SABRANG PRINT MEDIA MONITOR February 18, 2004 NATIONAL CAMPAIGN Economic Strangulation of Bihar by BJP ‘Backward’ Bihar fires statistics salvo The Bihar government today produced statistics to counter the Centre’s claims of two days ago, in a battle to prove the state the country’s most underdeveloped. Economist Mohan Guruswamy today submitted to the Rabri Devi government a “study report” titled The Economic Strangulation of Bihar, which contended that the Centre was responsible for the state’s development mess. Guruswamy, who represents Delhi-based thinktank, the Centre for Policy Alternatives, was an adviser to the Union finance ministry during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s second 13-month stint as Prime Minister. He had left the post after trading corruption charges with the Centre.[ Source: Statesman] TIPS: This is a substantive election issue as whether it is Bihar, Rajasthan or MP non BJP governments have been complaining of deliberate sidelining with political motives on the issue of Central grants. Even the Maharashtra government had complained about this issue. Does this not militate against the statesmanlike image of Vajpayee? Withdraw India Shining Campaign Withdraw 'India Shining' campaign: Lyngdoh Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on 'Elections and Democracy' he said even if it was not wrong legally at this juncture, it was not proper considering that it involved tax payers' money. To a question on the use of aircraft by Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani for electioneering, Lyngdoh said, "The prime minister is different from anyone else. That distinction should be maintained." "The problem in India is that the candidate does not stand a chance in the elections if he does not spend a heavy amount irrespective of the party he belongs to," he said. "In the government service one is taught ethics, but in politics there is no one who can teach ethics." [Source: Rediff on Net] Muslims and the Congress The Congress is the original sinner: Arif Mohammad Khan What the Congress is doing is piecemeal. In Kerala, it aligned with the Muslim League. In the assembly elections in Gujarat, it didn’t hesitate to turn to Hindutva. It is strange that a party that attacks Hindu communalism has no compunction in playing the Hindu card when it finds it expedient. The BJP, too, has been playing the communal card. When it comes to the communalisation of politics, the Congress is the original sinner. The BJP has certainly benefited from the communal situation following 1986. If a party which claims to uphold secularism has no compunction in playing the Muslim card by undoing the Shah Bano verdict and opens the gates of Ayodhya, how can it expect its main rival not to take advantage of it? There are reports that you will support the BJP in these elections. Comments? Some friends tell me that if I criticise the Congress, I will be supporting the BJP. But in politics there is nothing like an ideal situation. You have to settle for the lesser evil. [Source: Hindustan Times] TIPS The party does not have a clearcut stand on the issue of one of its major support bases, the religious minorities. 1.On the issue of their security, protection before the law, right to life and property, the party remains embarassingly silent. 2. There are Muslim groups mushrooming all over the country who are demanding their share of the developmental stake—Education and Jobs, fair representation in the right to education and in employment. Also representation in the Parliament and Assemblies. Are secular parties going to come up with a clearcut strategy on the issue of Minorities in India? Unless it does, greater disenchantment will grow and a section among the Muslims who are advocating truce/compromise with the BJP because it is the winning horse will get, slowly greater and greater mileage. Already 15 per cent of Muslims in Rajasthan have voted for the BJPin recent assembly polls. Once this trend sets in and gains momentum, the BJP will have a perenially winning combination. Maneka v/s Sonia Maneka vs Sonia It can be said with some justice that had Maneka Gandhi, and not Sonia Gandhi, assumed the Congress mantle, as could have happened had the Family trajectory and tragedies taken a different turn, the BJP would have faced a more formidable Opposition. Maneka scores better than her sister-in-law on most of the necessary ingredients of political calibre and she is free of the “foreign origin” baggage. That Indira Gandhi’s younger daughter-in-law has now joined the BJP is, therefore, not only a twist in the history of India’s foremost political dynasty but also a reminder to Congressmen, however much they may dislike it, that they didn’t get the best bargain out of the division of Family affairs.