Ahmedabad, 30 December, 2013

Their frustration is quite understandable!

They used different erasers available all across the world, but couldn’t erase Narendra Modi’s line.

They might have thought, “oh God! which is the ink used by this man?”

In the meantime, every now and then, they continue to get Chinese ink, claimed to be even stronger. So, whenever different kinds of Chinese inks arrived as remedy, they celebrated it, and try to draw even longer line. And they don’t try to draw a new line below or above Modi’s line, but over Modi’s line. And this piece is for such people.

So, those who hate Narendra Modi are now drawing Arvind Kejriwal’s line. There’s nothing new. The same set of people were drawing Keshubhai’s line ahead of the last Gujarat assembly elections, and Nitish Kumar’s line before and after that. Now it’s Kejriwal’s turn. Needless to say, this business of drawing line is election oriented.

While Lok Sabha polls are around 120 days away, look at our home. Open the largest circulated Gujarati daily. A Gujarati son is in contest for the post of Prime Minister. He is not completely useless or someone who may harm our country. But for last thirteen years what we see in print here is series of attempts to erase/overwrite Modi’s line with Keshubhai, Nitish, Advani, Sushma and now someone Kejriwal. What is the motive? Is Keshubhai a better choice? Or Nithsh or Advani? No, the problem is that Modi is not acceptable to them.

In today’s Gujarat Samachar(dated 30 December) Kejriwal’s name has been printed 23 times on the front page itself. There are total 7 stories on Kejriwal and his party on front page. One story in box is about Naxal and Kashmiri separatist sympathizer AAP leader Mr. Bhushan declaring support to agitation against Kudankulam nuclear plant. Another story is about standup comedian type poet Kumar Vishwas strangely daring Modi to contest from Amethi. Kumar Vishwas himsef had rescued self from contesting against Dr. Harshwardhan in recently concluded Delhi assembly polls. Another three column story is about Kejriwal’s statement. Yes, Bhushan, Vishwas and Kejriwal – all three stories are just about their statements and not concrete events. Nevertheless, the newspaper it seems is over enthusiastic about everything around Kejriwal, so another two column story on the front page features Kejriwal’s father’s puja in Kaushambi mandir.

Three of total seven news items on the front page compare Modi with Kejriwal. Heading of second lead on the front page says: Kejriwal refuses to accept security, Modi enjoys luxury(thaath) of security.

So security cover to a state Chief Minister and front runner contender for the post of prime minister is luxury! Security cover to a person who is on top in the list of targets of terrorists and anti-nationals( many events, interrogations of terrorists and intelligence reports have confirmed this) is luxury! This journalism should be awarded with gold medal.

How you can compare Modi with Kejriwal when it comes to security? Kejriwal inducts Farooqi who sympathized with terrorist Yasin Bhatkal, he meets Maulana Tauqueer just before the Delhi elections obviously to get votes, he has been backed by America through Ford Foundation grant, Aid grant, Magsase award, who is soft to Naxals and Kashmiri freedom struggle, he is now openly supported by Sonia Gandhi, he is new in politics! Why Kejriwal would need security cover like Modi? Anti-nationals are not in danger due to him and vice versa. Threat perception to leaders are scientifically measured by the government. On what basis Modi’s security has been called luxury in the article?

The article further states that while Kejriwal dresses simply, Modi wears costlier designer cloths. The fact is, Modi is bachelor. He gets his monthly salary as Chief Minister. He has not a long list of other hobbies and doesn’t have time for that. He has developed a habit of good dressing since child hood. He can have his choice of dresses and can wear them. Who should wear what is personal issue. Jesuit fathers who are active in religious conversations and other activities are specially asked to dress like common man, so that they can influence the local people better to fulfill their motives.

Gujarati daily is so overwhelmed by Kejriwal that on the last page it has published a story on so called Google survey. Actually there’s no such survey! But they call it survey without giving source’s name! The article is about more than 3 lakh search results you get once you type ‘Modi is a criminal’! Now any article mentioning three words – ‘Modi’, ‘criminal’ and ‘is’ would figure in search results. So if Modi has defeated criminals, an article mentioning it will also figure in search results. Gujarati daily article fails to mention who did such survey. There can be several surveys using several other terms like ‘Modi is good administrator’ and likewise, but you would not read any article on that! Then as predicted, this article also turns out to be another tool to compare Modi and Kejriwal! Gujarat Samachar writes: Kejriwal and Sushma Swaraj enjoy good image among people!

Then you open the second page in local news section and you read a headline on top claiming that Kejriwal proved himself Rajnikant by becoming a Chief Minister. The body text compares Modi and Kejriwal. Needless to say Modi is shown in poor light compared to Kejriwal. Stereotype and predictable in this newspaper.

The point is, whenever those who dislike Modi think they have found some remedy against Modi, they joyously start dancing Bhangra. So we heard, aala re alaa Keshubhai aalaa, Sanjay Joshi in Gujarat, Sanjiv Bhatt the Singham, Sreeekumar’s affidavit, Rahul Sharma’s CD, SIT summons, Tehelka sting operation, Patidar leader Nareshsh Patel, Koli leader Parshottam Solanki sulking, Advani would not allow Modi, Youths will vote for Rahul, Rahul failed? Priyanka will emerge as a ray of hope, aala re aala Nitish aala, Shiv Sena slams Modi in Samna, agitation of Sikhs in Kutch – Akalis unhappy with Modi, Shivraj is better, Modi will go to jail in encounter cases, Zakia/Teesta will manage the things and trap Modi via Supreme Court, Haren Pandya case will reopen, commission appointed-now Saheb in danger…………etc. In NDTV language ‘Blow to Modi’. And a particular class that always enjoy all this, now finds Kalki avatar in Arvind Kejriwal – like always(in the past Sanjiv Bhatt and others). Their enthusiasm is overflowing again with emergence of a new hero. Modi must be enjoying these people.

Kejriwal and his team should continue to look like savior by issuing statements against Modi. They get lot of benefit through it. Those writing nonsense stuff like ‘security is luxury’ and bla bla should continue to write it, and those publishing it should continue to publish it. Our experience of last three assembly elections in Gujarat says that Gujarati readers are gifted with perfect common sense. So nothing to worry!

Lastly, this piece is not about those people who see an option in Kejriwal. This piece is about those for whom ‘Stop Modi’ project is only in focus, and Kejriwal is new avatar to achieve that. Dances, jumps, whistles, spark in the eyes, enthusiasm and overall jubilation among such people don’t fail to entertain. The article started with frustration ends here at jubilation. Both are linked.