The Great Indian Political Drama - 2 (Mar 2018 - Oct 2018)

[chetak]

How do you charge tax on what are effectively donations (langar)?

The langar also buys a lot of stuff on it's own, apart from the donations in kind.

One can't always dictate or predict what will be donated by the devotees.

[JohnTitor]

Nothing good can come of this unholy alliance. Already Kumarswamy cab service drivers are looking forward to being able to ply on the roads. Apparently they weren't given a license, but I don't know why. Now he will grant license to make money.

I'm sure all the schemes to make money will be hatched, legal or otherwise. KA is truly cursed.

[Pratyush]

People usually get the government they deserve.

But sometimes they don't get the government they deserve.

Karnataka is not getting the government it deserves.

The Congress succeed in one area at least. Confusing the voters enough to keep some at home or make some press nota.

I am afraid that this will effect 1 to2 percent votes in 2019 as well.

[Gus]

Please don't echo and amplify SM propaganda on any issues, including and especially, stuff designed to increase hindu disillusion with the aim of pushing them to stay at home/nota.

as brfites/bgrites, you have duty to find truth and counter propaganda and educate others - not fall prey to it.

[sbajwa]

How do you charge tax on what are effectively donations (langar)?

You don't, the GST applies to packed food item's only. If you are buying loose atta dal and rice. No GST applies. But if you buy packaged atta dal and rice. The GST applies.

That's the law. You can see how it can be used by rumour mongers against GST.

It is misinformation! all food at Golden Temple is donated by the people in Amritsar and villages around it. All Daal, Rice, Vegetables, milk, sugar, salt, etc is donated! I doubt if Golden temple even pays for the electricity (probably some businessmen have taken up that responsibility)

[Gus]

It is not the loss. Worry is pan India coalition... the exact same formula which defeated cong and left in NE. BJP worked through coalition with regional parties with single agenda to throw out congress from NE. If the same tenacity is shown by disgruntled regional parties in rest of the india against the bjp then tough times.

tighten that dhoti sir.

the only reason it worked in KA is because bjp has no presence in about 40 seats out of 220 and all 40 seats went to JDS - which can then be enticed for an alliance with congress by offering CMship.

pan India, for your scenario to repeat

1. congress gives up competing in all seats and enters into seat-sharing, tactical voting (but not pre-poll to avoid anti-congress votes affecting alliance partner), then congress ends up at max somewhere around 100. this is their best case scenario.

2. BJP will still emerge SLP but no outright majority, like 200-250 at worst.

in this scenario - bjp will have enough options to pull alliances to get to 272. "offering HDK CMship for alliance" is a trick that is only possible in a three party scenario. cannot be repeated in a multi party where regional parties compete against each other. for ex, if dmk has X seats and admk has Y seats, then NDA will get either X or Y.

[sbajwa]

How do you charge tax on what are effectively donations (langar)?

You don't, the GST applies to packed food item's only. If you are buying loose atta dal and rice. No GST applies. But if you buy packaged atta dal and rice. The GST applies.

That's the law. You can see how it can be used by rumour mongers against GST.

It is misinformation! all food at Golden Temple is donated by the people in Amritsar and villages around it. All Daal, Rice, Vegetables, milk, sugar, salt, etc is donated! I doubt if Golden temple even pays for the electricity (probably some businessmen have taken up that responsibility)

SGPC only makes sure that Rahit Maryada is followed and they spend on Dharam Prachar along with various Punjabi and Sikh departments in universities. SGPC also pays salaries to their employees. Even if 2 crore GST (probably on luxury items for its top employees like Cars, etc) is paid it is pittance compare to their annual 1200 crore budget.

SGPC budget

They are buying air conditioned buses to transport Sri Guru Granth Sahib
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cit ... 551153.cms


AMRITSAR: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) — single largest representative body of Sikhs — passed its annual budget of around Rs 1,159 crore for year 2018-2019 with a voice vote on Thursday. It is the first budget presented under the tenure of SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal.

