MAY 28, 2024
By Aravind Bhatikar
JAWAHARLAL Nehru became the prime minister of India at the age of 58, Atal Bihari Vajpayee (for a full term) at the age of 74, Dr Manmohan Singh at the age of 72 and Narendra Modi at the age of 64.
Jawaharlal Nehru served as India’s prime minister for almost 17 years, till his death at the age of 75. A B Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh became prime ministers when they were already in their 70s. Vajpayee served till he was 80 and Dr Manmohan Singh served till he was 82. Narendra Modi will be 74 years of age on September 17, 2024.
While the three former prime ministers and Narendra Modi have served the country even in their 70s, it is only Narendra Modi who stands out for making absurd statements raising widespread suspicion about his mental stability and equanimity. His wild and explosive speeches during the last few months of election campaigning, have raised doubts whether he can be relied on to lead our country, a nuclear power surrounded by other nuclear powers.
Six phases of the Lok Sabha elections are over and many independent observers have predicted that the BJP may not even win 200 seats in the Lok Sabha. Narendra Modi’s nervousness shows up in his public speeches.
A few days ago Narendra Modi began asking for votes as blessings from 80 crore people, who have been receiving 5 kilos of food grain free every month. This is ridiculous. In a welfare state citizens may receive many freebies but freebies cannot be a bribe given by the ruling party to get votes. Besides, to term the 5 kilo rice gift to 80 crore people “free” is a total lie because every citizen contributes to the country’s exchequer by way of various taxes. Even BPL card holders may be contributing their mite through indirect taxes (GST). Fair price shops and the Public Distribution System have been making food grain and other necessities available at subsidized prices to ration card holders for decades. No political party hitherto has tried to convert it into a bribe for votes.
Recently, Narendra Modi threatened to jail Tejashwi Yadav of Bihar due to a “land for jobs” scam that is alleged to have happened many years back when Tejashwi was a minor. Modi has now admitted publicly that it is he who takes decisions on who is to be jailed. Voters by now know about BJP’s “washing machine” and Modi’s statements about fighting corruption and arresting the corrupt are no longer taken seriously. Modi’s threats of jailing Opposition leaders have already weakened the Indian federal structure.
Modi’s recent declaration that “Paramatma” has specially sent him down to earth with a mission and that he is not a “biological” product given by his mother, strengthened our doubts about his capacity for rational thinking and behavior.
If Indian voters choose the BJP to rule the country for the next 5 years, the BJP will be well advised to elect another senior leader to be the prime minister. In any case, even if the INDIA wins and forms the government, the BJP top brass and the RSS should put their foot down and send Narendra Modi and Amit Shah into political exile for 14 years.
May 31, 2024
HEY MOJI3! DARO MAT! BHAAGO!
It’s all paramatma’s wish!
POLLING in the 7th phase of the Lok Sabha elections is almost over by June 1 and counting will be will be done on June 4.
Satta bazaars all over the country and a majority of independent YouTube channels have predicted that the NDA will not win enough seats to form a government and that the total number of seats that it wins may be less than 250 or so. There is a consensus among political analysts that Narendra Modi will have to step down as the leader of BJP parliamentary party because he may not succeed in persuading smaller non-NDA parties to support the NDA.
BJP is expecting to emerge as the single largest party in Lok Sabha, unless the anti-Modi and anti-BJP wave helps the Congress to emerge as the single largest party. There is a widespread suspicion among independent YouTubers that the counting process may not be free and fair and may be manipulated to favor the BJP.
The almost 6% increase in the voting percentage declared by the Election Commission over the figures reported in the 17C Form, 11 days after the end of 1st phase, and a little less, but substantial increase in the voting percentages after the 2nd phase, declared four days after the end of the 2nd phase and similar but smaller increases in subsequent phases, and the initial reluctance of the ECI to declare the numbers in addition to percentages, has increased the trust deficit between the Election Commission of India and the civil society.
The recent decision of the government to give a month’s service extension to the Army Chief General Manoj Pande and the rumors of Z level security being provided to Rajiv Kumar, the chief election commissioner, have further strengthened misgivings about free and fair elections. Conventionally, army is called by civil administration in states to help them to deal with extreme law and order problems. Such problems can arise hypothetically after declaration of election results which are perceived to be manipulated and rigged. The provision of Z level security to the CEC, if true, is more likely to be an act of bureaucratic over enthusiasm rather than a necessary step to protect a senior government official.
The Election Commission of India does not have its own staff at the state level for conduct of elections. It is the senior and middle level IAS and IPS officers and the Revenue and Police bureaucracy working under them that conduct the election under the superintendents and control of the ECI. The IAS and IPS bureaucracy in states ruled by Opposition parties can be generally expected to be fair and impartial in conducting the elections. Manipulation of the election process is likely to happen, if at all, in states where the IAS and IPS officers are serving under a BJP government.
Out of 543 Lok Sabha seats, 229 seats are located in states ruled by Opposition parties and hence there is less likelihood of manipulation in these states. Out of the remaining 314 seats which are located in BJP- ruled states, there is less likelihood of any manipulation of the polling process and counting in UP, Maharashtra and Bihar, since the Opposition parties in these states are quite strong and can be expected to be alert in locating and stopping any manipulations. These three States account for 168 Lok Sabha seats. Opposition parties need to be more alert to watch the polling process for the remaining 146 seats in states ruled by the BJP.
If INDIA emerges as the largest combined winning many more seats than the NDA combined, President of India Draupadi Murmu may have to call upon the leader of the INDIA combined to form the government.
In any case, the possibility of elections being rigged may not be strong in a majority of constituencies. However, ultimately, it is WE, THE PEOPLE who have to ensure that the elections are free and fair and the country really gets the government which people have elected.
