institu- able to unseat the Left for past 15 years. Pioneer Group of Publications. tionalised after independence. The BJP also hijacked the issue of ille- He is also former BJP MP, Earlier, the RSS-BJP too wanted to gal migration and consolidated votes in Rajya Sabha.)

Opinion Express April 2018 7 Cover story PM 2019? WHAT WILL BE MAJOR FACTORS TO DECIDE INDIA’S NEXT PRIME MINISTER

8 April 2018 Opinion Express Opinion Express News Bureau vote. Another 34 crore are undecided, making a total of 114 of 128 seats. With or not likely to support any one of the BJP as the party to beat, the number of an you make a difference mainstream parties. Together, the candidates against the BJP will deter- between business and poli- number is 67 crore – two-thirds of the mine its success in the next election. tics?” The answer is simple: eligible voters in India. And they are up The more the candidates from the main “In politics, there is no value for grabs. This is four times the BJP’s parties, the better will be its chances. Cfor being number two.” core support base, and eight times the So, the key to the next election lies in There are no prizes for coming sec- core Congress support. the index of opposition unity in these ond in an election. All you get is five 128 seats. years to introspect what you did wrong. 128: Being out of power can be really depress- The total number of seats in the two The Strategies ing, especially once you have tasted it. large states with four strong parties – Wave Creation: Elections, thus, are the most innovative Uttar Pradesh with 80, and Maharash- A wave election, like 2014, is need- form of business, and politicians are tra with 48 seats. BJP won a total of ed to ensure a national mandate. Else, the smartest entrepreneurs. The Prime 94 seats and its allies won another 20, elections tend to be an aggregation of Minister’s post is the ultimate trophy in this winner-takes-all contest. They have every incentive to try all sorts of innova- tions, tricks, and games to win and be number one. There are nine factors – three sets of numbers, three strategies, and three tactics – that will determine India’s next Prime Minister.

The Numbers 330-230-130: This is what the BJP and Congress win together in the 543-seat Lok Sabha, as you can see in the table (in the video), which shows the story of elections since 1991. The rest go to regional parties, who may or may not be allied with either of the two national parties. Thus, the most important contests are the ones where the BJP and Congress fight directly against each other. Each seat outcome results in a relative difference of two between them. For Narendra Modi to continue as India’s PM, he would like to ensure that BJP’s 282 tally should not fall be- low 230, which means Congress’ tally should be less than 100. For Rahul Gan- dhi to make an attempt to become PM, he will need to at least ensure that Con- gress’ 44 seats go up to more than 130, which means BJP’s seats should be less than 200. So, BJP + Congress is 330, BJP’s target is 230+, and Congress’ target is 130+.

The number game: 10 crore and 67 crore: Ten crore is the number of unregistered voters in India. Of these, 7.5 crore are in the 18-24 age bracket, while the other 2.5 crore are older voters who have not registered for a variety of reasons. As you can see in the graphic, the 7.5 crore unregistered youth, form half of all 18-24 year-olds in India. These 10 crore missing voters are part of the 33 crore Indians who do not

Opinion Express April 2018 9 state elections, which tend to lead to fractured mandates. There have only been three wave elections in the past There have only been three wave elections in the 40 years – 1977 (after the Emergency, past 40 years – 1977 (after the Emergency, which which brought the Janata party to power), 1984 (after Indira Gandhi’s assas- brought the Janata party to power), 1984 (after sination, when Rajiv Gandhi’s Congress Indira Gandhi’s assassination, when Rajiv Gandhi’s swept the nation), and 2014 (where Narendra Modi’s BJP became the first Congress swept the nation), and 2014 (where party in 30 years to win a majority). Parties like waves – it unites voters to Narendra Modi’s BJP became the first party in 30 create a winning majority. Will the next years to win a majority). election be a national wave or states summation? of smaller groups that is needed for a optimism, a party will use anger, fear, Big Idea Selling: party to craft a win in a first-past-the- high passion to maximise voter turnout To create a wave, the election has to post system, where the party getting the in its support base. be about a couple of big ideas. No one highest number of votes wins. BJP’s se- really bothers with manifestos any- lectorate was the middle class for a long Ground Game: more. Which party will have the big time, but it now seems to be transition- India has 10 lakh polling booths, ideas in this election? Congress record ing its focus to the poor. each with about 1,000 voters, which in government in the 60 years starting comes to about 250 families. In every in 1947? BJP’s track record in deliver- The Tactics election, what matters besides the top- ing ‘acche din’ since 2014? Corruption? Polarisation Game: down media campaign is the ground Governance? Narendra Modi himself? Elections are about divide-and- game, especially closer to the voting rule. Like in a marketplace, politicians day. Using data and analytics to identify (S)electorate Targeting: and their parties like to have voters see supporters, and then getting them out to To sell its big idea, a party only tar- sharp differentiation, to ensure they vote on election day will be instrumen- gets a selected set of voters – those who turn up to vote. Hence, the need for po- tal in determining the eventual winner. they think will support them. So, it is larisation. Caste, community, class – all To make this happen, parties need the not about the Electorate, but about the can divide the electorate and therefore sales army – the booth workers who can selectorate. This is the minimal mix unite the selectorate. In the absence of register new voters, persuade the sup-

10 April 2018 Opinion Express porters and undecideds, and then turn moment for change. Be aware of the I talk about a person named Pandit them out to vote. games the politicians and their parties Jawaharlal Nehru. play, and vote wisely – for India’s First The Congress that Nehru inher- Digital Game: Prosperity Prime Minister. ited was a mixed bag of liberals, con- The one big change from 2014 is servatives, and radicals. But when he the amazing growth of smartphones Whoever may be the Prime embarked on building a nation on the and data connectivity across India. As Minister, here’s is what foundations of rational liberalism and a result, Facebook and WhatsApp have my opinion on the issue secularism, no one dared oppose him. become the primary methods for shar- constitute: Because they knew that their seats, ing content and opinions. You see the Born to an Indian father who values their posts, and positions in the new explosion of creative content every time western culture and way of life more democratic India were because people a big news story breaks. More than half than anything, he was brought up as any voted for Nehru, not for the individual of all voters, and at least one person in kid in the elite class would have been ex- MPs. If Nehru resigned, their own posi- every household in India, is now digital- pected to be. Such was the extent of the tions were at stake. It used to be called ly connected via a smartphone. Digital elitism in the household that speaking Nehruvian consensus. Imagine. A per- India may take time, but India’s Digital in the vernacular was not entertained son who grew as an elite, who spoke and Election is coming! even on the dining table. The boy goes wrote in English so proficiently (more So, these are the numbers, strategies on to study at Harrow and later at Cam- than in vernacular), who preached and and tactics that will decide who will be bridge. On returning to India, inspired propagated those versions of Secular- India’s next Prime Minister. What hap- by a certain MK Gandhi, he takes up a ism and Socialism that were alien to pens in the elections will determine our lead in the nationalist movement of the Indians, he, was more popular in the individual and collective future – now time. His involvement in the movement Indian rural heartland than any conser- more than ever. India is a young nation. and his image availed the whole country vative of that time. We have lost a lot of time over the past to see him as the second-in-command decades in pursuing policies that keep of the struggle against the Raj. So much Why Not Congress-mukth? taking us away from the path to pros- so that, his chief contender Patel once There is an argument I hear every perity. This election offers yet another said, ‘The masses, they come for him.’ now and then that the current BJP Gov-

Opinion Express April 2018 11 ernment has the mandate of citizens and hence it should not be a cause of concern for us because ‘democracy is being followed.’ I would with due respect disagree. Democracy is not raw majori- tarianism. When we say, ‘Democracy is government by, for and of the people,’ it means it is by, for, and of all the people. Not by, for, and of just a majority. Let’s say, hypothetically, 51% of people vote to support the banishment of the re- maining 49% of the citizens of the country, is it sensible to implement it? In all this binary game of ‘yes-no’s, we are forgetting the basic intent of democracy. Democracy is a practicable framework of governance that will ensure human rights and dignity to all the citizens, not a tool to assert majoritari- anism. That is why there is a concept called Participatory Democracy, wherein citizens, from time to time, check the government and assist the government in catering best to their needs. And how is this done? Four major ways: Opposition in the legislature, Ju- diciary, Media, and protest. And each of these four is essential. You cannot say that 3 of them are working fine in checking the government; hence the fourth one need not work. My attention in the current essay will be on showing the importance of Opposition in Parlia- ment. Let’s take the example of one of the latest bills that the Lok Sabha passed, the Finance Bill. The Finance Bill made provisions for private companies to make as much donation to political parties as they wish, without disclosing the name of the political party they are do- nating too. If read carefully, it is easy to infer that it is cronyism. Which of the above four checked the passage of this law? Media was busy with Yogiji’s rule in in terms of the number of seats but the Still Sibal or Tharoor? UP (which was also important to cover). support it gets from the citizens)? The The example of Nehru that I gave Social media even less, with BJP trolls fact that the same opposition (which in the beginning of the essay was to ad- trolling anyone who so much as says had farmers’ support) were able to stall dress the larger point that no seemingly a thing against BJP and government. the amendment to Land Acquisition Act elite politician is capable of reaching Judiciary couldn’t have acted in such 2014 shows it is possible. the masses of the rural heartland of the short a time span. And even if it could, Therefore, it is important that the country. It, however, doesn’t address the amendment had been made and citizens of the country rely also on the the barriers that lie between Sibal or it had become a law. So, unless, there opposition for their own good. But for Tharoor and the UPA Candidature for is a violation of the ‘Basic Structure of that, it is important that the opposi- Prime Ministership in 2019. Let me the Constitution’, it cannot overturn tion shows itself to be competent and address these as answers to potential the amendment. And, the Opposition? strong to the citizens. The point I make questions that might arise about his It was so weak that neither the govern- is, a strong opposition is essential to a candidature. ment nor the citizens took it any serious- healthy democracy. And the closest to ly. A majority of the amendments were opposition in India today is Congress. What about Rahul Gandhi? added one day before the final vote after And the set of leaders who are closest I know that Sonia Gandhi is not all the discussion had happened and it to making that opposition strong can be that naive a person to allow for some- was passed through the brute force of Rahul Gandhi, Kapil Sibal and Shashi one other than Rahul or a puppet to be majority. Could things have been bet- Tharoor. the PM. But this is politics and, as the ter had opposition been stronger (not cliched statement goes, ‘Anything can

12 April 2018 Opinion Express happen in Politics.’ Trust me. I am not by people. Politics change according to EU eating our wealth etc. Stories work. going to go into counterfactuals. Let’s what people want. Status quo in Con- Which is why good politicians are effec- look at Congress realistically. The nar- gress is highly unlikely. Whether I am tive storytellers. rative in Congress so far has been, ‘We right or wrong, time will tell. Congress too had a story to tell. A get votes because people vote for the de- story of ‘New Possibilities’ (1950s), then scendants of Nehru and Indira.’ In es- What does Congress has to a story of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kissan’ (Sas- sence, the brand of Congress was what offer to the country anyway? tri), then a story of ‘Garibi Hatao’ (1971), was giving MPs votes. But has it been If an alternative to Modi is the only then a story of ‘Vote for Government working? Did it work in Bihar 2011? thing Congress has to offer, I have no that works’ (1980), a story of ‘Sikhs are In UP 2012? In India in 2014? In UP doubt that it’ll not work. I don’t say our enemies’ (1984), a story of ‘Rama 2017? Don’t accuse me of being selec- Congress party doesn’t have an ideol- Rajya’ (1991). They worked. Now, the tive. Of course, I didn’t mention Bihar ogy. Its ideology is of Liberalism, Sec- dominant Congress story is ‘BJP is anti- 2016 because it was Nitish-Laloo’s win ularism, and Socialism. But these are Minority’. This story has no robustness. rather than the brand of Congress’. In textbook concepts. Even a middle-class It is not a philosophy, rather a counter the above-mentioned elections, Rahul Indian, leave alone rural peasant, would argument. So, yes, the Congress has to Gandhi was the star campaigner. And not understand these. You need to have literally go back to its drawing board. clearly, it didn’t work in party’s favor. a narrative. The world sustains on sto- And start making a story that will con- There is a high possibility of change ries. Stories of the holocaust, stories of vey the textbook concepts that it stands in the leadership. A political party can China stealing our jobs, stories of Mexi- for, a story that is robust in itself. never be owned by a person. It is owned cans polluting our country, stories of When Tharoor said that Rahul Gan-

