Modi may be too smart to fall for his own propaganda, but the positive change narrative has become untenable. For its own sake, the govt should course-correct.
Nehru put aside political differences for the larger national goal to have three adversaries in his first cabinet. Does Modi have it in him to send out a similar message?
Tehseen Poonawalla, a Congress supporter, says it's strange that journalist T.N. Ninan saw Rahul Gandhi's act of consulting Raghuram Rajan for wisdom as a sign of weakness.
Modi govt is perceived as ‘strong’ because of its centralised functioning, but its slow response on Covid-19 exposes the risks that come with such style of governance.
Modi govt's overnight, ill-conceived, egotistic decision that left lakhs of people jobless and paralysed India’s informal economy 3 yrs ago may just give some returns.
Canada-based economics professor's study finds that on the cost side, there is strong evidence that demonetisation reduced employment, especially in informal sector.
Income Tax dept has found several cases in which cash deposits made by jewellers immediately after demonetisation were not commensurate with their income.
Finance ministry says the proposed revamp will focus on structural reforms, rate rationalisation & ease of living, & will be deliberated upon in the coming weeks.
The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.
Standing up to America is usually not a personal risk for a leader in India. Any suggestions of foreign pressure unites India behind who they see as leading them in that fight.
East or west… Modi is best.. Hindustan is best… You know what?? India is great… Our prime minister modi ji is great.. We love him.. We love our country….call us whatever you want to but we know what we are capable of…and yes talking about hindutva?? Search it out… Learn about our culture.. It’s about loving everybody… Every culture…we respect everyone around us… We respect you too…everyone has his/her own opinion… We love you modi ji ❤jai hind ❤proud to be Indian
Shame on you print! You only allow jeering if Modi in the basest words.
Even some criticism you receive back you delete the comment, like mine and one just before mine too.
Pathetic discussion monopolised by two persons, completely biased against Hindus.
12 or thereabouts Hindu hatred filled comments by Rasgolla, and 4 by him or his friend Pakku! Pathetic discussion on an equally pathetic and usual rant by one of the most ignored journalists today. ( and there are many nowadays:)
Feel sorry for these idiots. Ten years back, there were only these hounds in media. Now all of us normal people also find a voice.
‘Feel sorry for these idiots. ‘ Then why are you complaining to the Print that discussion is not going your way ? Just ignore.
‘Ten years back, there were only these hounds in media. Now all of us normal people also find a voice.’
So if you have voice, what is the complaint ? You are free to write a refutation to my posts. The question is ‘are you capable ?’. Evidently not. There are other fellows trying personal attacks as they cannot write a refutation.
Mr Kili Joshliyar
You don’t deserve to answer this man as this is self acclaimed person abusing others and like a proud Nazi this has awarded himself the best writer and thinker (a typical jihadi Mulla)
Kili, you and I have been at loggerheads for a range of issues faced by India , we fought on issues but had decorum for each other and I must confess that though we had opposite views, you have been quite well thought out and well researched fellow who I would like to argue with as it raised level of my perceptions
But This garbage headed man may be thinking of being a Baghdadi and sniff out the whole world to make it umma
You mulla, persons like u defame beauty of islam. Persons like u provide much wanted legitimacy to the right wing BJP
If you are saying that Hindus are wrong then I would say they are 100% right. You say you don’t have right refutation, you can’t have buddy
You live in your own world. Being a sanghi, I think, far better than a self accumulating and boasting mulla. U remain there where you deserve and you are there right now
And please, change your digital name
Don’t defame rasgolla. It is too sweet to be associated with u
While defence and strategic wellbeing is always important, and especially so in the current situation, I’m puzzled if we can call it neglect of defence? Also to me, Covid 19 is a global problem, why single out any specific country or leader; not as in an individual.
Surprisingly no mention of our tiny, miniscule spending on healthcare.
Covid is a global problem. The question is how India handled it compared with other nations.
At the outset, India communalised Covid and saw it as an opportunity for Hindus to spread hate messages. Hindus needed something after the Delhi riots. It only stopped after the UAE and Kuwait deported Indians for posting hate messages.
India is a country where the numbers are rising and not peaking. Modi is singled out because he said India is helping 150 countries out of 140 with Covid. Shah said India is teaching the world how to handle Covid.
Hindu nationalism is vain boasting, and the results show the opposite.
Modi is a shakha educated, low IQ Hindu. His only achievement to date is beating up the Muslim minority in Gujarat, and for that reasons, the Hindus adulate him. That is their idea of strong country.
From pariah, he got catapulted to the international scene. He became the arriviste, dressing in fancy suits and giving speeches that inspired Hindus abroad.
The way things are going with collapsed economy, mounting Covid and huge defence expenditure due to China, they are preparing to suspend democracy and declare an emergency. The Hindus will go along. The RSS and BJP never believed in democracy, so they can use Covid as a cover for suspending democracy.
Rasgolla: Care to lay bare your credentials before attacking others ?
Let me guess: You were educated in a madrasa run by a pedophile mullah who taught you that all others but Muslims are evil kafirs who need to be eliminated right ? Or converted ?
Go back to your mullahs you intolerant pig.
I am a vehement critic of all things Hindutva and everything to do with fascism. But I do not, never attack the religions or races of people I criticise or debate with. I guess you weren’t taught tolerance for othe religions were you Ayothollah Rasgollah ?
Ah, but you use the very language of the Hindutva fascist. So how are you different ? I stepped on your toes to check what you are under the skin. Some wear khakhi cheddis and parade. You wear it underneath – like Narasima Rao.
Who is taking India down today ? Hindus, or Muslims, Christians and Sikhs ? It is Hindus. The time has come to say this. In fact, you should say it. We need to face the reality and forget political correctness. India’s problem is Hinduism and its caste system. Hindutva is all about it.
