Imperatives of Sadbhavana fast on Gujarat politics

Time to be happy

Editor’s note, Ahmedabad, 20 September, 2011

For last some weeks, Gujarat Congress with help of local anti-Modi media (barring Times of India, all other major newspapers published from Ahmedabad) had created an air against Narendra Modi and his regime with the help of issues including corruption charges, Lokayukta appointment, court battles and other issues. Every single step by the Modi government was challenged in the court, followed by Congress press conference, great coverage in newspapers etc. This was not affecting Modi’s votebank at large, but then there was no solid answer coming in from Modi’s side on specific issues. A touch with common people was missing.

With three-day Sadbhavana fast, Modi has changed the air. There was no occasion, but he created an occasion out of almost zero. He grabbed the national attention and successfully cleaned the air that Gujarat Congress had created applying lots of hard work. At this stage, he has again emerged as upbeat leader who can not be defeated in the state.

Through a three-day Sadbhavna fast, Modi has shifted complete attention of the state to a newer talk which is about his possible PM candidature chances(thanks to media), which is also about inclusion of Muslims in BJP with open heart.

Modi was connected to over a lakh people through his three-day long fast event. He directly met thousands of people sitting on the stage and sometime standing on the stage.

The subject involving ‘Modi and Minorities’, and ‘Modi and possible national role’ was so interesting that for three days, Modi received attention of national and regional TV channels overwhelmingly. He gave about dozen TV interviews that were aired prominently on channels. His style of doing anything through larger than life approach was evident in the arrangements of fast programme. Frankly if it was a showdown between BJP and Congress in Gujarat, or between Modi and Shankersinh as it was treated, Mr. Modi was visibly clear winner. TV screens were telling this story in tones of visuals.

When Gujaratis would see their fellow brother dominating prime time of news channels, that too for good reasons, they wouldn’t care for what local newspapers and Congress leaders say. Thus Modi smartly made local propaganda machinery irrelevant. Yes some national channels were not supportive to Modi’s cause, but that too would go in favor of Modi. Because fellow Gujaratis would disapprove the channel for victimization of their brother, who is actually doing well.

If you are avid Modi follower, you must be knowing that Modi never mentions any Gujarat Congress leader’s name in his speech. He never reacts to any allegation or statement made by Gujarat Congress leaders. He doesn’t seat in the assembly most of the time to listen to what Gujarat Congress’s leaders say. Modi treats Gujarat Congress leaders as if they don’t exist. Whenever he wants to, he targets the national leaders, such as the Prime Minister, or Sonia and Rahul without naming them.

Modi’s announcement – that he would visit each district of the state with the message of Sadbhavana mission and would sit on fast from morning to evening in public in each district – is significant. Modi would thus possibly eat some share of Gujarat Congress’s only intact and trusted vote bank, that is ‘minorities’. ‘Sadbhavna mission district wise’ would be almost like Modi’s pre-election goodwill generating tour across the state. Modi knows that Hindus are large hearted and they would never leave him provided he stays in a limit. So, possibly no iftar, no appeasement through announcement of minority oriented special schemes as of now.

Last year during Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation election, Modi’s man Bhupendrasinh Chudasama deputed for Muslim votes addressed a small Muslim rally in Juhapura area and said how BJP was nowhere in tribal and SC areas some time back and later on how many seats the party captured in those areas. Chudasama said that a day would come, Congress party would lost the support of Muslim voters too in Gujarat. Later at the end of the rally Chudasama survived attack in this area where BJP had for the first time organized a small rally.

So far as the issue of opposing the Narendra Modi government effectively is concerned, Gujarat Congress will now have to start everything from zero. Modi has cleaned the air. He has turned the air in his favor grandly.

The next attack will be on 25th of this month when Modi would speak on all regional political issues at a grand rally of Gujarat BJP. The rally is part of Gujarat BJP’s month long campaign against Gujarat Governor’s alleged unconstitutional decision to appoint Lokayukta wihtout consulting the council of ministers. The agitation is also for two bills on which the Governor is sitting for long time. One bill is about women’s reservation in local bodies(it is attached with compulsory voting), while the other is about impact fee(to regularize illegal constructions). While 25 September rally will be participated largely by party workers and those under influence of party workers(trusted circles), Modi calculatively mobilized common people(out of bound) through his fast venture.

Three days after 25th rally, Navratri will begin and you would see Modi’s entry in Navratri pandals full of thousands of youths. Modi would come to the stage, wave his hand and attract joyful screaming and shouting of thousands of youths. Before that there would be a two-day session of Gujarat assembly in which the state government may move and pass a historic resolution to call back the Governor with majority. Other agenda could be a stricter law against illegal trafficking of bovine for slaughter.

Meanwhile Gujarat Congress’s Shankersinh Vaghela is scheduled to start party’s election campaign during Navratri from Kutch district. Vaghela will again speak about same issues(Modi’s land allotment to industries etc). But what is expected is that Modi would do something even grander in Kutch and clean the air, if needed.

So, lage raho Congress valo, but you need to create solid air that Modi can’t clean. And that doesn’t seem happening at this time, and in near future.