निरंकुश सत्ता के चक्रव्यूह में हम निःशस्त्र अभिमन्युओं की जमात हैं और भस्मासुर का जलवा अभी बाकी है!
पलाश विश्वास
झारखंड के हमारे प्रिय फिल्मकार मेघनाद की एक बेहतरीन फिल्म हैःDevelopment flows from the Barrel of Gun.
कृपया मोका लगे तो यह फिल्म जरुर देक लीजिये तो आपको पता लगेगा कि देश में लोकतंत्र का किस्सा कुल क्या है और कानून का राज,संविधान वगैरह वगैरह का मतलब जल जंगल जमीन से निरंतर उजाड़े जा रहे लोगोम के लिए क्या है।
हमने पालमपुर प्रवास के दौरान संजोग से मशहूर वकील प्रशांत भूषण से हुी अचानक मुलाकात में उनसे यही निवेदन किया था कि इस अभूतपूर्व संकट में रंगभेदी निरंकुश सत्ता के खिलाफ किसी विरोध,प्रतिरोध,आंदोलन की जब गुंजाइश नहीं है तो राजनीतिक विकल्प से कुछ बदलने वाला नहीं है।
इसी सिलसिले में हमने उनसे पूछा भी था कि आपने पार्टी बनेने की हड़बड़ी में जो भस्मासुर पैदा कर दिया है,उसे फायदा क्या हुआ।
प्रशांत जी जवाब देने वाले नहीं थे लेकिन इस सिलसिले में उनसे लंबी बातचीत हुई थी और हमने यह भी निवेदन किया था कि अलग अलग लड़कर हमें अब जीने की मोहलत भी नहीं मिलने वाली है।
जैसा कि हम सबसे कह रहे हैं ,हमने उनसे भी कहा कि जाति धर्म की छोड़िये,विचारधारा के स्तर पर भी अगर ग्लोबल हिंदुत्व के खिलाफ तमाम शक्तियां लोमबंद न हुई तो कुछ भी नहीं बचेगा।
गौरतलब है कि अब भी हम सबके प्रिय प्रशांत भूषण और उनके सहयोगी स्वराज अभियान चला रहे हैं।उनका यह स्वराज हमारी समझ से गांधीवाद की जमीन पर है,जिसका बड़ा हिस्सा अन्ना ब्रिगेड और अरविंद केजरीवाल ने संघ परिवार के खाते में डाल दिया है।बाकी हिस्सा कहां जायेगा,यह कोई नहीं जानता।
जाहिर है कि अब बाकी बचे खुचे स्वराजवालों को तय करना है कि वे खालिस गांधीवाद की जमीन पर खड़े होकर लडेंगे या खुद को संघ परिवार के साथ नत्थी कर देंगे।
क्योंकि अब यह भी संभव है कि संघ परिवार का अगला प्रधानमंत्रित्व का उम्मीदवार नरेंद्र भाई मोदी के बजाय धुर आरक्षण विरोधी अरविंद केजरीवाल हैं,जो मोदी से कहीं ज्यादा तानाशाह और लोकतंतात्रिक हैं।
नेतृत्व के संकट में संघ परिवार का इकलौता विकल्प हैं अरविंद केजरीवाल,कमसकम प्रशांत भूषण जी औययोगेंद्र यादव जी को इस बारे में ज्यादा ही पता होगा।
आज के अंग्रेजी दैनिक इकोनामिक टाइम्स में एक सर्वे छपा है,जिसके तहत नरेंद्र भाई मोदी के पक्ष में सात बड़े शहरों के पढ़े लिखे मध्यव्रग और उच्च मध्यवर्ग के लोग,जो मुट्ठीभर हैं,लेकिन उनका इतना सशक्तीकरण हो गया है कि जीवन के हर क्षेत्र में उन्हीका वर्चस्व है।मुक्तबाजार की अर्थ व्यवस्था और राजनीति,गलोबल हिंदुत्व का एजंडा और निरंकुश सत्ता की बुनियाद ये ही लोग हैं।
इसी के साथ इसी अखबार में अरविंद केजरीवाल का एक पूरा पेज इंटरव्यू छपा है,जिसका शीर्षक हैः
`WE ARE NOT AGAINST PRIVATE SECTOR,BUT CRONY CAPITALISM'
इसके अलावा उनका एक बयान भी अलग से खास खबर हैः
ONLY BJP Errors Keeping Congress Alive:Kejriwal
कांग्रेस का अंत चाहने वाले केजरीवाल को संघ परिवार से कोई ऐतराज नहीं है और न निजीकरण और गुजरात के विकास माडल से उन्हें खास परहेज है।
गौर करें कि केजरीवाल कांग्रेस को जिंदा रखने की भाजपा की गलतियों की बात कर रहे हैं तो ये गलतियां किसकी हैं जबकि दुनिया जानती है कि इस वक्त भाजपा में नरेंद्र मोदी और अमित शाह के अलावा कोई तीसरा ऐसा शख्स नहीं है,जिसकी किसी भी स्तर पर चलती हो।