There is no one who can write a refutation to my assertion. Even you cannot, that is why you respond like a Sanghi.
You want to know my credentials.
I am a keen and objective observer of Hindus, and the best writer around in the talk backs. I understand your Hindu mind better than you understand it. I brought out your real character – your language shows you are no different from a Sanghi. You would be a good mob rioter when enraged.
I have never mentioned Islam, so why do you attribute my thoughts to it ?
It is not Muslims, Sikhs and Christians who are taking down India. It is Hindus who are ruling. They are the rapists, rioters, lynchers, encounter killers, bank defaulters, senders of fake messages…. True or not ? Then Hindus are India’s problem. It is very simple, no one can refute me. You are unwilling to accept this, so there can be no solution.
I did not cite Islam, Christianity or any other religion. Your reaction proves my point that most Hindus are irrational.
Rasgolla: Quite amusing to read your loud braying:
“.. I am a keen and objective observer of Hindus, and the best writer around in the talk backs. I understand your Hindu mind better than you understand it ..”
Wow Rasgolla ! Didn’t know that the rasgolla in your cranium was capable of anything more than hurling abuse at the kafirs you despise, i.e. us idol worshipping Hindus.
In any case, it boggles the mind that you make some fairly tall claims about your ability to understand the “Hindu” mind and that you are the “best writer around in the talk backs”. Well, nothing to prevent you from awarding yourself any title, Idi Amin fashion. But us somewhat modest chaps with a “Hindu mind” would very likely say no thank you any analysis by a self-styled shrink and quack emerging from the depths of that Islamic paradise called Pakistan.
But since you claim to be an expert on the Hindu mind, care to tell us what your expertise on Muslims minds reveals ? So how was the erstwhile E.Pakistani Muslim mind different from the West Pakistani Muslim mind ? Is there a difference between the minds of Shias and Sunnis? And what about the Ahmadiya Muslim mind?
Awaiting more nuggets from your Muslim mind !
After collapsing the economy, enriching the rich cronies like Ambani while impoverishing the majority, and being unable to control Covid and China, I think the stage is coming where they will declare a state of emergency and close parliament, and say a strong government is needed for a strong India. Most Hindus may go along.
Uhhh… why is this guy regraded as some “genius” again?? I thought he’ll offer as little as some insights, however, he seems to cling to regular rant and roll. As a country, we lack in many things, but a sequential and decades-long dire dearth of good, well-read, unbiased, unlabeled liberal thinkers, who know “India” has been our biggest or at-least one of the biggest disasters of this land.
Very balanced analysis of the situation. History always teaches when and what is wrong. One should have a listening ear. Modi should plan to listen once every month ‘Aap ki bath’ on the lines of ‘Man ki bath’.
Sometimes small mistakes have tremendous consequences.Belgium is a tiny country sandwiched between Germany and France. As it is adjacent to the English channel both England and France had guaranteed its neutrality. Because it provided the shortest route between Germany and France the Kaiser of Germany thought that it would hardly matter if he allowed his army to travel via Belgium to attack France.This violation of Belgium’s neutrality brought England into the fight and resulted in the destruction of Europe during WWI. Similarly Modi never thought that a small thing like abrogating Article 370 would have any consequences but now the results of that are unfolding before our eyes.Read Victor Gao’s article in The Wire. Modi’s biggest mistake was not Demonetization or GST or Citizenship register. It was the abrogation of Article 370 and this just like Kaisers violation of Belegian neutrality changed the political map of Europe is perhaps about to change the political map of South Asia.
By suspending, Article 370, Modi became a bigger Hindu hero. The consequence is China is forcing India to make huge defence expenditures when the state does not have tax revenue, the economy is down, and the Covid crisis is out of control. I think they are planning to declare financial emergency and suspend democracy. The RSS does not believe in democracy, and Covid is the right cover. They believe Hindus will go along.
First A correction, it should be ” both England and Germany had guaranteed its neutrality”
Second , the political map has already changed a bit, Areas of India that were patrolled by Indian troops in Ladakh are now either held by Chinese troops (Depsang) or no longer patrolled by India ( Finger 4-8) or are buffer zones (Galwan). These changes to the map of India are small but significant and perhaps a precursor to bigger changes.
The mean streak in you prevents you from looking at & accepting the truth that after BJP Govt took over things are getting sorted out. In fact the whole world acknowledges this.
The whole world is acknowledging India – that is why China took over, and the cowards who are ruling kept quiet. You are just another gobar filled HIndu.
Ms Lakshmi: It is sometimes mind boggling to read the comments of presumably educated people like you who refuse to accept facts and read the writing on the wall. Instead, your ilk prefers to unquestioningly accept the spin spewed by the BJP and India’s paid media and wallow in the saffronised, gumutra and dung that seems to be your preferred habitat !
Tell, me please: On what factual, empirical basis do you make the ludicrous claim:
“.. after BJP Govt took over things are getting sorted out. In fact the whole world acknowledges this ..”
Indeed, after the Gujarati brain-trust took over the reins of power, on almost all fronts, things have gone down the drain and that too, before – I reiterate before – the COVID crisis. Let us look at 3 areas.
ECONOMY: The economy that PM MMS bequeathed to PM Modi was relatively healthy and above all, it had weathered the global financial crisis of 2008 quite well. Then along came Modi’s shaka economics ideas such as demonetisation, compounded by a completely mismanaged and ill-conceived GST roll-out that delivered knockout blows in quick succession to the Indian economy. And all, easily avoidable self-goals, if I might add. Thus, at a time when oil prices were low and China was in economic trouble, India was unable to capitalise on these fortuitous circumstances. And equally ominously, qualified economists of the calibre of Dr Raghuram Rajan, Arvind Subramanian, Urjit Patel etc. were edged out and replaced by Hindutva yes men. Indeed, a completely objective analysis of 15 economic indicators would show that on 11 of them, the worst of the MMS stint was better than the best of the Modi stint, see ref: bit.ly/30Ph3Kt. And worse still, the unpredictable and amateurish handling of the economy has resulted in capital flight as Indians move their assets to foreign locales and foreign currencies.
