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Naya Bharat, Narendra Modi, and a War of Narratives

Bharat Rising

Naya Bharat, Narendra Modi, and a War of Narratives

Noted journalist Javed Anand, on the morning of January 22, 2024, writing in a prominent newspaper said, “For the Muslims, it (Babri Masjid) was only a property dispute. It (the mosque) had no religious or historical significance. It was so obscure that locating it in the then narrow and dusty lanes of Ayodhya was a bit of a task.” He holds forth that the Muslim leadership should have volunteered to hand over the structure to the Hindus, whose sentiments were so deeply ingrained in the structure.

While Anand blames the Muslim leadership for failing to see the sentiments, he has not placed on record the role of Left-leaning historians like Irfan Habib, RS Sharma and DN Jha, who derided the Hindu belief in the location being the place of birth of their cultural and not just religious icon — Ram, the Prince, and later the King of Ayodhya.

The role of the Left-‘liberal’s influence on the succeeding governments of post-Independence was not just limited to their position on the Ram Mandir issue but to different sectors of policymaking. During the high-energy celebrations over the consecration of the Ram temple, Utpal Kumar’s recently launched tome ‘Bharat Rising: Dharma, Democracy, Diplomacy’ may not get a viral-type reception in the market but it’s set for a long inning in the world of books.

Speaking at the launch of the book, Bibek Debroy, the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister, mentioned that the Narendra Modi regime would be judged by history but for sure it did unseat the deeply entrenched thoughts and ideas in post-colonial India. There is no disagreement on this, however, the problem that Modi would pose for future historians is the lack of quality work to justify his acceptance as a mass leader, who changed the grammar of Indian politics for good.

To Utpal Kumar’s confession, he is no Nehru-baiter for the sake of being part of a nationalist jingoism. He says that there are no doubts about first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru being a patriot, who wanted his country to do well. He, however, says that his policies cannot be held in the same high esteem as they were flawed and reflective of the mindset that resisted taking pride in our civilisational roots

The author, through the 12 diverse essays, tries to establish the viewpoint that Nehruvian influence on Indian polity, culture and economy has been the biggest impediment in the rise of a new post-colonial India. This he does as a virtuoso of a seasoned researcher. His arguments are pegged on convincing facts, which somebody disagreeing with this line could find difficult to demolish intellectually.

His most lucid remark on Nehru’s policies is captured on page 103: “Nehru could not always run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.” This image of Nehruvian policies can be seen in many governance initiatives of post-colonial India. Utpal Kumar’s arguments can be likened to those of the best legal minds. On pages 165-166, he deflates the British Broadcasting Corporation’s claims of journalistic autonomy by pitching the Modi documentary issue of 2023 to the sacking of their highest-paid anchor Gary Linekar two months later in March.

The author is very critical of Lutyens’ elite which he doesn’t consider any less vicious than a cabal, “fiercely defending entry” and the elite prospering on the patronage of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. The author, however, fails to suggest how ‘Moditva’ was going to guard against the emergence of a similar clique under the present establishment.

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He quotes from Raj and Romesh Thapar’s, ‘Äll These Years’, “PN Haksar looked after the Left intellectuals and academia; Inder Kumar Gujral managed the media; and Pupul Jaykar looked after the ‘needs’ of the art world.” But can he contest that this role has now been passed on to certain apparatchiks of a different hue, who have been as unfairly benevolent to their favourites as were their predecessors in the Lutyens’ cabal?

A book would have its shortcomings; in fact, what’s a book without shortcomings? It’s also true that the more rigorous the work of scholarship, the more rigorous the evaluation is. The look becomes harder if the book advocates the thoughts and philosophies of the establishment. Several arguments can be effectively countered but for sure not dismissed.

The essays in ‘Bharat Rising: Dharma, Democracy, Diplomacy’ are advised as compulsive reading for those averse to the Moditva especially the Left-‘liberals’ for several reasons. First was the emergence of a scholar like Utpal Kumar on the Right, and second was the presence of several students at his book launch despite the winter chill at the prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce of Delhi University.