Opinion Express April 2018 13 dhi might not have a conviction but he Gandhi, 53, would remain the Con- the NDA fold. As if to squelch grow- wants people to tell him what they want gress’ wild card. But by 2024 playing ing murmurs of Nitish’s bromance to be done, I found myself in amaze- it may be too little, too late. with Modi, the Bihar chief minister ment. Surely, Tharoor knows better Other parties in the Opposition declared: “The Central government’s than that in politics. recognise the danger of a second suc- actions are creating fear among mi- cessive victory for Modi. It explains norities. The Centre is deliberately What if Sibal or Tharoor the near-hysteria the Prime Minister’s weakening federal power of the states. becomes Manmohan Singh demonetization scheme has caused. Some people talk about ghar wapsi II? Only Bihar Chief Minister Nitish and cow protection and are spreading Well, everything is contingent on Kumar and Odisha Chief Minister hatred. But we are working to achieve that not happening. If they remains Naveen Patnaik among Opposition our goals and will continue to do it in faithful to the family, like they does leaders have grasped the full political Bihar.” now, I take my proposition back. But ramifications of Modi’s war on black Despite the rhetoric, Nitish has two I am sure that if they were to become money. They know that the economic problems. First, the erratic behaviour a Prime Minister, both would assert of his coalition partner Lalu Prasad themself well enough to be the Prime Yadav and his family. The return of Minister and not a Principal Secretary jungle Raj in Bihar has damaged Nit- of 10, Janpath Road. Both has seen Nitish Kumar, for ish’s reputation for good governance and been involved in more politics example, has used built methodically over two decades. than Manmohan Singh. Second, Nitish has sensed the nation- morality in governance al mood on demonetization. Aligning So, Modi-mukth Bharat? with those who oppose action against I am a full-time Capitalist and a to burnish his political black money carries a huge political part-time Conservative. And I am career. He has legislated risk. a vegetarian too. So, I don’t have Unlike Mamata Banerjee, Maya- qualms with the current regime per- against benami properties wati and Arvind Kejriwal who react sonally. Yet, I care about the personal in Bihar and banned emotionally to events, Nitish has a liberties of everyone to be concerned cold, clinical approach to power. But, about the developments in the coun- liquor. The JD(U) he too knows that a victory for Modi try today. The discourse has become pointedly broke ranks with in 2019 will end any realistic chance more and more polarized (because of he has of being Prime Minister in a fu- lack of stories from one of the sides) the rest of the Opposition ture national mahagathbandhan. and the authority of the government Modi, of course, has problems of is being asserted at an alarming mag- over demonetization. his own in the run-up to 2019. He has nitude. I don’t want a Modi-mukht Nitish is even talking to to make demonetization work on the Bharat. I rather prefer a Bharat where ground. Moral victories can vanish if the government doesn’t set precedents Finance Minister Arun the poor continue to suffer due to a that might increase the authoritarian- Jaitley about a joint continued shortage of cash. ism. For which we need a counter- Modi also has to cross the hurdle of narrative (not counter-argument, we initiative to forge a digital- the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections already have one). Sibal or Tharoor’s in 2017. Many realignments among ascent is not going to be easy. It is dif- pay economy. the Opposition will take place after ficult. But what that is good is easy? In UP. The importance Modi attaches to the end, my nation is bigger than any benefits — and these could be consid- the state is highlighted by the number of these politicians. Yet, my nation is erable — are dwarfed by the political of rallies he is holding there months in the people in it, not a landmass with implications. advance of the poll. boundary. In a country where poverty in Modi also has to recalibrate ties Drawing battlelines for 2019: Up- varying degrees afflicts nearly half-a- with his allies. The Shiv Sena is a coming Lok Sabha election will define billion people, the emotional appeal prickly customer, though somewhat future of Indian politics of punishing bla*ck money hoarders sobered by the BJP’s recent victories Though the 2019 Lok Sabha elec- and tax-evading millionaires has irre- in local elections in Maharashtra. The tion is more than two years away, ev- sistible moral appeal. forthcoming BMC poll will decide ery political calculation now revolves Nitish Kumar, for example, has how the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance holds around it. used morality in governance to bur- up in 2019. Meanwhile, other NDA Make no mistake: 2019 repre- nish his political career. He has leg- allies like SAD in Punjab, LJP in Bi- sents an existential moment for sever- islated against benami properties in har and TDP in Andhra Pradesh have al parties. If Prime Minister Narendra Bihar and banned liquor. The JD(U) weakened electorally since their wins Modi leads the BJP to victory in 2019, pointedly broke ranks with the rest of in 2014. They will need to be whipped it could spell the end of the dynastic the Opposition over demonetization. into shape. Congress. Rahul Gandhi will be 54 in Nitish is even talking to Finance Min- Modi and his opponents both know 2024. He would by then have spent ister Arun Jaitley about a joint initia- that the results of the 2019 Lok Sabha 20 unsuccessful years in politics. So- tive to forge a digital-pay economy. election will define the contours of In- nia Gandhi will be 77 and no longer a None of this suggests that Nitish dian politics for a generation. key factor in Indian politics. Priyanka Kumar’s JD(U) is about to return to

14 November2017 Opinion Express

BATTLEGROUND 2019 Akhilesh-Mayawati Alliance Has Downside Too. So, it’s advantage BJP?

Mihir Swarup Sharma to re-evaluate their perceptions of the be explained away as reflecting state- party’s prospects in 2019. It is difficult specific sentiment. In UP and Bihar, it he comprehensive defeat of the to understate what these losses mean was assumed, the party continued to be Bharatiya Janata Party in two for a party dependent on a sweep of the in the ascendant. But that is clearly no parliamentary by-elections in north and west of India to retain its ma- longer true. It has now lost multiple Lok Uttar Pradesh - Gorakhpur and jority in the Lok Sabha. It follows the Sabha constituencies in areas it should TPhulpur - as well as one in Araria, Bi- BJP’s humiliating defeats in Ajmer and have won - not just UP, Bihar and Ra- har - has understandably caused many Alwar a few weeks ago - but those could jasthan, but also Madhya Pradesh and

16 April 2018 Opinion Express Punjab. In fact, it is perilously close to However, I’m not yet going to mark out of 80. If the alliance frays, the BJP losing its majority. the BJP as an underdog in the north should get over 60. So, yes, nobody should assume that and west just yet. Here are eight rea- Even if the SP-BSP alliance stays 2019 is a simple win for Narendra Modi sons why we should assume Modi and together, it is extremely risky. Modi led BJP. Repeating 282 was always go- Amit Shah can still turn it around: is more than capable of redefining the ing to be tough, even with Modi’s pop- The Samajwadi Party’s victories in narrative in short order. In fact, a unit- ularity still strong. But I at least had Gorakhpur and Phulpur required unity ed opposition makes it easier for Modi always assumed that 235 seats plus/ between the SP and the Bahujan Samaj to claim that everyone else is corrupt, minus 35, was the BJP’s likely perfor- Party. While the alliance held on the terrified, and hypocritical - and that mance in 2019. Some observers now ground for this victory, such alliances he alone is the principled, honest sav- think that is optimistic. After all, you are naturally fragile. For good reason, iour India needs. Arithmetic - adding can’t lose practically every by-election Mayawati distrusts and dislikes Mu- up the BSP and SP vote shares - does in the north and west for years and con- layam Singh Yadav. And the Yadavs not always trump chemistry. And Modi, tinue to be seen as the favourite. It’s in- are as capable of self-sabotage as the through his ability to cook up a narra- credibly tough for an incumbent party Gandhis. A repeat of this strong alli- tive in his lab, is India’s pre-eminent to lose by-elections, and yet the BJP ance across UP in 2019 could give a new political chemist. Opposition unity ac- seems to be able to do so with ease. maha-gathbandan in excess of 50 seats tually makes his job more straightfor-

So, yes, nobody should assume that 2019 is a simple win for Narendra Modi led BJP. Repeating 282 was always going to be tough, even with Modi’s popularity still strong. But I at least had always assumed that 235 seats plus/minus 35, was the BJP’s likely performance in 2019.

ward. He is at his best when pretending to be an underdog fighting against dark and overwhelming forces. This election suggests that a BSP- SP coalition should not be considered as automatically being in a losing position. This is actually bad news for any coalition negotiations going forward. The only thing that could have reconciled Mayawati to dealing with the family that humiliated and terrorised her in the 1990s is a sense of imminent disaster for her party and the Bahujan movement. The possibility of victory makes it, paradoxically, harder for her to compromise. For Modi and Shah, this defeat is not as problematic as it may appear. You might argue that any defeat discolours their aura of invincibility, so important in the run-up to 2019. But the Prime Minister himself was not the person at risk in the UP by-elections. In Bihar, it was Nitish Kumar, and anything that

Opinion Express April 2018 17 weakens a coalition partner is not en- gaining power when it comes to ticket under Adityanath which appears to be tirely unwelcome to the BJP. More im- distribution in 2019. Shah and Modi are real is largely because his government portantly, in UP it was Chief Minister free to distribute tickets based on their is correctly seen as an upper-caste raj. Yogi Adityanath whose credibility was winnability criteria. Yogi samrajya is Thakur samrajya. His on on the line. Adityanath was supposed The notion that seats in the Hindi famed encounter policy consists of to be able to deliver Gorakhpur at least belt in 2019 are wide open will encour- Thakur cops going after OBC or Muslim with ease. Phulpur, while not tradition- age a plethora of independents, vote- suspects. His ascendancy has led Dal- ally BJP territory, should also have been cutters, and other political entrepre- its to feel even more unsafe than under manageable. Yet the Adityanath name neurs to throw their hat in the ring. Such the SP, underlined by widely-circulated was not enough, nor were his last-min- chaos inevitably favours the large force reports of the vandalism of Ambedkar ute rallies, over a dozen of them, suffi- with greater monetary resources. There statues. The BJP’s candidate choice cient to turn the tide against the BSP-SP is no question that in 2019, this better- for Gorakhpur in particular hardly did alliance. It is an open secret that Modi resourced force will be the BJP, by a anything to dispel the notion that it was and Shah distrust Adityanath. That is factor of five, perhaps 10. Chaos means a savarna raj party. But there is still a one reason why this defeat is not en- horse-trading, and the Modi-Shah BJP year to go for 2019 if the elections are tirely unwelcome to them. It is also true is by far the better horse-trader. not brought forward. That’s more than that now Adityanath has reduced bar- In UP, the BJP’s loss of popularity enough time for Modi, India’s most po-

18 April 2018 Opinion Express litically successful OBC politician, to and the BJP’s panna pramukhs have Eight reasons are more than enough persuade non-Yadav OBCs and even lost their potency as a turnout-genera- to reserve judgment about the BJP’s many Dalits that his government is not tion machine. They just weren’t put in fortunes in the north and west next savarna raj. Skilful candidate selection overdrive for this election. year. If I were to add a ninth, it is this: will help. Finally, there is a noticeable divide Modi as Prime Minister is more than Both the Phulpur and Gorakhpur here - as in the Rajasthan by-polls and capable of using the office to take the elections were noticeable for extreme- in the Gujarat Assembly elections - be- sort of drastic decision, like demon- ly low turnout. This is a sign of many tween urban and rural voters. Rural etisation, that the opposition is simply things, urban discontent with the gov- voters are clearly more dissatisfied with unable to respond to. Yes, there will be ernment being high on the list. If it is the BJP. But stepped-up efforts to woo some inevitable attrition in the BJP’s the case that low turnout favours the them through waivers, transfers, higher seat count from 2014. Yes, Modi’s gov- BSP’s committed voters, and high turn- MSPs (minimum support price) and so ernment is losing popularity. But Modi out means more Modi-leaning swing on might moderate their discontent. In- and his party are still clear favourites voters are going to the polls, then we deed, if this year’s monsoon is particu- in 2019. can assume the 2019 election will be larly good for production, a great deal of high turnout. Nothing so far suggests agrarian distress will be alleviated just (Writer is a fellow at the that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in time for the 2019 campaign. Observer Research Foundation.)

