Economic Times carried an interesting article on 30 May 2009 on Page 3
In West Bengal CPM claims a party membership of 3.21 lakh and a mass organization membership of 3.43 crore.
But CPM got only 33.1% of the vote share.
About 70 to 75% of the states 4.89 crore electorate cast its vote this year. This means CPM did not get votes to a large extent from its mass organization members.
Reason: I keep arguing is that party members (Of all political parties in India) are not meeting nonparty people systematically.
In Kerala, the party membership is over 3.64 lakh and mass organization membership is around 1.42 crore. Kerala's electorate is two crore. Around 60% voted and CPM got 30.48%. Once again party members could not even mobilise their mass organization members.
The combined membership of all mass organizations belonging to CPM increased to 6,17,93,166 at the time 2008 party congress. The earlier party congress figure was 4,91,54,970.
Is there a need for party members to develop intimate contact with nonparty persons. Yes it is there. People in general will welcome if political party members take interest and meet them regularly.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Members of a Political Party - What Should They Do?
Members of a political party have to take on the role of a representative of people. No doubt members of legislative assemblies are the formal representative of the people elected by the people.
But each member of a political party has voluntarily come forward to represent the people and when a political party admits him into the party, it has approved his voluntary action and gives him the right to represent the party to the people whom he wants to represent.
I advocate that each member of a political party has to be given the responsibility of contacting 50 households to carry out the task of representing people as well as that of a party member. To fulfil this responsibility, the member has to meet each of the households at least once in a year formally. In this interaction, he has to find the desires and wishes of the household in the area of social issues, public works and public policy. He has to inform them his party's current stand on various issues and his party's programmes. He has to report to the party machinery, the issues raised by the households. The inputs given by the members based on such visits will be very useful information to the party to undertake local tactical issue based activities and to develop policies and programs on large scale.
Lenin on Party Members
It is our task to safegaurd the firmness, consistency, and purity of our party. We must strive to raise the title and significance of a party member higher, higher and still higher.
We communists, (implying party members) are looked upon as a model in everything - n work and behavior. We have to live and work in such a way that the working person coud say: Yes this is a real communist...
Unaffiliated working people often judge the party by the behavior of its members. Every party member is the party's representative in any work collective, and he acts not only be explaining party policies and by proclaiming slogans, but by primarily by showing a good example in work, social and political activities, and everyday life.
In work collectives, everyone sees the communists' (party members) attitude towards their work: whether they are exacting of themselves and their party comrades, how irreconciliable they are toward, say self love, avaric, hard drinking and other infringements of discipline and the law and order and toward indifferent attitudes to people's needs and doings.
(Source: Yevgeny Bugaev, What is The Party?, Progress Publishers, Moscow,1986
But each member of a political party has voluntarily come forward to represent the people and when a political party admits him into the party, it has approved his voluntary action and gives him the right to represent the party to the people whom he wants to represent.
I advocate that each member of a political party has to be given the responsibility of contacting 50 households to carry out the task of representing people as well as that of a party member. To fulfil this responsibility, the member has to meet each of the households at least once in a year formally. In this interaction, he has to find the desires and wishes of the household in the area of social issues, public works and public policy. He has to inform them his party's current stand on various issues and his party's programmes. He has to report to the party machinery, the issues raised by the households. The inputs given by the members based on such visits will be very useful information to the party to undertake local tactical issue based activities and to develop policies and programs on large scale.
Lenin on Party Members
It is our task to safegaurd the firmness, consistency, and purity of our party. We must strive to raise the title and significance of a party member higher, higher and still higher.
We communists, (implying party members) are looked upon as a model in everything - n work and behavior. We have to live and work in such a way that the working person coud say: Yes this is a real communist...
Unaffiliated working people often judge the party by the behavior of its members. Every party member is the party's representative in any work collective, and he acts not only be explaining party policies and by proclaiming slogans, but by primarily by showing a good example in work, social and political activities, and everyday life.
In work collectives, everyone sees the communists' (party members) attitude towards their work: whether they are exacting of themselves and their party comrades, how irreconciliable they are toward, say self love, avaric, hard drinking and other infringements of discipline and the law and order and toward indifferent attitudes to people's needs and doings.
(Source: Yevgeny Bugaev, What is The Party?, Progress Publishers, Moscow,1986
About - Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The CPI(M) was formed at the Seventh Congress of the Communist Party of India held in Calcutta from October 31 to November 7, 1964. The CPI(M) was born in the struggle against revisionism and sectarianism in the communist movement at the international and national level, in order to defend the scientific and revolutionary tenets of Marxism-Leninism and its appropriate application in the concrete Indian conditions.
The CPI(M) has grown to 9,76,622 in 2007. The Party has sought to independently apply Marxism-Leninism to Indian conditions and to work out the strategy and tactics for a people's democratic revolution, which can transform the lives of the Indian people. The CPI(M) is engaged in bringing about this basic transformation by carrying out a programme to end imperialist, big bourgeois and landlord exploitation.