So tell me Ms Lakshmi: What was “sorted out” by the BJP on the economic front?
FOREIGN POLICY: Thanks to Modi’s muscular jingoism, India today is at loggerheads with ALL its neighbours, including Hindu Nepal and Bangladesh. The bombastic speech in Parliament on Aug 5, 2019 by Amit Shah to the effect that India would recover all territory that it designated as PoK, including Aksai Chin rattled Pakistan and more dangerously, China. FM Jaishankar’s visit to placate the Chinese were to no avail and the débâcle at Galwan was fairly foreseeable. Today, India has lost territory to China – although the BJP spin aimed at gullible bhakths like you might say otherwise.
Of course, you have seen asinine stunts like “Howdy Modi” and so on that netted smart Gujarati event managers a lot of money and enabled Donald Trump to get his re-election financed. But India got zilch.
So tell me Ms Lakshmi: What was “sorted out” by the BJP on the foreign policy front?
SOCIAL COHESION: The ascent of the BJP has been followed by an increase in the insecurity felt by many minority groups – including Hindu minorities like Dalits. One has also witrnessed a spate of lynchings of innocent Muslims, restlessness among Sikhs, in the North-East, Kashmir and indeed in parts of South India where this new assertion of North Indian hegemony is not exactly viewed with glee. In BJP run states like UP, Haryana etc. there is a complete breakdown of law and order, rampant police encounters, Muslims live in fear and so on. For a very heterogeneous country like India with many religions, castes, ethnicities and languages, the BJP’s one size fits all and Hindutva ideology has only resulted in tensions.
So tell me Ms Lakshmi, what is the positive news you read when you woke up ? And please do not cite the spin you get from the PMO or the hot air you get from Arnab Goswami.
The whole world is the BJP IT cell for Hindus like you.
On the whole Modi government has been a good one. Given the monumental challenges, who do you think could do better?
Although Modi could use a better finance minister.
Yes, 1.3 billion could only find a Hindu chai wallah with shakha education, there can be no better.
Any finance minister has to follow the RSS’s voodoo economics.
The article says that having the 2nd highest COVID cases is a failure. What nonsense. When our country has done so much right, at all levels, to control a pandemic the likes of which we have never seen, arm chair commentators pass judgments from the comforts of their home.
In any case, we can’t have a strong country without a strong government. They both go together.
TN Ninan belongs to the past. His ideas are out dated, and he thinks he is too important now. He is not. His (and his friends’) exhausting attempts to paint Modi in a poor light is so entertaining, if it were not sad. We definitely need a strong opposition but not this bunch of jokers
LOL. Do things differently, all English. Whatever he does he needs to do something else! China did not take over Indian territory, you seem to be insinuating it! He has to undo a lot of things , mainly negative mindset and slave mentality to white skins, which nehruvian congress gave us, in addition to simple things like cleanliness, sanitation, gas, etc…. So maybe he should be orrupt and work for his brothers and sisters! That would be different indeed!
‘China did not take over Indian territory, you seem to be insinuating it! ‘
So why are Hindus running around seeking alliance with US, Quad etc….?
Modi represents Hindu failure and inability to rule India.
Sunitas: Although the Gujaratis-in-Command go to great lengths to deny it, fact is, India has lost about 60km2 of territory to China.
Virtually every press source save the Indian media mentions that India did receive a drubbing in Galwan. And much of it could have been avoided had the other Gujarati motormouth Amit Shah not delivered a chest-thumping, bellicose statement in Parliament on Aug 5, 2019 to the effect that India would recover all territory that it deemed as POK, including Aksai Chin which the Chinese hold. Well, turns out that Amit Shah’s bombast got tested by the Chinese and India unnecessarily lost the lives of soldiers and territory.
As The Economist (June 18, 2020) puts it:
“.. since May .. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) grabbed 40 to 60 square kilometres of territory that India considers to be its own ..”
Ref: econ.st/2BymkO2
As regards your other preposterous claim that he has to:
“.. undo a lot of things , mainly negative mindset and slave mentality to white skins, which nehruvian congress gave us ..
Well, you seem to forget that it was the Nehruvian Congress that liberated India from the white skins. Your man Modi’s organisation the RSS did NOT participate in the freedom struggle, and even sabotaged the Quit India movement. Damodar Savarkar, one of the conspirators in the assassination of the father of the nation, wrangled his way out of Cellular jail by promising to be a loyal subject of the white skins.
So will you please stop spewing your shaka nonsense in these columns ?
I agree that the media is passing through a crisis. The financial crisis, the crisis of confidence, the crisis of reliability, the crisis of excessive political pressure and many such problems are added to COVID 19 crisis in which a number of reporters are falling prey. Strong leadership and financial support only can save the media’s truthful reporting, which is very essential for this time of confusion. We standby you to see you through this crisis and hope that Truth is kept alive through your reporting.
by the way our media people are behaving, it looks more like they are going through a mid-life crisis:)
India needs to be led by a person who is not only aware of the problems of his people and the nation but goes out to solve the problems diligently. India has been rolling between those who worked hard and spoke minimal and those who spoke too much but did little. We were cajoled by our neighbour China into a cosy friendship but China was too sharp to encircle us from all sides, occupy our territory, developed basins in far-flung areas and advanced forward to give competition to the strongest, the US. India needs to settle problems with our neighbours Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar and try to counter the offensive development by China through Rohingyas which may be another potential danger for India. There is too much to do especially when the enemy is staring at our borders and COVID 19 spreading at a faster speed. Party politics needed to be left behind, media should be uncontrolled and actions must be taken to work towards solving problems a and building up basis in Asia and the wider world.