The budget was presented by general secretary Gurbachan Singh Karmuwal. The budget was presented in presence of Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, Takht Kesgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Raghubir Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, Takht Patna Sahib jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh and Golden Temple head granthi Giani Jagtar Singh.


SGPC has divided its budget into general board fund, trust fund and education fund and earmarked around Rs 66 crore, Rs 56 crore and Rs 37 crore respectively. Further, the Sikh body has earmarked Rs 76 crore for Dharam Parchar Committee, Rs 228 crore for educational institutions and around Rs 8 crore for its printing presses.

About time the SGPC and badal stopped fooling the sikh public and come clean and own up all mismanagement - badal should not fool with the sentiments and sikh religionAjit Grewal

SGPC has also made a budgetary provision of Rs 60 lakh for purchase of an AC bus for transporting saroop of Guru Granth Sahib to sangat whereas it has earmarked Rs 1.7 crore and Rs 2.40 crore for installing printing presses for printing of Guru Granth Sahib in India and abroad respectively.

For purchase of langar material, the SGPC has made a provision of around Rs 87 crore during the 2018-19 financial year. These purchases are in addition to donations made by the sangat (community) for the preparation of langar.

[Supratik]

Thanks Lilo and Sandeep for the clarifications. GST rates are set by a committee not Modi or GOI.

One of the strategies pf Goebbel's propaganda machinery during WW2 was to spread false news among the enemy camp and make them believe In it. I won't be surprised if this is being done by BIFs under Congress umbrella to feed RW trolls and nutcases who then amplify it and spread it to the aam janta who then sit at home cursing Modi and BJP. That is the plan and it seems to be working.

John, Fadnavis did the right thing. Read the news. It is for purposes like education and hospitals not for Dubai malls. Better than land getting encroached or sold illegally.


Gus, I won't be that sanguine. Modi and Shah have a very tough battle on hand. They have riled up the existing corrupt, anti-Hindu forces including their foreign sponsors and they are itching to get back. So expect them to put all possibilities at stake even if it means a 30 party govt. The only way PIFs and Modi can survive is by winning a direct majority. Anything short, KA will be repeated.

[Gus]

"So expect them to put all possibilities at stake even if it means a 30 party govt. The only way PIFs and Modi can survive is by winning a direct majority. Anything short, KA will be repeated."

of course, they'll do everything...but in a 30 party govt, there's only one PM ship to offer and not 30 PMships.

and whatever posts con party can offer, bjp can offer too..

what i am saying is - a three party dynamics is fundamentally different from a 20 party dynamics.

2 & 3 can gang up on 1, but in a 1,2,3,....20 scenario, 1 has a lot of options to make up majority.

[Supratik]

No Sir. This is not about cobbling up a coalition. This is an ideological and survival of the system battle. One more term of Modi and BJP may fundamentally alter the polity. No quarters will be given.

[Supratik]

BJP takes up opposition space in WB.

https://www.livemint.com/Politics/hp3vu ... w-BJP.html

[Chandragupta]

I doubt cong jds alliance will scuttle. Both are in for business and know they stand a chance only when together. Congress' sacrifice just to keep bjp at bay is astonishing. I don't think AS anticipated such radical move by Cong. It has given a message that Cong will not shy from sacrifice in 2019.

BJP need good allies.

Bigger problem I see is psychological impact on bjp voters. If they start thinking 2019 is lost cause then they might not even come out to vote.

BJP supporters should set aside their differences and vote. In fact every vote counts now.

If Amit Shah did not see it coming then he probably does not deserve to be the BJP President. But the truth is he knew well before that this would happen. Anyone who has not been living under a rock for the past 4 years will know that it is either BJP or not-BJP, there is no other camp. If you do not vote for BJP, you are voting for everybody else.

