Whispers Forum

As the results came in on June 4 the NDA Alliance realised that a fractured mandate had been given by the people. PM Modi and his colleagues, Shah , Nadda , Rajnath Singh, then took a strategic decision to sit in the Opposition benches in Lok Sabha . They called their NDA pre- poll alliance partners and informed them of BJP leader’s decision. They also asked their colleagues to make their own decisions regarding government formation, and were free to act as they thought fit. Both Nitish Kumar and Naidu were completely stunned by this decision of the BJP leadership as expressed by PM Modi on the telephone to them. Both Naidu and Nitish Kumar were deeply unhappy by this news and requested PM to wait before making any assumptions about their future plans. This decision of the BJP leadership leaked to the INDI alliance, Kharge and Jairam Ramesh who were stunned. Why? They were totally aware of the chaos in their alliance. They were further apprehensive of the Rs 8500 per person per month announced by Rahul Gandhi and his determination to distribute wealth from rich to poor like Robin Hood fables. Where were the resources going to come from and would result in anarchy in India. Kharge asked Pawar to speak to Nitish Kumar. When Pawar spoke to Nitish Kumar he pointedly asked him his source of information! Pawar said he had no knowledge and was only asked to speak to Kumar. Nitish Kumar then told him about the input he had received from PM Modi ! This shocked Pawar. He called back to Kharge immediately and pointedly asked him - Who is going to be PM - tell me that first? Pawar called up Akhilesh Yadav of SP party and told him everything that he had learnt from Nitish Kumar. Yadav rang up Kharge and told him not to make any decisions till he arrived in Delhi. He further told Kharge that if you do not listen to me , I will withdraw from INDI alliance and would be alone in Lok Sabha. That statement stumped Congress party totally. Their numbers vanished as Yadav wanted to be PM too? Ms Mamata from Bengal had already thrown in her ambition to be PM too!
Devindra Sethi

First the PoK. It was in the news, recently due to terror attack sponsored by Pakistan, killing many pilgrims and injuring many more. Terror attacks have not stopped despite the promises made by the ruling dispensation to justify demonetisation. Proxy war from training camps from across the border, however, continues unabated. More terror attacks could be in the pipeline. Intelligence failure. Now, consider Tibet. India, in a tit-for-tat, has reportedly decided to rename over 30 places in Tibet ( called Xizang in mandarin). India did not protest China’s forcible occupation of Tibet since 1959. Renaming places, though belated, will thus tantamount to re-opening the Tibetan issue. Better, late than never. China has been a perennial pain in our neck. China has, of late, deployed PLA tanks along LOC in POK. War seems imminent. The question is: Is renaming of places in Tibet by India not over due, especially when China under cartographic aggression, has already renamed several sites in Arunachal Pradesh(AP) besides constructing hundreds of villages inside AP through its draconian policy of salami-slicing and claiming AP as part of south Tibet. It has been issuing stapled visas to Indians domiciled in AP. Similar incursions have been reported by the locals in Ladhak. No protest. China has also deployed PLA troops along the LAC. Galvan valley confrontation, is fresh in our mind. Against this backdrop, renaming over 30 places in Tibet by India, is considered a smart foreign policy initiative. The NDA-3.0 dispensation. is expected to put its best foot forward and forcibly occupy POK-Gilgit-Baltistan. Delay will be disastrous. Aksai chin (38,000 sq km) is already under China’s illegal occupation. China is hell-bent on occupying Taiwan, conducting military exercises, dangerously close to Taiwan. This may escalate tension in south-china sea region. India, ready for hybrid war against dual challenges from China and Pakistan, has a strong maritime presence in the region. Finally, a word about Dalai Lama. China has destroyed Tibet’s pristine culture by demolishing pagodas, monasteries, replacing Tibetan language by the mandarin. Buddhism was born in India. Both Tibet and India have age-old ties. The Tibetans facing persecution by China, fled to India in 1959 and were given shelter- mostly concentrated in Dharamshala. The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent struggle for liberating Tibet. He has been living here in exile since March 1959. He is highly regarded for his contribution to India’s composite culture and philosophy. While maintaining his Tibetan identity, Dalai Lama follows liberal Nalanda traditions. This serves as a testament to the enduring bonds that exist between the Tibetan and Indian cultures. Nalanda had a Mahavihara, a large Buddhist monastery in the ancient kingdom of Magadha(present Bihar). Earlier, Khan Abdul Ghaffar khan(of Pakistan) and ex-President Nelson Mandela were awarded Bharat Ratnas in1987 and 1990 respectively. Then, why deny the honour of Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama? This will be a retort and politically correct step against China’s misadventures.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