[ Source:Editorial, Statesman] Gandhi Children The bachhas are here To be sure, the pictures in the morning papers demanded a second look. A Gandhi, make that two, in the BJP.Nearly three decades ago, Jan Sangh stalwarts dug in their heels against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi and her son; they have made criticism of the Family and its dynastic politics a calling card ever since. Go back further in time and exclaim at a great grandson of Nehru joining a party that many say articulates the most violent, and perhaps most successful, critique of the Nehruvian legacy. Truly a strange coming together, of Varun and Maneka Gandhi and the BJP. [Source: The Indian Express] Poll Strategy, BJP Poll script ready, BJP casts stars Source: The Indian Express Alliance Politics Jaya seals deal: 7 seats for BJP The BJP will contest seven of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in alliance with the AIADMK. ‘‘Madam (AIADMK chief and TN CM J. Jayalalithaa) se baat ho gaya (we have spoken to her). The announcement will be made tomorrow,’’ BJP chief M. Venkaiah Naidu said. Sources said the BJP had been given Nagercoil, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Chidambaram, North Madras and Pondicherry. Of these, the BJP already has MPs in Nagercoil, Nilgiris and Coimbatore.[ Source: The Indian Express] Punjab Indira assassin’s son gets LS poll ticket Source: Hindustan Times The Akali Dal (Amritsar) headed by Simranjit Singh Mann will field Sarbjit Singh Khalsa, son of Indira Gandhi's assassin Beant Singh, from the Bathinda Reserve constituency in the Lok Sabha elections. This was announced by party vice-president Jathedar Toga Singh in Bathinda on Tuesday. Jha joins RJD, JD wonders why so late Barely a month after the controversial merger of the Samata Party into the Janata Dal (U), one of the prime rebel MPs, Raghunath Jha, has joined Laloo Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Jha, along with Brahmanand Mandal, both erstwhile Samata Party members, had raised the banner of revolt even before the merger, against the autocratic style of party colleague and Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar. They had castigated party president George Fernandes for succumbing to Kumar’s bullying tactics. [Source: The Indian Express] Rajasthan Wanted: Face to fill Vasundhara gap After over a decade, the BJP is on the hunt for a suitable candidate for Vasundhara Raje’s Jhalawar parliamentary constituency. And after being under the ‘‘maharani sahiba’s’’ reign for 15 long years, Jhalawar is eagerly awaiting her successor. ‘‘This seat has fallen vacant after 15-odd years, obviously political circles here are buzzing with excitement,’’ admits a BJP worker. ‘‘When Vasundharaji was contesting there was no question of anyone opposing her. Now it’s an open playing field.’’ Since 1989, Vasundhara has won every Lok Sabha election from Jhalawar, beating her Congress rivals hands down. The BJP considers Jhalawar to be one of the safest seats, ‘‘where defeat is out of the question’’. And this is why every contender is going all out to get this ‘‘coveted seat’’.[ Source: The Indian Express Uttar Pradesh Party MLA says Mulayam lied on Auriyan firing Source: The Indian Express Samajwadi Party legislator Kamlesh Pathak, known as a close aide of Mulayam, stunned the House today when he strongly criticised the government for the police firing and lathicharge on demonstrators protesting the decision to disband Auriyan district. The Speaker has asked the government to file an explanation in this regard on February 20. ‘‘Mera haath tuta hain aur Auriyan ki diworn par abhi bhi police ki goli ke nishan hain (My hand was fractured and the walls at Auriyan bear the marks of police bullets),’’ Pathak said, adding that the CM had claimed two days ago that the police had used only rubber bullets at Auriyan. Mulayam poaches on Maya’s men, one by one, he gets three so far Quietly, in the face of a possible threat to his government, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has initiated pre-emptive moves. The surprise resignation of three Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs, Ramesh Sharma, Madan Gautam and Satya Narain, in the last one week is one. [Source: The Indian Express] Indo-Pak cricket No Indian securitymen will go with cricket team, says Advani Source: The Hindu He said: "I do not know how reports attributing this [Indian security personnel accompanying the cricket team] to the Home Ministry have been appearing. We have no role to play." It is for that country to provide security to the team, he said . To a question whether the three-member BCCI team, which visited Pakistan recently to oversee the security arrangements there for the coming tour, had submitted a report to him, Mr. Advani said: "why should they?" He expressed surprise over earlier media reports involving the Home Ministry in the speculation over the postponement of the proposed tour.