By M H Ahssan | INNLIVE
ANALYSIS Will the Modi overkill prove counterproductive for the BJP in Bihar? The mood on the ground offers a hint of that. It appears that the Muslim votes are getting sharply polarised against him while Hindu votes have not consolidated enough in his favour to give his party a resounding victory in the battleground state.
Let's begin at beginning. The BJP's campaign in the state has been all about Modi. The party's prime ministerial candidate has visited the state six times ever since the general elections were announced. While canvassing for party candidates he has made himself the sole talking point, reducing the candidates to irrelevance in the process.
By Sameera Aziz | Jeddah
WEEKEND FEATURE A mother recently told me that her daughter asked for almost Saudi Riyals 9,000 for her private graduation party so they could finish their high school after couple of months. When I told her that my daughter had not brought it up yet, the mother said, she will ask you soon “and you know, we have to give them the money otherwise, they will be ashamed in front of their friends.”
I said, “I personally don’t support the idea of spending such a large amount of money just for a private graduation party because their school is already organizing a good party and have taken amount for it as well….But I know that if my daughter wants the amount, her father will give it to her”. The mother replied, “Yes this is a modern and high class Saudis ‘culture’ to have a lashing private graduation party….. So you should not interfere and let your daughter attend the party”.
By Mahesh Mahtolia | Delhi
Voting for close to 220 seats is over. Many political luminaries have had their ballots cast in their respective constituencies. The contest is still far from over. Who will win the polls? Will any party get a majority or are we to be consigned to the dark days of 1990's with a Third Front Government. The thought sends a shudder down the spine. Most regional parties have however been able to have their say at the Centre be it in the NDA or UPA governments. Either by way of TDP or Mamata Banerjee or CPM.
They have been able to hold to ransom key government initiatives which would have made a lot of difference to the people.
By Newscop | INNLIVE
TOP STORY The outlawed CPI (Maoist) has for the first time released a ‘short-term vision’ document or ‘poll manifesto’ urging people to shun the ‘pseudo-democratic system’ and demanded a revamp of the Constitution of India.
In a first, CPI (Maoist) has released an ‘election manifesto’, a copy of which is in possession of this correspondent, asking the people of the country to choose between the ‘pseudo-democratic system’ prevailing in the country and ‘real democracy’ promised by the banned outfit.
Although the outfit has given a call to boycott the 16th General Elections across the country, the manifesto says, “Exercise your franchise if you support the pseudo-democratic system.”
By M H Ahssan | INNLIVE
SPECIAL REPORT The kind of federal government structure existing in India makes for very good governance if it is adhered to in letter and spirit. Apart from a few stumbling blocks, mainly sharing of revenues and some matters of internal security, the fathers of the Indian constitution had clearly demarcated the issues to be handled by the Centre and the states independently and concurrently.
This system can be, and should be, followed to have good governance in the country. But the Congress was always suspicious of its own chief ministers who did good work in the states.
By Likha Veer | INNLIVE
WEEKEND SPECIAL Genetically modified foods are crops, foods or plants that have been scientifically modified with the intention to enhance the nutritional content of the particular crop. It may also be created to develop resistance to bacteria, virus and other components that can damage the plant. Scientists claim that genetic modification is capable of creating crops with the desired output in a short span of time and with perfection, since conventional plant breeding methods consume more time and may also differ than the desired output. Genetically modified foods are being seen as the next big revolution in food technology.
By Shaddha Kamble | Nashik
ELECTION REPORT About 170 km from Mumbai, along the river Godavari, Raj Thackeray will be waging his biggest battle, one to get a firmer grip on his toehold in Maharashtra's political landscape and to grow. Mostly, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena cadre members like to think that the battle is to be waged in October, when Assembly elections are held.
But journeying into the bastion of the young party, you cannot escape the feeling that the MNS could be missing the bus in its own backyard. For the disappointment among the locals over the party's poor performance in the civic body is apparent everywhere in the little town.
By M H Ahssan | INNLIVE
OPEN EDITORIAL One of the good things that might come out of the communal polarisation in this year’s general elections is a serious examination of Indian secularism. When all parties target one man, and when communal rhetoric and innuendo – whether utilised by Amit Shah or Azam Khan – are par for the course, we have to see the Indian version of secularism for what it is: a sham.
This time it is largely the so-called secular parties that have polarised the election. Thanks to the emergence of Narendra Modi as a development icon, the non-BJP parties have gone out of their way to add horns and war-paint to Modi’s visage in the hope that it will scare Muslims. Given his perceived status as a Hindutva hardliner, this embellishment is intended to ensure a Muslim consolidation in favour of the “secular” tribes who feel threatened by Modi.