Source: http://cpim.org/ - Introduction
The working class and its parties have to equip themselves ideologically, politically and organisationally to wage a relentless struggle against imperialism and its exploitative order. The unity of the Left, democratic and progressive forces around the world must be forged to fight against imperialism and defeat the ruling classes who seek to sustain and perpetuate the present unjust global order. As a Party based on proletarian internationalism, the CPI(M) is committed to fight against imperialist hegemony and expresses solidarity with all the forces in the world who are fighting against the imperialist-driven economic order of globalisation and for peace, democracy and socialism.
3.14 The working class has borne the brunt of the heavy burdens imposed by the capitalists and the government. The real wages of the workers do not rise because of the ever-increasing prices. With the crisis in the industrial sphere becoming endemic, the workers face the onslaught of closures and retrenchment. The labour laws supposed to safeguard the rights of the workers are defective and even these are not enforced; violation of laws by the employers is the norm. The recognition of trade unions by secret ballot and the right of collective bargaining are denied. The offensive of liberalisation and privatisation has rendered lakhs of workers jobless without any social security to fall back upon. The deregulation of the labour market is demanded as part of the policy of liberalisation. Benefits and rights earned by workers through prolonged struggles are sought to be curtailed. Permanent jobs are being converted to contract or casual jobs. Working women get less wages and are the first to be retrenched. Child labour has increased and working children are subjected to the worst forms of exploitation. Outside the organised sector millions of workers get no protection from the labour laws and are deprived of even the minimum wages set by the government. The plight of the labouring men and women in the huge unorganised sector is one of drudgery. They work for a pittance for long hours, often in hazardous conditions with no social security. It is the unremitting labour and the exploitation of the working class which has provided the profits for the bourgeoisie, the big contractors and the multinational corporations.
Programmes in the field Industry and Labour
Take steps to eliminate Indian and foreign monopolies in different sectors of industry, finance, trade and services through suitable measures including State take-over of their assets.
Strengthen public sector industries through modernisation, democratisation, freeing from bureaucratic controls and corruption, fixing strict accountability, ensuring workers participation in management and making it competitive so that it can occupy commanding position in the economy.
Allow foreign direct investment in selected sectors for acquiring advanced technology and upgrading productive capacities. Regulate finance capital flows in the interests of the overall economy.
Assist the small and medium industries by providing them credit, raw materials at reasonable prices and by helping them in regard to marketing facilities.
Regulate and co-ordinate various sectors of the economy and the market in order to achieve balanced and planned economic development of the country. Regulate foreign trade.
Improve radically the living standards of workers by: a) fixing a living wage, b) progressive reduction of working hours; c) social insurance against every kind of disability and unemployment; d) provision of housing for workers; e) recognition of trade unions by secret ballot and their rights of collective bargaining as well as right to strike; and f) abolition of child labour.
Provide maximum relief from taxation to workers, peasants and artisans; introduce graded tax in agriculture, industry and trade; and effectively implement a price policy in the interest of the common people.
7.13 The working class and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), while not for a moment losing sight of their basic aim of building the people's democratic front to achieve people's democratic revolution and the fact that they have to inevitably come into clash with the present Indian State led by the big bourgeoisie, do take cognisance of the contradictions and conflicts that exist between the Indian bourgeoisie including the big bourgeoisie and imperialism. Opening up the Indian economy to the unbridled and free entry of MNCs and foreign finance capital will intensify this contradiction. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), while carefully studying this phenomenon, shall strive to utilise every such difference, fissure, conflict and contradiction to isolate the imperialists and strengthen the people's struggle for democratic advance. The working class will not hesitate to lend its unstinted support to the government on all issues of world peace and anti-imperialism which are in the genuine interests of the nation, on all economic and political issues of conflict with imperialism, and on all issues which involve questions of strengthening our sovereignty and independent foreign policy.
7.14 Reactionary and counter-revolutionary trends have existed even after independence. They make use of the backwardness of the people based on the immense influence of feudal ideology. In recent decades, making use of the growing discontent against the Congress leading to its steady decline, they are making serious efforts to fill the void left by the Congress Party. The Bharatiya Janata Party is a reactionary party with a divisive and communal platform, the reactionary content of which is based on hatred against other religions, intolerance and ultra-nationalist chauvinism. The BJP is no ordinary bourgeois party as the fascistic Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh guides and dominates it. When the BJP is in power, the RSS gets access to the instruments of State power and the State machinery. The Hindutva ideology promotes revivalism and rejects the composite culture of India with the objective of establishing a Hindu rashtra. The spread of such a communal outlook leads to the growth of minority fundamentalism. This has serious consequences for the secular basis of the polity and poses a serious danger to the Left and democratic movement. Besides, a substantial section of big business and landlords, imperialism headed by the USA, is lending all-out support to the BJP.
7.18 The Communist Party of India (Marxist) strives to achieve the establishment of people's democracy and socialist transformation through peaceful means. By developing a powerful mass revolutionary movement, by combining parliamentary and extra parliamentary forms of struggle, the working class and its allies will try their utmost to overcome the resistance of the forces of reaction and to bring about these transformations through peaceful means. However, it needs always to be borne in mind that the ruling classes never relinquish their power voluntarily. They seek to defy the will of the people and seek to reverse it by lawlessness and violence. It is, therefore, necessary for the revolutionary forces to be vigilant and so orient their work that they can face up to all contingencies, to any twist and turn in the political life of the country.