All the good folks here saying that Con-JDS alliance will not last, mark my words - it will till the next General Elections. Congress will do a reverse dand-baithak if it has to, to please JDS so that BJP can remain at bay. You are underestimating the will to live of these critters like Mamta, Maya, INC, JDS, CBN, Laloo et al. They will do anything to ride out the Modi wave.

I have faith in the Supreme Divine that Modi & Shah will win 300+ seats alone for BJP. Do you think they don't know that even if they win 271, all others WILL gang up and keep them out. If they lose, we will still be alive and well but think of those RSS activists and leaders (including Modi & Shah) who would be hunted down for the rest of their lives for attempting to save India from the wolves. 2019 is an existential battle for the Hindu civilization, let us not be divided.

It is not the time to crib about core-non core. We can crib once we give Modi 300+ seats in 2019, then we can go after him with all we have got but till then please understand that every BJP voter has only one agenda, one aim - to get more votes for BJP. Please use saam daam dand bhed, to get more votes into the BJP camp. Some levers are Malsi population, riots, economy and of course, the biggest question that whether the non-BJP voters would want a khichdi government that has 10+ major parties pulling from all sides and do we want another lost decade for our children? Ask them what happens to their grand children who will live in a 30%+ radicalized Malsi population in another 50 years.

Lilo ji, great post and finds. I am borrowing from your post and posting on Twitter to refute this nonsensical agenda. I hope everybody does the same. Some of the 'core' handles on Twitter are probably INC handles who just fan anti-Modism all day. Please let us not fall for that. Remember, 2019 is do or die for all Hindus.

[SSundar]

Frickin' rhona-dhona about Petrol & Diesel has started (again). The edumacated people who can't understand global events and their connection to energy prices make me sick. When will they ever realize that they WILL pay the FULL price of Petrol and Diesel ALWAYS - either through their wallet or with their blood.

[chetak]

"So expect them to put all possibilities at stake even if it means a 30 party govt. The only way PIFs and Modi can survive is by winning a direct majority. Anything short, KA will be repeated."

of course, they'll do everything...but in a 30 party govt, there's only one PM ship to offer and not 30 PMships.

and whatever posts con party can offer, bjp can offer too..

what i am saying is - a three party dynamics is fundamentally different from a 20 party dynamics.

2 & 3 can gang up on 1, but in a 1,2,3,....20 scenario, 1 has a lot of options to make up majority.

The majority has already started to think like a single vote bank.

I think that 2019 will result in definite polarisation, not as much as one hoped for but more than what could be usually expected, by sickular estimation.

State and central issues will be in different buckets and the Modi team has done much for his bucket

It is best to isolate regional parties and prevent regional parties and personalities to ally across the board.

[Rudradev]

A good analysis from LordWalrus at OpIndia.com

http://www.opindia.com/2018/05/the-core ... the-faith/

Karnataka results have split the Right-Wing electorate vertically into two. While some claim that the defeat is a result of inaction on the Core Hindu agenda, others say it was merely a case of slip between the cup and the lip. The truth depends on which side of the line you stand towards. The fact, however, remains that BJP started testing the water with their Temple fund utilization promise in their manifesto. That promise made the manifesto partially ‘Core’, albeit imperfect.

Twitter is replete with folks on the ‘right’ side of the political spectrum, warning Narendra Modi about similar results in 2019 if the Core Hindu agenda is not fulfilled. While I am a supporter of the Core agenda, I think such threats are pointless.

I think the 93rd Amendment is a travesty. Yes, I think sectarian purse should be abolished. And yes, I think temples must be governed by Hindus and not by a secular state. I believe deeply in the core ideology, though I differ from many of its supporters in not sharing an “all or none” approach.

