‘How to Lose Supporters and Alienate People’ – a la BJP

‘How to Lose Supporters and Alienate People’ – a la BJP

Major General Mrinal Suman

Dale Carnegie wrote ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ in 1936 and the book continues to guide generations to date.

Going by its track record of the last eighteen months, BJP appears to be working overtime to perfect the art of ‘losing supporters and alienating people’.

BJP seems to be suffering from acute self-delusion syndrome. It continues to convince itself that caste equations are solely to blame for its trouncing in Bihar elections, whereas the truth is that people wanted to teach it a lesson. How else can the victory of 27 Congress candidates be explained? Why has the electorate preferred a leader convicted of corruption charges to BJP’s much-trumpeted development agenda?

BJP needs to do honest introspection. Rarely has one witnessed a ruling party lose so much of goodwill in such a short time. Arrogance of the leadership, coupled with proclivity for personal glorification, makes BJP short-sighted and egocentric. When the leaders start considering themselves infallible, they start entertaining inflated ideas of their own competence and treat people as nit-wits. The Modi government suffers from the same affliction.

BJP’s handling of the issues pertaining to the military community is symptomatic of the brazenness of its duplicitous and hypocritical mindset. En-block support extended by 50 lakh strong military community and their family members was a major factor in BJP’s unprecedented victory. Soldiers expected Modi to deliver on his promises – construction of a befitting War Memorial, establishment of a Veterans’ Commission and grant of OROP.

However, once in power, it started treating veterans with indifference. Even a chameleon takes longer to change its colours. Although the promises were explicit with no ambiguity of any nature whatsoever, Modi claimed that the promises were made to soldiers without knowing the complexities involved. Worse, veterans were advised to ‘lower their expectations’ and treated with loathsome homilies like ‘election jhumlas’. Some effrontery!

A look at BJP's conduct while in power exposes it as a two-faced party. The War Memorial continues to remain a paper proposal with no work done on ground. Veterans’ Commission has been a total non-starter. The government does not even talk about it. Finally, the government has offered a sham-OROP after gracelessly prolonged dithering.

Fulfilment of all the three promises is well within the government’s executive powers. Unlike the issue of black money, no foreign country is involved. What is more, no fresh legislation is required as the Parliament has already endorsed them on more than one occasion. Apparently, the government lacks sincerity of purpose. How else can one explain the failure of the Prime Minister (with 56 inches proverbial chest) to fulfil his promises made publically to millions of veterans?

Disdain for the Soldiers

One wonders as to what makes nations great. Why has India succumbed to foreign rule so often? Why is the US an undisputed world power? Why has Britain remained undefeated for centuries? The answer has been provided by a British army veteran, “A grateful nation’s recognition of its soldiers’ contribution to national security is the key difference”. It is India’s gross misfortune that its leadership has failed to appreciate this basic fact. 

While addressing veterans at the Phoenix Convention Center on 17 August 2009, President Obama said, “You have done your duty – to your fallen comrades, to your communities, to your country. You have always fulfilled your responsibilities to America. And so long as I am President of the United States, America will always fulfil its responsibilities to you”. He termed America's commitment to its veterans as sacred bonds and a sacred trust Americans are honour-bound to uphold.

Contrast the above pledge and assurance with the treatment meted out to the ex-servicemen in India. Despite repeated requests, the Prime Minister has not been able to spare a few minutes to meet the veterans during the last 18 months – maybe he considers it to be a waste of time. On the other hand, he appears ready to meet people from all other walks of life, even attend marriage of cricketers.

The way a government cares for its ex-servicemen has a profound effect on the psyche of the serving soldiers. Shabby and apathetic treatment meted out to ex-servicemen by an ungrateful government can never reassure a soldier as he sees himself as an ex-serviceman of the future. He starts entertaining doubts about government’s sincerity in fulfilling its commitments to him after superannuation.

Modi has been spending a few hours with the troops on every Diwali, in the mistaken belief that the troops can be impressed by such hollow gestures. Agreed that soldiers are sentimental and trusting humans by nature. But, they are not stupid and it will be a dreadful blunder for BJP to take them for granted. Soldiers regard solemn commitments to be sacrosanct and reneging on them is considered to be an act of betrayal. A leader who goes back on his word is considered unworthy of their trust.