Source: http://cpim.org/ Programme
The sites given in the references was accessed on 22.5.2009
My Comments
CPI(M) has around 10,00,000 members. According to me each member should be in touch with 50 households, which means at least 100 voters. This would mean 10 crore voters. But is CPI(M) getting 10 crores votes. It is not getting. Why? because its members are not going and meeting people on a planned basis.
In my 35 years of adult life, so far no CPI(M) party member contacted me. Even though I am an employee all my life that to an employee of government or public sector, the CPI(M) party members have not shown an interest in meeting me. Not only me, even many of the friends I know were never met by the party members. Of course, the blame is not on CPI(M) alone. It is the same with all political parties. Political parties have not given priority to contacting people on a regular basis.
http://kvssnrao-pss.blogspot.com/2009/05/members-of-political-party-what-should.html
The CPI(M) has grown to 9,76,622 in 2007. The Party has sought to independently apply Marxism-Leninism to Indian conditions and to work out the strategy and tactics for a people's democratic revolution, which can transform the lives of the Indian people. The CPI(M) is engaged in bringing about this basic transformation by carrying out a programme to end imperialist, big bourgeois and landlord exploitation.
Source: http://cpim.org/ - Introduction
The working class and its parties have to equip themselves ideologically, politically and organisationally to wage a relentless struggle against imperialism and its exploitative order. The unity of the Left, democratic and progressive forces around the world must be forged to fight against imperialism and defeat the ruling classes who seek to sustain and perpetuate the present unjust global order. As a Party based on proletarian internationalism, the CPI(M) is committed to fight against imperialist hegemony and expresses solidarity with all the forces in the world who are fighting against the imperialist-driven economic order of globalisation and for peace, democracy and socialism.
3.14 The working class has borne the brunt of the heavy burdens imposed by the capitalists and the government. The real wages of the workers do not rise because of the ever-increasing prices. With the crisis in the industrial sphere becoming endemic, the workers face the onslaught of closures and retrenchment. The labour laws supposed to safeguard the rights of the workers are defective and even these are not enforced; violation of laws by the employers is the norm. The recognition of trade unions by secret ballot and the right of collective bargaining are denied. The offensive of liberalisation and privatisation has rendered lakhs of workers jobless without any social security to fall back upon. The deregulation of the labour market is demanded as part of the policy of liberalisation. Benefits and rights earned by workers through prolonged struggles are sought to be curtailed. Permanent jobs are being converted to contract or casual jobs. Working women get less wages and are the first to be retrenched. Child labour has increased and working children are subjected to the worst forms of exploitation. Outside the organised sector millions of workers get no protection from the labour laws and are deprived of even the minimum wages set by the government. The plight of the labouring men and women in the huge unorganised sector is one of drudgery. They work for a pittance for long hours, often in hazardous conditions with no social security. It is the unremitting labour and the exploitation of the working class which has provided the profits for the bourgeoisie, the big contractors and the multinational corporations.
Programmes in the field Industry and Labour
Take steps to eliminate Indian and foreign monopolies in different sectors of industry, finance, trade and services through suitable measures including State take-over of their assets.
Strengthen public sector industries through modernisation, democratisation, freeing from bureaucratic controls and corruption, fixing strict accountability, ensuring workers participation in management and making it competitive so that it can occupy commanding position in the economy.
Allow foreign direct investment in selected sectors for acquiring advanced technology and upgrading productive capacities. Regulate finance capital flows in the interests of the overall economy.
Assist the small and medium industries by providing them credit, raw materials at reasonable prices and by helping them in regard to marketing facilities.
Regulate and co-ordinate various sectors of the economy and the market in order to achieve balanced and planned economic development of the country. Regulate foreign trade.
Improve radically the living standards of workers by: a) fixing a living wage, b) progressive reduction of working hours; c) social insurance against every kind of disability and unemployment; d) provision of housing for workers; e) recognition of trade unions by secret ballot and their rights of collective bargaining as well as right to strike; and f) abolition of child labour.
Provide maximum relief from taxation to workers, peasants and artisans; introduce graded tax in agriculture, industry and trade; and effectively implement a price policy in the interest of the common people.
7.13 The working class and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), while not for a moment losing sight of their basic aim of building the people's democratic front to achieve people's democratic revolution and the fact that they have to inevitably come into clash with the present Indian State led by the big bourgeoisie, do take cognisance of the contradictions and conflicts that exist between the Indian bourgeoisie including the big bourgeoisie and imperialism. Opening up the Indian economy to the unbridled and free entry of MNCs and foreign finance capital will intensify this contradiction. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), while carefully studying this phenomenon, shall strive to utilise every such difference, fissure, conflict and contradiction to isolate the imperialists and strengthen the people's struggle for democratic advance. The working class will not hesitate to lend its unstinted support to the government on all issues of world peace and anti-imperialism which are in the genuine interests of the nation, on all economic and political issues of conflict with imperialism, and on all issues which involve questions of strengthening our sovereignty and independent foreign policy.