New establishment throws up pretenders, their books sell well with the official patronage but they do not invite scholastic respect beyond the regime. Regimes come and go, books live beyond them. The post-independence discourse is finding a new passage which for sure is through belief in India’s civilisational roots. This may not be getting effective and appreciative replications in the official organs and publications of the establishment but certainly, it reflects brightly in the books like the one under review.

Utpal Kumar, it can be safely said, is among few solid scholars on the ‘Right’ and he has done the right thing by bringing out this collection of highly provocative essays. In the decades to come, it will be a great source of information for those taking to studying Narendra Modi and New India.

Also Read: In his farewell speech to retiring Rajya Sabha MPs, Modi praises Manmohan Singh, saying, “His Contribution Has Been…”

Final Thought

Narendra Modi’s leadership and the growth of ‘Moditva’ have had a huge impact on the shift in India’s post-colonial discourse, as detailed in Utpal Kumar’s book “Bharat Rising: Dharma, Democracy, Diplomacy.” A new viewpoint on India’s political and cultural development is provided by Kumar’s critique of Nehruvian policies and his investigation of the current course under Modi’s administration. The book is a witness to a changing India, one that is rediscovering its civilizational roots and redefining its place in the global arena, despite the criticisms and the possible rise of new elites. Kumar’s writing is a plea to look past the obvious and into the deeper currents influencing the destiny of the country, rather than only a reflection of Modi’s India.

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Sexual Harassment Scandal: Prajwal Revanna’s Return from Germany Imminent

Prajwal Revanna

Sexual Harassment Scandal: Prajwal Revanna’s Return from Germany Imminent

It is expected that Prajwal Revanna, the suspended leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), who is accused of sexual harassment, will return to India from Germany this week, Karnataka officials said on Wednesday. Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, is expected to arrive in India on the next night, May 3–4, according to the officials. This comes only one day after Prajwal Revanna was summoned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is looking into the matter, to come in for interrogation. The investigation team also called Holenarasipur MLA HD Revanna, who is Revanna’s father.

Revanna would be considered an “absconder” by the SIT if she did not show up for the probe agency after receiving the summons. A number of lewd recordings featuring Prajwal Revanna started to circulate in the Karnataka district of Hassan last week, sparking controversy around him. Allegations of abuse and violence were sparked by the films, which allegedly showed the 33-year-old leader engaging in sexual actions with many women. A pen drive holding 2,976 pornographic movies that were taken on a mobile phone at the Revanna homes in Bengaluru and Hassan was discovered by the authorities during the preliminary probe.

Then, based on a complaint from a woman who worked at the Revanna residence between 2019 and 2022, a FIR was filed against Revanna and his father under sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (outraging modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code. The lady said that over the years she worked at their house, she had experienced sexual assault. Against this backdrop, on April 27, the day following the state’s Lok Sabha elections, Revanna departed for Germany. The media was informed by his father, HD Revanna, that his son would come back “if he were called for an investigation.”

Also Read: Karnataka BJP Chief Disputes Allegations Regarding Letter on Prajwal Revanna Videos

JD(S) suspends Prajwal Revanna

The Bharatiya Janata Party-JD (S) coalition had Revanna as its Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan in spite of the accusations. But as the scandal grew, the JD(S) suspended Revanna and sent him a show-cause notice on Tuesday in response to the claims of sexual assault. “We support SIT’s prosecution of Prajwal Revanna. JD(S) core committee president GT Devegowda told reporters, “We have decided to recommend our party’s national president suspend him from the party until the SIT investigation is completed.”

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Karnataka BJP Chief Disputes Allegations Regarding Letter on Prajwal Revanna Videos

Karnataka

Karnataka BJP Chief Disputes Allegations Regarding Letter on Prajwal Revanna Videos

On Wednesday, Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa denied party colleague Devaraje Gowda’s assertion that the latter had written to him on Prajwal Revanna’s alleged sex recordings from the previous year. The Shikaripura MLA denied knowing about the obscene content beforehand and referred to Gowda’s claim as “patently false.”” It’s blatantly untrue that lawyer Devaraje Gowda sent me a letter about the tapes. Yediyurappa stated on X, “I have not received any correspondence of that nature and was unaware of the videos. Congressman and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar is accused by Vijayendra Yediyurappa of having prior knowledge of the lewd films. According to him, the Congress politician held off on spreading the footage until after the Lok Sabha elections.

