"The idea of India is thrilling" (Brilliant article by Diggy Raja)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Pretender-to-Patels-legacy-Modi-wants-a-statue-for-him-but-buries-his-idea-of-India/articleshow/31907482.cms

The idea of India is thrilling because it captures the country's heterogeneity, encapsulates every period of its history and focuses on fulfilling the aspirations of more than a billion people. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was among those who laid the foundation of this very idea of India. Essential to Patel's idea of India was a democratic polity and pluralistic society.

The RSS's idea of India on the other hand is the complete anti-thesis of Patel's. This can best be understood by reading some of the statements of M S Golwalkar (RSS's second sarsanghchalak), during whose reign Narendra Modi was a pracharak. Golwalkar believed, as stated in 'We, or Our Nation Defined', that non-Hindus of Hindustan must be "wholly subordinated to the Hindu nation, claiming nothing, de-serving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment - not even citizens' rights."

Given the inherent contradiction in Patel's and RSS's philosophy, the sudden ap-propriation of this national icon by BJP is sheer political opportunism.

Modi, who joined RSS when he was 15, is deeply influenced by its philosophy. He has stated that he was fortunate to have been an RSS swayamsevak and imbibed the outfit's values. Modi has said, "I can say for sure that what is best in me, finest in me, is due in large part to my training with the RSS."

Patel believed RSS's ideology to be poisonous. He wrote to his cabinet colleague Shyama Prasad Mookerjee on July 18, 1948: "Our reports do confirm that, as a result of the activities of these two bodies, particularly the former (RSS), an atmosphere was created in the country in which such a ghastly tragedy (Mahatma Gandhi's assassination) became possible. The activities of the RSS constituted a clear threat to the existence of government and the state."

The government, with Patel as home minister, promptly banned RSS on February 4, 1948. Some argue that it was Patel who lifted the ban on RSS, but conveniently forget that this was done on certain strict conditions in July 1949.

Central to this agreement was that "RSS should adopt a written and published constitution, restrict itself to culture, forswear violence and secrecy, profess loyalty to India's flag and Constitution and provide for a democratic organization."

That Modi today is proud of RSS's values, which Sardar Saheb held responsible for the Mahatma's death, is telling. It is even more surprising that Modi chooses (rather deceitfully) to suddenly be an ardent follower of Sardar Saheb, given that during the third year of his RSS training he lived with a senior functionary of the outfit. The functionary's son, Mohan Bhagwat, is now RSS sarsanghchalak.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Pretender-to-Patels-legacy-Modi-wants-a-statue-for-him-but-buries-his-idea-of-India/articleshow/31907482.cms

Rashmun wrote:If Modi did truly understand Patel's philosophy, the Rs 3,500 crore he wants to spend on his statue, billed to be taller than the Statue of Liberty, could have been used towards a scheme to benefit the people. 

And for some weird reason this take doesn't apply to Congress that had installed innumerable(should run to many thousands) Gandhi, Nehru, Indira, Rajiv statues across many cities, towns and villages of the country? Instead, if they had established a public toilet in each of those areas with that money we'd be doing a lot better on that map at least. Next time you are boot licking Diggy, see if you can get this idea across and get a commitment from him. Will turn out more useful than barking at Modi.

smArtha wrote:

Rashmun wrote:If Modi did truly understand Patel's philosophy, the Rs 3,500 crore he wants to spend on his statue, billed to be taller than the Statue of Liberty, could have been used towards a scheme to benefit the people. 

And for some weird reason this take doesn't apply to Congress that had installed innumerable(should run to many thousands) Gandhi, Nehru, Indira, Rajiv statues across many cities, towns and villages of the country? Instead, if they had established a public toilet in each of those areas with that money we'd be doing a lot better on that map at least. Next time you are boot licking Diggy, see if you can get this idea across and get a commitment from him. Will turn out more useful than barking at Modi.

Two wrongs don't make one right. Also the funds used to construct the statues of Nehru, etc. are a lot less than the sum of Rs 3,500 crore needed to construct this one statue.

Rashmun wrote:
Two wrongs don't make one right. Also the funds used to construct the statues of Nehru, etc. are a lot less than the sum of Rs 3,500 crore needed to construct this one statue.

Yeah.. but I'm waiting for the the 'correction' and 'atonement' of the First wrong before we explore the Second one. 

