Narendra Modi's corporate backers and Media owners have converged: Indian democracy is in peril

by Guest Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:35 pm

Democratic voices have so far allowed the Gujarat Chief Minister to get away with the invocation of his “development” mantra. India needs to know more about him

During a recent three-week stay in the United States, I was often asked to explain the Indian media’s current obsession with Narendra Modi. The only reasonably cogent answer to give was the convergence between the corporate ownership of the electronic media and Mr. Modi’s corporate bank-rollers. The Gujarat Chief Minister’s induction in the Bharatiya Janata Party central set-up has been celebrated as if he has already been invited by the Rashtrapati to form the next government at the Centre....

And, lastly, Mr. Modi’s leadership model simply means an unalloyed corporate raj. The “economic miracle” that Mr. Modi has performed in Gujarat is predicated on the working assumption that it is the primary duty of the administration to make it possible for the corporate houses to make profit, whatever the social dislocation or cost. And much to the delight of all his corporate admirers, he has done an admirable job of silencing all dissent.

The message is clear: he will encounter no trade unionism, no adivasis’ protest, no civil society voice. The vast majority of the Indian electorate will want to know which elements of the social welfare architecture, put in place by the UPA regime, he would dismantle.
Let us make no mistake. The much-touted Modi leadership is a maximalist proposition, uncompromising in the pursuit of what he believes is to be done in order to achieve India’s destiny.

The middle classes, which have suffered because of the recent economic down-turn, are prepared to lend a particularly attentive ear to this meretricious blunt straight-forwardness. It is the task of democratic, progressive, liberal and secular voices across the political spectrum to make Mr. Modi spell out the essentials of his leadership offer in all its un-pretty details.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/modi-the-man-and-the-message/article4577674.ece

by Guest Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:45 am

In a direct attack on BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday alleged that some people were using corporate money in their election campaigns and promising to bring "heaven on earth" without concrete policies for development.

Releasing the manifesto of the Janata Dal (United), Kumar said big business houses were investing in the elections in the hope of getting proportionate returns. "This election is bound to be one of the most expensive elections in the country due to the huge quantum of money being pumped into by corporate houses," he said.
JD(U) president Sharad Yadav also shared Nitish's concern saying helicopters of private aviation companies had been booked by corporate houses for use by leaders
of national parties. "The Election Commission should stop use of helicopters in election campaigns," he said.

Kumar said BJP was creating a "virtual world with false promises" through its campaign blitzkrieg to influence people for votes in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. "They have not come out with concrete policies and programmes for development. The basic issues concerning people are being ignored. But people of this country are aware of such tricks and these won't work," he said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/elections2014/election-beat/bjp-using-huge-corporate-money-in-elections-nitish/article1-1204632.aspx

Narendra Modi's corporate backers and Media owners have converged: Indian democracy is in peril

Narendra Modi's corporate backers and Media owners have converged: Indian democracy is in peril

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