7.14 Reactionary and counter-revolutionary trends have existed even after independence. They make use of the backwardness of the people based on the immense influence of feudal ideology. In recent decades, making use of the growing discontent against the Congress leading to its steady decline, they are making serious efforts to fill the void left by the Congress Party. The Bharatiya Janata Party is a reactionary party with a divisive and communal platform, the reactionary content of which is based on hatred against other religions, intolerance and ultra-nationalist chauvinism. The BJP is no ordinary bourgeois party as the fascistic Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh guides and dominates it. When the BJP is in power, the RSS gets access to the instruments of State power and the State machinery. The Hindutva ideology promotes revivalism and rejects the composite culture of India with the objective of establishing a Hindu rashtra. The spread of such a communal outlook leads to the growth of minority fundamentalism. This has serious consequences for the secular basis of the polity and poses a serious danger to the Left and democratic movement. Besides, a substantial section of big business and landlords, imperialism headed by the USA, is lending all-out support to the BJP.
7.18 The Communist Party of India (Marxist) strives to achieve the establishment of people's democracy and socialist transformation through peaceful means. By developing a powerful mass revolutionary movement, by combining parliamentary and extra parliamentary forms of struggle, the working class and its allies will try their utmost to overcome the resistance of the forces of reaction and to bring about these transformations through peaceful means. However, it needs always to be borne in mind that the ruling classes never relinquish their power voluntarily. They seek to defy the will of the people and seek to reverse it by lawlessness and violence. It is, therefore, necessary for the revolutionary forces to be vigilant and so orient their work that they can face up to all contingencies, to any twist and turn in the political life of the country.
Source: http://cpim.org/ Programme
The sites given in the references was accessed on 22.5.2009
My Comments
CPI(M) has around 10,00,000 members. According to me each member should be in touch with 50 households, which means at least 100 voters. This would mean 10 crore voters. But is CPI(M) getting 10 crores votes. It is not getting. Why? because its members are not going and meeting people on a planned basis.
In my 35 years of adult life, so far no CPI(M) party member contacted me. Even though I am an employee all my life that to an employee of government or public sector, the CPI(M) party members have not shown an interest in meeting me. Not only me, even many of the friends I know were never met by the party members. Of course, the blame is not on CPI(M) alone. It is the same with all political parties. Political parties have not given priority to contacting people on a regular basis.
http://kvssnrao-pss.blogspot.com/2009/05/members-of-political-party-what-should.html
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Shivsena - Ideology
http://www.shivsena.org/
http://www.shivsena.org/LoksabhaVachannama.pdf
What is the ideology of Shivsena?
To be explored.
http://www.shivsena.org/LoksabhaVachannama.pdf
What is the ideology of Shivsena?
To be explored.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
RSS Pratinidhi Sabha Resolutions
2000 : A.B.P.S.
From Resolution 1
The A.B.P.S. therefore, ardently desires that the various Hindu religious bodies come together and evolve a concerted plan to not only halt the rampant conversion, but also to bring back to our fold those that were converted to intolerent faiths by force, fraud or allurement. To achieve this home coming we have only to change our mindset and open the doors of our hearts and homes, and welcome them back as our loving brethren.
http://www.archivesofrss.org/index.php?option=com_prastav
From Resolution 2
The RSS views that conversion is the biggest irritant. Neither the Sangh nor the law of the land accepts that the right to propagate means right to convert. The Supreme Court of India is unequivocal on this behalf. The Sangh has nothing against Christian brethren or Christian faith but certainly against the plan of the Church to "reap a great harvest of faith in Asia". In certain North Eastern regions, such as East Arunachal and Tripura, where the Hindu is vulnerable, conversion is forced at the point of gun. Divisive political consequences follow religious conversions. Further, conversion is not merely a change in the form of worship but a change in the priority of loyalties. It also disrupts social harmony and cultural traditions. Therefore, the Hindu views conversion as an aggression on the Hindu society. Another major source of irritation is the Christian style of preaching denigrating Hindu gods and goddesses, which deeply hurt the Hindu sentiments.
It is worth noting that the Hindu society has exercised restraint in spite of all such provocations. To mistake it as Hindu weakness is to betray ignorance of the working of human nature. The ABKM calls upon the Christian Church to cultivate the goodwill of the Hindu. That is the greatest guarantor of the long range of interests of the Christians themselves.
http://www.archivesofrss.org/index.php?option=com_prastav
From Resolution 2 of ABPS
The ABPS urges the Central Government to initiate legislation banning slaughter of Cow and her entire Family throughout the country . It is a fact well recognised that the Cow occupies a unique place in the national psyche . It is held as sacred and deep religious sentiments govern the attitude of our countrymen .In fact.it is called "kamadhenu" . The economic advantages implicit in Cow- protection compels us to consider the question with all earnestness .
From Resolution 4 of ABPS
The A.B.P S. also calls upon the Swayamsevaks and all people conscious of our cultural eminence to keep their family atmosphere free from this cultural pollution. Let the noble and the great values from our glorious past sanctify our domestic atmosphere and save our people from the impending danger of considering the glamorous, but devoid of any moral values as modern and fell a prey to it.