‘We were cajoled by our neighbour China into a cosy friendship ….’
Who is we ? It is Modi who boasted he had a Plus One relationship with China. He is the one who expanded Chinese business in India and sought investments in Gujarat.
Only Hindus are to blame for selecting an uneducated chai wallah and imagining he is working to make India great.
Has Ninan ever written any piece acknowledging the many successful initiatives of Modi ?? He is a die hard left liberal who edits the BJP hating Business Standard paper. Modi’s greatest quality is his ability to listen carefully and adopt good ideas from wherever he gets them. Possessing a strong personality he is not afraid of being upstaged by anyone. He is a serial risk taker unlike most politicians who are careful not to rock the boat and “lead” by merely following and pandering to the biases of their supporters. Ninan decries Modi’s practice of “personalized ” diplomacy which he says has failed, at least with Xi Jin Ping who he met 18 times since 2014. Modi tried his best to establish certain ground rules with Xi but failed. So did every other world leader who met Xi over the years. Xi has revealed his true face, one of unmitigated arrogance, devious nature, one whose solemn commitments are worthless. He is driven by the belief that China will have its way to dominate the world, not caring for the sullying of its image. Lefties always prefer a weak Prime Minister who can be easily bullied to follow their agenda which preserves the status quo and prefers small incremental changes at the margin. To them any call for national unity or discipline is suspect, a precursor to dictatorship. Rights must be legally protected but duties are discretionary. Ninan and his ilk detest Modi as he is the exact opposite of what their prescribed leader in a “secular, socialist, democracy” ought to be. Modi is a true nationalist who knows unless citizens are empowered and are cognizant of their duties, rights are a mere fraud perpetuated for votes.
‘Has Ninan ever written any piece acknowledging the many successful initiatives of Modi ?? ‘
Cite 5 successful intiatives that are accepted by all without controversy ? Weigh that against all his failures.
Modi was the Great Hindu Hope. He failed. Modi makes me wonder whether Hindus have the capacity to rule India, or whether they will return India to the fragmented state before the Mughals.
The unique thing about BJP’s paid opinion givers is that they immediately start abusing the person without reacting to the points made by a critique. It’s obviously because their incapacity to understand anything except abuse. They represent non sense Sambit Patra and Shahnavaz Hussain ( cash flow in hand fame)
The print please give some advice to Antonia maino and his pappu and one think more you are racist and simply spreading your propoganda
See. What I wrote above is immediately confirmed by this writer.
What this Modi govt did was to kill hope. Man lives on hope. And Modi has killed hope. Of all the last six decades I have seen these last six years are the worst. Nobody talks of the future.
Modi was the Great Hindu Hope of many Hindus. He failed. His devotees do not accept the failure even if the country goes down. It is like devotees of Hindu godmen do not accept when their godman is caught for rape. That is Hindu psychology.
AN EXELLENT ESSAY ENUMERATING PITFALLS AND FAILURE OF THIS GOVT., B UT TO
INDICATE ISOLATE MUSLIMS AND DALITHS. THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS FEATURE. PERHAPS
CHINESE AGGRESION MAY BE BECAUSE OF THIS. NOW WE ARE BETWEEN DEVIL AND DEEP SEA. JUST TO SAVE OUR MOTHER LAND INDIA (FROM DEVIL CHINA) WE ARE APPROACHING U.S.A(DEEP SEA) SO WE SHALL BE COME SATELLITE COUNTRY OF U.S.A CONSUMING THEIR FINISHED PRODUCT AND SUPPLYING THEM RAW MATERIALS. THIS MAY BE BANE ON OUR MOTHER LAND
The Congress took the country to the cleaners over 70 years and tore apart India’s social fabric. Would you rather have these corrupt b#stards back in Govt?
If the Congress ever returns to power, the corruption during the UPA years will seem like kindergarten play in comparison. Be careful what you wish for.
Very balanced assessment of Modi’s performance so far. Not only Modi but many politicians who ride on popularity wave believe that managing public perception is an end in itself. But public perception is always fickle and it is the actual performance that stays in history. How will history judge Modi? This will depend not only on what Modi has done so far but also on what kind of course correction he does in future. Modi lovers are going to denounce this article and the Print is likely to get lot of hate mail, much of it from the party managed IT cells. But let us ignore these and focus on actual facts. A dispassionate and objective view of Modi’s tenure so far shows that he has borrowed a lot from Indira Gandhi- an ideological opposite of the saffron party. They share many traits as well as decision making methods. Both enjoyed unassailable popularity and built up personality cult of being a strong political person who could effectively deal with India’s adversaries. But both failed miserably in managing economy. Both enjoyed presence of a strong TINA factor. Only one difference that can strike immediately- Modi is much more a marketing man and believes in even management. Indira had no appetite for such gimmicks. In any case, a country gets a leadership that it deserves. Perhaps, India deserves only Indira Gandhis and Modis. We should hope to get better leadership quality, but do we vote diligently to deserve such change?
What you have written is correct but not sufficient. However, India’s problem with Indira and Modi is not the same. The problem is now Modi + RSS.
It is the RSS that controls through Modi. Modi will go, but RSS has infiltrated into all branches. They do not believe in democratic niceties, with their shakha education they do not have the skills to run a country.
Mr. Author…go and tell this to the previous government…Modi dont need your advice
A parrotic reply by a Andh Bhakat what else you can except from supporter of a party whose Central Minister advertise for COVID PAPD FOR IMMUNITY. WORLD IS LAUGHING AT UD
…as though Modi is going to take any advice from anybody….ha….what a pathetic molecule you are !
Modi can’t even utter name of China and gulped down slaughter of 20 soldiers by Chinese forces. While he gave a fake lollipop as usual that no Chinese incursion took place.