Through its short-sighted approach, BJP has frittered away the goodwill of the entire soldiering community, its staunchest support group. Even the die-hard opponents of BJP had never expected such a short honeymoon. BJP is certainly going to pay for it dearly. Rarely has one seen a ruling party adopt such a ruinous self-destruct mode.

Finally, the Adieu

India will start getting into the election mode after another two years. Voters will need to be wooed. One wonders as to how BJP will muster courage to ask soldiers and ex-soldiers to vote for it. Who will trust such an insincere and arrogant party? That is the time BJP will rue its betrayal of the veterans and the shoddy treatment that it meted out to them.

Pictures of ill-mannered policemen manhandling aged veterans, who had spent their whole life in defending the country, will come to haunt BJP. Soldiers will not forget the appalling sight of an unruly policeman tearing a veteran’s shirt that displayed the gallantry medals won by him through sweat and blood.

Modi must realise that hugs from Obama and Hollande may be good for ego and photo-shoots. For re-election, he will need votes. Through his arrogance and disdain for the soldier community, he has managed to alienate them all – not a single serving or retired soldier is going to vote for BJP in the next election. Why should they vote for a man who considered it to be below his dignity to talk to veterans despite repeated requests?

Farsighted political leaders recognise the fact that they must strive to increase their acceptance across a larger section of the voter population to ensure re-election. To achieve that, they assiduously follow the time-tested mantra – ‘consolidate the support base, convince the fence sitters and cultivate the opponents’. Instead of expanding its base, BJP has been busy alienating its supporters, while the whole opposition has been uniting against it. 

More disheartening than Modi’s failure to fulfill the commitments is his refusal to interact with the veterans to understand their grievances. Worse, at Faridabad, he derided the military community by asserting that OROP would be at the cost of poor of India. Some arrogance and disdain for the soldiers! He will never be pardoned for such a snide remark – most unbecoming of a Prime Minister. BJP can write off states that have massive soldiering fraternity like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. 

Finally, borrowing a phrase from India’s freedom struggle (lathi-charge on Lala Lajpat Rai in 1928) and at the cost of sounding ominous, it can be stated bluntly that BJP’s neglect and contempt for the soldiering community will act as ‘the final nail in the coffin’ of its aspirations for the second term in power. And, when the chickens come home to roost, it will have no one to blame except its own supercilious leadership.*****  

Indo-Pak Relations: it is ‘War’ and not ‘Politics’

Indo-Pak Relations: it is ‘War’ and not ‘Politics’

http://www.sify.com/news/indo-pak-relations-are-war-not-politics-imagegallery-0-features-plfxlPejdbjeb.html

Major General Mrinal Suman

Indian apologists of Pakistan are often heard delivering sermons that Indo-Pak cultural/sports ties should not be held hostage to politics. It is a perverse argument. They deliberately ignore the fact that it is the ongoing war, and not quiescent politics, which has been the overriding feature of the relations between the two neighbors.

Politics is the art or science of government, especially the governance of a political entity (such as a nation); and the administration and control of its internal and external affairs. On the other hand, war is a state or period of armed hostility or active military operations (both declared and undeclared) between two nation states. 

In pursuit of its avowed objective of Bhutto’s ‘1000 year war’ and Zia’s ‘bleeding India by 1000 cuts’, it has been resorting to unconventional warfare relentlessly. India has lost more lives due to Pak-sponsored terrorist activities than all the armed conflicts fought after the Independence. If it is not war, pray what is it? Yes, Pakistan is at war with India.

While not endorsing the act of blackening the face of the Indian host, Shiv Sena cannot be faulted for opposing the visit of Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri to Mumbai to promote his book. Certainly, Shiv Sena could have staged the protest in a more democratic manner. Therefore, criticism by the Indian media is understandable.

However, what is more shocking is the fact that no one has bothered to question the credentials of Kasuri and his audacity to lecture India on the need for good neighborly relations. He was treated as a peace loving and moderate leader; and a well-wisher of India. One TV anchor went to the extent of eulogizing him as a beacon of peace for the sub-continent.

A few facts need to be recalled here for objective appraisal of Kasuri’s profile and to judge his sincerity of purpose. It was a matter of common knowledge that Musharraf was the prime architect of the Kargil aggression that wrecked the peace–process initiated by Vajpayee’s bus-diplomacy. Yet, Kasuri had no qualms in joining his cabinet as the Foreign Minister from 2002 to 2007.