From Resolution 1
The A.B.P.S. therefore, ardently desires that the various Hindu religious bodies come together and evolve a concerted plan to not only halt the rampant conversion, but also to bring back to our fold those that were converted to intolerent faiths by force, fraud or allurement. To achieve this home coming we have only to change our mindset and open the doors of our hearts and homes, and welcome them back as our loving brethren.
http://www.archivesofrss.org/index.php?option=com_prastav
From Resolution 2
The RSS views that conversion is the biggest irritant. Neither the Sangh nor the law of the land accepts that the right to propagate means right to convert. The Supreme Court of India is unequivocal on this behalf. The Sangh has nothing against Christian brethren or Christian faith but certainly against the plan of the Church to "reap a great harvest of faith in Asia". In certain North Eastern regions, such as East Arunachal and Tripura, where the Hindu is vulnerable, conversion is forced at the point of gun. Divisive political consequences follow religious conversions. Further, conversion is not merely a change in the form of worship but a change in the priority of loyalties. It also disrupts social harmony and cultural traditions. Therefore, the Hindu views conversion as an aggression on the Hindu society. Another major source of irritation is the Christian style of preaching denigrating Hindu gods and goddesses, which deeply hurt the Hindu sentiments.
It is worth noting that the Hindu society has exercised restraint in spite of all such provocations. To mistake it as Hindu weakness is to betray ignorance of the working of human nature. The ABKM calls upon the Christian Church to cultivate the goodwill of the Hindu. That is the greatest guarantor of the long range of interests of the Christians themselves.
http://www.archivesofrss.org/index.php?option=com_prastav
From Resolution 2 of ABPS
The ABPS urges the Central Government to initiate legislation banning slaughter of Cow and her entire Family throughout the country . It is a fact well recognised that the Cow occupies a unique place in the national psyche . It is held as sacred and deep religious sentiments govern the attitude of our countrymen .In fact.it is called "kamadhenu" . The economic advantages implicit in Cow- protection compels us to consider the question with all earnestness .
From Resolution 4 of ABPS
The A.B.P S. also calls upon the Swayamsevaks and all people conscious of our cultural eminence to keep their family atmosphere free from this cultural pollution. Let the noble and the great values from our glorious past sanctify our domestic atmosphere and save our people from the impending danger of considering the glamorous, but devoid of any moral values as modern and fell a prey to it.
BJP and Its Ideology -Is It Committed to It?
There are certain personality based parties and there are certain ideology based parties in India.
BJP and Left parties are considered as ideology based parties.
Lallu Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav have parties with socialist background but at the moment they are more personality based parties rather than ideology based parties.
What is the ideology of BJP?
BJP is a part of Sangh Parivar? Hence its ideology is based on ideology of RSS. What is the ideology of RSS?
RSS is engaged in making hindus socially conscious. According to it, Hindu society was defeated in military struggles because it did not understand the importance of social solidarity and cohesion. Hindu society is highly fragmented on the basis of sects and castes. Individual and family issues are getting the preference both for religious issues as well as for economic issues and society is not getting the attention it deserved from Hindus. RSS is trying to create a more cohesive hindu society. It also dreams of a very wealthy and prosperous India. BJP is a political organization within the outfits promoted by RSS persons has a role to play in accelerating the cohesion among Hindus.
On an ideological basis, social issues dominate BJP's policy. It has to take care of economic development of the country. But somehow, BJP governments in power are not able to do much in the area of furthering the social transformation. They are getting engulfed in economic issues and going on the path shown by congress party persons. BJP is losing vote share because of that. It is not able to take care of the aspirations of its support base.
Some parties have as their support base people who want some money and some distribution of liquor for some days to give votes. BJP's core support base is not built on money and liquor. But BJP is unable to fulfil the needs of its support base in terms of its ideology and probably some party candidates are trying the money and liquor route.
For instance, can any BJP state government claim significant increase in Sangh Parivar acvitiy in its state due to its being in power in the state?
Ideological parties cannot progress further if they are not promoting their ideology.
Today Hindustan Times carried an editorial article with the caption there is no Hindu Vote? Who is responsible for such a state of affairs? It is BJP. It is there to develop a Hindu Vote/ It is its mission? Has it failed?
BJP and Left parties are considered as ideology based parties.
Lallu Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav have parties with socialist background but at the moment they are more personality based parties rather than ideology based parties.
What is the ideology of BJP?
BJP is a part of Sangh Parivar? Hence its ideology is based on ideology of RSS. What is the ideology of RSS?
RSS is engaged in making hindus socially conscious. According to it, Hindu society was defeated in military struggles because it did not understand the importance of social solidarity and cohesion. Hindu society is highly fragmented on the basis of sects and castes. Individual and family issues are getting the preference both for religious issues as well as for economic issues and society is not getting the attention it deserved from Hindus. RSS is trying to create a more cohesive hindu society. It also dreams of a very wealthy and prosperous India. BJP is a political organization within the outfits promoted by RSS persons has a role to play in accelerating the cohesion among Hindus.
On an ideological basis, social issues dominate BJP's policy. It has to take care of economic development of the country. But somehow, BJP governments in power are not able to do much in the area of furthering the social transformation. They are getting engulfed in economic issues and going on the path shown by congress party persons. BJP is losing vote share because of that. It is not able to take care of the aspirations of its support base.