तो इन दोनों के नेतृत्व पर सवालिया निशान खड़ा करने और कांग्रेस के अंत के साथ निजीकरण के पक्षधर धुर आरक्षण विरोधी अरविंद केजरीवाल का इरादा क्या है,यह समझने वाली बात है।
इसके साथ ही यह समझना चाहिए कि वे मोदी को,संघ परिवार को और देश को क्या संदेश दे रहे हैं।
पंजाब में अगर आम आदमी पार्टी की जीत हो जाती है।तो संघ परिवार केजरीवाल के बारे में क्या रुख अपनायेगा,इससे साफ हो जायेगा कि केजरीवाल की अलग दुकान कब तक चलेगी और वे किस हैसियत के साथ घर वापसी करेंगे।या क्या करेंगे।
खास बात यह भी है कि मोदी के बाद केजरीवाल ही इस देश के सत्तावर्ग और संपन्न नवधनाढ्य मध्यवर्ग का सबसे चहेता राजनेता है तो बाजार के लिए भी मोदी का विकल्प केजरीवाल है,कोई दूसरा नहीं।
निरंकुश सत्ता के चक्रव्यूह में हम निःशस्त्र अभिमन्युओं की जमात हैं और भस्मासुर का जलवा अभी बाकी है।
हमारे विद्वान मित्र आनंद तेलतुंबड़े का साफ तौर पर मानना है कि आरक्षण खत्म करने के सारे इंतजाम हो चुके हैं और अंधाधुंध निजीकरण उदारीकरण ग्लोगबीकरण के मुक्त बाजार में आरक्षण और कोटे से किसी को न नौकरी मिलने वाली है और न आजीविका चलने वाली है।
आरक्षण की लड़ाई लेकिन तेज हो गयी है क्योंकि आरक्षण की बुनियाद पर जाति व्यवस्था को कायम रखा जा सकता है।लोग आरक्षण हासिल करने के लिए जाति के नाम पर गोलबंद होते रहेंगे और जाति उन्मूलन इसतरह असंभव ही रहेगा।
संजोग से बाबासाहेब क एकमात्र पोती रमा बाई के पति आनंद ने आरक्षण के बिना इस मुकाम पर पहुंचे है कि सत्ता वर्ग भी उनकी अनसुना नहीं करता।आनंद और रमाजी दोनों मानते हैं कि अंबेडकर की भूमिका की हमें वस्तुनिष्ठ तरीके से समीक्षा करनी चाहिए और अंध भक्ति के बजाये बाबासाहेब के बुनियादी कार्यक्रम जाति उन्मूलन को बदलाव का प्रस्थानबिंदू मानकर देश को,दुनिया को गोलबंद करना चाहिए।आनंद यह भी मानते हैं कि बाबासाहेब के नाम पर धंधा करने वाले आरक्षण की सारी मलाई चाखने वाले राजनेता और सत्ता वर्ग में अपनी हैसियत बना चुके जातियों के सिपाहसालार से सिपाही लोग हरगिज यह होने नहीं देगे और जाति उन्मलन की चुनौती बाबासाहेब के समय की तुलना में आज ज्यादा कठिन है क्योंकि सवर्ण जातियां भी आरक्षण की आड़ में राजनैतिक वर्चस्व में हिस्सेदारी की जबर्दस्त लड़ाई लड़ रहे हैं।
हमारे युवा मित्र ज्ञानशील, अशोक बसोतरा, अभिराम मल्लिक, संजीव रामटेके, संजय सोमकुंवर,शरदिंदु विश्वास,प्रमोद कांवड़े जैसे लोग नंद की तरह मशहूर नहीं हैं।वे उतने भी मशहूर नहीं हैं जितना मेरे भाई दिलीपमंडल,मित्र उर्मिलेश या महानायक के संपादक सुनील खोपड़गड़े।इन तमाम लोगों की समानता यह है कि ये लोग बाबासाहेब के मिशन के लिए राष्ट्रव्यापी समामाजिक आंदोलन के सक्रिय कार्यकर्ता हैं और देश के हर हिस्से मेें ऐसे तमाम युवा साथी हैं जो जाति और मजहब के दायरे से बाहर बाबासाहेब के जाति उन्मूलन के एजंडे को लागू करना चाहते हैं।
मसलन छत्तीसगढ़ के प्रमोद कांवड़े कह रहे थे कि यह अजीब है कि देश के बहुजनों को न देश से कोई लेना देना है और न देश की हलचलों से,मुद्दों,मसलों से।वे आरक्षण और जांत पांत के अवलावा कुछ भी नहीं सोचते।
छत्तीसगढ़ के प्रमोद कांवड़े कह रहे थे किअत्याचार और उत्पीड़न उनके लोगों के ाशत होता है तो उनकी प्रतिक्रया देशव्यापी होती है लेकिन आदिवासियों, अल्पसंख्यकों, हिमालयी लोगों ,कश्मीर और मणिपुर के भारतीय नागरिकों पर टूटते कहर के खिलाफ उनकी कभी कोई प्रतक्रिया नहीं होती।