Let us look at his track record. One, export of terrorism is a declared instrument of Pak’s foreign policy and Kasuri pursued it as steadfastly as his predecessors. He never tried to veer Pak away from the path of fomenting trouble in India. Two, his anti-India tirades at the UN and other world forums were always full of hostile enmity.  He never uttered a word against the Kargil misadventure.

Three, he was fully aware of anti-India venom being spewed openly by the fanatic leaders in public meetings. Such diatribes were regularly reported in Pak print and electronic media. Did he ever advise his government to reign in such elements? No.

Four, he never asked his government to hand-over to India terrorists accused of mass murders. It was no secret that Pakistan was sheltering them. When quizzed, he had the temerity to pretend ignorance - “How would I know whether Dawood was in Pakistan or not at that time.” He wants India to believe him. Some temerity!

Five, India has been repeatedly asking Pakistan to return 54 prisoners of war (POW) languishing in Pakistani jails. Did Kasuri get even one of them returned to India? Similarly, did Kasuri seek action against the Pak soldiers who tortured and mutilated the bodies of young Lt Saurabh Kalia and five other soldiers? Despite being a signatory to the Geneva Conventions, the Pakistanis had inflicted burn injuries on them with cigarettes, pierced their ears with hot rods, removed their eyes before puncturing them, and chopped off various limbs and private organs. They were shot dead after 22 days of unimaginable physical and mental torture.

In short, Kasuri did not take a single step during his five year stint as the Foreign Minister to address Indian concerns. Not one. He was as hostile to India as all other Pak politicians.

Since he was in India to sell his book, one is not surprised at Kasuri’s effrontery to claim to be a friend and messiah of peace. However, what hurts every Indian the most is the red-carpet laid out for such a duplicitous politician by the unscrupulous Indian hosts. It was repugnant to see leaders embracing, felicitating and fawning over him.

Instead of castigating him for his failure as the Foreign Minister to stop terrorist training camps and infiltration of jehadies into India, the media was seen groveling before him. It was nauseating, to say the least.

To be honest, one should not have been surprised. Indians has been overly indulgent towards the Pak dignitaries earlier as well. Remember the way Imran Khan was extolled in India. He produced equally friendly homilies. Yet, the moment he returned to Pakistan, he reverted back to India-bashing.

Shiv Sena’s opposition to Ghulam Ali is equally justified. To claim that music has no boundaries and should not be mixed with politics is all rubbish. Shah Rukh Khan’s recent statement that ‘politics between the two countries should be handled by the politicians.....creative people have nothing to do with it’ is outlandish. It amounts to asserting that artists are least concerned about the loss of Indian lives due to Pak hostilities, and that, they should be allowed to continue to make money under the euphemism of cultural ties. Does Shah Rukh Khan know the pain of losing a dear one in bomb attacks?

Similarly, it is repulsive to see people demanding restoration of Indo-Pak cricketing ties. Their logic defies logic; they do not want sports to be mixed with politics. The same argument is put forward by the enthusiasts of Track-II diplomacy and initiatives like ‘Aman Ki Asha’. They also desire that cultural ties should not be mixed with politics. Instead of talking of non-existent politics, they should introspect whether to have sports/cultural ties with a country that is waging a war against India.

One wonders if the organizers of Ghulam Ali’s concerts would have been equally enthusiastic had they lost their family men in Pak’s terrorist activities or if their relatives were rotting as POW in Pak jails. Would they have claimed that music has no boundaries if their own son had been subjected to inhuman torture like Kalia? How selfish can one get?

A legendry cricketer has also expressed his support for Indo-Pak matches. Apparently, he wants to earn money as a commentator even if Pakistan keeps killing Indian soldiers and citizens. Would he have been equally keen, had his son become a casualty in a terrorist strike? Has shamelessness no limit?

Peace is a two-way process. Both parties have to desire it. India cannot be friends unilaterally while Pakistan pursues a path of vicious hostility. It will be naïve to expect a rogue nation like Pakistan to shed its ‘cloak and dagger’ strategy. One may not fully agree with former Australian Test umpire Darrell Hair’s description of the Pakistani cricketers as ‘cheats, frauds and liars’. But the fact is that the whole world considers Pakistan to be an untrustworthy and deceitful nation. 

