Dr MJ Khan
The statement of Shri Rajnath Singh at the BJP Minority Morcha meeting on February 25, 2014 has created an storm in the heated political atmosphere in the country, in general and the capital in particular, completely misunderstanding the context and the intent. On the other hand, foreign Minister Salman Khurshid, stooping down to the new low of Indecent words used to described the situation of Gujarat State’s handling 2002 riots. This only demonstrates the utter frustration and nervousness in the Congress party and its deliberate attempt to polarise voters and trap Muslims yet again in the secular – communal debate, without having anything to talk about their empowerment. At the time of election, Congress manages to successfully use its time tested formula of plundering Muslim votes by shifting the debate from the real issues of education, jobs, development, economic advancement, social and political empowerment to the irrelevant and trivial issues. Trapping Muslims in emotional issues is what the so-called secular forces have done to the Muslim community for decades. What else would otherwise describe the difference in the situation of Muslims in Gujarat on the key issues development in comparison to the same with the States ruled by the renowned champions of secularism; be the Uttar Pradesh the SP or BSP leaderships, Bihar under the RJD or JDU leaderships or the West Bengal under the Communists. Gujarat is the only state in India, where Muslims’ share in the police is greater than their share in the population. Can any Congress ruled State or the states ruled by the so-called secularist party champions of secularism demonstrate the same level of empowerment of Muslims?
In the current context of the BJP president’s message, which has gone so well among the Muslims that many of them would actively join the party. Such a response would not have come merely by one statement, if there had not been a shift in Muslims thinking with respect to BJP. We have to see this in link with two earlier occasion in recent times, one after the Congress scion Sh. Rahul Gandhi’s questioning the Muslim community’s loyalty and integrity by saying that “ISI is in contact with the Muslim youths of Muzaffarnagar. The second time similar anxieties were shown when bombs were exploding in Patna and Modi was making a spirited appeal to the five lac strong crowd to maintain peace and only peace. Muslims wondered, if there was a congress leader in such situation, would he done the same thing or taught the lesson by saying, “if big things happen, there have got to be some tremors”, by recalling the fantastic justification of the anti-Sikh pogrom of 1984.
The surge of BJP is so visible that it bridging all the divides. In fact, the appeal in the rural areas and backward classes is much stronger than any other party. After massive upsurge of BJP among the farmers and the Dalits, what is left for the Congress are the Muslim votes, which came to it so easily, election after election. No discussion on the development or empowerment, just a dose of secularism and issuing few post-dated cheques, which are sure to bounce after the elections, whether it is 4.5 per cent reservation of the Congress or 18 per cent by Mulayam Singh Yadav. BJP reaches out to Muslims and turns the agenda from mere promises to the one of performance, it is natural that the secular parties in general and Congress in particular, have got to be rattled. Congress needs to be ashamed of shamelessly plundering Muslim votes all these years, without bothering even an iota to address their genuine concerns of education, healthcare, jobs, civic services, and social and economic empowerment. And worst, over 14,000 riots in the “secular” Congress ruled States. One must ask, if its leadership ever bothered to tender any apology to the Muslims or to the country, despite damning failure of its “potent” leaders? And here is a leader, Rajnath Singh, who offers to unconditionally apologise for any mistakes, if the party commits.
Congress leaders must remember that time has changed. Muslims can no longer be fooled by its old techniques. Muslim youths need education. They need jobs and share in the economic opportunities; and playing an equal role in the society and the nation building.
(Writer is a member of BJP National Executive)
Arunachal media gets an evening shield from the authority
Nava J Thakuria
The media houses in Arunachal Pradesh, have received a special shield
from the authority that actually indicates the worse security scenario for the media persons in its capital. More to it, the authority has declared all media establishments in
Itanagar as prohibited areas and anyone entering the newspaper premises after 5 in evening would be treated as a trespasser. The conflict started on February 14, when all the seven morning daily newspapers of the State declared shut down against a decision of the local authority to allow a students body to demonstrate in front of an Itanagar based media house. For four days, the people of Arunachal did not receive their local newspapers.
The chief minister committed for a committee to do the needful and asked the State information secretary Dani Salu to take necessary follow-up actions. The indefinite shutting down of all Arunachal based daily newspapers namely Echo of Arunachal, Arunachal Times, Arunachal Front, Dawnlit Post, Eastern Sentinel, Independent Review and Arunachal Pioneer was
recognised as a major protest program against the authority’s anti-media ruling that threatened the safety & security of media employees.
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