Modi and the Swamis

Two small sofas were set out on a corner of the lawn at the residence of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national media head and Garhwal MP Anil Baluni on November 11 evening where invitees had gathered for the Igaas puja, traditionally held in Uttarakhand 11 days after Deepavali. Seated on the sofas, awaiting the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were three figures in saffron. Baba Ramdev, the well-known Yoga guru, sat next to Swami Chinmayanand, the spiritual head of the Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh and the third was Swami Govind Dev Giri, an important functionary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust. After he arrived, Modi spent most of his time talking with the saffron-clad luminaries while watching an enchanting folk dance of Uttarakhand performed by an enthusiastic group of dancers. Modi’s conversations with the trio go back many years as evidenced by the regular presence of the spiritual figures at events associated with the Modi government, such as the prime minister’s swearing-in ceremony for his third term in office earlier this year. The prime minister’s rapport with them is obvious and Swami Giri’s summing up of Modi’s governance as a reflection of the ideals of Shivaji Maharaj during the inauguration of the Ram temple strongly resonated with an indigenous cultural and political vision. The prime minister left Baluni’s residence after a half-an-hour engagement and on his way out stopped to chat with journalists, many of whom he knows well. After the prime minister’s departure, the gurus also mingled with the invitees with Ramdev coming across as an accessible figure. They stayed on a while as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived at the venue and engaged them in a conversation. The Igaas puja was initiated by the prime minister who poured ghee and lit the fire that marks the libation to Agni, the God of fire.

Pawar Shift

Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar’s recent comments that he will need to decide when to call it a day soon as no one can go on forever sparked off a discussion in the state’s political circles. With the state due to poll on November 20, Pawar’s remarks were seen as a bid to appeal to voters, particularly those of an older vintage, who have seen the leader’s remarkable rise and staying power in state politics. The shrewd politician is also seen to be countering nephew Ajit Pawar’s bid to influence results on the family home turf of Baramati and the state’s sugar belt where the two Nationalist Congress Party factions are locked in a fierce electoral contest. But what has drawn attention is Pawar’s remark that the time might be now to hand over the baton to the next generation. There is no ambiguity over what this means as Pawar’s daughter
Supriya Sule is seen as his political legatee. There is no question of any other leader from NCP being considered for higher office. As the split in the party shows, even Ajit Pawar has had to find his separate way by allying with BJP and splitting the NCP in the process.

RSP and the Media

BJP leader and MP from Patna Sahib Ravi Shankar Prasad, often referred to by his initials RSP, has held several jobs including being party spokesperson, a role he enjoys and is at ease with. He continues to be fielded by the party on issues that need careful political articulation and a legal reading, such as the uniform civil code. Prasad can be sharp in dealing with questions that are critical of BJP’s agenda on the ground that it is majoritarian in nature, but is equally at ease in informal interactions where he explains the party’s political line. His affable nature is useful in disarming critics and since he is on first-name terms with most journalists, he gets their attention. Prasad was back at the BJP headquarters recently, attacking a list of demands put out by the All India Ulema Board in Maharashtra calling for a 10 per cent quota for Muslims and a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Congress leaders ought to be aware, he said, that reservation based on religion is not permitted by the Constitution, and said the party’s accommodative stance towards fundamentalism reflects the same mindset that led to Partition. The Board’s demands add up to dissolution of the Indian Union and Congress’ initial ambiguous response gave Prasad the opening he sought.

Proving the Pundits Wrong

India cricket coach Gautam Gambhir’s detailed press conference this week showed how off the mark pundits, former players and commentators, have been in their prescriptions following the Indian men’s team losing a home series 3-0 to unfancied New Zealand. Calls for the return of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane as “solid” anchor players never impressed the selection committee. A meeting of top cricketing minds, including the BCCI brass, recently decided to move ahead with players who are in the current squad with a few available additions without being overly concerned about “transition”, a buzzword in the media. The fact is that while seniors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are not going to be around indefinitely, the Board is not calling time on them, believing the duo have the resilience and skill that make them an essential part of the squad. Australia’s poor showing against Pakistan meanwhile has set off some nervous commentary Down Under about the upcoming India series. The Indian team is seen to be a proud outfit with several top performers who are familiar with Australian conditions. While an aggressive approach that did not adapt to playing conditions was seen to have let India down at home, there is no room for players who do not score briskly and consume too much time at the crease.

India’s Trump Card

The Indian government is looking for an early engagement with the Trump camp over several critical issues pertaining to the bilateral relationship. An important focus is on elevated cooperation in the areas of technology and speeding up deals, such as the manufacture of the General Electric F414 engines meant for the upgraded Indian Tejas fighter. The Modi government is prepared for tougher discussions on trade and does not think the hurdles are insurmountable having gained insights from the previous Trump administration. The synergies in the security cooperation are only likely to deepen. The iCET (initiative on critical and emerging technologies), the crown piece of India-US cooperation achieved during the Biden administration, has been under covert fire from the progressive wing of the Democratic establishment, resulting in delays in certain jointly planner projects. Trump is unlikely to have any ideological barriers with regard to such cooperation as long as there are clear benefits to the US. Since iCET was proposed as a win-win solution, New Delhi hopes it will find continued favour.

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