@ Zafar

I do not remember those ads, but I was not in the country at the time. If they were shown, then I agree that it was shameful.

They were full page ads in ALL the prominent newspapers. It was not just shameful, it was criminal profiling of an entire community

It is worth noting that Rajiv Gandhi got a sympathy vote because his mother was killed - NOT, at least in Delhi, because of an anti-Sikh sentiment.

No, Congress party and Rajiv Gandhi's handlers made it into fanning anti-Sikh sentiment. Which is why these ads were brought out as part of a well-orchestrated campaign. It was not just one isolated ad. There was a full series. There was barbed wire and caricatures of Sikhs shown as bomb throwers, terrorists in front of stopped buses etc

Delhi, at that time, was a majority Punjabi city. And there are close familial links between Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs - until my parents generation Punjabi Hindus used to in fact bring up their eldest son as a Sikh - who freely intermarry, and do not essentially see each other as separate people. This is just my observation from growing up in Delhi, fwiw.

Which is why, the canard that Congress lackeys and Manmohan Singh later spread about RSS being behind the attack was so laughable. Even Khushwant Singh has written about Vajpayee and Advani and other BJP leaders coming to the rescue of Sikhs.

Please note - I am NOT trying to defend the Congress's actions wrt the anti-Sikh pogrom in Delhi - or their susequent attempts to evade justice for people like Sajjan Kumar. I'm just pointing out that Congress ideology, and overall Congres actions across the country, are not based on demonising minorities to consolidate the majority vote. They have many faults, just not these particular ones.

Rajiv Gandhi went out of his way to ensure that ALL THOSE ACCUSED of killings were PROMOTED. They included HKL Bhagat, Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, Kamal Nath et al.

Congress demonised Sikhs in a concerted move after planting and creating Bhindrawale in Punjab. Likewise, Congress and Mrs Gandhi demonised Kashmiri Muslims in the elections in J&K to cater to the Hindu vote in Jammu. All of this is well-documented. One of the reasons for the trouble in J&K, Punjab and Northeast is because of Mrs Gandhi demonising the minorities there.

Unfortunately, you cannot say the same about the BJP and the Sangh Parivar. Who have their own good qualities - but ones which are fatally undermined, imho, by their communal underpinning.

I have no illusions about the BJP or what they are capable of. They showed it during Gujarat 2002. My limited point is that there is not much of a difference between Narendra Modi and Rajiv Gandhi. Just that Rajiv Gandhi was "smarter" than Modi and knew when to say what after the elections had been won. In many ways, Modi is not a hypocrite like Rajiv G and wears his biases on his sleeve.

Look, they even objected to different TRADITIONAL versions of the Ramayana to be discussed at Delhi University. India is too diverse for that, imho, and ultimately is too diverse for them to govern without them changing at a fundamental level. Again, jmho.

I think here the problem is not just BJP. Do remember how Congress treated M.F. Hussain and Taslima Nasrin. How Congress aligns with the Muslim League in Kerala, or how Congress takes over the dregs of the Shiv Sena into its fold when it ooportunistically suits it, even at the cost of causing grief to straightforward secular leaders such as Sunil Dutt.
 

Is Modi PM material :

Well here are the views and opinions I openly heard in Bijnor -Najibabd belt in UP. I met lot of Gram Pardhans in various villages for the NGO work in educational field .After the social meetings in night generally discussions turned towards Elections and Politicians in India and UP .

The views expressed and firm opinions are purely of the people in the Villages .Not a single word is mine except the translation here.Let Out Look send some neutral Reporters not the usual anti Hindu arm chair writers who contribute - find out the ground realities .

The Reports will be much severe than mine as I have toned down contents.

1 . Hindus openly say let BJP declare Varun Gandhi as its UP CM .They say Hindus will Vote enmasse for Varun Gandhi.Similarly Modi Hindus in UP want to be declared as PM candidate. Both are considered Hindu Saviors and protectors .

2.My comments that Hindu Dalit Voters will not ditch Mayawati.They say that let Modi and Varun contest then Dalits too will Vote for the Hindu protectors .
Hindus say they feel helpless and abandoned by the Seculars Politicians and want some Netas who are known protectors of them and can take a clear cut stand against Islamic Terror.

3.Hindus one and all say Sadvi,Col Purhoit are victims of Vote Bank Politics and innocent Hindus are put in Jails to change the colour of Terror.

4. Advani is phew phewed and criticized for patronizing Muslims and soft on Terror.They openly declare if BJP gives tickets to Some Muslims contest then they will ensure that those are defeated and will not hesitate to even vote for Congress.

Reson is as stated by Hindus is that they feel insecure with Seculars and also with softy BJPites

Well above is the answer from the Hindus of two Muslim Majority Districts of UP .

Let Out Look or some one who feel I am comunal go and find out the realities.Truth is different on the ground .

1

Anwaar, noted and agree. It was just that i could better faintly remember (and hence obtain from the net) the dialogues from Macbeth.

Santosh,

>> Shakespeare answered Outlook's questions long ago.

Enjoyed your post, although I for some reason always associate Richard III rather than Macbeth with Modi.

Shakespeare answered Outlook's questions long ago. Substitute Macbeth with Modi, and King Duncan and Banquo with the killed of Gujarat.

(1) Do you think the long arm of the law will catch up with Narendra Modi – might or might not. The taint though looks permanent.

(i) Methought I heard a voice cry "Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep," the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast
—After murdering King Duncan, Macbeth fears that he will never sleep again.

(2) Do you think that even if he escapes on legal technicalities, he will still never be accepted by the majority of Indians as Prime Minister – Yes.

(i) Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red
—Hearing a knocking at his palace gate, Macbeth fears that he can never wash away the evidence of his guilt.

(ii) It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood
—After Banquo's ghost has gone, Macbeth feels that his crime is pursuing him.

(3) Do you think that he will not only escape from the clutches of the law but will also make it to the prime ministerial chair? – Answered in (1) and (2).