Affable statements made by a few retired Pak politicians, cricketers and singers are of no import. Their masquerading as ambassadors of friendship is a façade to make money while Pakistan continues to train hundreds of terrorists and infiltrating them into India without any let-up, to kill and maim Indian soldiers and citizens. General Musharraf’s recent TV interview should open the eyes of all Pak-supporters.

Pakistan was born on anti-India plank and that is its only identity. A nation born out of hatred needs hatred to feed itself on for continued sustenance and to justify its existence. Shedding of anti-India posture would amount to questioning the very logic of its creation. For that reason, Pakistan can never be India’s friend. It is time India accepts this bitter truth.

To start with, it must be acknowledged by all that Pakistan is an enemy state. Playing cricket with an enemy state amounts to betrayal of national allegiance. Similarly, cultural exchanges border on high treason. Any Indian who hosts Pak celebrities (political leader, singer or cricketer) should be censured for acting against our national interests and shamed.

  

More importantly, India should pursue a proactive policy. It has suffered enough. Following the example of the successful boycott of apartheid South Africa, India should leverage its enormous clout with the world cricket body to have Pakistan expelled from the cricketing world for its sponsorship of terrorism the world over. It must be isolated internationally and embarrassed. It will hit Pakistan hard.

Finally, eating biryani, sharing stage or playing cricket with a country whose avowed aim is to destroy India can never be justified. Not only is it an insult to the memory of the thousands of Indians killed by Pakistan, but an anti-national act of serious proportions.*****  

Bihar elections: Media should go beyond caste

Bihar elections: Media should go beyond caste

(http://www.sify.com/news/bihar-elections-media-should-go-beyond-caste-imagegallery-features-pk5i0Weaabdjd.html)

Major General Mrinal Suman

Bihar is experiencing intense elections fever these days. Media coverage is exhaustive and every facet of the election campaign is being analysed threadbare. There is nothing wrong in it. However, it is obnoxious to see the overriding importance being assigned to the caste, creed, communal and regional factors. Caste-politics are being played out unabashedly under the disingenuous taxonomy of ‘social engineering’. 

All newspapers are running articles highlighting caste-wise configuration of every constituency to make their predictions. “In Arrah and Vaishali districts, saffron candidates seem to be have drawn support from EBCs and Dalits. This can help them build upon the solid backing saffron challengers are getting from upper castes, Vaishyas, Paswans and Musahars,” proclaims a report appearing in India’s leading daily of 29 Oct 2015.

The role being played by the electronic media is far worse. Focus of every survey and panel discussion is on the caste percentages and likely equations. It is sickening to hear anchors and panellists making divisive statements like – “All Yadavs will vote for Party A”; “Muslims will not vote for Party B”; “All Dalits are with Party C”; “”Kurmis will vote for Party D”; “Brahmins will remain loyal to Party E”; “Mahadalits are with Party F”; “Banias continue to support Party G”; and so on. Pray who will vote as an Indian?

Unlike BBC and Doordarshan, most TV channels lack resources to provide wider coverage across the nation and the world. For them, hosting of panel discussion during the prime-time is the most cost-effective, and perhaps the only option. Call a few aggressive spokespersons and initiate a free-for-all slanging match by throwing in an emotive and contentious issue. What can arouse passions more viciously than caste/religion? Every party plays the caste card shamelessly and yet has the temerity to paint others as communal. There cannot be a more disgraceful display of caste-politics.

Opinion polls and surveys are also carried out on similar lines. The questions are loaded with parochialism – “Has the Muslims vote got divided” or “Are mahadalits angry with Party X” or “Are Yadavs still with Party Y”? Thereafter, the findings are collated caste-wise, translated into vote-shares and debated at length in the studios to incite partisan emotions. Reprehensible indeed!

In a mature democracy, basis of electoral surveys should be economic progress, developmental matters, employment opportunities, educational facilities, health services and other welfare measures. What do the farmers, labourers and the office-goers feel? What are the aspirations of the youth? How to bridge the increasing urban-rural divide? Sadly, all issues that impact the well-being of the nation are ignored; only caste and communal loyalties matter.

 

If after 68 years of Independence we are sinking deeper into the morass of parochialism, elections are the root cause of the malady. Media acts a catalyst to spread the virus. Resultantly, the whole environment gets so vitiated that caste equations rule supreme with five highly devastating effects on the body-politic and unity of the country.