Opinion Express April 2018 19 Testing Times The First litmus political challenge for Modi and Shah emerges from Akhilesh Mayawati reunion in UP

Rajeev Sharma & Ashok Upadhayay and Meghalaya too, the latter being the the party’s impressive scoreline was 71 22nd BJP-ruled state even though the out of 80 seats in the 2014 general elec- t doesn’t need rocket science to saffron party won only two seats in the tions, and 325 of 403 in Assembly polls say that the BJP’s 3-0 loss in three 60-member Assembly. last year. Lok Sabha by-polls - Gorakhpur The setback is all the more severe for The by-poll results, particularly and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP as Gorakhpur and Phulpur are from Uttar Pradesh, are the best news Iand Araria in Bihar - is an alarm bell for no ordinary Lok Sabha constituencies so far for the Opposition which has the saffron party and Prime Minister and were represented by chief minister been travelling from one electoral de- Narendra Modi ahead of the next gen- Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav feat to another in the past four years eral elections, due by May 2019. Prasad Maurya respectively. with just three exceptions - Delhi, Bi- The BJP’s triple loss takes away Since the Modi tsunami in 2014, har and Punjab in chronological order. the sheen from its emphatic win in the the BJP hasn’t witnessed such a poll (Just for the record, the BJP won one - Northeast, particularly Tripura. Its al- debacle. It’s all the more worrisome for Bhabhua - of the two Assembly by-polls lies formed governments in Nagaland the BJP as it comes from a state where in Bihar. The Jehanabad Assembly seat

20 April 2018 Opinion Express went to the RJD.) The UP experiment - Bahujan Sa- The setback is all the more severe for the BJP as maj Party (BSP) supporting Samajwadi Party (SP) - has given the “khul ja sim Gorakhpur and Phulpur are no ordinary Lok Sabha sim” code to the Opposition for enter- ing the Alibaba caves in 2019. After Bi- constituencies and were represented by chief har, the UP by-polls have conclusively minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav proven that the Modi juggernaut can be finally stopped if the Opposition joins Prasad Maurya respectively. hands and replicates Bihar-type grand alliance in key states. support to the SP candidates at the elev- can afford to be more optimistic that her Here’s how the by-poll results would enth hour, first time since 1993 when the political winter is finally getting over. impact key stakeholders. two parties were in the same boat. She said it was not a long term policy which Akhilesh Yadav Mayawati would be determined by the outcome of Another UP satrap, Akhilesh Ya- The biggest gainer is Mayawati and this experiment. Her new-found bon- dav, also has reasons to grin from ear her BSP, the party which couldn’t even homie with the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP to ear. It’s not just because he has now open its account in the 2014 general should also improve prospects for her taken his Samajwadi Party’s LS tally to elections and managed to win just 17 Rajya Sabha seat. seven and reduced BJP’s to 69, but also seats in last year’s Assembly polls. This The “Bua-Bhatija” slogans that rent because the SP’s spectacular win would is the first time in six years (her cycle the air in Gorakhpur and Phulpur today go a long way in boosting the morale of of electoral losses began in the 2012 UP may well become the template for 2019 the party cadres. The SP victory is like Assembly polls) when Mayawati has general elections. Mayawati has reasons winning a crucial league cricket match reasons to smile. She announced her to see light at the end of the tunnel and before the knockout stage of the tour-

Opinion Express April 2018 21 22 April 2018 Opinion Express nament which improves the net run rate and bolsters the team’s prospects in upcoming tight contests. Besides, it would inevitably improve bargaining chips for the SP in allocation of seats when SP-BSP-Congress grand alliance is being sewed up ahead of the general elections.

Yogi Adityanath Conspiracy theorists If Mayawati is the biggest gainer, then Yogi Adityanath is surely the sor- may say that PM est loser. The by-poll losses would dent Modi himself crafted his image, particularly Gorakhpur, his well nurtured and nourished constitu- and choreographed ency which he has won for past five consecutive terms. Since he became the the BJP’s by-poll UP CM - after some combative postur- defeat to clip Yogi ings with the BJP and intense lobbying with the RSS when the Modi-Amit Shah Adityanath’s wings, combine had virtually decided to name it’s highly unlikely union minister Manoj Sinha for the CM’s post - he had emerged as the BJP’s that a shrewd new poster boy and poll mascot who politician like Modi was increasingly being used to address election rallies across the country. would consciously Conspiracy theorists may say that PM Modi himself crafted and choreo- score a self goal when graphed the BJP’s by-poll defeat to clip general elections Yogi Adityanath’s wings, it’s highly unlikely that a shrewd politician like Modi are inching closer. would consciously score a self goal when However, Modi general elections are inching closer. However, Modi supporters would have supporters would a valid argument if they were to point to the fact that Modi didn’t campaign in have a valid argument the by-polls. if they were to point The grapevine also has it that all is not well between the RSS and the Modi- to the fact that Modi Shah team. If that were indeed be so as didn’t campaign in there is no smoke without fire, it means all the more trouble for Yogi, and his the by-polls. problems would compound during the next general elections. After all, he himself had recently dubbed the UP by-polls as “a dress rehearsal” for the next general elections, a remark which he must be ruing now. Well, loose lips sink ships. In conclusion, it won’t be improper to say that Modi’s BJP would be really worried if Adityanath’s remark - that these bypolls are “dress rehearsal” before the 2019 general elections - were incidental or prophetic. The BJP will have to change its election strategy in a big way. The BJP’s defeat in its stronghold and Hindu bastion poses a sensitive question - whether the Hindutva card is probably past its ex- piry date? It’s an ideal situation for the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress to reinvent itself, first in the forthcoming Karnata- ka elections and then in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh this year-end.

Opinion Express April 2018 23 Here’s what the drubbing Union ministers and several party MPs ers have voted for the Samajwadi Party, means for the BJP. and MLAs were deployed by the BJP for which was her bitter rival until a few 1) Going by how the BJP has been canvassing in the two constituencies. days ago. projecting Yogi Adityanath as its star And yet it lost the two seats. 7) The Congress party fielded Su- campaigner in poll-bound states, it 4) It was after 23 years that archri- reetha Kareem from Gorakhpur, and seems the party has been trying hard vals Samawadi Party and the Bahujan Manish Mishra for Phulpur, but failed to strengthen the “Yogi model”. While Samaj Party reached an electoral un- miserably. The party must examine if the saffron party was banking on him derstanding, which seems to have got it wants to follow a go-it-alone policy to help win elections in other states, the people’s approval. Although Yogi or go for a grand alliance on the lines Adityanath couldn’t even retain his Adityanath has called it sheer oppor- of 2015 Bihar’s mahagathbandhan. home turf. Defeat in Gorakhpur has tunism, it cannot be ruled out that the There are two choices for the Congress dented his vote-gathering capabilities new combine may led to major changes - either expand its own base, or stop to a great extent. in UP’s political scenario and may also Modi. 2) Since 1989, the BJP had not lost prove to be a game-changer ahead of 8) Today’s election results have also the Gorkhapur Lok Sabha seat. Al- the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. raised serious questions on the Modi though the party’s electoral fortune has 5) In the last Lok Sabha elections, and Yogi model of governance. The seen several ups and down, Gorkhapur, the BJP managed to win 71 of 80 seats fact that the BJP CM and his deputy until today, remained a saffron citadel. on its own in UP (ally Apna Dal also won couldn’t manage to retain their home The BJP lost its stronghold despite the the two seats where it was contesting, turfs despite being in power in the state party’s popularity at its peak and the increasing the saffron party’s tally to as well as at the Centre, calls for some chief priest of the “Nath Panth” temple 73) with around 43 per cent vote share. serious introspection. While BJP presi- in Gorakhpur occupying the CM’s seat. This was dubbed as a tsunami because dent Amit Shah claims that “achhe din” The fact that the voters chose to go with the Opposition was fragmented. Had promised by the party has arrived, it the Samajwadi Party, will force the BJP the BSP (with a 19.77 per cent vote seems the people in these constituen- and its chief minister to do some seri- share), SP (with 22.35 per cent) and the cies think otherwise. ous introspection. Congress (with 7.53 per cent) fought 9) There were speculations of a BJP Twitter Ads info and privacy the elections together, their vote share hand behind former Phulpur MP Atiq 3) Winning Gorakhpur was a mat- would have been 49.65 per cent. This Ahmed, who is currently lodged in jail, ter of prestige for the BJP as it has shows that a united Opposition could joining the poll fray. The BJP report- been a bastion of chief minister Yogi have stopped the Modi’s juggernaut edly tried to divide the minority votes Adityanath, who has won from that even in the 2014 in Uttar Pradesh. by fielding him as an independent can- seat for five consecutive times. Yogi The message for the Opposition is is didate. It seems the voters have seen Adityanath had secured over 50 per clear. Get united to stop the saffron tsuna- though the conspiracy and the electoral cent vote share in the last three elec- mi, or remain divided and get drowned. ploy failed to work for the BJP. tions, and has campaigned aggressively 6) A dedicated vote bank of Dalits 10) The BJP needs to do a seri- in this by-poll. He addressed as many ensures that Mayawati is capable of ous rethink if it wants to fight back in as 16 public meetings - something, local transferring votes seamlessly to its al- 2019. It needs to focus on governance, party leaders claim, he never did even liance partner. It doesn’t matter who go for another social engineering and when he himself was contesting earlier. she is supporting. And, in this election try to bring in smaller parties within Over a dozen state ministers, two again she has shown how her support- its fold.

24 April 2018 Opinion Express What’s Modi’s plan for India after 2019? Does Mr Modi have a roadmap beyond the victory post-2019?

S Nihal Singh

ow has the Republic fared with Prime Minister Na- rendra Modi steering the country towards the general Helection of 2019? It has been a mixed record, with the willingness to take decisions trumped by ideological blinkers and a propensity to think of the virtues of Ram Rajya. The Sangh Parivar leadership has not quite reconciled itself regarding how far to take the concept of Hindutva in ruling a heterogeneous and multi- ethnic country. And Mr Modi has to en- gage in battle with the Sangh Parivar to win his hand in the cause of governance each time.

Two major decisions merit attention — the sudden move for demonetisation of a huge chunk of our currency and the hasty introduction of the Goods and Services Tax.