Modi has copied the previous government and has indeed emulated former PM Indira Gandhi.
Once again Molecule, With your blinkered, blind Modi Bhakti, you make yourself the object of ridicule !
Molecule needs to go back to pre-school school,
In order not to be regarded as a complete fool!
His ignorance makes him extol the Modi misrule,
No wonder he is the object of universal ridicule !
But then bhakths like him live in a cesspool,
A testament to a brain that is miniscule !
East or west… Modi is best.. Hindustan is best… You know what?? India is great… Our prime minister modi ji is great.. We love him.. We love our country….call us whatever you want to but we know what we are capable of…and yes talking about hindutva?? Search it out… Learn about our culture.. It’s about loving everybody… Every culture…we respect everyone around us… We respect you too…everyone has his/her own opinion… We love you modi ji ❤jai hind ❤proud to be Indian
Shame on you print! You only allow jeering if Modi in the basest words.
Even some criticism you receive back you delete the comment, like mine and one just before mine too.
Pathetic discussion monopolised by two persons, completely biased against Hindus.
12 or thereabouts Hindu hatred filled comments by Rasgolla, and 4 by him or his friend Pakku! Pathetic discussion on an equally pathetic and usual rant by one of the most ignored journalists today. ( and there are many nowadays:)
Feel sorry for these idiots. Ten years back, there were only these hounds in media. Now all of us normal people also find a voice.
‘Feel sorry for these idiots. ‘ Then why are you complaining to the Print that discussion is not going your way ? Just ignore.
‘Ten years back, there were only these hounds in media. Now all of us normal people also find a voice.’
So if you have voice, what is the complaint ? You are free to write a refutation to my posts. The question is ‘are you capable ?’. Evidently not. There are other fellows trying personal attacks as they cannot write a refutation.
Mr Kili Joshliyar
You don’t deserve to answer this man as this is self acclaimed person abusing others and like a proud Nazi this has awarded himself the best writer and thinker (a typical jihadi Mulla)
Kili, you and I have been at loggerheads for a range of issues faced by India , we fought on issues but had decorum for each other and I must confess that though we had opposite views, you have been quite well thought out and well researched fellow who I would like to argue with as it raised level of my perceptions
But This garbage headed man may be thinking of being a Baghdadi and sniff out the whole world to make it umma
You mulla, persons like u defame beauty of islam. Persons like u provide much wanted legitimacy to the right wing BJP
If you are saying that Hindus are wrong then I would say they are 100% right. You say you don’t have right refutation, you can’t have buddy
You live in your own world. Being a sanghi, I think, far better than a self accumulating and boasting mulla. U remain there where you deserve and you are there right now
And please, change your digital name
Don’t defame rasgolla. It is too sweet to be associated with u
While defence and strategic wellbeing is always important, and especially so in the current situation, I’m puzzled if we can call it neglect of defence? Also to me, Covid 19 is a global problem, why single out any specific country or leader; not as in an individual.
Surprisingly no mention of our tiny, miniscule spending on healthcare.
Covid is a global problem. The question is how India handled it compared with other nations.
At the outset, India communalised Covid and saw it as an opportunity for Hindus to spread hate messages. Hindus needed something after the Delhi riots. It only stopped after the UAE and Kuwait deported Indians for posting hate messages.
India is a country where the numbers are rising and not peaking. Modi is singled out because he said India is helping 150 countries out of 140 with Covid. Shah said India is teaching the world how to handle Covid.
Hindu nationalism is vain boasting, and the results show the opposite.
Modi is a shakha educated, low IQ Hindu. His only achievement to date is beating up the Muslim minority in Gujarat, and for that reasons, the Hindus adulate him. That is their idea of strong country.
From pariah, he got catapulted to the international scene. He became the arriviste, dressing in fancy suits and giving speeches that inspired Hindus abroad.
The way things are going with collapsed economy, mounting Covid and huge defence expenditure due to China, they are preparing to suspend democracy and declare an emergency. The Hindus will go along. The RSS and BJP never believed in democracy, so they can use Covid as a cover for suspending democracy.
Rasgolla: Care to lay bare your credentials before attacking others ?
Let me guess: You were educated in a madrasa run by a pedophile mullah who taught you that all others but Muslims are evil kafirs who need to be eliminated right ? Or converted ?
Go back to your mullahs you intolerant pig.
I am a vehement critic of all things Hindutva and everything to do with fascism. But I do not, never attack the religions or races of people I criticise or debate with. I guess you weren’t taught tolerance for othe religions were you Ayothollah Rasgollah ?
Ah, but you use the very language of the Hindutva fascist. So how are you different ? I stepped on your toes to check what you are under the skin. Some wear khakhi cheddis and parade. You wear it underneath – like Narasima Rao.
Who is taking India down today ? Hindus, or Muslims, Christians and Sikhs ? It is Hindus. The time has come to say this. In fact, you should say it. We need to face the reality and forget political correctness. India’s problem is Hinduism and its caste system. Hindutva is all about it.
There is no one who can write a refutation to my assertion. Even you cannot, that is why you respond like a Sanghi.
You want to know my credentials.
I am a keen and objective observer of Hindus, and the best writer around in the talk backs. I understand your Hindu mind better than you understand it. I brought out your real character – your language shows you are no different from a Sanghi. You would be a good mob rioter when enraged.
I have never mentioned Islam, so why do you attribute my thoughts to it ?
It is not Muslims, Sikhs and Christians who are taking down India. It is Hindus who are ruling. They are the rapists, rioters, lynchers, encounter killers, bank defaulters, senders of fake messages…. True or not ? Then Hindus are India’s problem. It is very simple, no one can refute me. You are unwilling to accept this, so there can be no solution.
I did not cite Islam, Christianity or any other religion. Your reaction proves my point that most Hindus are irrational.