As a BJP supporter, it pains me that BJP has to depend on two opportunists for its survival. This predicament of BJP is mainly because of arrogance and autocratic ways of Modi and Shah duo. They tried hard to undermine senior leaders such as Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Vasundhara Raje, Shivraj Chouhan, Yogi Adityanath so that Modi has no challengers at all. This proved costly in UP, and Rajasthan. Further they weaponised ED, CBI, IT to target opposition leaders. In the last two years ED and IT were over active in raiding opposition leaders and this lead to a strong opposition unity. UP, Maharashtra results are mainly opposition unity under adversity. Surprisingly CBI was not so much proactive like ED and IT because its director is chosen by CJI also whereas ED is functioning with a temporary chief and IT by an officer on extended service. To course correct Modi must rein in Shah and accord respect to all senior leaders at least now. He needs to sack the current temporary incumbents and appoint regular chiefs for ED and IT immediately and not encourage targeting opposition leaders, who may unite against BJP and gain public sympathy. This election is a wake-up call for Modi to shun arrogance and not squander the opportunity to serve the country again in 2029. If there is no course correction BJP supporters like me will be disappointed in future when congress wins again on anti Modi plank.
Narendra

It seems only whispers in the corridors and Yogendra Yadav got it right this time. Timely intervention by BJP high command looking to these predictions would have improved their performance.
S K Saboo
Census on caste basis
Congress collected caste details in last census but no policy decisions came out of it. The question is not about data gathering the question is how they will translate into policy making.
Sukant
Why are you not telling truth?
More than 2000 homes, 600 shops, nine temples and six mosques were demolished in Ayodhya without giving any compensation that's the reason.
Faiz

As per news reports, Modi is all set to take oath as PM for the third term. In order to succeed, he may have to amend his style of functioning. First and the foremost, as PM of a coalition, he will have to come out of the authoritarian mode that he is not used to. He is bound to face demands from coalition partners for allocating attractive portfolios for ministerial berths. Balancing pressures from coalition partners for arriving at consensus on sensitive issues, will be a herculean task. Every coalition partner cannot be satisfied beyond a point. Worse, pressures from within his own party members especially Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Yogi, could upset the apple cart. Unstable coalition may suffer setbacks in the absence of a spirit of accommodation.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

As a die-hard supporter of BJP, I am relieved that at least NDA got majority. In my humble opinion the following are the reasons for BJP’s downfall from majority: 1. People love humility and loath hubris. Modi definitely spoiled this image by claiming to be a messenger of God out to save India. 2. Modi surrounded himself with sycophants and promoted his personality cult. 3. Using CBI, ED, I-T as weapons against opposition back fired. No one will fault if convicted politicians are sent to jail. He needs to sack ED and I-T heads immediately for misleading him. 4. BJP official spokespersons on TV debates are very crass, abrasive and arrogant. They need to be replaced by sober people like Shahi who came on Mojo channel 5. Modi totally ignored grass root workers of BJP and RSS and alienated them by giving tickets to turncoats. 6. BJP was very aggressive in Maharashtra while splitting the opposition parties. 7. BJP could not rebut the constitution change remark successfully and 400+ call did not help. 8. Modi and Shah tried to cut the senior leaders like Yogi to size and it backfired in UP. 9. Shah needs to be more humble and help BJP supporters in their mundane issues instead of being arrogant with them. 10. Top brass of BJP needs to shed arrogance. I am reiterating this because this is one singular reason for BJP’s loss in 2024.
Bharat
Prediction proves 100 % correct
We said this on May 25, 2024 (+BJP 290-293) where as 12-14 national media houses exit poll failed as well country’s leading political analysts & strategist predictions came wrong ! Our intuitive analysts prediction proved 100 % correct for Indian Lok sabha elections 2024!
Vivek Dhawan