At about Rs.10 lakh (by current costs) for each such statue Congress (central, state, local governments all the way to panchayat level) had installed that may be easily 5000 crore (if we factor in about 50k statues (reasonable estimate) across India. Besides, none of these thousands of them generate revenue by way of any tourism that the SP statue of that scale would. So in both cost and revenue terms Congress strategy is much more flawed than that of Modi.

smArtha wrote:

Rashmun wrote:
Two wrongs don't make one right. Also the funds used to construct the statues of Nehru, etc. are a lot less than the sum of Rs 3,500 crore needed to construct this one statue.

Yeah.. but I'm waiting for the the 'correction' and 'atonement' of the First wrong before we explore the Second one. 

At about Rs.10 lakh (by current costs) for each such statue Congress (central, state, local governments all the way to panchayat level) had installed that may be easily 5000 crore (if we factor in about 50k statues (reasonable estimate) across India. Besides, none of these thousands of them generate revenue by way of any tourism that the SP statue of that scale would. So in both cost and revenue terms Congress strategy is much more flawed than that of Modi.

I am from Uttar Pradesh. I have not seen a single statue of Nehru or Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi in my home state even though I have travelled extensively in the state. So your 5,000 crore estimate is way off the mark. There is probably a Nehru statue in Phulpur ( his Lok Sabha constituency), a Rajiv Gandhi statue in Amethi, and an Indira Gandhi statue in Rae Bareily. I would be highly surprised if the cost of these statues exceeded one lakh rupees each.

Rashmun wrote:I am from Uttar Pradesh. I have not seen a single statue of Nehru or Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi in my home state even though I have travelled extensively in the state. So your 5,000 crore estimate is way off the mark. There is probably a Nehru statue in Phulpur ( his Lok Sabha constituency), a Rajiv Gandhi statue in Amethi, and an Indira Gandhi statue in Rae Bareily. I would be highly surprised if the cost of these statues exceeded one lakh rupees each.

That is because in UP, Mayawati took that space. Tour Andhra and you'll probably see half that 5K there if you add even YSR and other Cong CM statues. And I said 10 lacs by current costs.. This factors in the actual cost to make it + cost of land on which this stands + inauguration costs + Cong cut + decoration/garlanding costs incurred during anniversaries/important days over the last 6 decades.

smArtha wrote:

Rashmun wrote:I am from Uttar Pradesh. I have not seen a single statue of Nehru or Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi in my home state even though I have travelled extensively in the state. So your 5,000 crore estimate is way off the mark. There is probably a Nehru statue in Phulpur ( his Lok Sabha constituency), a Rajiv Gandhi statue in Amethi, and an Indira Gandhi statue in Rae Bareily. I would be highly surprised if the cost of these statues exceeded one lakh rupees each.

That is because in UP, Mayawati took that space. Tour Andhra and you'll probably see half that 5K there if you add even YSR and other Cong CM statues. And I said 10 lacs by current costs.. This factors in the actual cost to make it + cost of land on which this stands + inauguration costs + Cong cut + decoration/garlanding costs incurred during anniversaries/important days over the last 6 decades.

If u factor in the cost of land, BJP cut, decoration and garlanding etc cost for next six decades, the cost of the Sardar Patel statue will probably exceed Rs 10,000 crores

Rashmun wrote:
If u factor in the cost of land, BJP cut, decoration and garlanding etc cost for next six decades, the cost of the Sardar Patel statue will probably exceed Rs 10,000 crores

What happens six decades from now, let's leave that for your grandson and mine to fight over. For now, let's settle the sins of Congress during the last six decades. For starters get an apology from the Diggy Dog and curtail his tail.

smArtha wrote:

Rashmun wrote:
If u factor in the cost of land, BJP cut, decoration and garlanding etc cost for next six decades, the cost of the Sardar Patel statue will probably exceed Rs 10,000 crores

What happens six decades from now, let's leave that for your grandson and mine to fight over. For now, let's settle the sins of Congress during the last six decades. For starters get an apology from the Diggy Dog and curtail his tail.

What has happened has happened. Mayawati has also constructed many statues in the past. We need to look at the future to see how we can ensure a better life for Indians in the future and the way to do this is not to construct Rs 3,500 crore statues like Narendra Modi wants to do.