Some parties have as their support base people who want some money and some distribution of liquor for some days to give votes. BJP's core support base is not built on money and liquor. But BJP is unable to fulfil the needs of its support base in terms of its ideology and probably some party candidates are trying the money and liquor route.
For instance, can any BJP state government claim significant increase in Sangh Parivar acvitiy in its state due to its being in power in the state?
Ideological parties cannot progress further if they are not promoting their ideology.
Today Hindustan Times carried an editorial article with the caption there is no Hindu Vote? Who is responsible for such a state of affairs? It is BJP. It is there to develop a Hindu Vote/ It is its mission? Has it failed?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
BJP websites
http://bjpkarnataka.org/
http://www.saurashtrabjp.org/bjphistory.htm
Bharatiya Janata Party is today the most prominent member of the family of organisations known as the "Sangh Parivar". And RSS has always been dubbed "communal", "reactionary" and what not by its detractors. Sanghs of swayamsevaks have of course always shaken off that criticism like so much water off a duck's back. They have never had any doubt that the organisation is wedded to national unity, national integrity, national identity and national strength through individual character and national character.
http://www.saurashtrabjp.org/bjphistory.htm
http://www.saurashtrabjp.org/bjphistory.htm
Bharatiya Janata Party is today the most prominent member of the family of organisations known as the "Sangh Parivar". And RSS has always been dubbed "communal", "reactionary" and what not by its detractors. Sanghs of swayamsevaks have of course always shaken off that criticism like so much water off a duck's back. They have never had any doubt that the organisation is wedded to national unity, national integrity, national identity and national strength through individual character and national character.
http://www.saurashtrabjp.org/bjphistory.htm
Is Left Irrelevant Now?
I think left parties are relevant.
But they are not sticking to their core ideology.
Their core ideology could be ushering in communism or socialism.
In a democratic setup their ideology could be promoting public sector as an economic agent and supporting working class in defending their rights as well as to create political leadership from working classes.
Are the left parties doing these things successfully? One comes across very rarely in the media any success stories of left parties in the area of public sector.
Even in the area of supporting woring class, the left is inactive nowadays. Have left promoted political leadership in working classes recently. Once again it is difficult to find examples in every day news.
What is left doing? It is into manipulative politics with congress and caste based parties. It will be good for the society if left focuses on its ideology.
Even BJP has the same problem.In stead of politics that promote its ideology it is promoting personality based strategies. The isse is not whether Advani became a prime minister or not? The issue is how far the ideology of the party was promoted? Have they lost an opportunity to promote their ideology? Have they used their last term in the office to promote their ideology?
But they are not sticking to their core ideology.
Their core ideology could be ushering in communism or socialism.
In a democratic setup their ideology could be promoting public sector as an economic agent and supporting working class in defending their rights as well as to create political leadership from working classes.
Are the left parties doing these things successfully? One comes across very rarely in the media any success stories of left parties in the area of public sector.
Even in the area of supporting woring class, the left is inactive nowadays. Have left promoted political leadership in working classes recently. Once again it is difficult to find examples in every day news.
What is left doing? It is into manipulative politics with congress and caste based parties. It will be good for the society if left focuses on its ideology.
Even BJP has the same problem.In stead of politics that promote its ideology it is promoting personality based strategies. The isse is not whether Advani became a prime minister or not? The issue is how far the ideology of the party was promoted? Have they lost an opportunity to promote their ideology? Have they used their last term in the office to promote their ideology?
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Congratulations - Congress Team
The congress public team is Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Abhishek Singhvi, Veerappa Moily, Manish Tiwari, Jayanti Natarajan and some more.
They all deserve congratulations for coming up as victors. They have the responsibility of steering the policy and programs of the country for five more years.
Rahul Gandhi is credited with reviving congress in UP. It is good that he has participated fully in reviving the party. He is not inherting someone else's good work. He is doing the hard work himself and in the process may be learning many issues related to managing masses - their desires and ways of satisfying them.
They all deserve congratulations for coming up as victors. They have the responsibility of steering the policy and programs of the country for five more years.
Rahul Gandhi is credited with reviving congress in UP. It is good that he has participated fully in reviving the party. He is not inherting someone else's good work. He is doing the hard work himself and in the process may be learning many issues related to managing masses - their desires and ways of satisfying them.
Parliament Elections 2009 - Mumbai Thane
1) Mumbai North Sanjay Brijkishorlal Nirupam (Cong) defeated Ram Naik (BJP) by 5779 votes
2) Mumbai North West Ad.Kamat Gurudas Vasant (Cong) defeated Gajanan Kirtikar (SS) by 38415 votes
3) Mumbai North East Sanjay Dina Patil (Cong) defeated Kirit Somaiya (BJP) by 2933 votes
4) Mumbai North Central Dutt Priya Sunil (Cong) defeated Mahesh Ram Jethmalani (BJP) by 174555 votes
5) Mumbai South Central Eknath M. Gaikwad (Cong) defeated Suresh Anant Gambhir (SS) by 75706 votes
6) Mumbai South Deora Milind Murli (Cong) defeated Bala Nandgaonkar (MNS) by 112682 votes
7) Thane Dr.Sanjeev Ganesh Naik (Cong) defeated Chaugule Vijay Laxman (SS) by 49020 votes
8) Kalyan Anand Prakash Paranjape (SS) defeated Davkhare Vasant Shankarrao (NCP) by 24202 votes
Kirit Somaiya and Ram Naik have proved their standing in the political life of the city. Mahesh Jethmalani and Ram Jethmalani always make things difficult for the party and people by taking up cases of many criminal suspects. They combined defending high profile criminal suspects with politics successfully but the unease in the party and people is very clear.