छत्तीसगढ़ के प्रमोद कांवड़े कह रहे थे कि जबतक ऐसा होता रहेगा,सत्ता की राजनीति की पैदल फौज बने रहने के सिवाय़उनकी गुलामी के ्ंत का कोई रास्ता नहीं है।
यह बदलती हुई सोच जमीन के पकते रहने का सबूत है और पकी हुई जमीन की खुशबू हम न महसूस कर सकें तो हम लोगों की जड़ों का ही दोष है।
देश के विश्वविद्यालयों में जिस तेजी से बाबासाहेब का मिशन वायरल हो रहा है,वह देश में जनपक्षधर ताकतों की नयी गोलबंदी के केत तैयार कर रहा है।अब हमें तय करना है कि हम किसके हक में खड़े हैं और आखिरकार हम लड़ाई करने को तैयार हैं या मेरे जाने का इंतजार करते हुए नर्क जीते रहेंगे।
Development flows from the Barrel of Gun.
Police repression and administrative high-handedness is becoming a common phenomenon in the country today, when the project-affected people protest against development-induced displacement and demand justice on account the serious consequences. It's but an irony that instead of ameliorating the sufferings of the displaced and the project affected people and working for their humane and just resettlement and rehabilitation, the Government machinery resorts to brutal violence on them whose lives are already at stake on account of the development projects. This is a clear case of human rights violation. While such acts of the state sponsored barbarism are to be condemned and the guilty punished by the court of law, one must understand how such crimes are committed by the law enforcing authorities on the just demands and rights of the people so that public opinion is created against such oppression.
In a recent orientation programme to the Govt. officials from various Ministries on resettlement and rehabilitation of the project displaced and affected people, organized by Council for Social Development and held at Indian nternational Centre, New Delhi, the author was asked to present some case studies on the phenomenon and impact of displacement. He showed the participants a video film on human rights violation at the behest of development projects, entitled "When people assert their rights over land, water and forest DEVELOPMENT FLOWS FROM THE BARREL OF THE GUN". It was a video clipping of five cases of police tyranny on the displaced and the project affected people in five different states. They were the Bauxite Mining at Kashipur in Orissa, the Commercial Harbour at Umbergaon in Gujarat, the Steel Plant at Nagarnar in Chhattisgarh, the World Bank Forestry Project at Mehendikhera in Madhya Pradesh and the Koel-Karo Hydel Power Project in Jharkhand. Ten minutes of each video clipping was so powerful that the viewers were moved nearly to tears. There was a good discussion on the film at the end and a desire was expressed that greater awareness to such realities be brought about in the civil society for appropriate action. It indeed was an eye opener to all the present.