Whatever may be the outcome of this general election this time both alliances are confident of victory. Prashant Kishore views on elections, Congress and Modi led BJP since 2014 elections is still relevant though in mid of election his same views were seen as unwarranted and setting a narrative and that too in front of a formidable anchor like Karan Thapar. However It will be a great miracle if India alliance makes it as it had no National leaders to challenge a highly experienced, decisive world leader like Modi and the lead partner in the India alliance the Congress is at its lowest strike rate and morale with original Congress man having joined BJP in large numbers with its party president office being remotely controlled by Rahul Gandhi and Ms Priyanka Gandhi and their team mostly imports from collapsed communist outfits and defunct organization secretary office who have collectively wiped out original Congress image among voters. Its success is now solely dependent on regional and caste based party's cooperation and performance. On the other hand the confidence of Modi and NDA is clearly visible as in entire election like a highly experienced fighter pilot Modi had been throwing decoy flares like Mahatma Gandhi, mangalsutra, sent by God etc for opposition and its media supporters to target their missiles on these flares only without touching Modi party's cadre strength and sense of continuity among voters on the basis of great infrastructure development ,welfare measures reaching directly to the beneficiaries and this huge beneficiary section will be the Main voters who may bring Modi back to power plus the middle class who wants market stability and those who saw historical promises being fulfilled. This columnist had long ago in one article here had mentioned that opposition had lost its plot in 2024 and may loose again in 2029 if the leading party Congress doesn't put its house in order and should be seen as a party interested in power to serve the nation.
S K Saboo

The recent Porsche car accident in Pune has once again drawn attention to the weakness in our traffic laws which are manipulated by the offenders. The Indian Penal Code containing these laws was enacted in the year 1860, when motor vehicles were nonexistent. The offence of causing death due to a rash or negligent act under section 304A was not as frequent and certainly multiple deaths would have been caused rarely. From accounts of those times, such as Charles Allen’s “Plain Tales from the Raj”, such offences were sometimes caused by the ruling British and other privileged classes during hunting expeditions, due to beating up of servants etc. No wonder section 304-A was made bailable, with imprisonment for only two years, though it caused death. As per newspaper reports the new criminal laws which will come in force from July 1, 2024 have proposed making this section non bailable, but there has been opposition from truckers associations. To overcome the handicap of 304A, we need to change the view in law that road accidents occur only due to rashness or negligence. In today’s modern and informed world, if a person talks on his phone while driving or drives after consuming alcohol or drives faster than the speed limit or allows a juvenile to drive his vehicle, etc. and thereby causes death or grievous hurt, it cannot be treated as mere negligence. It is in fact a deadly mix of arrogant defiance of the law and irresponsible behaviour. The police generally apply section 304-A in such cases, though a more effective remedy is available in the form of section 304 IPC (as distinct from section 304-A IPC). This section covers an act done with the knowledge that it is likely to cause death or fatal injury to another person, though the intention to do so is not there and death or fatal injury is caused. Unlike section 304-A, this section is non bailable, that is, the police cannot give bail and they have to produce the offender in court. Further, it has a provision of imprisonment up to ten years, unlike only two years under section 304-A. Unfortunately, the police resorts to section 304 mostly if there is a public or media uproar, such as occurred in the Pune Porche case or death of young businessman Siddharth Sharma in New Delhi in 2016. In this case the police arrested the juvenile driver of the Mercedes car under section 304-A and let him off on bail. When public and media outrage ensued, the police rearrested the juvenile under section 304 IPC along with his father for abetting the crime and the court rightly sent them to custody. Some other cases have occurred since then where section 304 was applied in the first instance, one of the latest being the death of three persons and injury to six persons on the 9 th November, 2023 by a speeding MUV on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai. Thus there is absolutely no legal hurdle in the application of section 304 in the special cases mentioned in the previous paragraph, such as drunken driving etc. Police departments of all the states need to expeditiously issue instructions accordingly, so that the application of section 304 is formalised and is not dependent on the choice of police stations. In Rathnashalvan v. State of Karnataka, the honourable High Court has held the same view and categorically stated that deterrence by way of fear of punishment should always be in the mind of a driver prone to driving rashly and negligently.
A R Pawar, former DGP Madhya Pradesh