Shiv Sena seems to have been hurt with the division in their leadership ranks.
Dr. Sanjeev Ganesh Naik, got a doctorate (probably honorary) from a Tamil university in USA which has four pages in its web site and says it is a distance education centre of some Indian universities. But he has used it consistently in all his publicity material.
Some professionals have entered fray this time. They may not have got many votes. But it is welcome trend. They should contest once again for assembly this time and this election experience will come in handy for them in doing much more adequate campaigning. We need fresh faces in assemblies and parliament all the time.
2) Mumbai North West Ad.Kamat Gurudas Vasant (Cong) defeated Gajanan Kirtikar (SS) by 38415 votes
3) Mumbai North East Sanjay Dina Patil (Cong) defeated Kirit Somaiya (BJP) by 2933 votes
4) Mumbai North Central Dutt Priya Sunil (Cong) defeated Mahesh Ram Jethmalani (BJP) by 174555 votes
5) Mumbai South Central Eknath M. Gaikwad (Cong) defeated Suresh Anant Gambhir (SS) by 75706 votes
6) Mumbai South Deora Milind Murli (Cong) defeated Bala Nandgaonkar (MNS) by 112682 votes
7) Thane Dr.Sanjeev Ganesh Naik (Cong) defeated Chaugule Vijay Laxman (SS) by 49020 votes
8) Kalyan Anand Prakash Paranjape (SS) defeated Davkhare Vasant Shankarrao (NCP) by 24202 votes
Kirit Somaiya and Ram Naik have proved their standing in the political life of the city. Mahesh Jethmalani and Ram Jethmalani always make things difficult for the party and people by taking up cases of many criminal suspects. They combined defending high profile criminal suspects with politics successfully but the unease in the party and people is very clear.
Shiv Sena seems to have been hurt with the division in their leadership ranks.
Dr. Sanjeev Ganesh Naik, got a doctorate (probably honorary) from a Tamil university in USA which has four pages in its web site and says it is a distance education centre of some Indian universities. But he has used it consistently in all his publicity material.
Some professionals have entered fray this time. They may not have got many votes. But it is welcome trend. They should contest once again for assembly this time and this election experience will come in handy for them in doing much more adequate campaigning. We need fresh faces in assemblies and parliament all the time.
Monday, May 11, 2009
2009 Elections - Forecast for BJP's Performance
Anantha's forecast
Things look grim for the BJP. As per my latest calculation, I can't see the lotus bloom in more than 130 seats. That's 8 seats lesser than 2004. Here's the statewise break-up as I see it:
NORTH - 26/126
Uttar Pradesh - 6/80
Uttar Khand - 4/5
Punjab - 3/13
Chandigarh - 1/1
Himachal - 3/4
Haryana - 3/10
Delhi - 4/7
J&K - 2/6
WEST - 72/143
Maharashtra - 18/48
Goa - 1/2
Daman - 1/1
Dadra Nagar - 1/1
Madhya Pradesh - 17/29
Chattisgarh - 7/11
Rajasthan - 9/25
Gujarat - 18/26
SOUTH - 14/131
Kerala - 0/20
Karnataka - 14/28
Tamil Nadu - 0/39
Pondichery - 0/1
Andhra - 0/42
Lakshadweep - 0/1
EAST - 26/143
Bihar - 10/40
Jharkand - 8/14
West Bengal - 0/42
Orissa - 3/21
Assam - 3/14
Arunachal - 1/2
Tripura - 0/2
Mizoram - 0/1
Manipur - 0/2
Meghalaya - 0/2
Nagaland - 0/1
Andamans - 1/1
Sikkim - 0/1
TOTAL - 130/543
Source: http://unantha.blogspot.com/2009/03/2009-election-analysis-bad-news-for-bjp.html
Could it be like this
NORTH - 36/126
Uttar Pradesh - 16/80
Uttar Khand - 4/5
Punjab - 3/13
Chandigarh - 1/1
Himachal - 3/4
Haryana - 3/10
Delhi - 4/7
J&K - 2/6
WEST - 88/143
Maharashtra - 18/48
Goa - 1/2
Daman - 1/1
Dadra Nagar - 1/1
Madhya Pradesh - 24/29
Chattisgarh - 7/11
Rajasthan - 15/25
Gujarat - 21/26
SOUTH - 26/131
Kerala - 0/20
Karnataka - 22/28
Tamil Nadu - 0/39
Pondichery - 0/1
Andhra - 4/42
Lakshadweep - 0/1
EAST - 32/143
Bihar - 10/40
Jharkand - 8/14
West Bengal - 1/42
Orissa - 5/21
Assam - 5/14
Arunachal - 1/2
Tripura - 0/2
Mizoram - 0/1
Manipur - 0/2
Meghalaya - 1/2
Nagaland - 0/1
Andamans - 1/1
Sikkim - 0/1
TOTAL - 36+88+26+32 =182 out of 543
This figure looks interesting. No doubt Times of India is giving on 145 to BJP but is giving 152 to Congress. But on paper it is not difficult to visualise 175 for BJP.
