Reading Between the Lines: Priyank Kharge vs RSS

Priyank Kharge's letter written to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in which he listed seven points asking for accountability and transparency got nationwide media attention and became a most discussed topic. The minister chose to take RSS head on and wanted his questions to be answered. Was there no option for him to go in silence to accomplish his task? Since he is the Home Minister of the state, he had all the forces at his command to summon RSS functionary from Keshav Krupa and carry on with his task. Instead, he addressed his letter to the Sarsanghchalak and sought reply to his questions. Even this he could have done without media attention. Instead, he went to the media tom-toming his questions to the RSS. Why did he do so? Here is my perspective. There are two slurs that are inextricably linked with his political career. The first one is that his father's shadow looms large on his political ascendancy, and the second one concerns his qualifications, with which he has often been denigrated. He wanted to change this public perception and show that he is a man of his own mind and deservedly occupies the ministerial position. During his media interactions, whenever the opportunity presented itself, he spoke in chaste English. This tongue still holds its ground in India as a mark of intellectual superiority and sophistication. He wanted to show the world that he is no mere coat-tail rider who rides on the back of his powerful father. He wanted to demonstrate that he has all the wherewithal—young, confident, courageous and articulate—to tell the world: "Don't write me off as a protégé parachuted into political positions." In choosing the RSS issue, he eminently succeeded in his PR campaign to extricate himself from the slurs surrounding the reasons for his political ascendancy. More importantly, he sought to show that, irrespective of questions regarding his qualifications, he possesses the intellectual equipment required to be the Home Minister of the state.

Did IPL Golden Goose Kill India's Chance?

Indian cricket fan has deeply hurt and feeling dejected for India's performance in the ongoing ICC T20 World-Cup. Cricket pundits are busy dissecting the performance of the team and assigning various reasons for the downfall. 

It is a known fact that Indian team is on the roads for the last six months and playing cricket under strenuous bio-bubble restrictions and top flight international cricket is demanding in terms of mental and physical fitness for an athlete to perform at his peak level. However great an athlete, we have to understand he is only a human and susceptible to vagaries of life. After the Newzealand match Jusprit Bumra was vocal in expressing his feelings that how an emotional well-being plays a role in players performance.

If we look at the Indian team's cricket calendar right from the Australian tour, followed with truncated IPL in the summer then one off  ICC Test Championship then full-fledged Test Series with England and back to UAE to complete the remainder of the truncated IPL and then current ICC Twenty20 competition. 

The Indian team's cricket calendar is so crowded that players only get a little breathing space in between. ALL PLAY AND NO REST MAKES JACK A DULL BOY is the state  of the current  Indian team in the UAE. 

On the other hand teams like Pakistan hardly get an opportunity to play top flight international cricket.  Owing to the fragile political situation in Pakistan, no country is willing to risk playing in Pakistani soil. It has become a bless in disguise for the country,  as is evident in their performance in the ongoing championship. 

Pak team is fresh, raring to go and eager to perform.  Their performance in the tournament is so commanding that they never allowed an opponent to dominate them so far. Unlike Virat Kohlis and Rohit Sharmas they do not have star dome status and multi-million IPL contracts and all they know is to go out and express freely themselves and are doing it to the perfection in this tournament.

Another serious criticism is of BCCI scheduling IPL 2021 inbetween England tour and ICC Twenty20 World Cup. Since in IPL there is a huge money at stake players are squeezed to the hilt and most of the Indian players who are part of it and are left with little time to rejvunate and feel fresh for the marquee tournament are looking jaded and completely out of sorts.

The team selection for the tournament is another seriously debated point as most of the players in the current playing eleven in the world cup were not in their best of form in the recently concluded IPL. 

Especially players like Hardik Pandya who is carrying shoulder injury and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who is a pale shadow of his former self making their way into the playing eleven is seriously questioned by many experts and past players. They allege that most of the players are selected based on their past reputation rather than their current form.  

Top performers in the IPL like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Venkatesh Iyer and Yuzuvendra Chahal are left out. For no reason  Ravi Ashwin, who is considered as the best spinner in the world, has been constantly kept out and it only makes cricket fan to suspect there is something fishy in the Kohli led dressing room.

To make  matter worse, in order to please sponsors, BCCI and ICC made sure that all Indian matches are played in the night 7:30 PM slot to attract huge Indian viewership and garner maximum advertising revenue. Since India has no chance of playing afternoon sessions, if they loose toss they have to cope with due factor in night where they seriously handicapped with gripping the ball and have payed the price for it in both Pakistan and New Zealand matches.

Indian team's fortunes in this world cup are hanging by thread now and only miracle can make them to progress to the semifinals. It is a wake up call to  BCCI to prioritise players interest over their commercial interests and do well to understand that Twenty20 requires freshness, athleticism and not to rest on player's reputation rather than consider his current form during the selection process.

 BCCI to recall India won the first Twenty20 World Cup with relatively fresh, yong and raring to go with 'horses for courses' selection policy rather than by going with the old and established horses then.

Now the question arises, had it not been for IPL, would team India performed well or IPL Golden Goose killed Indian Team Spirit?