Two major decisions merit attention — the sudden move for demonetisation of a huge chunk of our currency and the hasty introduction of the Goods and Services Tax. The first decision was Mr Modi’s own prescription for the evils of black money and it has badly misfired, slowing down the economy, while the GST, an essential measure that earlier Con- gress governments had failed to bring in, was imposed somewhat post-haste. The demonetisation scheme was essentially Mr Modi’s idea, and although he talked it up as a kind of poor man’s revenge against the rich, the poor suffered the most. There has been no suggestion of apology on Mr Modi’s behalf on slowing down the economy and its

Opinion Express April 2018 25 The essential point is that the Modi government has not fully grasped the enormity of the problem he faces in changing the direction of giving India a Hindutva facelift, which is contrary to the direction set over 70 years of its independent existence. And the Sangh Parivar is adamant that it should be brought about. Essentially, the BJP and the Sangh Parivar are now concentrating on the prospects of the 2019 general election, with the state parties in play and the wooing of such regional parties as Chennai’s AIADMK. Indeed, the clear objective since it came to power in 2014 was to consolidate its electoral hold in every way it can and it even deprived the Congress of victory in states like Goa and in the Northeast by some clever footwork. For the BJP, everything comes after the results are in. Is there chemistry behind the rise of the BJP? The Congress had lived a long political life in a democratic framework, thanks to its leadership calibre and the nationalist cause that it espoused. But the Congress was turning careerist and getting flabby. It was revived in quite another sense by Indira Gandhi, who lived to see a brief glorious phase of the Bangladesh war. When the time came, the BJP was waiting in the wings, the first time numerous other consequences. new framework be imposed is some- achieving power in a coalition under Given the fact that Mr Modi’s is a thing that remains to be seen. Atal Behari Vajpayee, until Mr Modi cohesive government, compared to the There is a businesslike character- claimed a majority of his own in the loose coalition headed by Dr Manmo- istic about the present Narendra Modi 2014 election. han Singh, it takes much less time and Cabinet and there is certainly the feel- Is the room for major reforms over? debate to take decisions, a welcome ing that its members are being tested in It would seem so because the Modi gov- relief. Indeed, the alacrity with which their jobs. A few have lost their portfo- ernment is heavily engaged in ensuring New Delhi can take decisions on certain lios. Among the heavyweights, finance a victory for the party in 2019. major issues comes as a major boost. minister Arun Jaitley and home min- What the Modi administration is In the field of foreign policy, Mr ister Rajnath Singh are the most self- reluctant about is to open old wounds. Modi has built on the country’s record, assured. The kind of Hindutva that should be considerably enhancing ties with Israel Does Mr Modi have a roadmap be- brought about will no doubt be the sub- and becoming the first Indian PM to yond the victory post-2019? Judging by ject matter of much debate and will go unreservedly welcome Israel into the his exertions in Davos and elsewhere, through its various layers of authority hall of nations. Mr Modi has decided he is rustling up plans for a major in- to be adopted. It would appear that Mr that India’s defence and geopololitical ternal manufacturing spree on the ba- Modi has given himself some room in links with the Jewish state are impor- sis of abundant foreign investment. But which to manoeuvre, should the Sangh tant enough to be concentrated and the circumstances have to be propitious Parivar luminaries prove to be difficult. risks minimal as the Sunni monarchies for such investment because men with In Gujarat, he had shut the Parivar are also reaching out to it. In any case, money and resources have options. out of the state’s economic agenda. But Mr Modi is due to pay a visit to the Pal- In this conflict in his mind over the as Prime Minister, he cannot seek Gu- estinian territories soon. kind of India that is desirable, Mr Modi jarat’s shelter as the stakes are much The question that needs asking seems to have decided to concentrate higher in his present job. It is the first is whether the Prime Minister has a on the mechanical, rather than the ide- time that the Sangh Parivar has the op- central idea of what India is all about. ological, aspects of ruling India to run tion of building a Hindutva India. In looking at the future prospect of a the country’s affairs. There is enough The country will enter a new phase Hindu Rashtra, this aim is bound to be work to be done in a variety of fields, after the 2019 polls, and it will be an en- distorted because the very premise of a with reforms in the judiciary only one tirely new ballgame. Hindu India is wrong. How far will the end of the problem. (Writer is a veteran journalist)

26 April 2018 Opinion Express Reform to empower Modi mission 2019 is linked to Reforms Beckon for India

Frank-Jürgen Richter The battleground for this experi- ronment that has constrained business, ment will be fought in rural India. Na- innovation and entrepreneurship. Mr arendra Modi is no scientist, tional growth is high at around 7%, but Modi knows he cannot single-handedly but he is in fact conducting the majority of voters living in impover- resolve these issues- he needs to collab- the world’s largest every ished rural India must feel ownership of orate with legions of administrators and experiment. At the helm of these gains if Mr Modi is to be re-elect- legislators across the country, including Nhistory’s largest democracy in history, ed. This means a rapid transition from entire state governments, to change the 2018 will determine whether 1.3 billion the primary sector (agriculture) to the system. people can continue to cooperate in a secondary (industry) and then to the His new GST regime, which came capitalist democracy and whether his third sector (services). into effect in June, has taken the first ambitious economic reforms will con- Employment in India is wedded to step towards creating a single Indian tinue beyond the 2019 elections. the outdated regulatory and legal envi- market for the first time. Now, three

Opinion Express April 2018 27 fying the process of investing in Indian business from abroad. This will be no easy feat, the World Bank’s 2018 doing Busi- ness report ranked India 100th out of 190 countries in ease of doing business. The abolition of the Foreign Investment Pro- motion Board may bring cheer to foreign investors who dealt with that body but it will take hard work to make sure the new ‘Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal’ (FIFP) is not just as restrictive. India’s state has also long resisted inward investment in certain industries to protect local players. In fact, recent directives from the PMO’s office to government departments to favour local vendors for tenders are likely to impact FDI negatively. This means reduced competitiveness outside influ- ences sharpens local skills. Presently in key industries like IT, it is Western firms breaking new ground, with Indian companies falling behind. Mr Modi’s pressure to open up India to investment would increase competition and effec- tiveness throughout Indian business. The second will be encouraging entrepreneurship and stopping the legal challenges that so many entrepreneurs have been facing. A litmus test is right around the corner in January 2018, when India’s Supreme Court will rule in a case related to direct selling. It is high time India, like so many other countries in the world, authorised and regulated an industry which is absolutely crucial in fostering entrepreneurship. In the words of Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, the priority is now to lift people from ‘job seekers to job creators’. The third challenge will be a continu- ation of Modi’s battle with India’s gar- gantuan tax code, to be undertaken in the government’s last full budget in Feb- ruary. Here again he has signaled major changes, proposing a further simplifica- tion of the code and a cut for individuals and for corporations from 30 to 25% in an attempt to encourage native businesses to invest. A cut in corporate tax will also depend on revenue outlook for GST in the first fiscal quarter collections have fallen in recent months, and concerns about In- dia’s fiscal deficit are mounting. The reforms are always painful, it causes disruption hence reforms are always considered lethal in a democracy. The history has shown that majority of the countries in the recent past that have adopted GST are shown doors by the peo- challenges will shape Mr. Modi and this nounced in September, set to come into ple. The demonetization and GST can be new market’s destiny in 2018. action fully in 2018. He has tasked the singled out to be the boldest yet unpopu- One will be attracting foreign direct government with removing layers of bu- lar move by the Modi government may investment. A new FDI policy was an- reaucracy, cutting red tape and simpli- become deterrent for mission 2019.

28 April 2018 Opinion Express Power Club Who are the 10 most powerful politicians of India?

he limits of power are defined by the individuals who wield it. The 10 politicians in our list, recognised as the most powerful in the country, certainly derive their authority from the positions they hold-but that is not the sole source of Ttheir power. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for example, has mastered silence and secrecy, craftily combining it with an element of surprise to add an aura to his constitutional authority. From the surgical strike to demonetisation, disruption is the new language of power. And as he constructs his vision of New India, his two major force multipliers- BJP president Amit Shah and RSS sarsangh chalak Mohan Bhagwat have been redefining India’s electoral politics and seeking to re-engineer its social discourse. At the same time, Modi’s core agenda of development is served by his cabinet colleagues Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari, who have been oiling the wheels of administration to ensure growth in GDP, FDI and road construction. At the other end of this spectrum are chief ministers-like Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar-who challenge the Modi doctrine. But the narrative of political power has been rewrit- ten this year by two unconventional politicians-UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Dr Subramanium Swamy who is recently jolted several top congress leadership in corruption cases. And then there is Rahul Gandhi, the permanent under- study, who is yet to define his place in the political landscape. He could learn from the other members in the list-Modi, Bhagwat, Mamata and Adityanath.

Rank 1- NARENDRA MODI Age: 66, Prime Minister of India First among equals: Because he is the unchallenged leader of India. With the Congress desperately trying to remain relevant and regional stalwarts restricted to their own turfs, there is no political leader who can serve as a credible alternative Because the victory in Uttar Pradesh has almost ensured that he will have a second term, and silenced his detractors within the BJP Because his soaring personal popularity ensures the government massive public support for difficult and dangerous decisions-from the surgical strike in PoK to demonetisation DID YOU KNOW? When he writes in Hindi or Gujarati, he usually doesn’t have to change or rewrite a single word for copy running up to 10 pages

Opinion Express April 2018 29 Rank 2- AMIT SHAH Age: 54, BJP President Poll position: Because he was behind the BJP’s massive victory in Uttar Pradesh. This demolished the idea that elections in India are won only on caste- and religion-based platforms Because he is the prime minister’s most trusted lieuten- ant. He impressed upon Modi the importance of selecting Yogi Adityanath as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Because he was behind the BJP’s opening up of new political frontiers in places it has traditionally been weak Assam and Manipur DID YOU KNOW? He is fond of Hindi movie thrillers, and goes to watch films with his wife, Sonal. He was also a successful trader at the stock market

Rank -3 MOHAN BHAGWAT Age: 66, RSS Sarsanghchalak The organiser: Because he heads the RSS, the ideological guiding force behind the BJP. It’s no coincidence that several BJP chief ministers, including Devendra Fadnavis, M.L. Khattar, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Sarbananda Sonowal maintain a hotline to Bhagwat. Because his opinion is asked for whenever the Union government takes a policy decision-appraisals of several key ministries are regularly performed at RSS headquarters in Nagpur. An instance: while framing the new education policy, the HRD ministry took serious note of the RSS’s swadeshi philosophy on education. DID YOU KNOW? His favourite song in his college days was ‘Mere saamne wali khidki mein’ from the film Padosan.

30 April 2018 Opinion Express Rank 4- ARUN JAITLEY Age: 64, Union Minister for Finance, and Corporate Affairs The pointman: Because he is the ultimate trouble- shooter for the government-from negotiating with J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti to reaching out to the late J. Jay- alalithaa to get the AIADMK on board with GST. It was his negotiation skills that helped the Modi government get the GST Bill passed. Because he is responsible for ensuring that the Indian economy continues to grow. India is projected to grow at 7.2 per cent in 2017 and 7.7 per cent in 2018. FDI flows into India touched an eight-year high (almost Rs 3 lakh crore) in 2016 DID YOU KNOW? From being a foodie, he has become a disciplined eater, with small meals every two hours

Rank 5- YOGI ADITYANATH (NEW) Age: 44, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh Raj yogi: Because he has been chosen to rule Uttar Pradesh by the most powerful people in the country-Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Thanks to Adityanath’s aggressive Hindutva agenda, he also has the blessings of the RSS, though he has never been a pracharak. However the loss in the home turf at Gorakhpur has dented his power at the national level. Because he has emerged as the strongest Hindutva icon of recent times, eliciting comparison even with Prime Minis- ter Modi’s initial years as chief minister of Gujarat. There are projections in party circles that he could even rise to be the heir apparent to Modi. DID YOU KNOW? He owns a revolver worth Rs 1 lakh, and a rifle worth Rs 80,000. He is the only CM to have been booked on an attempt to murder charge.