The most common point of disaffection is that the Prime Minister has not done anything for Hindus. Ladies and gentlemen of the ‘core’, why was a manifesto that promised “proper utilization of temple funds” rejected in Karnataka? Is it not weird that you want BJP to fulfill the Core agenda and at the same time, you reject a manifesto that wants to test ‘Core’ waters? Haven’t you just told the politicians that you will punish them for perceived mistakes of the past, no matter what the present and future plan is? How do you expect the politician to take you seriously when you can’t stand by your own agenda – howsoever imperfect it is? On a related note: this particular promise was made because of mathas and not the folks who support the ‘core’ agenda.

A politician, any politician is in the business of winning elections. Any promise made to an interest group should come with a commensurate and tangible increase in his/her ability to win elections. It is the cynical reality of electoral politics. I elaborate my understanding of the Core agenda’s strengths and weaknesses vis-a-vis the electoral process below. In order to explain this, I broadly divide the polity [vote banks] into the following segments: Minorities, Majority Secular, Majority Hindu, and Majority Core. The reason I am not delving into caste groups is that ‘Core’ is basically a Hindu cause.

Minorities typically vote against BJP [a ~15% negative vote]. This leaves us with the other three voter segments. Of those, Majority secular is the largest group in Urban India. The Majority Secular are easily offended by political incorrectness, easily influenced/shamed by English Language Media, and believe in “Ganga Jamuna Tehzeeb”. When they hear anything that remotely affects their definition of “secularism”, they turn against BJP. This group has to be appeased, for their numbers are crucial to winning decisively.

The remaining urban Hindu vote is divided into Majority Hindu votes and a small fraction into ‘Core’ votes. The Majority Hindu vote often acts to counter the Minority consolidation. To my limited knowledge, ‘Core’ hasn’t exhibited an election-altering quorum, nor has there been a study of urban reception for #core ideology.

While Rural Hindus have more “Majority Hindus”, they are splintered easily on lines of caste. Even when they are not splintered, they are more worried about tangible Hindutva politics such as the Ram Mandir issue. The Core, again, gets short shifted.

While the Core team may claim sufficient strength to affect several seats [as it happened in Bangalore] via NOTA, I suspect they are spread across the city evenly, and won’t be able to leverage their numbers. In a close analogy, INC had more voters in Karnataka but their even spread across the state resulted in less number of seats.

So, if the ‘Core’ has no electoral pull in urban or rural seats, why should politicians take them seriously? The answer is civilizational. We expect one political party [BJP here] to fight our civilizational battles, without any immediate benefit. In business terms, this is a blue sky project, albeit a worthy one. We want someone to invest in us for our idea – with no prototype, nor any income streams in the near future; in the hopes that they will reap a huge benefit in the long term.

However, the person who invests in a blue-sky project is not a peer. S/he is a patron or a matron. And your project is at the mercy of the patron. No amount of philosophizing, or civilizational reasoning changes this simple equation. Core ideology needs political patronage at this stage of its evolution.

Most ‘Core’ voters will say at this point: “we won’t vote for BJP, and will refuse their patronage too”. The ‘Core’ team are entitled to take this stance. On the flip side though, let me assume for a moment that the ‘Core’ is more prevalent than it appears to be and they manage to defeat BJP in 2019. What next? I have already argued the case scenarios for both BJP and the ‘Core’ in one of my blogs.

If the ‘Core’ brings down NDA in 2019 [doesn’t matter if it is active or passive], this is my prediction:

“The ideological opponents will likely use everything at their disposal to hunt and smother the fledgeling RW. Especially since the RW has exposed its own thought leaders since 2014. Moreover, bringing back UPA3 will certainly bring back sectarian lawmaking with a vengeance.”

https://medium.com/@TheLordWalrus/the-r ... d02996adfe


Must-read link

The last point about “sectarian lawmaking”, was elaborately dealt with by one of the stalwart tweeples of the ‘Core’ team, Hariprasad N [link to the article here].

http://www.opindia.com/2018/02/from-mas ... maginable/


Another must-read link

So, is it a catch 22 for ‘Core’? Is it the case that they can neither demand what they want nor save face for their ideology? I do not think so. I think the issue is one of understanding the transactional nature of politics. And it is a simple one to address.

