
This post is by Ratnakar Sadasyula, our guest contributor. Ratnakar is an IT professional. Please welcome him on POR.
The BJP’s spectacular rise in the 90’s was due to the enthusiastic backing of the younger sections of the population, during that time. The BJP had a large support from the younger educated professionals, the college going students, and people in the 20-40 age category. While the older generation still voted for the Congress, a major part of the BJP’s support base came from the youth. For a Generation, fed up with the shenigans of the Congress, the failure of “champagne socialism” and “sham secularism”, the BJP seemed the best alternative. The BJP’s right wing Hindutva ideology had large scale support among the urban educated middle classes, while its espousal of a capitalist economy enthused the youth. The reason why youth, including myself, supported the BJP in large numbers was its no nonsense stance on internal security and the country’s safety. Many ex Defence officers joined the BJP, impressed by the party’s discipline, its decorum. While there essentially was not much difference between Congress and BJP on economic policy in the 90’s, the difference was pronounced on other issues, like relations with US, more friendly policy with Israel, Uniform Civil Code, repeal of Article 370, which did really attract the youth. Read the rest of this entry »

So, central government has banned CPI maoist, the main outfit of maoist and naxalite activities in India. It is a much awaited action and finally government woke up when these so called revolutionaries had taken over a large part of Lalgarh. Anyways better late than never. But it should not be stopped here. Government should start an all out campaign and mind you military/para-military campaign, not a police one to flush out all the naxalites from whole country, so that a right environment of development can be created in naxal affected areas. It is the best time to do so in last 60 years and looks like universe has conspired to give us that opportunity. Government must seize it with open hands and ruthless force. Here are the reasons why it is the best time to start an all-out flush out campaign against maoist and naxalites. Read the rest of this entry »

It looks like just yesterday when I changed my status message in GTalk, copying from someone else of-course “Congress in LokSabha and BJP in ShokSabha”, friends laughed and I was amused. Now it has been more than a month and BJP is still in ShokSabha. They have once again ducked the process of self-scrutiny and they are busy doing patchwork. In-fighting is in open, letters are being passed, leaders accusing each other, president trying to be a hero, oldest leader yet not leaving the posts and what to say more once a cadre based highly disciplined party is being pulled in thousand directions. Let us understand the plight of BJP, there are three major types of leaders right now in BJP. Read the rest of this entry »

My first short story: comments are most welcome (based on true incident)
She smiled ….. it was more of a giggle, a lone giggle, something when you want to say “yeh pagal ladka bhi nah
” with her one hand covering her face like in those old Madhuri Dixit posters. She smiled and world stopped for whole 5 seconds. Literally for him, metaphorically for you if you have never experienced that feeling, where you are running from polluted city, tall buildings towards a beach or a snow filled mountain but couldn’t just see it and suddenly at a moment it comes in front of you. Read the rest of this entry »

The problem:
Whether it is Mr. Rajdeep sardesai on CNN-IBN showing his concerns for performance of Congress party or NDTV news reporters stating their clear preferences for Left in their news items, all are sources of worry for neutral functioning of media. Media which is by its very name, not supposed to favor one party or another, seems to loosing its way. All the media persons we are discussing here are very senior reporters and thinkers as such. But problem to separate fact from the personal values and preferences is looming large on media as a whole. Read the rest of this entry »

Friends, readers of my blog and fellow Indians! I see many times that some of us are very disgusted with the fact that no single party is able to win a majority of seats or vote percentage in last few elections. Some of us even suggest presidential form of government in our country. But let me make one thing very clear that if anything, under the broad framework of democracy, in India, is going to work. It is the most representative form of governance. I am in favor of raising national issues and educating common masses about them, but multi party system is different thing. Read the rest of this entry »

So, the results are out and it is exact opposite to what this blog predicted. It is a major win for congress, in every state and every part of country. All other major alliances are decisively defeated. Congress says it is a vote for development and for its crown prince Rahul Gandhi. He did revive congress in UP as promised.
Still my biggest sympathy is with BJP, which is the party I voted for. A nationalist party. It is a loss of face for BJP.
But friends, There are times in history of a nation when all seem lost and looks like wrong forces have won the final battle. But dear friends, it is just a process, which goes on and on. 5 years may be significant time period in life of a man, but in life of a nation (that too a nation like India) is just a flickr of eye.
The time after defeat is not for grief and blame-game. It is the time to introspect and start preparing to come out as winner in next battle.
Though hopes are shattered and nightmares are prevailing, the dawn will surely come. It is not the first black day of Indian history, we survived and fought back. Let us do that again.
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