Sidhartha Varadarajan: The argument that Narendra Modi would be constrained by his allies and India's institutions is deeply flawed

by Guest Thu May 08, 2014 8:02 pm

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/05/if-india-narendra-modi-wins-2014583349131458.html

by Guest Thu May 08, 2014 8:03 pm

The unprecedented warning issued by senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley to the judiciary when the UPA government said it would soon name a judge to head the "Snoopgate" probe may well be a harbinger of the manner in which a future Modi government will deal with the courts. "I will be very curious to know the name of the judge who has agreed to 'lend' himself to the UPA," he wrote recenty. "I will be surprised if there is one. I hope, for the cause of judicial dignity, no one agrees to be a part of this desperate exercise."

If the words he used were strong, the reasons are obvious. The "Snoopgate" case involves allegations of the massive abuse of police power by the Gujarat government in placing a young woman under constant surveillance for weeks. Jaitley suggested the judges approached so far all refused to serve on the Snoopgate panel because the case was "political". But their reluctance could also reflect their unwillingness to be on the wrong side of a man who might become prime minister. How the judiciary would respond to petitions and cases if Modi were actually to become prime minister is anybody's guess.

by Guest Thu May 08, 2014 8:04 pm

But even if India's constitutional watchdogs turn shy and retiring, what of the media? Surely it can be counted upon to call out Modi if and when he crosses a line? A section of the media no doubt will, but with many newspapers and TV stations owned by risk averse or financially compromised proprietors, that section may not be very large.

Shehzad Poonawala, a lawyer who describes himself as a Congress party supporter, recently wrote an article critical of Modi for DNA. The piece - which was essentially a compilation of official quotes from the National Human Rights Commission and other bodies that cast Modi in poor light quickly became one of the five most read articles on the newspaper's website. But hours later, it mysteriously vanished. No explanation was offered either to Poonawala or the newspaper's readers.

In the absence of any word from the editor of DNA, one can only infer that someone, somewhere was unhappy about the piece and wielded enough clout to have it removed. The request need not have come from Modi or his office for us to be alarmed about it. For the question to ask is this: Will the frequency and intensity of such requests increase or decrease if Modi were to become prime minister of India?

by Guest Thu May 08, 2014 8:23 pm

Modi, on the other hand, is used to being the first among unequals. Within the Gujarat BJP, only those leaders have flourished - Amit Shah, Saurabh Patel, Anandiben Patel - who have functioned as acolytes. Nationally, senior leaders like L K Advani and Jaswant Singh who registered their discomfort with Modi's ascendancy have already been sidelined. More casualties will almost certainly follow, as Modi converts his enormous appeal amongst BJP workers and the backing of India's corporate sector into a formidable vector of power that will make even Vladimir Putin's 'power vertical' look like an exercise in democratic decision-making...

What this means is that Modi as prime minister will face virtually no political constraints from within the BJP or its allies when the RSS begins pursuing its agenda, especially in 'low voltage' areas like education, culture, proselytisation and women.

Already there are indications that Modi is looking at converting the personality-based election campaign he has run into a pseudo-presidential type of administration, using executive decisions to the maximum extent possible.

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Sidhartha Varadarajan: The argument that Narendra Modi would be constrained by his allies and India's institutions is deeply flawed

Sidhartha Varadarajan: The argument that Narendra Modi would be constrained by his allies and India's institutions is deeply flawed

Re: Sidhartha Varadarajan: The argument that Narendra Modi would be constrained by his allies and India's institutions is deeply flawed

Re: Sidhartha Varadarajan: The argument that Narendra Modi would be constrained by his allies and India's institutions is deeply flawed

Re: Sidhartha Varadarajan: The argument that Narendra Modi would be constrained by his allies and India's institutions is deeply flawed

Re: Sidhartha Varadarajan: The argument that Narendra Modi would be constrained by his allies and India's institutions is deeply flawed