Rasgolla: Quite amusing to read your loud braying:
“.. I am a keen and objective observer of Hindus, and the best writer around in the talk backs. I understand your Hindu mind better than you understand it ..”
Wow Rasgolla ! Didn’t know that the rasgolla in your cranium was capable of anything more than hurling abuse at the kafirs you despise, i.e. us idol worshipping Hindus.
In any case, it boggles the mind that you make some fairly tall claims about your ability to understand the “Hindu” mind and that you are the “best writer around in the talk backs”. Well, nothing to prevent you from awarding yourself any title, Idi Amin fashion. But us somewhat modest chaps with a “Hindu mind” would very likely say no thank you any analysis by a self-styled shrink and quack emerging from the depths of that Islamic paradise called Pakistan.
But since you claim to be an expert on the Hindu mind, care to tell us what your expertise on Muslims minds reveals ? So how was the erstwhile E.Pakistani Muslim mind different from the West Pakistani Muslim mind ? Is there a difference between the minds of Shias and Sunnis? And what about the Ahmadiya Muslim mind?
Awaiting more nuggets from your Muslim mind !
After collapsing the economy, enriching the rich cronies like Ambani while impoverishing the majority, and being unable to control Covid and China, I think the stage is coming where they will declare a state of emergency and close parliament, and say a strong government is needed for a strong India. Most Hindus may go along.
Uhhh… why is this guy regraded as some “genius” again?? I thought he’ll offer as little as some insights, however, he seems to cling to regular rant and roll. As a country, we lack in many things, but a sequential and decades-long dire dearth of good, well-read, unbiased, unlabeled liberal thinkers, who know “India” has been our biggest or at-least one of the biggest disasters of this land.
Very balanced analysis of the situation. History always teaches when and what is wrong. One should have a listening ear. Modi should plan to listen once every month ‘Aap ki bath’ on the lines of ‘Man ki bath’.
Sometimes small mistakes have tremendous consequences.Belgium is a tiny country sandwiched between Germany and France. As it is adjacent to the English channel both England and France had guaranteed its neutrality. Because it provided the shortest route between Germany and France the Kaiser of Germany thought that it would hardly matter if he allowed his army to travel via Belgium to attack France.This violation of Belgium’s neutrality brought England into the fight and resulted in the destruction of Europe during WWI. Similarly Modi never thought that a small thing like abrogating Article 370 would have any consequences but now the results of that are unfolding before our eyes.Read Victor Gao’s article in The Wire. Modi’s biggest mistake was not Demonetization or GST or Citizenship register. It was the abrogation of Article 370 and this just like Kaisers violation of Belegian neutrality changed the political map of Europe is perhaps about to change the political map of South Asia.
By suspending, Article 370, Modi became a bigger Hindu hero. The consequence is China is forcing India to make huge defence expenditures when the state does not have tax revenue, the economy is down, and the Covid crisis is out of control. I think they are planning to declare financial emergency and suspend democracy. The RSS does not believe in democracy, and Covid is the right cover. They believe Hindus will go along.
First A correction, it should be ” both England and Germany had guaranteed its neutrality”
Second , the political map has already changed a bit, Areas of India that were patrolled by Indian troops in Ladakh are now either held by Chinese troops (Depsang) or no longer patrolled by India ( Finger 4-8) or are buffer zones (Galwan). These changes to the map of India are small but significant and perhaps a precursor to bigger changes.
The mean streak in you prevents you from looking at & accepting the truth that after BJP Govt took over things are getting sorted out. In fact the whole world acknowledges this.
Wake up & do/say something worthwhile & positive!
The whole world is acknowledging India – that is why China took over, and the cowards who are ruling kept quiet. You are just another gobar filled HIndu.
Ms Lakshmi: It is sometimes mind boggling to read the comments of presumably educated people like you who refuse to accept facts and read the writing on the wall. Instead, your ilk prefers to unquestioningly accept the spin spewed by the BJP and India’s paid media and wallow in the saffronised, gumutra and dung that seems to be your preferred habitat !
Tell, me please: On what factual, empirical basis do you make the ludicrous claim:
“.. after BJP Govt took over things are getting sorted out. In fact the whole world acknowledges this ..”
Indeed, after the Gujarati brain-trust took over the reins of power, on almost all fronts, things have gone down the drain and that too, before – I reiterate before – the COVID crisis. Let us look at 3 areas.
ECONOMY: The economy that PM MMS bequeathed to PM Modi was relatively healthy and above all, it had weathered the global financial crisis of 2008 quite well. Then along came Modi’s shaka economics ideas such as demonetisation, compounded by a completely mismanaged and ill-conceived GST roll-out that delivered knockout blows in quick succession to the Indian economy. And all, easily avoidable self-goals, if I might add. Thus, at a time when oil prices were low and China was in economic trouble, India was unable to capitalise on these fortuitous circumstances. And equally ominously, qualified economists of the calibre of Dr Raghuram Rajan, Arvind Subramanian, Urjit Patel etc. were edged out and replaced by Hindutva yes men. Indeed, a completely objective analysis of 15 economic indicators would show that on 11 of them, the worst of the MMS stint was better than the best of the Modi stint, see ref: bit.ly/30Ph3Kt. And worse still, the unpredictable and amateurish handling of the economy has resulted in capital flight as Indians move their assets to foreign locales and foreign currencies.
So tell me Ms Lakshmi: What was “sorted out” by the BJP on the economic front?
FOREIGN POLICY: Thanks to Modi’s muscular jingoism, India today is at loggerheads with ALL its neighbours, including Hindu Nepal and Bangladesh. The bombastic speech in Parliament on Aug 5, 2019 by Amit Shah to the effect that India would recover all territory that it designated as PoK, including Aksai Chin rattled Pakistan and more dangerously, China. FM Jaishankar’s visit to placate the Chinese were to no avail and the débâcle at Galwan was fairly foreseeable. Today, India has lost territory to China – although the BJP spin aimed at gullible bhakths like you might say otherwise.
