The Hashtag: Block Narendra Modi

Lambodar Prasad Dash

We usually sit for “khatti”, a local terminology for a free forum of people, typically with 10 to 15 members sits regularly at a definite public place generally near a tea shop for formal talks. I always a latecomer among the khatti members but today morning with everyone’s surprise I marked my attendance earlier than others. Last night I could not sleep well due to the anxiety mixed with grief and depression after going through series of threads reacting to the murder of noted Kannada journalist and Activist Gauri Lankesh, news items, googling about the information on the murder of some rationalists like Pansare, Dhabolkar and kalburgi.

Characteristically most writers, activists, journalists, politicians equivocally condemned the killings. As all the activists who were getting killed had been linked to the left-wing thoughts, liberals in attitude, seculars in their belief and rationalists in their approach, and all belonging to Karnataka state. Their activism was largely directed at casteism, communalism, religious bigotism and anti-establishment which invited the wrath of the communal and religious forces like Sreeramsena, Bajrang Dal and Sanatan Samstha. The information had not taken my sleep but the reactions of persons who are critical about the activisms of Gauri Lankesh. Their response to the murder disgraced all the norms of human dignity. Even they were not set back to abuse vehemently when Union Ministers like Ravishankar Prasad, Rajyabardhan Singh Rathore had come forward to criticize such reactions. Most of the abusers and trolls are followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they also proudly mentioned it in their social media profiles. This was not the first case, earlier on several occasions Prime Minister had come under strong criticism from different quarters, but the trend has not succumbed to.

Meanwhile, I was scratching my head how to react such heinous trolls, around 11.45pm I just come through a tweet from a Dr Rakesh Parikh condemning such abusers and following them by PMO Modi, simultaneously it urged for blocking Narendra Modi’s personal twitter handle. Immediately I RTed it and blocked Narendra Modi’s account in protest. By then the hashtag had only two posts. But in the next morning while I was browsing the internet waiting for other members to join with a bolt from the blue I found the Hashtag #BlockNarendraModi was already lifted by major news sites.

However, scaling up the ignominy I also came across a news item where BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya who was also among the abusers had come forward with a statement that as Prime Minister is responsive to general public…he followed by many a people….how can he demand a character certificate from them before following back(!) (The words are not exact but reflected the similar meaning)

With all these developments and its impact, I had decided to have a discussion on it. When my friends sat to kick-start our Khatti program with a cup of warm tea.  I vociferously put my point by quoting “as is the king so are the subjects” at least who adore him. Some senior members yet to give their comments, as I expected a series of questions were put to me by a political activist friend- Could it be possible to create “mass hysteria” through propaganda (?) If it is possible, then why not other political parties not thriving on it or at least able to create for them (?)

The answer to these questions might not be easy to present in a nutshell, but I tried to convince him that through a planned propaganda one can manipulate the weakness of the human mind as his perception is selective and also the retention. Since he is a strong adherent to Narendra Modi’s hyped image he took my argument for granted. However, I was not in a mood to step back and had come with all preparations, I continued;

A Political Party which got an absolute majority in 2014 general election with 31.34% popular votes out of total 65.3% voter turnout. It won 282 seats out of 545 members in Lower house, which is 51.9% all seats.  58 MPs out of 245 Members in Upper House, 1197 MLAs across the India and 18 states ruled directly or indirectly with its allies. Of course, without any doubt, all these achievements are remarkable for a political party which reestablished its existence 37 years back, after the disintegration of Janata Party. The Indian Voters gave their mandate to a political party for the first time in the last two decades with such huge support. This Implies two inseparable issues of a democracy, Firstly, Voters relied upon BJP ( Bharatiya Janata Party) as a political party more than others to solve the existing issues, Secondly, in turn, they accepted the ideologies Of BJP which had been remained at a bay. These two issues are not separated with a firm demarcated line but several overlapping contours.

It is evidently much accepted rule that Power comes with responsibility. In a democratic system, power goes from bottom to top. Initially, a political party makes the people responsive towards the prevailing problems and then places its alternate solutions through manifestos. In the next stage, it shows its willingness to take the responsibility to solve the problems and seeks the support of the people to handover the power to govern. All these activities are termed as political campaigns. These Political campaigns designed in such a way that it can successfully persuade voters to rely upon their agenda and manifesto. When the Love for Power permeates the true spirit of a democratic process, Political parties polarizes instead of persuasion; influence the voters through propaganda rather than awareness; manipulate the mandate through government machinery. All these perverted practices not so effective for a mature mind rather very successful for adolescents. When a country has more than 50% of its population is below the age of 25 years and more than 65% below the age of 35, the propaganda, influence, polarization works astoundingly.