Opinion Express April 2018 31 Rank 6- MAMATA BANERJEE (NEW) Rank 7- NITISH KUMAR Age: 62, Chief Minister, West Bengal Age: 66, Chief Minister, Bihar Big sister: Because despite facing a grand alliance of Power partner: Because he is the most acceptable leader the Left and the Congress, the EC breathing down her neck, of any probable coalition against the BJP juggernaut. The Con- scams tumbling out of her party cupboard and a flyover col- gress accepted his leadership in Bihar, with even his bete noire lapsing in the middle of the election, she won the 2016 as- Lalu Prasad Yadav joining hands with him. He can also count sembly polls with a landslide victory. on the support of Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik. Because though the TMC is only the fourth largest party Because he takes his own decisions and stands by his con- in the Lok Sabha and the fifth largest in the Rajya Sabha, its victions. He did not succumb to pressure over the liquor ban MPs have emerged as the most vocal opponents of the gov- in Bihar, and refused to join the Opposition chorus against ernment in both houses, often eclipsing the principal opposi- Prime Minister Modi’s demonetisation move, even publicly tion party, the Congress. applauding it DID YOU KNOW? She has written 69 books, and relax- DID YOU KNOW? He often carries a CD on Yoga Nidra. es by painting, singing, playing the synthesiser and cooking. He loves rasgullas from a shop in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. She walks around 5 km every day on a treadmill Fav-ourite food: masala dosa

32 April 2018 Opinion Express Rank 8- NITIN GADKARI Because as the chief of the grand old party, he is a pos- Age: 59, Union Minister for Roads, Trans- sible pivot around which a grand alliance against the ruling port and Highways BJP could form. The Congress is the only party acceptable to The performer: Because he is one of the key ministers almost all other parties-from the TMC to the Left, SP to the in Prime Minister Modi’s cabinet. His ministry claims to have BSP, JD-U to the RJD constructed 8,144 km of roads in 2016-17, at 23 km per day. DID YOU KNOW? He got the 2012 Delhi gang rape vic- He says he wants to raise that to 40 km per day tim Nirbhaya’s younger brother to train at the Indira Gandhi Because the heads of several Indian banks look at him Rashtriya Udan Akademi in Raebareli. He is now a pilot with with gratitude for bringing down the quantum of NPAs a reputed airline. He also helped the elder brother in his en- (soured loans) on their books. Gadkari managed to get a se- gineering studies. ries of stalled road projects, that banks had issued loans for, off the ground By OPINION EXPRESS News Desk. DID YOU KNOW? When Gadkari was in the US, travelling from San Francisco to Los Angeles, he had the idea of having a new Mumbai-Goa highway constructed along the coast. Work has already begun.

Rank 9- Dr Subramanium Swamy Age: 75, BJP RS MP Merit Subramanian Swamy is an Indian economist, mathematician, lawyer and politician who serve as a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament: he is Harward scholar and brilliant economist. Because he successful in combating corruption in India via judiciary, media and parliament Because he is close to RSS and a Hindu mascot associated with Ram temple, Ram setu, Kailash Mansaorwar related issues since long DID YOU KNOW? Dr Swamy was cabinet miniter with Law & Jistice and Commerce portfolio. He is perhaps the most followed BJP leader on twitter and facebook.

Rank 10- RAHUL GANDHI Age: 46, Congress President Failure to launch: Because despite the party losing suc- cessive elections since 2014, there is no threat to his position and authority. He is head of India’s second largest party.

Opinion Express April 2018 33 Bond with the west France President Emmanuel Macron’s India visit consolidates Indo-France Ties Claude Arpi French scholar Émile Senart. This sym- bility through our own satellites and bolizes the first aspect of the relations, technologies; it is obvious we are a mili- irected by their want of but perhaps more important in today’s tary and intelligence power ranking us strategic partnership into world there is the ‘strategic’ angle. among the first nations in the world”. decision making at the gov- Addressing the French community France is now ready to share this power ernmental level, India and in Delhi, the young President explained: with India. DFrance have taken a decision during “geopolitical context is deeply changed. Before concluding, Macron quoted Emmanuel Macron’s visit to become India rightly fears the reorganization of the Australian Prime Minister, who traditional partners. It’s the time for the world; she fears forms of hegemony spoke of “freedom of sovereignty”; he both the countries to take the hold and in the region and in particular in the then added: “This renewed strategic shape narratives and developing insti- Indian Ocean and the Pacific. And why partnership is reflected by the confir- tutional agendas. not name it, she fears a Chinese hege- mation of a defense link that has already On the last day during his visit to In- mony”. materialised in some very important dia, Macron went to Varanasi to enjoy He reminded his countrymen: contracts, be it in the naval or aviation the cruise on River Ganga with Prime “France is a power of the Indian and the domain, in the engine industry …a com- Minister Modi. This was the culmina- Pacific Oceans; we are present at the ing generation of a new partnership on tion of a visit with a difference. Macron’s Reunion, we are also there in French development of engines (the Kaveri for trip touched upon two aspects of the Polynesia and New Caledonia. And we the Tejas), but also enhanced coopera- bilateral relations, the ancient and the are a maritime power, it is often forgot- tion in terms of spatial surveillance or modern (and strategic). Before the visit ten but France is the second maritime in terms of intelligence”. to the Ghats, Macron offered to Modi, power in the world. We have a strong A vast programme, symbolizing the an original copy of the Bhagavad Gita navy, we have nuclear submarines special relations between France and translated from Sanskrit into French equipped like few other powers in the India, which celebrate 20 years of ‘stra- in the early 20th century by the great world; a maritime surveillance capa- tegic partnership’; the accord signed

34 April 2018 Opinion Express in 1998 by French President Jacques Chirac and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is the oldest such partnership. Over the last two decades, it has grown steadily, no major political difference having darkened the sky between Paris and Delhi. Between 1947 and 1954, the relations were often tense due to the issue of the French settlements in India which would only be solved with the de facto transfer of Pondicherry to the Union of India at the end of 1954. What is less known is that despite differences, India and France continued to work together. This was perhaps one of the most trying times on the ground, particularly in Pondicherry. A contract had, however, been signed with Das- sault in June 1953 for 70 planes; in Oc- tober 1953, while another 35 were sent to the Dixmude aircraft carrier, four planes reached India by air. The re- mainder 32 aircraft would be delivered in early 1954. And those were the difficult days between the two nations! Since the signature of the 1998 Stra- tegic Agreement, France has constantly And there is, of course, the Rs59,000 The idea is to develop an M88 engine for been supportive of India. crore deal for 36 Rafale fighters in Sep- the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas On his arrival, Macron stated that tember 2016; it will soon prove to be a with Safran, one of Dassault’s partners the visit would open a new era in the game changer, mainly due to the offset in the Rafale deal. strategic partnership for the coming clauses forcing the French to reinvest There is also a vibrant educational decades: “Our two democracies have in India 50 percent of the total deal’s cooperation between Indian and French common concerns, like terrorism, lots amount, but also for India’s western Universities and academic institutes; of common risks and common threats. and northern fronts. a host of agreements were signed dur- But we have to protect this history and Delhi also knows that it needs to ing the Knowledge Summit, the first the state of freedom”. diversify its diplomatic relations if it Indo-French conference on research The French President also said “I wants to play a major role in the world. and higher education in presence of the want my country to be the best partner Here too, France could be a crucial French and Indian Minister of educa- in Europe. This is a strong message. I partner. According to the Joint State- tion. want Indian citizens coming to France ment: “The leaders reiterated that this The Joint Statement spoke of in- for studying, becoming entrepreneurs cooperation will be crucial in order to creasing the number and quality of and opening start-ups”. maintain the safety of international sea student exchanges, with the aim of Some 14 bilateral agreements were lanes for unimpeded commerce and reaching 10,000 students by 2020. An signed at Hyderabad House, strength- communications in accordance with the agreement for the mutual recognition ening the bilateral economic, politi- international law”. It may translate into of degrees should “facilitate the pursuit cal and strategic ties between the two a logistics accord allowing India access of higher education by Indian students countries. The joint statement affirmed: to the strategically important French in France and French students in In- “Both leaders agreed to deepen and base in the Reunion Islands near Mada- dia and enhance their employability”. strengthen the bilateral ties based on gascar. Another possibility is the open- The cherry on the visit’s cake was the shared principles and values of democ- ing to India of the French facilities in co-hosting of the International Solar racy, freedom, rule of law and respect Djibouti in the Horn of Africa where In- Conference (ISA). An alliance of more for human rights”. dia’s rival China has already a military than 121 countries launched at the UN base. This is part of India’s new mari- Climate Change Conference in Paris in A message for China? time strategy. November 2015, the ISA wants to create And on the emotive side, it recalled The shortest article of the Joint a coalition of solar resource-rich coun- “the valiant sacrifices made by Indian Statement is worth noting: “The lead- tries and address each participant’s and French soldiers during the First ers noted ongoing discussions between special energy needs. World War”. The Indian Prime Minis- Defence Research and Development All this does not mean that the prac- ter agreed to participate in the closing Organisation and SAFRAN on combat tical collaboration will be easy, but it is of the First World War Centenary cel- aircraft engine and encouraged neces- worth a try. ebrations, which will take place on No- sary measures and forward-looking ap- vember 11 in Paris. proaches to facilitate early conclusion”. (Courtesy: The Pioneer)

Opinion Express April 2018 35 Farmer Friendly How to double or multiply the income of Indian farmers

36 April 2018 Opinion Express MN Tewari bottom of pyramid to increase their in- The procedural constraints of formal- come. It is also true that this great goal banking sectors do push farmers to go hen our political execu- cannot be made realisable by only Govt to informal arrangements of finance tive commits or resolves schemes but a complete eco system of which are costly and exploitative but to double the income of schemes and consultancies inculcated easily available. Easy availability of farmers, it is not simply a through infrastructures with forward things is key to success in rural areas. Wpolicy economics but creation of an eco and backward linkages with regard to If goat milk is given market linkages, it system of agriprenuership coupled with inputs and outputs can make things can create a buyer storm what to say of tailor made or customised solutions to truly grounded. The rural society of its value added products like goat cheese be suitable with regard to small and ours is used to prosper in an eco system etc which we buy for RS 2000 per kg in micro farmers who have either small of in formalism than the formalism. the Khan market Delhi. What we need or unviable holdings or discouraged to The paper book approach of schemes are the hygiene and packaging market- have viable farming. etc has resulted into unsuccessfulness ers. Informal rearing of geographically I am sure and without quoting sta- of schemes. The agriculture which sustainable breeds are the best solu- tistical conclusions, it is very great to holds or hinges the critical dynamics of tions. Goats are poor’s cows but their think and design an action eco system economy and sociology of India, needs produces have huge demands from the that goes well for the farmers at the to be given pragmatic, Indianised and elite class of India. Besides, formal fi- reasonable visits and solutions to make nance markets of India are not condu- the dream of our PM a big success. First cive to farmers, more so for the poorest important issue to realise this dream of poor people living in villages. is to complete the Agro mapping of re- Therefore when our PM thinks to gions, juxtaposing crops and climatic double the income of farmers, it is pri- constraints with conduciveness. marily for small and micro farmers on Then this can be converted in to a the bottom of pyramid. Designing Agro mobile app with GPS enabled process- solutions for such farmers, keeping their ing to find the areas suitable to par- geographical, financial, risk and market ticular crops, vegetables and fruits etc linked constraints in mind is the need of according to the automated analysis of hour. We need an enabling eco system complete crop suitability factors. Sec- for farmers than the subsidised systems ond is the capital and social constraints. or measures only. We need to create an Third is the support eco system. Fourth exchange eco system so that farmers is the market linkages, forward and can trade or barter their produces and backward, supported by the storage be beneficiaries by negotiating their in- infrastructure including cold chains. put costs. There cannot be indifference We have to see which farmer with how with regard to certain dangerous trends much Agro holdings (land + live stock in rural India. Depleting underground etc) with what kind of Agro profiling, water levels, wastage of water model of can and will succeed in multiplying his irrigation, law and order constraints, income from all sources. I have already do affect adversely the momentum of analysed that size matters and Agro growth. The lacking infrastructure of ag- profiling must be done according to size ricultural consultancies at village levels, and other climatic viabilities. do disturb the economics of rural India. The landless labour should go for A Govt led approach can be by enabling animal husbandry, goat, cow and poul- driven platforms rather than the actual try etc and micro holders of land may doings to be true game changers. add vegetable farming, medicinal farm- Besides doubling the farmer’s in- ing along with animal husbandry and come issue may further be targeted in fisheries etc. Small holders may opt all two phases. First phase of this mission the above options with suitable grain should be dedicated to landless or neg- crops. Only the multitudes and opti- ligible land holders in rural areas and misations of farming can contribute in the other group with 4 acres or less land the critical increase of income of farm- holdings (this will cover roughly 85% ers. In fact informal rearing of goats, farmers of India). The problem with hens, cows, buffalos and fisheries etc these land holders is that they are ei- can do miracles for poor farmers pro- ther rent seekers of their land and then vided that the insurance (livestock)and farming is done by tenants who may be medical care (vet) infrastructure are laborious but not so aware farmers. user friendly and affordable on single Many landless people have taken window modes, supported by dedicated land on rent. They put their hard work call centres. and generate subsistence income for The formal structures and pro- their families. Now agriculture is shift- cedures of implementation of rural ing from the hands of owners to doers. schemes do either generate indifference With these informal understandings, of farmers or malpractices by doers. things are going in a totally unprofes-

