Sunday, June 23, 2013

gujaratis in uttarkhand

Narendra Modi lands in Uttarakhand, flies out with 15,000 Gujaratis

 

DEHRADUN: In the two days that NarendraModi has been in Uttarakhand, he has managed to completely rile not just the Congress government of Vijay Bahuguna but also the administrative staff involved in rescue operations at Kedarnath, Badrinath and Uttarkashi. But above all, he has also managed to bring home some 15,000 stranded Gujarati pilgrims.

The Gujarat CM, who flew in on Friday evening, held a meeting till 1am with his crack rescue team of five IAS, one IPS, one IFS and two GAS (Gujarat Administrative Service) officers. Two DSPs and five police inspectors were also part of his delegation. They sat again with the nitty-gritty of evacuation in a huddle that a senior
BJP leader said lasted till 1am on Sunday.

Around 80
Toyota Innovas have been requisitioned to ferry Gujaratis to safer places in Dehradun as have four Boeings. On Saturday, 25 luxury buses transported a bunch of grateful people to Delhi. The efforts are being coordinated by two of the senior-most IAS officers of Gujarat, one currently stationed in Delhi and another in Uttarakhand.

As if that was not enough to thumb his nose at a government accused of large-scale mismanagement in handling the crisis, Modi later in the day even offered to "completely rebuild" the temple at Kedarnath using "the latest technology available" in such a way that no natural calamity would ever shake it again. The
Uttarakhand CM is believed to have dismissed the statement.

What cannot be dismissed, though, is Modi's now trademark style of micro-management, something his supporters say is the need of the hour for India. "It's amazing what he has done here," said Anil Baluni, a BJP leader. "If someone doesn't like it, what can we do?'

Modi's men have not only para-dropped a complete medical team in Hardwar, they have also set up camps across th flood-hit regions. Prominent BJP workers in villages across the state are dealing directly with members of the rescue committee, telling them where food is to be sent, people given shelter and medicines administered. That seems to have helped. When a car owned by a Gujarati was stuck in a road-block by angry residents demanding aid in Badkot, Uttarkashi, an urgent message was immediately sent out by an
IAS officer and the vehicle taken to safety.

Asked about the "new model" of rescue and relief operation by Modi that has helped 15,000 Gujaratis get out of Uttarakhand, an angry Congress legislator said, "See, that's what we mean. His model works only for Gujaratis."



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"An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching." - MK Gandhi

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

An Open Letter to L K Advani

An Open Letter to L K Advani


Dear Shri Advaniji,

In 1990 when the nation was going through the second-most turbulent phase of internal strife after the Emergency, you revolutionised the politics of the land and gave the country a viable alternative to the Congress. You played a pivotal role in installing the first non-Congress government that completed its full term. You inspired a whole generation of younger leaders and have perhaps mentored more young politicians and activists than any other leader did in the country.

In 1994, at the peak of your popularity, you showed amazing selflessness and foresight in proposing Vajpayeeji as BJP's PM candidate. In 1996 when your name was dragged into the hawala scam, you took the most principled stand of quitting Parliament and not contesting elections until your name was cleared. Throughout Vajpayeeji's tenure as PM, your hands-on involvement in the formulation and execution of almost all important government policies, did not escape notice. In 2009, at 81, you fought a valiant and spirited battle against a truly 'weak PM'.

As someone who has followed you very closely since 1990 and for whom you have been an inspiration, I really wanted to see you as India's PM. In a country which has suffered lightweight PMs like H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujral and Manmohan Singh, you are clearly someone who had exceptional credentials to hold that coveted post. Besides, I am sure that with your nationalist approach and your clarity of thought, you would have been one of India's better PMs.

In fact when I met you in April this year, I was pleasantly surprised to see you as energetic, involved and sharp as ever. Clearly, while you seemed to be stoic, you still wanted to run for the PM's office. And as someone who has been a great fan of your perseverance and work ethics, I was once again tempted to see you occupy the PMO.

However, one of the biggest battles that mankind has ever confronted is between his own heart and mind. You and I were perhaps thinking from our hearts. On the other hand, the practical realities which have unfolded in the last few days, is the inevitable truth.

Today, India needs someone as ruthless, shrewd and tenacious as Modi to unseat the Congress for the next 10 years. All those who rooted for Modi in Goa did not by any means favour him over you. Nor were they all necessarily die-hard Modi fans. Rather, they saw in him a younger you. They placed their bet on someone who hurts the Congress the most on the given day. It was a call necessitated by the need to conclusively end the menace of Congress rule in the country.

I feel that as someone who has been Modi's mentor, your support to this historic move would have brought more joy to the party and the country. Given your indefatigable energy and your zest to contribute to the nation, I am pretty upbeat that your best is yet to come.

As an eternal optimist, I am hopeful of seeing you occupy the Rashtrapati Bhawan instead in 2017. That will be the most apt crescendo to sign off your political career. While age does not seem to be your side, I am confident you will continue to defy it.

Yours sincerely,

Tuhin A Sinha

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