In 2014 general election, around 23.1 million voters were from the age group of 18-19 years (!) In 2014 general election BJP got 171,660,230 votes. The statistics show that the BJP pocked most of the new voters. All welcomed BJP as an alternative to Congress as they are experienced only the government of Congress-led UPA. The psychology of adolescent mind according to Bradley Busch, Psychologist is – they are more likely to take risks, be sleepy, misread emotions, give in to peer pressure and lack of self-control. According to the United Nations, the average age of India’s population will be 29 years, and dependency ration should be just over 0.4%. With all these youth dominant demographics BJP set its development dream sail for 2020. 

BRICS-2017’s ‘counter terrorism’ agenda: Modi Govt’s Hype Vs Reality

Lambodar Prasad Dash

After a complex search to find out what is the exact terminology which can deliver exact position of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India on Counterterrorism in the 9^th BRICS summit, I found an Interesting Idiom mostly appropriate-‘Try to steal someone’s Thunder’.

According to Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, the meaning is, ‘Try to win praise for oneself by pre-empting someone else’s attempt to impress’.  As we go deep, the origin of the Idiom also proves equal dramatic; The critic and playwright John Dennis (1657-1734) invented a new method of simulating the sound of thunder in the theater, which he employed in his unsuccessful play 'Appius and Virginia'. Shortly after his play had finished its brief run, Dennis attended a performance of 'Macbeth' in which the improved thunder effect was used, and he is reported to have exclaimed in a fury: 'Damn them! They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder.

However, as an Indian to prove one’s “True Nationalism Identity” one must accept that in BRICS summit Narendra Modi graciously own the battle against Islamist terrorism even though it is like ‘Error of the first kind” according to the null hypothesis in statistics.

According to the hypothesis, this is an error which leads one to conclude that a supposed effect or relationship exists when in fact it doesn't. For example, a test that shows a patient to have a disease when in fact the patient does not have the disease.

In the joint declaration of the 9^th BRICS summit, there are 3 specific components and 70 resolutions. Under the International Peace and Security component, there are 24 resolutions.  In it all the BRICS countries equivocally rejected any type of violence, radicalization and called international community to work for international peace, security, and to promote and protect Human Right. The joint declaration gives foremost importance to the conflicts and crisis of Syria, Israel-Palestine and other Middle East; Iraq, Yemen and crisis in the Gulf countries; North Korea; African Countries like Congo, Libya, South Sudan, Somalia and Central Africa Republic, Western Sahara; and Afghanistan.  All these countries directly related to Russia’s Interest.  

In the context of Afghanistan, the declaration seriously concerned about the terrorist organizations like the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al-Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir. Further it is mentioned two important points to extend support – one is, the Moscow Format of consultations on Afghanistan and “Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process” and other is, multimodal connectivity projects to promote peace and stability.

If one analyze thoroughly, both the points nowhere related to the India. As the American president Donald Trump re-affirmed its military position on Afghanistan, Both Russia and China have remained skeptical to it. Secondly, For China it is not Pakistan but Afghanistan is more important when it comes to its much ambitious China-Pakistan Energy corridor and One Belt One Road (OBOR), as both the routes linked to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Extending its ambition further China plans to expand the route beyond the Afghanistan and Pakistan Border. The threat of Islamist terrorist organizations is much perceived after recentattacks and warnings. (We can recall the Pakistan’s attempt to link the terrorist attack on china’s construction employees in Pakistan to Kulbhushan Jadhav.)

Even though China had unsuccessfully persuaded India to sign OBOR earlier, but it has not withdrawn itself to push the issue diplomatically. China knows without standing firm or sending stern warning against the terrorist organizations it cannot successfully complete its dream project either in Pakistan or in Afghanistan. In addition to this, China also knows well that Russia is the only country which can safe guard its interest in this reason.  

Besides this, the BRICS economic agenda is more or less created diplomatically to subdue the influence of the World Bank especially in Asia, where the monopoly of the US and other European Countries is discernible.

Under the Narendra Modi’s three year rule India’s External Diplomacy has developed some of its serious flaws except increase the number of “awkward hugging”. He has failed to bring a clear consensus on its economic and diplomatic issues. Diplomatic relationship with its neighboring countries is at a mediocre level. On the other hand China extended its sway both economically and diplomatically over all the surrounding countries of India. In the last three years, from the south-east Asia region, there is no single country which has spoken a word in support of India in its hue and cry against Islamist Terrorism, From the Middle East except Israel no country stands behind ( at least for the time being) India on this issue. China never categorically supported India on it.

In the 9^th BRICS summit, India’s only perceptible benefit comes from the 40^th resolution which states that Russia and China will support the aspiration of Brazil, South Africa and India for a greater role in United Nations Security Council.  But in the context of acting against Islamist terrorist groups, India can only console itself that two/three terrorist operatives which are posed danged to its internal security and hype it as its “great win” even knows well that it cannot yield a desirable result.