An effort is made here to present these case studies in the written form to understand how the state repression is same all over the country in displacement situations. The content of the presentation is taken almost verbatim from the script of the film to make it more real and effective. But certainly nothing like viewing the film itself to understand the extent and nature of human rights violation all in the name of national development. This video film is directed and produced by Biju Toppo and Meghnath of AKHRA, Jharkhand. Dr. Ram Dayal Munda is the overall narrator. He describes and comments on each of the cases briefly. The rest of the story is told by a number of social activists, professionals and the victims themselves.
Apr 07 2016 : The Economic Times (Kolkata)
ET EXCLUSIVE - AAP LEADER DENIES BIG POLITICAL AMBITIONS - Only BJP Errors Keeping Congress Alive: Kejriwal
New Delhi: Rohini Singh & Akshay Deshmane |
Delhi CM says BJP frittering away mandate, that voters see no hope in GOP
Congress is becoming redundant in national politics and is being only kept alive thanks to the many mistakes of the Bharatiya Janata Party government, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told ET in an exclusive interview where he was severely critical of the Narendra Modi-led saffron party and almost dismissive of the Sonia-Rahul Gandhi-led Congress.
"People don't see hope in Congress...whatever votes they will get will be from blunders by BJP...maybe BJP can provide a future to Congress...otherwise I don't see a futu re," Kejriwal said.
In a candid and exhaustive interaction with ET, Kejriwal strongly critiqued both the national parties -BJP and Congress -but insisted he has no bigger political ambitions now.
He said BJP was never serious about economic progress and that "promoting divisiveness" is its biggest agenda. "Vikas was a jumla," Kejriwal said, referring to BJP's general elections campaign that was centred around the message of development.
Kejriwal told ET that the many schemes promoted by the prime minister are "not succeeding".
Apr 07 2016 : The Economic Times (Kolkata)
ET TNS SURVEY - Modi Still Topper Among the Indian Middle Class
New Delhi: Our Bureau |
The urban salaried between the ages of 24 and 50 in India's seven biggest cities still believe in Modi, the BJP government and their dreams of achhe din
Prime Minister Na rendra Modi still holds sway over members of his core constituency -the urban salaried, especially those living in India's seven biggest cities. The government's overall approval ratings are still running high almost two years after the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power at the head of a robust majority , according to the findings of an ET-TNS survey .That's despite getting caught up in various controversies and the failure to make progress on key elements of its reform agenda.
The government has an overall approval rating of 86% on economic performance, while 62% say that it has delivered on job creation and 58% ex pect the future to be better. In other words, they still believe that `ach he din aaney la hain'. wala hain'.
Perhaps the fin ding that reveals the most about those surveyed is their response to questions about the controversy over nationalism and sedition as exemplified by the Jawaharlal Nehru University protests. Half of them (46%) believe that the controversy is the Congress' fault and more of them (52%) hold the view that the government has taken the right action in the matter.
It's important to note that the findings don't reflect sentiment across the country or among different population segments, particularly during the current election season. It should be read for what it is -a sense of the government's popularity across a segment that's seen as be ing strong suppor ing strong supporters of Modi and the BJP . To that end, our surveyors fanned out across Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, covering a sample size of more than 2,000 people between the ages of 24 and 50 with an annual family income between ` . 3 lakh and `. 20 lakh. About a fifth of those surveyed were women.. ` One key finding: Modi is vastly more popular than Congress VicePresident Rahul Gandhi. On a scale of one to 10, Modi gets a score of 7.68 against a lowly 3.61 for Gandhi. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley does better than him at 5.86. As much as 41% of those surveyed gave the PM a rating of 9 or 10.
Among the seven cities, there is a split. Ahmedabad is most wholehearted in support of the government led by Modi, the former Gujarat chief minister for whom the state was a launch pad onto the national stage.
Apr 07 2016 : The Economic Times (Kolkata)
ET EXCLUSIVE Q&A - `We Are Not Against Private Sector, But Crony Capitalism'
ARVIND KEJRIWAL CHIEF MINISTER, DELHI |
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal sounds hopeful of Punjab election as he feels people are giving extraordinary mandate when they have an alternative. In a chat with Rohini Singh & Akshay Deshmane, the CM talks about the key difference between PM Modi's Gujarat model and the Delhi model, along with good governance, role of private sector, JNU controversy and Congress, BJP's role in politics. Excerpts:
Are you confident of a sweeping victory for the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab as polls have predicted?