For some reason, we “citizens” tend to think less of politicians. This is a general comment, applying to almost all citizens and to politicians of all hues. We think all politicians [with very few honourable exceptions] as lesser humans who are up for a sale. We think of them as manipulative people, with no higher thought in their lives. We see them as tools for our upliftment, as mere agents for a change we wish to see around us. All of this and more is true of the nature of their jobs. But, it is also true that they are humans. They are people like us with likes, dislikes, convictions, virtues and vices. Just because we are only shown the worst of their species, we make the mistake of treating every one of them just the same.

My request to the ‘core’ is to actively shed this thought and engage with politicians as stakeholders in the future you envision. In TirukkuRaL, VaLLuvar says “இனிய உளவாக இன்னாதக் கூறல் கனியிருப்பக் காய் கவர்ந்தற்று” – to speak harsh words when you can speak sweeter ones, will have the same difference between attraction to ripe and unripe fruits.

We, the Hindu right and the #core, need to use the art of sweet talking our politicians. They are people, and luckily in BJP, many grass root politicians still believe in doing good for this country. Meet them halfway, convince them to buy into the ‘Core’ idea. Most importantly, have faith.

Maybe not everyone will listen to you, but then we have to try until we find one who will. That is our burden in this cause.

[MehtaRahulC]

Fadnavis did the right thing. Read the news. It is for purposes like education and hospitals not for Dubai malls. Better than land getting encroached or sold illegally.

Dear audience,
.
You can see the extent to which resident FFPP rss (=bjp) supporters can "rise" to support defunct policies or rather outright ghazanigir of rss-leaders like David Fadnavis or rather Devendra Ghazani.

The temples are told "you cannot sell your agricultural land in urban areas (because cities expanded), but you can donate the land to charity if charity gives undertaking that that land will be used for hospital, schools etc" !! So who is running the temple administration? Some BIF corrupt IAS handpicked by Denevdra Ghazini. And that IAS on behalf of temple and hindus will decide to donate land to some education etc trust. And who will be owning those trusts? Some rss leaders and rss workers !!! Imo, the temple should be handed back to its owners and the owners should decide what they want to do with land. Instead, local rss = bjp supporters here are supporting the open loot of the temple land !!!
.
Same way, when RSS leader Modiji printed law that foreigners can legally donate to political parties like rss = bjp/congress/aap, etc, some rss-supporters were hailing that "great political finance reform" !!

I request all non-andhbhagats NOT to get swayed by such phony arguments. What rss CM Devendra Ghazini is doing is openly looting temples, and also looting non-missionary budget private schools. And ALL rss workers across India are openly supporting Devendra Ghazini and his steps, for raw economic benefits that rss members get.

(FFPP = foreign funded political party. BJP is now officially a foreign funded political party, and thus every bjp MP except Modiji is now a foreign agent)

Modi and Shah have a very tough battle on hand. They have riled up the existing corrupt, anti-Hindu forces including their foreign sponsors and they are itching to get back. So expect them to put all possibilities at stake even if it means a 30 party govt. The only way PIFs and Modi can survive is by winning a direct majority. Anything short, KA will be repeated.

Modiji indeed has tough task ahead. He has to let Devendra Ghazini aka David Fadnavis and other rss CMs loot temples, and yet Modiji has to maintain image as master temple saver. Modiji has to let his juniors ruin budget private schools, and Modiji has project himself as solution provider against RTE !! Modiji needs a lot of good acting and Modiji has those acting skills. But what is also needed is to ensure that arguments of those who are exposing him dont get reach far. So supporters need to work very hard to raise a fog to cover the truth. And so supporters should NOT question, but work hard to create a fog.

[hanumadu]

For the first time, I am seeing a genuine smile on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi since 2014.

