RSS mouthpiece queers pitch, bats for Narendra Modi as PM candidate

June 5, 2012

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New Delhi, June 5: Days after he was supposed to have been pulled up by BJP mouthpiece Kamal Sandesh for being a man in hurry, Narendra Modi received a shot in the arm with another Sangh Parivar publication, Organiser, saying that only the Gujarat CM has the potential to catapult the party to power single-handedly, just like Atal Bihari Vajpayee did in the 1990s.

An article in the latest issue of the RSS' mouthpiece in English describes the controversial CM as "by far the most popular leader in the country", who as BJP's mascot for 2014 parliamentary polls has the ability to expand the BJP's appeal and vote base across the country much like Atal Bihari Vajpayee did in the 1990s.

Although the write-up by psephologist GVL Narasimha Rao contrasts with the criticism in Kamal Sandesh as well as RSS' Hindi weekly Panchajanya, sources in the Organiser said that the endorsement for the Gujarat strongman in its latest issue mirrors the official stance of the publication. "We have been consistently praising his achievements in Gujarat and the decision to publish the article should be seen in that light," said a source.

The view is significant because BJP has shied away from spelling out its choice for PM, and because of the assessment in the political circles that the projection of Modi as the candidate for the top job is going to gain momentum and may become virtually unstoppable if he wins the assembly polls slated to be held later this year.

Will swing votes in BJP's favour

The Organiser article takes head on all the arguments marshaled by those who feel that Modi's projection will hurt the BJP; chiefly that tagging the hardliner as the prime ministerial candidate would further undercut its already restricted social appeal and putting off NDA allies like Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who hope to win over the Muslim vote.

Rao builds his case by saying that while there is nationwide anger against Congress, this alone cannot guarantee BJP-led NDA's return to power at the Centre. He stresses that NDA is a major political force only in 272 of the Lok Sabha seats, leaving Left and regional parties as the likely beneficiaries of erosion in Congress's support in the rest of the 545 Lok Sabha constituencies.

He argues that the limitation can be overcome by projecting a strong leader "whose appeal transcends state boundaries" , and who "would give BJP's campaign a nationwide momentum and help it make substantial gains even in non-BJP strongholds".

Citing the successes of VP Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee whose leadership galvanized the anti-Congress mood and led the party to lose even in its stronghold, the advocacy for Modi in the RSS journal says that the Gujarat CM as the leader of BJP would benefit the party in UP, and help it win seats even in states like Odisha and Haryana.

It also joins issue with the argument that Modi's projection will scare away allies, channeling the view of the Hindutva hardliners in BJP that finding partners will not be a problem so long as the party is seen as a winning ticket. "The number of BJP allies grew between 1996 and 1999 principally because regional parties saw an accretion in their strength owing to the incremental role that Vajpayee had delivered to them. The same would work for the BJP at the helm," it says.

The timing of the article is also significant, coming just after RSS decided to mend its rift with the Gujarat CM by giving into his demand to remove his bete noire from BJP's national executive. As part of the bargain, Modi has come out in the support of BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, who is widely seen as the RSS appointee.

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News Network
October 22,2024

Several Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) schools across India were hit with hoax bomb threats on Tuesday, just days after an explosion occurred near a CRPF school in Delhi. The threats, sent via email late Monday night, targeted schools in Delhi and Hyderabad, according to sources.

Earlier this week, a bomb exploded outside a CRPF school in Delhi’s Rohini area, causing significant damage to nearby vehicles and property. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.

In response to the blast, Delhi Police confiscated CCTV footage from nearby markets as part of their investigation. Sources indicate that surveillance footage captured a suspect at the scene, wearing a white T-shirt, displaying suspicious behavior the night before the explosion.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the explosive device had been hidden in a polythene bag, buried in a shallow pit, and covered with garbage. The blast caused a hole in the school's boundary wall and shattered the window panes and signboards of nearby shops.

Following the incident, the Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Section 3 of the Indian Explosives Act, and other relevant sections.

The FIR states, "A case of an explosion caused by an unknown explosive substance has been registered, and the investigation continues." It also details the damage, noting that the blast left a hole in the boundary wall and affected nearby structures.

The targeted schools serve children from CRPF and other paramilitary families, and the recent threats have heightened concerns. In response, Delhi authorities have placed the city on high alert, ramping up security measures, especially in markets, ahead of the Diwali festival. 

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News Network
October 21,2024

khalistan.jpg

Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on Monday warned passengers not to fly on Air India flights from November 1 to 19. He asserted that an attack could take place on an Air India flight during the specified dates, which coincide with the "40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide".

The founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who holds dual citizenship in Canada and the US, had issued a similar threat around the same time last year.

Pannun's fresh threat comes amid several airlines in India receiving multiple threat calls about potential bombings, all of which turned out to be hoaxes. It also occurred at a time when India and Canada are engaged in a murky diplomatic row following Canada's allegations of India targeting Khalistani elements in the country, including the murder of another terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In November 2023, Pannun released a video claiming that Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport would be renamed and would remain closed on November 19, warning people against flying on Air India that day. The National Investigation Agency charged him with criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, and various offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

In December last year, Pannun threatened to attack the Parliament on or before December 13, following reports of an alleged foiled plot to kill him. December 13 marks the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Parliament in 2001.

He also threatened to kill Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of State Police Gaurav Yadav on Republic Day this year. He also urged gangsters to unite and launch an attack on Mann on January 26.

Pannun has been designated a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs since July 2020 on charges of sedition and secessionism, as he leads SFJ, a group advocating for a separate sovereign Sikh state. A year prior to this, India banned SFJ as an "unlawful association" for engaging in "anti-national and subversive" activities.

In another development, on October 17, the United States charged a former officer of India's spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for allegedly directing a foiled plot to murder Pannun, a charge New Delhi has rejected as baseless allegations.

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