People are sick of the political system and the players in the system BJP, Congress, Akalis. They want a good alternative and those who can deliver. People have seen the governance in Delhi. Now that people have an alternative they are giving an extraordinary mandate. First, it was in Delhi. Now, in Punjab, the latest survey shows 100 out of 117 seats (for AAP). In elections so far anti-incumbency used to play a big role. People were not voting for a party, people were always voting against a party. Samajwadi Party came to power with a massive mandate...about 240-250 seats. Now people will vote to oust it. They won't vote in favour of anybody.
Will you be the chief ministerial candidate in Punjab?
That's a hypothetical question. We are not going to project anyone as the chief ministerial candidate.This issue hasn't been discussed in our party.
What are the key differences between your Delhi model and the Gujarat model of governance?
Modiji's Gujarat model is more PR-driven. You people are now only writing about the holes in the Gujarat model. Ab toh us mein kai saari gadbadiyan nazar aa rahi hain (Now it seems to be full of flaws).The Delhi model is transparent. We aren't selling it, but it's visible to all.
Apart from transparency, what is the difference between the way you're governing Delhi and the way Narendra Modi governed Gujarat as chief minister?
If you look at our budget, everyone is completely surprised. We have reduced electricity tariffs, made water free, given the highest compensation to farmers. So there is massive expenditure on subsidy and investments. One would assume taxes would increase, but taxes are going down. We are saving money elsewhere and spending on people-friendly schemes. This is the biggest difference between the Gujarat model and the Delhi model.The Gujarat model is predominantly dependent on crony capitalism. They have made five-seven people very rich...such as Ambani-Adani. We are investing in human capital. We are focusing on education. If we educate our people we can wipe out poverty in one generation. Education will also change the politics of this country in a major way. The third factor is participatory governance. Accessibility and participation of people in governance, decisionmaking is the key feature.
Is Arvind Kejriwal against Ambani, Adani?
We are against crony capitalism. Whether it is Congress or BJP, businesses of Adani or Ambani run.Their businesses don't run on account of giving good products, but because of collusion with government.To get profits by wrong means. We are against that.We are not against private sector. So many benefits we have given to traders. What is the private sector? It is the people of this country. We want to do good for the people, so how can there be any animosity towards the people.
What role do you see for the private sector?
We feel that the government should not interfere too much in private sector. It should be clear as to what work the government should do and what private sector should do. Everything was mixed up by them. Like transport, for instance. There is absolutely no reason why DTC (state-run Delhi Transport Corporation) should be a predominant player. After our government was formed, bureaucrats in this building said purchase 2,000-4,000 more buses. I said encourage private sector into this. Now all of this is going to the private sector. Why should the government be involved in running buses?
At your talk at CII, you had said private sector creates jobs. So you are not against capitalism, but crony capitalism...
Obviously not. Who can be?
What do you think about the Congress? Is it an effective opposition to the BJP?
I think the Congress is steadily becoming redundant in politics. There are two things. People's faith in the existing political set-up has finished. So when they vote, they do it for defeating (incumbents).Second, from who do people feel hopeful? People are not feeling hope from Congress. The second thing is very clear. Today the condition of Congress is such that it is not visible anywhere. Their house is in disorder. Whatever votes they may get, that's because of blunders being committed by the BJP.Congress is bad, but divisive politics played by BJP is not being liked by people. I was reading a story on some website which said students in Assam's colleges are not liking BJP's politics they (BJP leaders) raise issues about cow, Bharat Mata and not the country or development. They don't have a blueprint for taking the country forward. Congress' arrogance had come in 10 years, BJP took two years. If BJP keeps going this way, then maybe BJP can provide a future to Congress, otherwise I don't see any future.
Do you think Congress has been unusually timid in its response to the fall of two of its governments?
Even I found that. I was thinking ki Congress ko kya ho gaya (what has happened to the Congress)?
Arunachal ki sarkar tod di, Uttarakhand ki sarkar gira di (Arunachal, Uttarakhand governments were pulled down), then why isn't Congress protesting as much as they should have? Only BJP can provide oxygen to Congress because of its misdeeds. BJP's divisive politics has put off people. Of its 31% vote share, there are only 10-15% who might subscribe to its divisive politics. But the rest did not vote for BJP's divisive politics. The rest were sold on Gujarat model. They are disappointed.