Opinion Express April 2018 37 sional way, encouraging only subsis- the trajectory of paths for such farmers. a farmer going in to traditional mode of tence farming for both. Unfortunately, We have to shift our small farmers from farming. We need agriculture audit and they ( tenants ) do want to take risks grain crops to vegetables and medici- profiling of land pieces so that a five year being either less confident of returns nal plantations, horticulture and other horizon of optimum crop selections can or being not sure of their land retainer high profit crops with forward linkages be planned region wise and marketwise ship in case of payment defaults . The to markets. I am of the firm belief that to convince farmers to opt the business awareness horizon of small farmers is land consolidation can be a big measure mode of agriculture from that of subsis- limited up to only legacy farming plus to help farmers to consolidate at one tence mode. some tinkering did to remain in ultra place their various small pieces of land, Unfortunately agriculture is done on safe modes. We have to optimise the located at different places and then crop auto mode basis without caring inputs potential the crop selection and out- and irrigation planning can be better like crop, irrigation, seed, fertiliser and come dynamics. done. soil dynamics. Here lies the problem. If one acre land according to its soil The problem with vegetables etc The practical consultants on informal condition, irrigation viabilities and oth- farming is that they are highly perish- basis down to the level of villages are er precautionary measures of safety etc, able and with seasonal volatilities. Bar- the need of hour. We may treat it as a can fetch one lakh rupees in a year, why ring a few items, they need to be con- skill and accordingly select village wise a small farmer is settling with 10 /15 sumed within reasonable time frames. KISAN MITRA who can be the facilitator thousands a year due unscientific crop For this, the eco system of market needs for farmers for many things. I think that selections and aftermath lapses. Is it to be pragmatised. We need differential these KISAN MITRAS can be encour- deficit of knowledge or incentive or ab- pricing policy or minimum support aged by Govt by linking their stipends sence of market linkages? What can be price along with buying’s from the fields from the propionate enhancements of the reasons of appealing more to farm- rather than farmers going to the mar- incomes of farmers, generated through ers? We need agricultural leaders in vil- kets approach. I think it is the difficulty proactive counselling. Linking this will lages; they can experiment and decide of sale and price negotiations that make motivate them to be more creative and

38 April 2018 Opinion Express of medical (vet), insurance (crop) and live stock etc are the areas to facilitate. I think that village wise approach with some models can be planned with crop and animal husbandry etc combinations, farmer wise and then we can get that embedded in the minds of farmers. Many migrant workers in cities are living on wages may be made targets to go back and do something like this. In villages, the volatility of circumstances and other factors have made farmers sceptical in doing creative experiments. Therefore they have to be given an informal model by showing practically how they can multiply their income. Social financing at village level is preva- lent but it is very exploitative. Banks do not have better interfaces with these small and uneducated farmers. Where should they go for on the spot and immediate financial require- ments is the challenge to be tackled? I think that pre crop mortgaging of crops arrangements; live stock mortgaging being insured etc, can be options to finance farmers. The interface of micro financing can be good but how to create the finance eco system to help farmers in easy ways is the biggest challenge. Banks are too formal to make farmers comfortable and reachable. I think that we can make some small finance solutions using all options to realise this goal. Chicken and egg who was before syndrome, needs to be broken with regard to financing farmers. We should explore potential pay- ing capacity model through better crops than the routinised past economic ca- persistent. The Kisan Mitra should be a malnutrition etc but will leverage farm- pacity models to decide the eligibility doer of agriculture and not theoretical ers to push their surplus in the markets. for financing. We can give Kisan credit speaker. His stipend should be given in How the market will buy these produces cards, calculating the animal husbandry a non bureaucratic fashion so that he of farmers, for this we need a facilitator potentialities of farmers for buying in- does not become a liability. Village wise eco system and not only a regulator. puts instead of cash financing to farm- entrepreneurs in the cold chain process The facilitator eco system will help ers. We can create a platform where need to be identified and then mentored them for inputs and outputs as well. poultries, fisheries, cows and goats etc by public private eco system. The prob- Doing anything on formal and big scale can be bought through Kisan cards by lem is that we do not find any accessible, is not the issue here. What I want to automatic mortgaging of live stocks affordable and informal infrastructure say is that a farmer who is 30 years age with automated insurances etc. Can arrangements at village level. We need with one acre land can do something we create an after sale care service eco to focus our efforts village wise instead like this. He can rear three goats, four system for farmers with regard to live of different denominations. five hens, 10x20 feet pond for fisheries, stocks through during sale or purchase The census of land piece holdings two three cows and then in one acre he time settlement of fee fixations, inte- and their potential output profiling can plant some seasonal vegetables and grated with call centres. Forward mort- from crop selection perspectives can do some medicinal plants etc. I mean he gaging, automated insurance, availabil- miracles in multiplying the income of can earn at least two lacs in a year with ity of medical (vet) care can make viable farmers. Now I will come on the other such systematic combinations that oth- models of financing. Thus it will require dimension of agriculture. Animal hus- erwise is living in 1/10 of his financial very proper and conducive infrastruc- bandry, fisheries, dairy and poultry etc capacity. The farmer is not in the busi- ture to realise the dream on time line are thought to be the choice of only big ness mode now. basis. farmers. We have to break this men- What are constraints credible and (Writer is an IPS officer in tal blockade. Informal doing of these informal advice, market eco system, seed Delhi and can be reached at Mn- things will not only eradicate farmer’s money (capital) and support eco system [email protected]) Opinion Express April 2018 39 Sound of Success Oscar winning versatile Resul Pookutty aims for greater height

Nithya Ramesh attend the second stage of selection had acquired from a structured study in procedure and didn’t get through! All an industry that constantly told me that lthough it isn’t in his nature my structured learned mugged up an- my education had no value or there is to boast, Resul Pookutty is the swers didn’t do any good. no need for education in this industry! only name in India who can That failure was a very big turning That’s probably the biggest downfall of brag about of having received point in my life. I discovered Cinema Indian film industry because we don’t Aan Oscar - The Academy Award for Best in that failure and I decided cinema is need to study to be part of it. I had to Sound Mixing in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, what I wanted to do. So I came back to find my foot holds in the industry that British Academy of Film and Television Trivandrum, joined my law school and had constantly rejected me. I thought if Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Sound in for the next one year I prepared myself the industry doesn’t need me then I had ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, National Film at understanding what art and culture to create a need for myself to be a part of Award for Best Audiography in ‘Pazhas- is, as a science student I did not have the industry. Fourteen years later when si Raja’, Golden Reel Award for Best much knowledge on the subject. There I won an Oscar I became the first Asian Sound in Documentary film ‘India’s was not a single day and single event of to win the award in Best Sound Mixing Daughter’, Padma Shri Award by Gov- any concerts or a kacheri (carnatic clas- category and that is because of this con- ernment of India, Ashoka Chakra by the sical concert) or anything to do with art viction, hard work and people around Joint Session of Parliament and the list and culture in Trivandrum that I had me put together. It was not my individ- goes on. left unattended. I visited temples, Brit- ual achievement, it was an achievement He has spent over 23 years working ish library, university library, doorki of everyone who was a part of my life in in sound design and is one of the most bhavan and used to sit on the steps of that 14 years. highly respected sound designers in Padmanabaswamy temple for a year to the film industry. Some of his greatest study and update myself. For the sec- What does it mean for you to works were seen in films like ‘Ghajini’, ond time I went to the film school, I was associate a particular sound to a ‘Black’, ‘Kabir’, ‘PK’, ‘Kick’, ‘Highway’, complete different man. I stood first at visual event? What are the mental ‘Saawariya’, ‘Gandhi, My Father’, ‘Blue’, the selection process and got eligible for or purely instinctive paths com- ‘Robot’, ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Ho- scholarship. peting in making the choice? tel’, ‘Shootout at Wadala’ and many I went to the film institute as the vil- It still amazes me how a sound could more to his credit. lage boy who couldn’t speak good Eng- open up the movie when I do it every lish and knew only Malayalam and if time. Something magical happens when Tell us how your journey began. I had to make a note in English then I an effect of sound is added to the picture When did you decide you wanted would take some time to translate the and sometimes it doesn’t turn out to be to make a career in sound? same from Malayalam to English. I put predictable. I still depend on experi- When I began I never thought I a timetable to myself every day just not ments by putting sounds against image will make a career in sound. Actually for me to learn but also because I had to see what happens and it doesn’t stop I wanted to be physicist. On a general very limited resources. I never took there for me. First of all we sound tech- note like any other Parent, my mother money from my parents for something nicians called the “sound man” is not wanted me to take up science. I was in that I wanted to pursue on my own as understood well by the people outside my 12th grade, when I fell in love with they were already worried I was jump- the medium or at times people within Physics. I wanted to research conduc- ing through different professions. I the medium. I think we are far more tivity and was keen on inventing super had to manage my tuition fees, hostel powerful people compared to a Direc- conductive element and bring Noble fees and living expenses with 500 ru- tor of Photography. To me a visual is Prize for India. That was my ambition pees. From three years of studying and only abstract, when you look at a mov- in life then. But you know many things watching cinema, I was transforming ing or frozen image, the meaning of it is that you plan don’t happen and during myself to a person of artistic integrity. an abstract but the moment I start put- that time I couldn’t Pursue masters in The institute had changed my life com- ting sound into it the meaning gets con- Physics. I was doing nothing so I de- pletely forever. cretized. And cinema is a continuum of cided to study Law. When I was pur- I came out from FTII to the film in- time and space. The real meaning of an suing first year of law, couple of my dustry as an idealistic student. If you image is actually decided by the sound friends from Physics advised a course ask me, what your journey is and what that is going with it, for it is the tempo- in film institute (FTII, Pune) for sound are the struggles that you faced, I had ral element. We have some of the most recording and sound engineering and two kinds of struggle, one I was a vil- amazing visual effects in a film but that the basic qualifications for enrollment lage boy to a metropolitan city finding does not become natural experience was B.Sc. in Physics. The five of us took oneself in the realm of art and to meet unless it has the sound that concretizes admission to the film school and ap- different people from different culture the meaning of moving image, the ex- plied for the course. I was the only one and languages. And my second struggle perience of sound and picture together selected at the entrance exam. So I went was far more important and difficult to makes the most real and natural expe- to the film school from Law College to function with all the knowledge that I rience. I think in terms of finding the