Things look grim for the BJP. As per my latest calculation, I can't see the lotus bloom in more than 130 seats. That's 8 seats lesser than 2004. Here's the statewise break-up as I see it:
NORTH - 26/126
Uttar Pradesh - 6/80
Uttar Khand - 4/5
Punjab - 3/13
Chandigarh - 1/1
Himachal - 3/4
Haryana - 3/10
Delhi - 4/7
J&K - 2/6
WEST - 72/143
Maharashtra - 18/48
Goa - 1/2
Daman - 1/1
Dadra Nagar - 1/1
Madhya Pradesh - 17/29
Chattisgarh - 7/11
Rajasthan - 9/25
Gujarat - 18/26
SOUTH - 14/131
Kerala - 0/20
Karnataka - 14/28
Tamil Nadu - 0/39
Pondichery - 0/1
Andhra - 0/42
Lakshadweep - 0/1
EAST - 26/143
Bihar - 10/40
Jharkand - 8/14
West Bengal - 0/42
Orissa - 3/21
Assam - 3/14
Arunachal - 1/2
Tripura - 0/2
Mizoram - 0/1
Manipur - 0/2
Meghalaya - 0/2
Nagaland - 0/1
Andamans - 1/1
Sikkim - 0/1
TOTAL - 130/543
Source: http://unantha.blogspot.com/2009/03/2009-election-analysis-bad-news-for-bjp.html
Could it be like this
NORTH - 36/126
Uttar Pradesh - 16/80
Uttar Khand - 4/5
Punjab - 3/13
Chandigarh - 1/1
Himachal - 3/4
Haryana - 3/10
Delhi - 4/7
J&K - 2/6
WEST - 88/143
Maharashtra - 18/48
Goa - 1/2
Daman - 1/1
Dadra Nagar - 1/1
Madhya Pradesh - 24/29
Chattisgarh - 7/11
Rajasthan - 15/25
Gujarat - 21/26
SOUTH - 26/131
Kerala - 0/20
Karnataka - 22/28
Tamil Nadu - 0/39
Pondichery - 0/1
Andhra - 4/42
Lakshadweep - 0/1
EAST - 32/143
Bihar - 10/40
Jharkand - 8/14
West Bengal - 1/42
Orissa - 5/21
Assam - 5/14
Arunachal - 1/2
Tripura - 0/2
Mizoram - 0/1
Manipur - 0/2
Meghalaya - 1/2
Nagaland - 0/1
Andamans - 1/1
Sikkim - 0/1
TOTAL - 36+88+26+32 =182 out of 543
This figure looks interesting. No doubt Times of India is giving on 145 to BJP but is giving 152 to Congress. But on paper it is not difficult to visualise 175 for BJP.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Log On, Switch Off, Make a Difference
A new trend of campaigns, courtesy technology, allows the public to take action against politicians and corporations. It signals better times ahead as the real power now seems to vest with the common man.
Pratik Kanjilal, Publisher of The Little Magazine
pratik@littlemag.com
Hindustan Times, Mumbai, January 24, 2009, Page 10
This article encourages people to take up issues and advocate the viewpoints through email and sms campaigns. One does not have to depend exclusively on the print media journalists
Pratik Kanjilal, Publisher of The Little Magazine
pratik@littlemag.com
Hindustan Times, Mumbai, January 24, 2009, Page 10
This article encourages people to take up issues and advocate the viewpoints through email and sms campaigns. One does not have to depend exclusively on the print media journalists
Emphasize Representing People
Politician at any level in a democracy is a representative of the opinion of people. Both political party members and elected representatives need to have systems in place to accumulate public opinion within their constituency.
Unfortunately such systems are not visible.
There is more emphasis in media as well as in party and government affairs on the leadership and authority and the role of representing people is almost forgotten.
There is a need to emphasize representing people in democratic systems.
Unfortunately such systems are not visible.
There is more emphasis in media as well as in party and government affairs on the leadership and authority and the role of representing people is almost forgotten.
There is a need to emphasize representing people in democratic systems.
Monarchy Out, Democray In, But Dynasty is Entrenched
Democracies have to take steps to prevent emergence of dynasties.
1. A close family relative should not be allowed to take up a political executive office immediately after resignation, retirement, or death of an existing person in position. A gap of ten years or two general elections gap should be recommended.
2. Two members of a family cannot be in same legislative body simultaneously.
1. A close family relative should not be allowed to take up a political executive office immediately after resignation, retirement, or death of an existing person in position. A gap of ten years or two general elections gap should be recommended.
2. Two members of a family cannot be in same legislative body simultaneously.
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