You seem to be taking an ultra-nationalist stance on Pathankot, whereas the BJP appears to be taking a reasonable one...
We are not against cooperation, we want engagement. This should not be treated as we are against engagement. Talk to them (Pakistan). But calling Pakistan's investigative agency for probing terror here means aap unke saamne let gaye ho (you have capitulated to them). There is a difference. Talks happened at secretary, foreign minister and Prime Minister levels. I want to say that engage in talks, but when you're saying that ISI is doing all this, you are calling them here to probe. You gave them access to the airbase! This is not engagement, this is subservience.
What is so wrong in letting them (the Pakistan team) investigate?
Tell me, when the team arrived, was there a possibility that after seeing all that the team will say that India has given us so much of evidence that now we are convinced that we were involved. So what are you doing...are you foolish or is there another agenda?
What do you think is the agenda?
I really don't know. I am completely flabbergasted. So you think there is something bigger behind this?
I think there is something much bigger behind this.Something transpired between Nawaz Sharif and the Prime Minister when they met in Lahore. Vo kewal Happy Birthday bolne ke liye nahin jaayenge (The PM wouldn't have gone just to say Happy Birthday).Because it's a sensitive matter I don't want to say more than this. Par dono ke beech main kuchh toh deal hui hai (But the two have surely struck some deal).
Are you interested in becoming the PM candidate in 2019?
(Laughs) I have no such ambitions and intentions. I did not have ambitions of becoming the CM either.As you all know we had started an agitation and had they passed our Jan Lokpal bill they wouldn't have had to deal with the Aam Admi Party or us. We have no such ambitions.
But if you have some ambitions, what is wrong in stating that?
But I don't have ambitions. If I had ambitions I would state that upfront...as you rightly said I am very frank. (laughs)
Yet, some people who claim to know you say you are intensely ambitious...
(Laughs) That must have been said by Yogendra Yadav, etc. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious. Par jab nahin hain toh nahin hain (But when I am not, I am not).
Your party is seeking votes in your name in Punjab, but can a non-Sikh person become the CM of Punjab?
It's a hypothetical question. My commitment is to Delhi.
But the votes are being sought in your name in Punjab.
See, leadership is important. There is absolutely no doubt. Like, in Delhi everyone works...Manish (Sisodia), Satyendar Jain...our officers are all working 247 but people recognise the face. To that extent people have hopes from the leadership.
What do you think are the mistakes Modi has made after a fantastic mandate?
I broadly think that within two years they have turned farmers, traders, students, teaching community, Dalits against them. Minorities were anyway against them from the beginning.
There is strong hatred they have sown in the hearts of these communities. Industry is speaking against them privately. Industry keh rahi hai yaar inhone economy ka kabaada kar ke rakh diya (Industry is saying they have wrecked the economy).The speed at which they are making enemies...Second, their politics is opportunistic and full of contradictions. Vo kehte hain ki Jammu Kashmir main jo Bharat Mata ki jai bolega uski pitai hogi aur Jammu Kashmir ke bahar jo nahin bolega uski pitai hoga (They say in Jammu & Kashmir whoever says `Bharat Mata ki Jai' will be thrashed, and in the rest of the country whoever doesn't will be thrashed).In Jammu, BJP believes Afzal Guru is a patriot and in JNU it thinks Afzal Guru is anti-national. In JNU, those who raised those slogans those boys from Kashmir who were they? Vo ladke kaun the (Who were those boys)? It's a mystery. Vo ladke pakde kyun nahin gaye (Why weren't those boys nabbed)?
It's a mystery. Vo ladkon ko kisne bheja tha (Who sent those boys)? It's a mystery. Central government has RAW, IB, Delhi Police, army, CBI but the entire machinery has not been able to catch those boys.So obviously there is suspicion that BJP sent those boys who raised anti-India slogans. They were set up by IB to create chaos in Delhi.
Why would the BJP do so?
To polarise. To divide the society. Vo jaanboojh ke zabardasti Bharat ke khilaaf naare lagwati hai BJP (BJP orchestrates anti-national slogans). Delhi Police has the photographs of these boys. Why haven't they been caught?
Are you saying that the entire JNU controversy was set up by the BJP?