Olympics, India, and Gold Medals

When I returned  home today, after 40 minutes drive from my work place at around 5:30 PM, unlike other days, I was in for a surprise to see a festive mood in my home that my wife and son elated to broach the news of Neeraj Chopra winning the gold in Olympics. 

The country with 1.3 billion population was content with a silver and a few bronzes and gold was not in our wildest imagination but something incredible had happened in the form Niraj Chopra and with his effort he brought glory to India on the world stage and  in the process he had scripted a golden history in the annals of Indian track and field events.

For a moment, I wondered, how an Olympics success of an Indian athlele has such a power of transforming mood in an Indian household and generating a positive vibes all around!!

In an overnight, Neeraj Chopra mostly unknown to common Indians, has become a household name simply tells the power of success at the greatest sporting event on the earth called Olympics. While speaking to Prime minister Modi, Neeraj made a striking comment that like him there are thousands of athletes in India  and all they need was proper encouragement and right atmosphere to  nurture and showcase their talent and government needs to develop a sporting ecosystem in the country where in Chopras, Meerabai Chanus and their ilk get proper attention. There was a sense of imploring in the voice. 

In the context of fan following the game of cricket enjoys in our country, Neeraj's words that beat into my ears like gong. And how true his words are that he is the first athelete to win a medal in track and field events in a century old Olympics history of India. It only shows our callous attitude towards athletic sporting events in general and track and field in particular.

On the other hand, we go crazy after the game called cricket where in a handful of countries in the world  play the game and we rejoice at the success of the team and treat Tom, Dick and Harry like gods descended on earth. Nothing wrong in loving the game and worshipping the players but the question is to what extent and at what cost? This is the serious question to be pondered over by every right minded Indian now on to give their due of other sporting events in the country they deserve.

It is interesting to see the Olympic medal tally that top three nations in the list are all non cricket playing nations. In an equally interesting parallel my own friends who are not cricket geeks have done extremely well in their career and lives as well. 

I once heard a prominent IT industry thought leader saying in India average indians mind space is occupied with bollywood, politics and cricket and if we remove the clutter and there is enough space for other things in our lives.  So if we correct  our lopsided vision and look around so that we can provide a level playing field to other sports in India to grow and prosper so that to see many more Neeraj Chopras on the anvil.

Olympics being the gratest and most prestigious sporting event in the world, naturally captures most eye balls in the world and performance at this event enhances the reputation a country in the world's eye and brings in immense respect and prestige to a country in the comity of nations.

It is distressing to see countries with a few million population winning at leat half dozen gold medals in Olympics but India with a billion plus population struggling to win a medal in the event is a matter of serious introspection for every Indian citizen.

In a couple decades, China has emerged as a giant of sporting nation and announcing its superiority on the world's stage using the Olympic platform. 

Similarly India as an aspiring super power should start it's journey in the sporting arena and develop a sporting culture that nurtures to emerge real heros like Neeraj, Punia et all who made the nation proud on the world stage.

But then in Tokyo a spark has lit in the form  of Neeraj Chopra and it should spread like a wildfire to the whole nation to begin the treasure hunt of gold in Paris 2024.

A Fortunate Stroke of Serendipity

As it is popularly said politics is a game of dice and in the context of Karnataka politics one can say no one knows it better than Shri Basavaraj Bommai on how to play it and It is also the first of its kind that a professionally qualified Engineer has occupied the position of chief minister in the state. 

Shri Bommai began his political innings by getting elected to the legislative council in the late ninties from then on he menoeuvred the political waters deftly to move slowly and steadily up the political ladder firstly by becoming political  secretary to then chief minister Shri J H Patel. 

But soon the power struggle began within in the Janata Dal ranks and Bommai's keen political acumen sensed that he is not going go far with the dwindling Janata Dal Ship. At the same time he saw the ascendancy of BJP and he quickly shifted his loyalty and moved to the party in 2008. Since then he never looked back and managed to secure ministerial births on all occassions of BJP forming government in the state but kept low profile and never played to the gallery nor showed the temerity to be in the spotlight but kept up his presence where it mattered.

When Shri Yeddyurappa called it quits from BJP in 2012 there was a select band of loyalists followed him to strengthen his hands in forming KJP but here again one can notice the tact and talent of Shri Bommai that he did not follow the suit instead remained in the BJP showing that he is a man of his own mind. But after 2013 elections playing spoilsport to both 

BJP and Yeddyurappa and soon realisation dawn on them that they are not mutually exclusive to each other and their interest lies in going together hand in hand  resulting in Shri Yeddyurappa coming back to the party fold and during this process it is said Shri Bommai played a vital role. 

When BJP in 2019 snatched the power back from Cong-Jds combine under the leadership of Yeddyurappa and he becoming the chief minister for the fourth time and appointed Shri Bommai as home minister, the second in command in power structure and thus rewarding him richly for the loyalty shown.