40 April 2018 Opinion Express meaning to the image we are far more I don’t think that many people and instrument of a particular situation powerful, which is not readily under- know what a sound designer actu- or of a performance in the film. With stood by the common man or even the ally does…can you elaborate? these elements in hand, I create loud- common traits within my industry. You probably know the work of a ness graph that compliments a narra- When I hear somebody walking in a cameraman; he gives the visual lan- tive graph as the film progresses from film, I can define the person from an an- guage to the film by a way of using one scene to another with certain emo- thropological perspective. For example lights, shadows, movements and lenses tional intensity. Sometimes you hear if a put the sound of a high heel shoe to achieve that. Likewise a sound de- very little, sometimes you hear far more then the image of that person changes signer gives oral texture to the film. He things, like a landscape is opening and and it can be changed by adding the has the performance of the actors which closing. We make selective listening for sound of a flip flop. You don’t have to is their oral performances as one of the the audience who come to watch a film see the person, but just with the sound elements, ambience that define each and make him feel life as he is experi- that I add for their walk you can define spaces of those performances as anoth- encing one continuous emotional ride who is walking. And once the final edit er element. And the sounds the actors so in a way sound design is very sub- of the film is over I sit on it and do my make while they perform are the third conscious art. This is the job of a sound own version of the script through sound. element. We have sound design which designer. It is as if I am rewriting the script of the is very musical in nature but not real You are a believer that sound ex- film through sound. music. It is interpretation of a sound ists in nature and are not a product of a designer through various sound natural skilled craftsman. Your work has always Your primary job is as a sound or otherwise like a musical score. Then been exquisite and known for unfailing designer – what does that en- next is the actual music, when compos- delivery of quality sound. Would you tail? It sounds quite abstract and er interpretation through musical notes like to talk about it?

Opinion Express April 2018 41 (Giggles) It’s a huge compliment. of that night, I think for me with every Laughs... No easy films are coming Thank you. I do agree that sound ex- piece of sound that I leave behind in the to me after Oscars, I have to struggle as ists in nature. When I was doing a film strip, I am trying to make a conver- peoples expectations on me are getting film like ‘Saawariya’, the film had only sation with my audience. With a phone bigger and bigger and if I work hard to four nights. The night before the rains, call like that and talk of that particular create something new then people say night during the rains and night after night I feel my one such conversation is that it is okay and was expected out of the rains. When a boy and a girl meet complete. For me every film is a pursuit me. Every time I have this huge pres- and when they are in love no reality to find that one person who would call sure on me to perform better each day. exists between them. There’s only that me from some part of the globe where Life hasn’t changed, but my life for moment where there is moonlight. we are able to converse through images others have changed. I think my life has ‘Saawariya’ was full of moments like and sculptures in time. touched people and I’m still the same that. I had recorded so many nights and person. I want to lead a ordinary life. I one night I went into the deep jungle in Which movie do you consider always tell myself that I’m an ordinary film city Mumbai. The jungle was a part “the perfect movie for sound” that man thrown in extraordinary situations of Western Ghats. I was standing next you have worked on until now? in life. to a pond as I was recording the night; Oh god!! (Laughs) That’s a very dif- To be honest I haven’t kept my Oscar I realized there is space for every crea- ficult question to answer. If I had ten anywhere in the studio or at my house ture in this universe. What defined that children and you ask me which one is because I don’t want to look at it each night was there were sound of crickets the perfect child then who do I pick? day. I remember what Mr. Amitabh from the floor, there were elements, Every film I have worked I have- emo Bachchan told me once that “the kind of there were creatures in every step, trees, tionally invested myself in it. So ev- achievement that we have taken in our leaves rustling, birds that were moving, ery film is important. Every film that I life, we have to prepare our shoulders sound of plonk with fishes jumping out watch after years I want to change it. in a way that those achievements will of the water and the air around me as That is the feeling that I have on all the shine on it”. I don’t know if my shoul- atmosphere. That day I realized that we film that I have done. It is very difficult ders are capable enough (Smiles). I think of ourselves so big but we are just for me to choose just one film but there have locked my Oscars in my bank vault a blue dot of dust in this Universe and are certain films that are close to me for and every year I take it out to clean it nothing else. Every living creature in various reasons like ‘Gandhi, My Fa- and put it back and that’s the only time this universe are so embedded in the at- ther’, ‘Black’, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘liv my children get to hold the Oscars and mosphere which I managed to capture & Ingmar’ etc. BAFTA. I also have big Ashoka Chakra with that ambience. Someone who saw that is given to me by the Joint session the film called me from New York one How has life changed? Post Os- of the Parliament and I have kept all night and spoke to me about the sound car! these three awards in the vault room so

42 April 2018 Opinion Express that I don’t have to see them every day. time we worked together was ‘Slumdog the biggest sound events in the world. Millionaire’ and even though ‘Ghajini’ I wanted to record the sounds of the What made you decide to work came earlier than ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ Pooram for my personal archive. Ra- on ‘2.0’? it was the second film that we sat in a jeev Panakal a producer himself called ‘2.0’ is a sequel of the movie ‘Robot’ room and worked together. ‘Ghajini’ is me from US and said he would like to (Hindi version) or ‘Enthiran’ (Tamil an unforgettable film for me which has facilitate the dream of mine. version) which I had worked for ear- touched my heart due to death of Sreed- The event was massive with 100 el- lier. ‘2.0’ is huge and a very ambitious har who was the sound engineer for A R, ephants, 500 musicians and a million film. So I worry for Shankar because I who created that unforgettable sound of people over 70 acres of land and real- don’t think anybody else can do some- Rahman’s music. ized it was not possible by just being a thing like that in Indian cinema. I think Rahman and I spend a lot of time sound man. I wanted to capture the pro- time has come for us to think big, we talking together whenever we meet and cess of recording it. During the shoot I have to capture our imagination of our we share parallel ideas when it comes to met a Mahout and discovered that one people and improve the markets of our work. It has helped us give great sound of the elephant in the procession was own films. 80% of India’s films market and music to the film that we worked blind. I wondered if an elephant could share that we make are domestic and together. He is kind of an elder brother go through the procession with the help is the biggest saving of our industry. A to me and guides me. For me he is just of the sound then why not visually chal- number of Hollywood films like ‘Avatar’ not a colleague or a music director who lenged person experience the Pooram which made 57 crore, ‘Fast & Furious 8’ is working in a film together, he is much without being there in person. That was which 71 crore and ‘Jungle Book’ which more and bigger than that. the seed for the film titled ‘The Sound made close to 200 crore and other such Story’ directed by Prasad Prabhakar. It movies are making huge collection from You said a movie needs to be is basically the struggle and survival of India. Hollywood is taking away the re- designed for sound before you the sound man to record the Pooram sources from India without spending a start designing sound. What do to make it an experience for a visually single penny in its making and that is you mean by that? challenged person. That is how I be- where sanctity of film like ‘2.0’ lies. If Yes, first and foremost choice of the came an accidental actor and it’s not a we do not contain our audience for the sound has to create a sense of image of documentary film. next decade then we will be wiped out something that I have seen, heard, ex- and there will only be Hollywood. There perienced or that I invent. I remember Can you talk about your up- is already a generation of youngsters when I was doing a film like ‘Blue’, what coming projects? who think that Indian cinema is redun- would it sound like 200 meters deep I think this year I’m pretty much oc- dant and only Hollywood is real and for under the sea, it was something that I cupied with a lot of films. At present I me that is unacceptable. had probably not experienced but I im- have ‘2.0’ coming up. I’m working on a aged it as an experience and transposed Hindi film ‘Manto’ which is a biopic of As more and more young peo- that experience to the audience. In a Saadat Hasan Manto. I have a Holly- ple get drawn towards careers in way I become the first listener. I did a wood film called ‘Love Sonia’ from the the film industry, where do you film with Buddhadeb Dasgupta called maker of ‘Life of Pie’ David Womark and think the future of sound design ‘Sniffer’. There was a sequence in the directed by Tabrez Noorani. I have a Ma- lies? film which was a single shot of 8 minute layalam movie ‘Praana’ directed by VK After my Oscar there are tons and long. The camera was placed at the bot- Prakash. I have another Malayalam film tons of sound engineering institutes tom of a hillock and the sun comes up based on a novel ‘Aadujeevitham’ writ- that have sprung up. I just want to tell as Anwar (main character in the film) ten by Benyamin where I and A R Rah- my youngsters and their parents that I begins his last journey in the film. Just man will be working together again. And have studied the art of film making and this shot offered me so much possibil- I have got a couple of more Hindi films. sound as a craft. If you want to become ity of sound. I decided to visit the exact somebody like me, you have to study in same location and recorded many such Do you have any final words for a film school where they teach you his- mornings, the result of which is a com- the readers of OPINION EXPRESS tory of cinema, art and culture. Sound position of 8 minute long with sounds magazine and your fans across the is just one small part among them. Not that are captured in many mornings’ di- globe? any private institutions can do this be- egetic and non-diegetic. This simply can For readers and fans out there I cause education has become business. be called as sound art that is probably would like to say that we are living in Don’t be a victim of these business pro- why I said a film needs to be designed a time where technology is constantly posals. for sound before sound is designed. telling us that we don’t need faculty of memory anymore whereas our tradition You have worked closely with Could you talk about your act- says our memory is knowledge. Till this A R Rahman on a number of films. ing debut film which is making contradiction we need to be constantly Does a good relationship with a sensational news across and your- aware of three things; first to be factual, music director help the collabora- self playing a sound designer in second to be logical - in things we say tion from an early stage? the movie? and propagate and third to be more I have a very different equation with (Laughs) I don’t look at it as an act- humane. It is respect and love for one A R Rahman. Working with him for ev- ing debut. The whole idea happened another that makes us a truly one good ery film has bought me different experi- after my Oscars, when I once told in family in the world of contradictions. ences. He has brought a new dimension an interview that my dream was to re- Bureau Chief FASHION & to music in Indian cinemas. The first cord the sounds of the Pooram, one of Entertainment

Opinion Express April 2018 43 THE ICONIC

SThe styleT icon of Athe South isR a prolific dancer and rated among the best in the Indian film industry