One, instead of making the voters rise above narrow parochial mindsets, they are repeatedly reminded of their caste and exhorted to stay faithful to it.

Two, the electorate is brainwashed not to seek accountability from their caste leaders but follow them blindly; even though most of them have acquired enormous wealth and done little for their followers in the past. Worse, many have either been convicted or are under investigation for serious crimes.

Three, assured of continuous support of their caste-based vote-banks, most politicians have converted their parties into family enterprises. They thrive by appealing to the insular instincts of their factions.

Four, stranglehold of caste-politics is so all-pervading that even the parties that want to break free are forced to look for winning candidates as per the caste mathematics of each constituency.

Finally and most unfortunately, merit, competence and honesty of the candidates have ceased to be any consideration. Only the caste matters. Some well-meaning citizens did try to fight elections to serve the nation, but tasted defeat at the hands of parochial leaders. Resultantly, the country is saddled with leaders of questionable character and quality.

The Way Forward

Under Art 324 of the Constitution, responsibility for the ‘superintendence, direction and control of elections’ is vested in the Election Commission. It is the guardian of free and fair elections.

However, the rule making authority under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (preparation and revision of electoral rolls) and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (all aspects of conduct of elections and post election disputes) lies with the Central Government. Despite repeated requests by the Election Commission that the rule making powers be transferred to it, albeit to be exercised in consultations with the Central Government, the proposal has not been accepted so far.

The above constraint notwithstanding, the Supreme Court of India has given far-reaching powers to the Election Commission by ruling that where the enacted laws are silent or make insufficient provision to deal with a given situation in the conduct of elections, the Election Commission has the residuary powers under the Constitution to act in an appropriate manner.

The Commission has done India proud by introducing many radical reforms to ensure free and fair elections. Since 1971, a Model Code of Conduct is issued for all elections. Observers are appointed to oversee its compliance. The Code lays down guidelines for the conduct of political parties and candidates during elections. Though lacking statutory sanction, the Code has been immensely successful in exerting moral pressure on all participants.

To curb the use of money power, the Commission has started laying down the maximum amount that a candidate can spend during the election campaign; the campaign period has been reduced from 21 to 14 days; and submission of expenditure returns within 30 days of the declaration of results has been made mandatory.

To help the voters in taking an informed decision, all candidates are required to declare their assets on affidavit. They have to reveal their criminal record as well. The Commission has also imposed restrictions on the publication and dissemination of opinion and exit polls to preclude undue influencing of the electorate.

From the above, it is amply clear that the Election Commission has enough powers to rid Indian elections of the divisive vote-bank politics. To achieve that, a two-pronged drive will be required.

  

First, any political party that does not swear by the integrity of the country and promotes hatred amongst various segments of Indian society on any grounds whatsoever must be proscribed. Communal parties which disallow membership to the followers of other religions should have no place in a secular country.

Secondly and more importantly, after the issuance of notification for elections, there should be a total ban on public surveys, opinion polls and discussions on caste composition of the electorate. No article should be allowed to appear in the print media spelling out proportions of different castes in a constituency and predicting their voting preferences. No TV channel should be allowed to dissect ‘social engineering’ of every constituency to forecast results. No politician should be allowed to invoke caste loyalties in his election campaign. In other words, there should be a blanket ban on public discussion of caste-based politics.

Finally

Undoubtedly, the politicians are the fountainhead of all fissiparous tendencies. They thrive by keeping the electorate embroiled in internal dissentions based on region, religion, caste and sub-caste considerations. Unfortunately, they cannot be expected to change as they believe in the ends and not the means employed. Their brand of vote-bank politics precludes letting the countrymen stay united and vote as free-thinking citizens. Therefore, only the threat of exemplary punishment can deter them from playing the caste card. The erring politicians must be made to understand that any misdemeanour will result in their debarment from standing in elections, thereby sealing their political careers.

If India continues to exist as a nation, credit is due to three institutions – the armed forces, the higher judiciary and the Election Commission. They are also India’s only hope. If India has to survive and prosper as a cohesive nation, the elections must be made issue and performance based.

The Election Commission is the only agency that has the potential and the power to pull India out of the quagmire of caste-based elections. It is a challenge that it must undertake with due urgency. It cannot waver, as delay will prove perilous for the unity of the country.*****