Yes. I am saying this on record.
Will you take action since your report has named news channels and social media users?
Yes, we will take action. It's just that we want the case to be foolproof so we are collecting evidence from everywhere, getting more videos forensically examined. Maybe in a week or ten days the cases will be filed.
What is your view on all these schemes that the central government has announced Make in India, Digital India, Start Up India, Stand Up India?
(Interjects) Sit down India, Sleep India (laughs)
Well, do you think these are good initiatives? Or do you think these are good ideas but badly implemented?
It will be difficult for me to get into their intentions but obviously nothing has taken off and they are just talking. People are fed up of this talk. People are looking for results and there are none. It won't be right of me to say they had no intention to deliver but there is no result. Swachh Bharat mein agar ek gali bhi saaf ho gayi ho to dikha do humein (Show me if even one lane has been cleaned under Swachh Bharat programme).
What do you think is the reason? Why is the execution poor?
I think here one starts doubting their intention. Why is everything failing? It was a historic chance for them and even now everything isn't finished. Abhi bhi sudhar jaayein, raaste par aa jayein (At least now they should reform themselves and come back on track). No one has got such a big mandate post Rajiv Gandhi and they have frittered away their mandate. They have so many governments in states and they could have done much more. BJP keeps thinking how do we polarise, how do we create vote banks. Kabhi `Bharat Mata ki Jai' par divide karte hain, kabhi gai par divide karte hain (Sometimes they divide people on `Bharat Mata ki Jai', sometimes on cow). They never think they have to deliver. They only want to fool. Beyond a point you cannot fool everyone through PR and media.
Do you mean that their whole campaign was based on false promises?
Yes. I was coming to that. Amit Shah spoke of jumla which spoke of their intention. Vikas ek jumla thha (Development was just an election promise). What is said before elections isn't said to be implemented. It is widespread agreement within their party that you can say whatever you want before elections but it is not meant to be implemented.
Do you think the atmosphere has been vitiated since the BJP came to power?
Very vitiated. Not just vitiated, even institutions are in danger. If you are not with us you are against us. There is no middle space left anywhere. There are a large number of institutions in this country which we should not politicise. They have vitiated the whole atmosphere on social media. There are no platforms of engagement and dialogue left. I may not like all your stories but there is a way to disagree. During the Anna andolan (movement), social media played a huge role and we were the ones who first used social media for political activism. But it was not vitiated.
What is your relationship with the central government now? Which are the departments that are cooperating?
Actually, Modi Sahab is not cooperating in effect.(laughs).
But are there people in the central government who are cooperating?
I know many of their ministers would be willing to cooperate if there was right signal from Mr Modi. I have been told that even if some minister interacts with me, he is dealt severely with by Mr Modi. After the CBI raid the Centre has stopped talking to us.And Nripendra Mishra is the person in PMO who is directly in touch with the honourable LG to create obstructions for us.
Isn't the LG less obstructive these days?
(Thinks) Pichhle kuchh dinon main aisa kuchh khaas nahin hua hai (Nothing much has happened in the past few days). There has been some peace in the past few days.
Does BJP not understand politics? The kind of language they use on social media and elsewhere.They think people do not know it is them. A regular person can differ with you but when someone starts to abuse and especially women you know that these are motivated people.
Delhi is a world city. What is your vision for Delhi?
First, we have to create Delhi for people living here.People here do not have basic facilities. We have prioritised seven-eight things education, health, electricity, water, cleanliness, JJ clusters, among others. Today it's a shame that Delhi is the capital and there are homes that do not have clean drinking water...15-20 per cent of Delhi uses tankers. If in 65 years you cannot give water in Delhi, then how will you give water in Maharashtra? We are doing it on a war footing.
Turning to Punjab, what is your opinion on the Prashant Kishor-led Congress campaign?
I think Captain Amarinder has sunk the Congress.He wakes up at 11 in the morning and is not available after 6 in the evening. He gets busy in other activities. And he is extremely lazy and does not have time. I believe he is going off for a month-long vacation to the US. So Prashant Kishor is young, dynamic and he should be projected as the face by Congress for Punjab. (Laughs). Instead of Captain Amarinder, Congress should project him. And I won't be surprised if Prashant Kishor replaces Rahul Gandhi after some time. (Smiles). Please print it.
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