[Sachin]

Now that the tathasthu devtas granted your wish, are you now happy with the election outcome of a "hung assembly in KA" which you so much desired ?

To be frank, I am happy. And I feel Amit Shah etc. are still on the right track. The BJP & Yeddy could still show the actual true picture before stepping down. They would have lost it, if they had not put a stake to form the government. Yeddy & Co have lost a battle, but seems to be on the right path to winning the war.

We can already see multiple issues cropping up. The main being accomodating Congress MLAs in the government. Yes, some of these issues would be ironed out, but BJP has multiple issues which it can rake up. Cauvery issue, Mahadayi issue, Lingayath issue and I am sure the Congress-JD(S) would give them many more issue due to their governance.

If Amit Shah did not see it coming then he probably does not deserve to be the BJP President. But the truth is he knew well before that this would happen.

+1. All said and done Amit Shah and Na.Mo are seasoned politicians who have seen many ups & downs in their lives. And one good thing they have is the Gujarathi business spirit; that is to keep trying again and always seek multiple options. This is some thing which dinosaurs like the commies can never have.

Amit Shah may have miscalculated, but I am sure once he knew things were not going his ways he would certainly device other plans. The fact is that A.Shah & Na.Mo are NOT planning to go out of this business.

For the first time, I am seeing a genuine smile on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi since 2014.

And Jr.Gowdru looks like a Khidmatgar at the Gandhi household. Don't know his humbleness means surrender, or just another taquiya.

[chetak]

In the meanwhile, back at the ranch, Sr gowdru is wasting no time at all.

A new sheriff is in town. Jr gowdru is just there to wrangle cattle and mend fences on the ranch.

Shakuntala Iyer @shakkuiyer 17h17 hours ago

Pls leave one seat left side to Sonia Gandhi !

We have got used to these extra constitutional exercise of power.

CS, DGP of the state with Karnataka govt's power button .





27 Retweet 186 Like 346

[chetak]

Note the hands in the picture, especially the one holding on for dear life and looking really apprehensive.

All three are assiduously protecting their testimonials and that's got to mean something, right??

Body language does indeed speak volumes.

[Sachin]

Meanwhile in Tamil Nadu
One feared killed in police firing; several anti-Sterlite protesters, policemen injured in clashes in Thoothukudi
Any EJ involvement in the protest?

[Gus]

of course..the march itself started from St Lady of snows church..towards collectorate..got violent on the way.

[Gus]

10 dead..more injured.

congratulations dumeels, lemurs, "tamil nationalists" etc..

stone pelting is now in TN too. mob pelted stones, and even set fire to sterlite staff quarters.

[RamaY]

All the core wants is acknowledgement that their concerns are legit too, aren't lying abandoned and forgotten somewhere etc. More than that action where such can be taken or at least stated intent in its place. What explains the appointment of Ramchandra Guha and Nalini Sundar to NCERT by Modi sarkar? Why allow rampant marxist distortions in our textbooks in state syllabi of states like RJ (4/5th majority for BJP and 4+ yrs in power there)_ to continue for all these yrs? Etc.

Why is it considered blashphemous or traitorous tobring such avoidable lapses to public attention? Why are we in the core hated for lobbying for our concerns, same as other groups lobby for theirs?

HS ji

I want to know how Modi Sarkar veered away from Core Agenda? Could you please summarize what could've been done and how MAD is actively not doing anything?

Based on my interactions with the Core gang, I seriously doubt any of them even read basic Ramayana and Mahabharata in their entirety (I am not asking them to understand the essence).

The very fact that the core is willing to sabotage 2019, WITHOUT offering any alternative, is indication enough that they are clueless and cant be relied upon.

[SSundar]

of course..the march itself started from St Lady of snows church..towards collectorate..got violent on the way.

The main NGO coordinating the Sterlite protests is an EJ named Fathima Babu.