Nithya Ramesh followers of 12.7 million in Facebook alone making him the highest among llu Arjun is one actor who any South Indian actor and many Bol- shot right up the ladder since lywood stars too. Apart from these Allu his debut in Tollywood. Allu Arjun’s interest in the beverage as in- Arjun soon began riding the vestor/partner for B-dubs and Hylife Awave of success and landed blockbust- Brewery(India) has taken a turn that er films such as ‘Arya’, is both altruistic and ‘Bunny’, ‘Happy’, ‘Arya entrepreneurial. 2’, ‘Race Gurram’, ‘S/O Satyamurthy’, He is the only As an actor ‘Sarrainodu’, ‘DJ’ and South Indian actor what keeps you many others. On the motivated and so surface, his road to su- whose movies grounded? perstardom has been Motivation and enviably easy marking have reached the being grounded are to be the next super- 100 crore club two different as- star in the industry. pects. He burns up the screen thrice. His Hindi I always aspire with his energy that dubbed movies to give and be the spikes out in all direc- best in whatever I tion, sweeping you up have collectively do which in itself is with its force even in surpassed 530 what keeps me mo- casual encounter. tivated. To do bet- He is the only million views on ter than before each South Indian actor time, I do and undo whose movies have YouTube and has myself and improve reached the 100 crore a huge crossover on my skills is what club thrice. His Hindi motivates me. dubbed movies have appeal across Being ground- collectively surpassed India especially in ed is to never lose 530 million views on sight of ourselves YouTube and has a Kerala, Karnataka, as a normal human huge crossover appeal being however suc- across India especially Maharashtra, Tamil cessful one is in in Kerala, Karnataka, Nadu and among life. On a very fun- Maharashtra, Tamil damental level my Nadu and among other other states. family, close circle states. friends, my staff and Today, his fan following is increas- the people I work and interact with are ing by every minute and so is the the ones to help and keep me ground- number of filmmakers wanting to sign ed as much as possible. him. What’s more he has hit a beautiful equation in his personal life as As an established actor how well. Riding the crest of his huge fans are you able to measure success

44 April 2018 Opinion Express Opinion Express April 2018 45 and build on this ? There are lot of things I still have and are also going places to Tamil The world generally rates your to achieve as an actor and I would say Nadu and in belts of Maharashtra. success by quantifying the amount of that entrepreneurship is just a by- The online reach of Telugu films is re- business you make and currently our product of being an actor. Innately, I ally huge. There are lot of people from business is in the order of three digit have an interest in entrepreneurship Bangladesh and other neighbouring crore. This is an objective approach of but what’s fundamental is that at the countries who watch and appreciate measuring success. Seeing through the end of the day I am an actor. Being this kind of cinema. So it’s very over- lens of subjectivity which is a harder in the field of acting and as an actor whelming that our original films are way of measuring success, success is there is so much more to explore and being appreciated by people across living a happy and satisfied life. I am achieve. I feel that this is a new epoch different cultures. What entices them happy with what I am doing. I am in and a golden era in cinema worldwide about our films is the uniqueness and a profession that I enjoy and feel the and especially in India because cinema they feel this uniqueness more than best when I am at work and I get high- is opening up to many a new horizon. we feel about it in our films. That is ly involved with it. Audience are nowadays more open to quite a commendable achievement for Simply put, rather than basking in accepting different genres and differ- all of us. the numbers as measured by the mar- ent kinds of films. I would like to make ket, success should be more about how the best out of this golden era and try How did ‘Naa Peru Surya’ hap- satisfied you are with your achieve- to make a unique mark for myself. pen? What attracted you to the ments and your work. To build on this, script? I would strive for more and get a lot I as a person have the highest re- more name, fame and recognition to spect for soldiers, farmers and teach- the South Indian film industry. There are lot of genres ers. When I heard the script that had a story about a soldier, I immediately Filmmakers have imagined that haven’t been got connected to the film with no sec- you in different ways over the touched in Indian films ond thought. ‘Naa Peru Surya’ is a years. What excites you any more great story of a young soldier who has in a script? and a quite a lot a dream of being posted at the border There are lot of genres that haven’t of new genre which we and how he achieves that dream come been touched in Indian films and a true. It is as simple as that. It’s very quite a lot of new genre which we haven’t explored should contemporary film and at the same haven’t explored should be created be created in the future. time very real. in the future. Unlike before, people nowadays are opening up and embrac- Unlike before, people How tough was it playing the ing creativity and originality. A lot of role in ‘Naa Peru Surya’ consid- novelty is seen in almost every genre nowadays are opening ering you’re always stocked with because people are appreciating origi- up and embracing energy? nality more than anything else and (Smiles) Playing this role was very especially here in this industry. Au- creativity and different as it was not like my any oth- diences expect that you give the best originality. er previous roles and it required dif- to your role. I am looking forward to ferent skills from what I usually play. original ideas and scripts that would I had to go through a basic physical be coming up in the future with lesser Apart from acting or being an en- fitness regime to get that look and I western and eastern touch to the films. trepreneur, I am very actively involved had to go through a lot of look tests to Another interesting thing is that a lot in social service activities and charity. transform myself to get it right. The of these scripts have a very realistic I like to do my part to make our society toughest part was the shoot schedule approach in the commercial cinema a better place to live and also do my of the film because we had to shoot which makes it even more appealing. part in bringing happiness to others in multiple geographical regions with And this is what is exciting to me in lives. It gives me immense happiness varying landscapes and a lot of change the current script as well - a mix of if I can bring smile to others. over in the film entailing a lot of tough originality and realism. travel. That was one of the most chal- Are you overwhelmed with lenging part to play the role in ‘Naa If you could be one person the kind of support you get from Peru Surya’. from history, who it would be? your fans globally? (Laughs) I am not much into his- Oh yes! It’s very nice because now You have got to work with the tory but I would be Narendra Modi. It that the cinema has opened up and es- finest directors since the begin- is quite an achievement from where pecially South Indian films are being ning of your career. One director he had started and till becoming the bought over or being dubbed by Bol- in mind that you always wanted Prime Minister of our nation. lywood and other languages in India. to work with? The viewership of Telugu cinema is no (Smiles) Yes it is very true and I You have achieved many mile- longer just the Telugu audience as the have been lucky enough that from stones in your career as an ac- dubbing of Telugu cinemas to other the beginning of my career I got to tor and entrepreneur. Is there languages is increasing at an unprec- work with the best directors. My de- anything that you still want to edented pace. The Telugu films are but film ‘Gangotri’ was directed by achieve? highly watched in Kerala, Karnataka, K.Raghavendra Rao which also hap-

46 April 2018 Opinion Express Opinion Express April 2018 47 48 April 2018 Opinion Express pened to be his 100th film of scripts. My upcoming film and I started with an excellent ‘Naa Peru Surya’ will be widely QUICK BYTES guidance. Honestly, there are released in May in seven lan- Describe your best quality as an many good directors and one guages. Till date I have been of my favourite directors with working only in Telugu film in- actor? whom I always wanted to work dustry. I have been getting of- I always thrive to do better and I try to with is K.Balachander. But this fers from Tamil film industry, unlearn as much as I can. is no longer a possibility as he and also from Bollywood. Now is no more. I really wish I were the options are plenty in Bol- What’s your favourite car? acting in the era in which he lywood than what it used to be. was directing films and we did Apart from Telugu films, my I like most of the Porsche cars. a film together. next plan is to venture out to either Tamil or Hindi films and What’s your favourite colour? You are a man of many give it a shot. Black and white which are not colours roles. You are an actor, an (giggles). entrepreneur, a husband Do you have any final and a father. How do you words for the readers of balance both a profession- OPINION EXPRESS maga- What’s your signature style? My signature style is my AA icon as I’m the only actor in South who has one. I am trying to balance it well. Everybody What’s your best day in life? has to go through this little struggle of Today(laughs). That’s the only day you striking a balance. The trick is that live. Past is a memory, future is imagi- when I am professionally working I don’t nary and only today is real. think about my personal life and What’s your favourite cuisine? when I am in my personal space I don’t I like Mexican and Japanese food. think about my professional life. Be in Where is your all time favourite that moment. That’s how one can achieve holiday destination? and balance being a man of many roles. Maldives and New York are my all time It’s a very simple thing to follow but it favourite holiday destination. will bring a huge change and that’s my Which is your favourite genre? mantra. Love! al and personal lifestyle zine and your fans across Which co-star was most easy to equally? the globe? dance with? I am trying to balance it I love the word “Opinion” Shruti Hassan and Tamannaah. well. Everybody has to go in itself because having an through this little struggle of opinion is a very strong trait Craziest fan story? striking a balance. The trick is in a personality and being A guy called Allu Sujith, he has thirteen that when I am professionally able to express that will de- working I don’t think about my fine your character. It’s a very tattoos of me and I think that’s a crazy personal life and when I am in strong word for something fan I got. my personal space I don’t think that I fundamentally connect about my professional life. Be with and something that I be- Favourite dance form? in that moment. That’s how lieve in. Street dance. one can achieve and balance To the readers of OPINION being a man of many roles. It’s EXPRESS and fans across the a very simple thing to follow globe, thank you very much for What is your favourite daily wear but it will bring a huge change watching South Indian cinema. attire? and that’s my mantra. I thank you all for continued Track pants and sweat t-shirts. support and love. We hope to Can you talk about your do better work and to impress upcoming projects? you more and more. I hope the You are super interested in pho- Honestly I haven’t zeroed reach of South Indian cinema tography. What kind of pictures down on any films for now grows worldwide. do you like clicking? though I have heard a couple I love clicking portraits. Opinion Express April 2018 49 Landmark Judgment SC verdict on instant Triple Talaq will go a long way in changing the life of Muslim women Laraib Fatima Warsi

he much anticipated and debated topic known as talaq-e-biddat Tor instant divorce is a form of Islamic divorce practiced by Muslims in India. From ancient times, Muslim faith has been plagued by the portrayal of Muslim men regularly misusing the perceived “right” to divorce their wives instantly by simply uttering ‘talaq’ thrice. People are debating and discuss- ing about it, some have raised questions regarding gender equality, justice, secularism, human rights etc. The Modi government has restored the faith in humanity by criminalizing instant triple talaq. “When they have a brother like Narendra Modi, they do not need to be afraid of anyone,” a BJP MP said, assuring the Muslim women during discussions in the Lok Sabha when the Bill criminalizing instant triple talaq was introduced and passed on December 28. The Prime Minister has expressed his deep concern for the plight of the Muslim women who are victims of instant talaq time and again. During the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, our Prime Minister vowed to bring justice to them. He referred to their plight again while he was in Gujarat and declared that banning triple talaq is not a legislation was necessary “to give some ing over the fact that it has been able to political question, but a matter of bring- relief to, the hapless married Muslim bring the law criminalizing triple talaq ing justice to Muslim women. women who suffer from harassment and pass it from Lok Sabha which is in- The proposed bill of triple talaq due to talaq-e-biddat and this is there- deed appreciable. that criminalizes the practice of instant fore essential to prevent such kind of The Muslim community, like all divorce “empowers” Indian Muslim divorce, wherein the wife does not have communities, is not divided along gen- women by giving them a larger say in any say in severing the marital relation- der lines – women, the helpless victims dissolving marriages, custody of minor ship. of triple talaq and the brutish men who children and the right to seek mainte- After the criminalization of the tri- pronounce triple talaq are part of the nance from their estranged husbands, ple talaq has been done, the legislation same composite community which is according to the cabinet-cleared con- now would help in ensuring the larger being increasingly pushed to a corner troversial legislation opposed by Mus- constitutional goals of gender justice where survival is at stake. Prime Minis- lim groups. and gender equality of married Muslim ter Modi, has said that the government The bill defines triple talaq as “any women and help sub serve their fun- wants to improve the lot of the Muslim pronouncement (of divorce) by a per- damental rights of non-discrimination women in the country so that it brings son upon his wife by words, either spo- and empowerment. The Prime Minister social security and benefits for the Mus- ken or written or in electronic form, or himself took this major move and as- lim women. Thus, criminalizing triple in any other manner”. It proposes to sured that the very purpose of banning talaq would definitely bring changes in make the practice a punishable offence triple talaq was to allow women greater the women’s financial well-being and and allows women to take a right stand security in the institution of marriage they’d be empowered. for themselves. by allowing for due process in divorce. Writer is a regular contribu- The bill states that urgent suitable The saffron party has been whoop- tor of Opinion Express Magazine.

50 April 2018 Opinion Express