Of course, you have seen asinine stunts like “Howdy Modi” and so on that netted smart Gujarati event managers a lot of money and enabled Donald Trump to get his re-election financed. But India got zilch.
So tell me Ms Lakshmi: What was “sorted out” by the BJP on the foreign policy front?
SOCIAL COHESION: The ascent of the BJP has been followed by an increase in the insecurity felt by many minority groups – including Hindu minorities like Dalits. One has also witrnessed a spate of lynchings of innocent Muslims, restlessness among Sikhs, in the North-East, Kashmir and indeed in parts of South India where this new assertion of North Indian hegemony is not exactly viewed with glee. In BJP run states like UP, Haryana etc. there is a complete breakdown of law and order, rampant police encounters, Muslims live in fear and so on. For a very heterogeneous country like India with many religions, castes, ethnicities and languages, the BJP’s one size fits all and Hindutva ideology has only resulted in tensions.
So tell me Ms Lakshmi, what is the positive news you read when you woke up ? And please do not cite the spin you get from the PMO or the hot air you get from Arnab Goswami.
The whole world is the BJP IT cell for Hindus like you.
On the whole Modi government has been a good one. Given the monumental challenges, who do you think could do better?
Although Modi could use a better finance minister.
Yes, 1.3 billion could only find a Hindu chai wallah with shakha education, there can be no better.
Any finance minister has to follow the RSS’s voodoo economics.
The article says that having the 2nd highest COVID cases is a failure. What nonsense. When our country has done so much right, at all levels, to control a pandemic the likes of which we have never seen, arm chair commentators pass judgments from the comforts of their home.
In any case, we can’t have a strong country without a strong government. They both go together.
TN Ninan belongs to the past. His ideas are out dated, and he thinks he is too important now. He is not. His (and his friends’) exhausting attempts to paint Modi in a poor light is so entertaining, if it were not sad. We definitely need a strong opposition but not this bunch of jokers
Unique duffer
‘In any case, we can’t have a strong country without a strong government. They both go together.’
But you can have an apparently strong govt. that instills fear in people, and have a weak country. That is the present situation.
When T N Ninan gets tired of thinking logically, he comes out with a rant like this . . .
People who know the difference probably would not be from state level politics.
LOL. Do things differently, all English. Whatever he does he needs to do something else! China did not take over Indian territory, you seem to be insinuating it! He has to undo a lot of things , mainly negative mindset and slave mentality to white skins, which nehruvian congress gave us, in addition to simple things like cleanliness, sanitation, gas, etc…. So maybe he should be orrupt and work for his brothers and sisters! That would be different indeed!
‘China did not take over Indian territory, you seem to be insinuating it! ‘
So why are Hindus running around seeking alliance with US, Quad etc….?
Modi represents Hindu failure and inability to rule India.
Sunitas: Although the Gujaratis-in-Command go to great lengths to deny it, fact is, India has lost about 60km2 of territory to China.
Virtually every press source save the Indian media mentions that India did receive a drubbing in Galwan. And much of it could have been avoided had the other Gujarati motormouth Amit Shah not delivered a chest-thumping, bellicose statement in Parliament on Aug 5, 2019 to the effect that India would recover all territory that it deemed as POK, including Aksai Chin which the Chinese hold. Well, turns out that Amit Shah’s bombast got tested by the Chinese and India unnecessarily lost the lives of soldiers and territory.
As The Economist (June 18, 2020) puts it:
“.. since May .. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) grabbed 40 to 60 square kilometres of territory that India considers to be its own ..”
Ref: econ.st/2BymkO2
As regards your other preposterous claim that he has to:
“.. undo a lot of things , mainly negative mindset and slave mentality to white skins, which nehruvian congress gave us ..
Well, you seem to forget that it was the Nehruvian Congress that liberated India from the white skins. Your man Modi’s organisation the RSS did NOT participate in the freedom struggle, and even sabotaged the Quit India movement. Damodar Savarkar, one of the conspirators in the assassination of the father of the nation, wrangled his way out of Cellular jail by promising to be a loyal subject of the white skins.
So will you please stop spewing your shaka nonsense in these columns ?
I agree that the media is passing through a crisis. The financial crisis, the crisis of confidence, the crisis of reliability, the crisis of excessive political pressure and many such problems are added to COVID 19 crisis in which a number of reporters are falling prey. Strong leadership and financial support only can save the media’s truthful reporting, which is very essential for this time of confusion. We standby you to see you through this crisis and hope that Truth is kept alive through your reporting.
by the way our media people are behaving, it looks more like they are going through a mid-life crisis:)
India needs to be led by a person who is not only aware of the problems of his people and the nation but goes out to solve the problems diligently. India has been rolling between those who worked hard and spoke minimal and those who spoke too much but did little. We were cajoled by our neighbour China into a cosy friendship but China was too sharp to encircle us from all sides, occupy our territory, developed basins in far-flung areas and advanced forward to give competition to the strongest, the US. India needs to settle problems with our neighbours Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar and try to counter the offensive development by China through Rohingyas which may be another potential danger for India. There is too much to do especially when the enemy is staring at our borders and COVID 19 spreading at a faster speed. Party politics needed to be left behind, media should be uncontrolled and actions must be taken to work towards solving problems a and building up basis in Asia and the wider world.
‘We were cajoled by our neighbour China into a cosy friendship ….’
Who is we ? It is Modi who boasted he had a Plus One relationship with China. He is the one who expanded Chinese business in India and sought investments in Gujarat.
Only Hindus are to blame for selecting an uneducated chai wallah and imagining he is working to make India great.