Throughout the last two years Shri Bommai as home minister kept very low profile and worked under the shadow of the chief minister and making his leader look better than what he is but when the change in leadership campaign gained momentum, he did not depict himself as an aspirant and there were many hats thrown in the ring and the aspiring leaders of the community started galvanizing the support from partymen in their favour and lobbied hard to obtain the grace of high command. 

During this process there was lot of halla bol from many chief ministerial aspirants but Shri Bommai maintained studied silence and never tried to show his interest in the coveted post though his name was doing rounds as one of the probable candidates.  But swamijis belonging to various mutts rallying behind Shri Yeddyurappa's continuation gave little scope for the BJP high command to experiment and to upset the apple cart. 

Now the search has narrowed down to choosing the candidates belonging to specific community for the state's top job and this has tilted the equation towards Shri Bommai's candidature. His experience, his loyalty to the strongman and his personal demeanour of keeping low profile clinched the deal for him and he landed the coveted job in a Fortunate Stroke of Serendipity.

A Campaign of Canard

In the last couple of weeks or so, there is a campaign of canard by inveterate Modi baiters and are systematically trying to present a bleak picture of pandemic surge in India is due to the failure of the current government in handling the crisis. 

Especially the so called country's leading intellectuals claiming to be secularists and these men regularly appear in Television debates and have developed a personality cult among elite intellectual class of India include leading historian(cricket, environment etc) , noted journalist and social activist and are depicting the pandemic situation in India as a gross failure on the part of Modi Government and are carrying out this campaign thru social media relentlessly in the last fortnight.

I have a high respect for this intellectual class and  their right to criticize and certainly agree with them that when a man happens to be the prime minister of a country, he is not above scrutiny and critics have right to highlight his omissions and commissions in a constructive way with an open mind but when it is done with prejudice against one man consistently carrying out a negative campaign to sully the image then criticism turns to hate campaign and the critics tend to lose respect in the eyes of an ordinary reader.

Even an opposition leadar who is known for his childish statements is up now with making sarcastic statements to take advantage of the situation. And other opposition parties are not far behind in the race in badgering the government instead of co-operating in an hour of crisis in the country.

This second wave has hit India a little late but whole of Europe and America have already been through it and are fighting to restore the normalcy but behaviour of opposition party leaders, media and citizenry in those countries is a lesson for all of us to learn. In an hour of national crisis all stake holders are rallying behind the government of the day and extending all possible support to fight for the cause unitedly to wade through the crisis but in our country the situation is exactly the opposite and the so-called secular intellectuals and opposition parties  are trying to hang albatross around one man's neck and showing him in poor light.

If we think why India is still a progressing country despite rich resources and best in class people reasons are not far to seek. In the past we have seen, even in the country's gravest situations, as a political class we failed to put up a united front to demonstrate that the interest of the nation is paramount and parties and individual are secondary. Instead our politics is ready to descend to any level for the sake of power and ready to do any machinations even at the cost of country.

We celebrated the last week the birth anniversary of Nobel laureate poet Tagore who goes onto say in one of his poems - Let My Contry (men) Awake.....

...... Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by 

Thee into ever-widening thought and action;

Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake......

This is Modiji's India

India's incredible thumping win in Wollongong Gabba in the fourth test match  at Brisbane reaffirms the transformation of India not only in cricketing field but in all spheres of human endeavors. 

A team that was thrashed and  bulldozed by relentless Australian pace battery in Adelaide resulting in  doom sayers to predict a whitewash in the series only to see their own doom in the process, the way in which team India bounced back to give Australians a taste of their own medicine is a fairy tale.

The team that was beset with injury owes to most of their key players did not lose heart and young blood took the baton and carried on heroically and stood their ground without yielding an inch to Australians is a proof enough of an resurgent India that is ready to raise to any challenge. 

Pants, Sirajs, Natarajs, Shubhmans and thier ilk have shown that this is the new India no matter the situation are ready to take the bull by its horns. Well done team India , this victory of yours is cherished and  celebrated for a time to come.

Not only Australians now, infiltrators, insurgents and the like have learnt that this  is Modiji's India and they receive as good as they give.....

Finally a "Golden Sindhu."

Ace badminton star P V Sindhu at last broke the 'final jinx' to adorn the gold medal in the world championship. This time she defeated her rival so convincingly that the final score read 21-7, 21-7. Her achievement is a lesson in perseverance and never say die attitude.

As Saina Nehwal broke the glass ceiling to prove Indian women power on the world badminton stage, Sindhu corroborated it today with her gold winning effort.
Hope this should usher in a new era in Indian women's badminton.

As it is said in cricket Dravid was known for his supreme technique but never created a fear in the opposition bowler. On the other hand when Sachin was at the crease opposition bowlers feared, such was his dominance. In my view similar is the case with Saina and Sindhu. Saina may be technically an excellent player but Sindhu on the court creates fear in her rival. On her day she can destroy any opposition.

As Modiji ascribed his 2019 electrol victory saying 'E Savasso Carode Bhartiya Ka Jeet Hai'. So is Sindhu's today's victory is the victory of all Indians.  We wish she would continue her winning streak to make Indian flag flutter at the ensuing 'Tokyo Olympics' by occupying Pole position on the podium.