Freudian slip
The ruling dispensation went into overdrive this week to mark 50 years of the Emergency as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. A series of events were organised, focusing on slamming the Congress for putting “democracy under arrest”, as the prime minister, Narendra Modi, said. While the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh general-secretary, Dattatreya Hosabale, kicked up a row by advocating the removal of the words, “socialist” and “secular”, from the Preamble to the Constitution, the Union home minister, Amit Shah, stirred up a bigger storm. Shah suggested that it would be naive to assume that the country would not see another authoritarian ruler like Indira Gandhi. ‘No one knows when the dictatorial tendencies embedded in a person manifests itself,’ he said, stressing the need to keep this in mind and be ready for another Jayaprakash Narayan-like movement. Many in the country claim that an undeclared Emergency is in place under Modi, who is known for his dominant style of governance. But Shah, widely seen as his successor, is perceived as a bigger hawk. Many thus wondered what Shah was indicating when he talked about the dictatorial tendencies in a person coming to the fore.
Wheel of fortune
Since his appointment as the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, Gaurav Gogoi’s focus has been on strengthening the party from the grassroots and reaching out to people who form opinions — prominent citizens, mediapersons, local organisations and so on. He has been circumspect about questions related to pre-poll alliances or future chief ministership. To mark a month of his appointment, he launched an intra-party outreach — selfie with booth presidents. The outreach to galvanise the grassroots will see a district/senior leader take a selfie with the booth president and share the photographs online. The faction-ridden state Congress is, for the first time in many years, appearing as a united unit.
While Gogoi’s catchy battle cry, “Ebar jooj hobo (there will be a fight this time)”, and the ongoing outreach seem to be resonating with the Congress rank and file, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam finds itself in a spot in connection with a dairy development subsidy scheme with names of people close to the ruling dispensation emerging as beneficiaries. Usually prompt in responding, the BJP is yet to come up with a convincing rebuttal. The Congress has hit the streets, raising questions of propriety and ethics. Gogoi said that the BJP seeks votes in the name of gau but instead of helping gau palaks, BJP ministers and members of the legislative assembly are “trying to capture government benefits”. There is nothing wrong in family members of BJP ministers and MLAs doing business, but why do they not approach banks for financial assistance like most businessmen? Gogoi asked: Is this the parivartan people voted for? Political observers say that this is not the last that people will be hearing of the issue.
Missed chance
When Rajeev Chandrasekhar was appointed the head of the Kerala BJP in March, party workers had set high hopes on him. But their hopes were dashed in the recent assembly bypolls in Nilambur. Their main grouse is that Chandrasekhar has not been taking the Kerala leaders into confidence. The candidature of the former Kerala Congress leader, Mohan George, saw the BJP pushed to the fourth position behind an independent candidate. It also saw the BJP losing even its security deposit. Now Chandrasekhar is eyeing the crucial local body elections later this year in the hope that his luck will turn.
Open threat
The Delhi chief minister, Rekha Gupta, was asked what advice she would give to Kunal Kamra, a comedian, if he wanted to do a show in Delhi. The BJP CM replied, “Apne risk pe aayein”, and got a rousing applause.
Watered down
Nineteen cars of the Madhya Pradesh CM’s convoy broke down owing to contaminated diesel. The cars were on their way from Indore to Ratlam when they all stalled immediately after being refuelled. A probe found that heavy rains leaked into the underground fuel tanks at the filling station. Vehicles used by VIPs are usually refuelled at pre-designated filling stations.
Unusual visit
In what appears to be a glaring break from tradition, the Odisha governor, Hari Babu Kambhampati, called on the CM, Mohan Charan Majhi, and the deputy CM, KV Singh Deo, at their respective residences. Raj Bhavan sources described the visits as “courtesy calls”.The governor is said to have congratulated the two leaders on the government’s first anniversary and discussed with them issues pertaining to the state’s development. However, political analysts feel that the governor should have called the leaders to the Raj Bhavan.