The head of the BJP questioned why the Congress postponed investigating Prajwal Revanna until after the elections. In the seat of Hassan, JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, hundreds of these movies were in circulation. Following the release of the films, Revanna—who is charged with sexually assaulting many women—left the nation. Although he delayed making the films public until closer to the polls, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shiva Kumar has acknowledged knowing about them for months. Should he have been aware of the tapes, why didn’t the Congress government launch an inquiry right away? Why hold off till the results of the elections?” remarked Yediyurappa.

He claimed that the Congress administration has the authority to look into and take action about the protest against Revanna. He went on, “Why all of this drama?” Although he had alerted the BJP president about the recordings, according to Devaraje Gowda, the chief had not received the letter. On Tuesday, he blamed a communication breakdown for Hassan’s endorsement of Revanna despite the tapes.

“I sent a letter regarding the video to our president, Vijayendra Yediyurappa of the Karnataka BJP, and left it at the office, but he stated that the letter had not reached him either. In the letter, I stated that while there is nothing wrong with siding with JD(S), there are grave accusations of sexual harassment against Prajwal Revanna. Prajwal Revanna’s driver, Karthik, approached me and said he was being harassed. Kartik mentioned that Prajwal Revanna has several pornographic films. I questioned the driver about who else he had shown this film to. Karthik claimed to have delivered the president of the Congress the pornographic movies,” he told.

Also Read: Mallikarjun Kharge Challenges PM Modi: ‘Do Only Muslims Have More Children? I Have 5 Because…

He then admitted that he had considered the possibility of issues with the videos when he wrote the letter. “There was a communication breakdown, and he was given the ticket. He said that the JD(S) gave him the ticket even though they had the intelligence information; therefore, it was not the BJP’s responsibility.” Prajwal Revanna, grandson of HD Deve Gowda, has been suspended by the JD (S). Revannan’s former domestic was sexually assaulted, according to a police report from Karnataka. A specialized investigative unit is delving into the matter.

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Mallikarjun Kharge Challenges PM Modi: ‘Do Only Muslims Have More Children? I Have 5 Because…

Mallikarjun Kharge

Mallikarjun Kharge Challenges PM Modi: ‘Do Only Muslims Have More Children? I Have 5 Because…

Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress, blasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for accusing “Muslims of having more children,” claiming that poverty breeds larger families. According to Mallikarjun Kharge, he even has five kids. “He (Modi) now talks about ‘Mangalsutra’ and Muslims since we are headed for a majority. We’ll take your money, he continues, and give it to the people with more kids. “Those who are poor tend to have more children,” stated Congressman Kharge, according to the report.

PM Modi alleged the Congress manifesto favors Muslims.

When PM Narendra Modi said that the Congress platform seeks to divide property according to a family’s number of children, he stirred some controversy last month. Muslims should have preferential access to the nation’s resources, according to a previous statement made by the Congress, according to Modi. As per the Congress platform, the property would be distributed when the gold is calculated in consultation with mothers and sisters and information is gathered. To whom will they give it? “During a Lok Sabha election rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara, Modi stated that Muslims have the primary claim to the nation’s assets, as stated by the government of Manmohan Singh.” “The Congress administration had already declared that Muslims should have priority over all national resources. In other words, who will receive this property? The people with the most children will receive it.It will be given out to the spies. Should the infiltrators receive your hard-earned money? Do you think this is okay? The prime minister continued.

Also Read: Narendra Modi’s Gujarat Blitz: 6 Rallies Across 11 Constituencies in 2 Days

Poor people have more children: Kharge

In response to the Prime Minister’s assertion that his party’s policy calls for income to be redistributed to “those who have more children,” Kharge questioned, “Do only Muslims have them (children)? I possess five. The children of Mallikarjun Kharge are Priyank, Rahul, Priyadarshini, Jayashree, and Milind. “As the sole son, I was… Everyone died when my house caught fire. “Am I here just to see your kids?” my father questioned. stated Kharge. “Because they lack wealth, poor people have more children. Nevertheless, why do you (Modi) exclusively speak about Muslims? The speaker asserted that Muslims are part of this nation and urged the people not to be deceived. “We have to build the country by taking everyone together, not like them (the BJP) by breaking it,” Kharge continued.

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