Has Ninan ever written any piece acknowledging the many successful initiatives of Modi ?? He is a die hard left liberal who edits the BJP hating Business Standard paper. Modi’s greatest quality is his ability to listen carefully and adopt good ideas from wherever he gets them. Possessing a strong personality he is not afraid of being upstaged by anyone. He is a serial risk taker unlike most politicians who are careful not to rock the boat and “lead” by merely following and pandering to the biases of their supporters. Ninan decries Modi’s practice of “personalized ” diplomacy which he says has failed, at least with Xi Jin Ping who he met 18 times since 2014. Modi tried his best to establish certain ground rules with Xi but failed. So did every other world leader who met Xi over the years. Xi has revealed his true face, one of unmitigated arrogance, devious nature, one whose solemn commitments are worthless. He is driven by the belief that China will have its way to dominate the world, not caring for the sullying of its image. Lefties always prefer a weak Prime Minister who can be easily bullied to follow their agenda which preserves the status quo and prefers small incremental changes at the margin. To them any call for national unity or discipline is suspect, a precursor to dictatorship. Rights must be legally protected but duties are discretionary. Ninan and his ilk detest Modi as he is the exact opposite of what their prescribed leader in a “secular, socialist, democracy” ought to be. Modi is a true nationalist who knows unless citizens are empowered and are cognizant of their duties, rights are a mere fraud perpetuated for votes.
‘Has Ninan ever written any piece acknowledging the many successful initiatives of Modi ?? ‘
Cite 5 successful intiatives that are accepted by all without controversy ? Weigh that against all his failures.
Modi was the Great Hindu Hope. He failed. Modi makes me wonder whether Hindus have the capacity to rule India, or whether they will return India to the fragmented state before the Mughals.
The unique thing about BJP’s paid opinion givers is that they immediately start abusing the person without reacting to the points made by a critique. It’s obviously because their incapacity to understand anything except abuse. They represent non sense Sambit Patra and Shahnavaz Hussain ( cash flow in hand fame)
The print please give some advice to Antonia maino and his pappu and one think more you are racist and simply spreading your propoganda
See. What I wrote above is immediately confirmed by this writer.
What this Modi govt did was to kill hope. Man lives on hope. And Modi has killed hope. Of all the last six decades I have seen these last six years are the worst. Nobody talks of the future.
Modi was the Great Hindu Hope of many Hindus. He failed. His devotees do not accept the failure even if the country goes down. It is like devotees of Hindu godmen do not accept when their godman is caught for rape. That is Hindu psychology.
AN EXELLENT ESSAY ENUMERATING PITFALLS AND FAILURE OF THIS GOVT., B UT TO
INDICATE ISOLATE MUSLIMS AND DALITHS. THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS FEATURE. PERHAPS
CHINESE AGGRESION MAY BE BECAUSE OF THIS. NOW WE ARE BETWEEN DEVIL AND DEEP SEA. JUST TO SAVE OUR MOTHER LAND INDIA (FROM DEVIL CHINA) WE ARE APPROACHING U.S.A(DEEP SEA) SO WE SHALL BE COME SATELLITE COUNTRY OF U.S.A CONSUMING THEIR FINISHED PRODUCT AND SUPPLYING THEM RAW MATERIALS. THIS MAY BE BANE ON OUR MOTHER LAND
The Congress took the country to the cleaners over 70 years and tore apart India’s social fabric. Would you rather have these corrupt b#stards back in Govt?
If the Congress ever returns to power, the corruption during the UPA years will seem like kindergarten play in comparison. Be careful what you wish for.
Another different paid BJP bhakt.
Very balanced assessment of Modi’s performance so far. Not only Modi but many politicians who ride on popularity wave believe that managing public perception is an end in itself. But public perception is always fickle and it is the actual performance that stays in history. How will history judge Modi? This will depend not only on what Modi has done so far but also on what kind of course correction he does in future. Modi lovers are going to denounce this article and the Print is likely to get lot of hate mail, much of it from the party managed IT cells. But let us ignore these and focus on actual facts. A dispassionate and objective view of Modi’s tenure so far shows that he has borrowed a lot from Indira Gandhi- an ideological opposite of the saffron party. They share many traits as well as decision making methods. Both enjoyed unassailable popularity and built up personality cult of being a strong political person who could effectively deal with India’s adversaries. But both failed miserably in managing economy. Both enjoyed presence of a strong TINA factor. Only one difference that can strike immediately- Modi is much more a marketing man and believes in even management. Indira had no appetite for such gimmicks. In any case, a country gets a leadership that it deserves. Perhaps, India deserves only Indira Gandhis and Modis. We should hope to get better leadership quality, but do we vote diligently to deserve such change?
What you have written is correct but not sufficient. However, India’s problem with Indira and Modi is not the same. The problem is now Modi + RSS.
It is the RSS that controls through Modi. Modi will go, but RSS has infiltrated into all branches. They do not believe in democratic niceties, with their shakha education they do not have the skills to run a country.
Mr. Author…go and tell this to the previous government…Modi dont need your advice
A parrotic reply by a Andh Bhakat what else you can except from supporter of a party whose Central Minister advertise for COVID PAPD FOR IMMUNITY. WORLD IS LAUGHING AT UD
…as though Modi is going to take any advice from anybody….ha….what a pathetic molecule you are !
Modi can’t even utter name of China and gulped down slaughter of 20 soldiers by Chinese forces. While he gave a fake lollipop as usual that no Chinese incursion took place.
Modi has copied the previous government and has indeed emulated former PM Indira Gandhi.
Once again Molecule, With your blinkered, blind Modi Bhakti, you make yourself the object of ridicule !
Molecule needs to go back to pre-school school,
In order not to be regarded as a complete fool!
His ignorance makes him extol the Modi misrule,
No wonder he is the object of universal ridicule !
But then bhakths like him live in a cesspool,
A testament to a brain that is miniscule !