Prabhu Chawla, editorial director of the New Indian Express, in the Sunday Standard:
“It’s a perfect picture of perfect politics—a Sikh Prime Minister accompanied by a Christian defence minister and a Dalit home minister.
“When the monsoon session of Parliament starts this week, an erudite Sikh economist and a former Dalit police inspector—the new home minister—would occupy the first two seats in the first row of the Treasury benches. It will also have Defence Minister A.K. Antony.
“The two Houses of Parliament are presided over by a Dalit—Meira Kumar (Lok Sabha)—and an articulate Muslim—Hamid Ansari (Rajya Sabha). Never since Independence have the top legislative and executive posts been held by a combination of minorities and socially backward leaders.
“It was not mere political accident that led to the creation of a hierarchy, which was heavily loaded against the upper classes who always claimed to be born rulers. From Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi, the Gandhi parivar was the darling of the minorities and the Dalits. It lost most of this support after the 1984 Sikh massacre and the Babri Masjid demolition.
“Ever since Sonia Gandhi took over the reins of the Congress in 1998, the party has been undergoing an invisible social transformation. Both Indira and Rajiv believed in sloganism. However, for the past 14 years, Sonia has been silently working according to plan to change the social character of the government and the party.
“She may have allowed the urban elite to dominate the Council of Ministers, but her long-term agenda to create and promote new leaders from the minorities and Dalits is finally acquiring shape.”
Read the full article: Sonia’s new umbrella
churumuri 
“It’s a perfect picture of perfect politics”
No! It is a perfect picture of identity politics. Politics that can’t raise above that of religion and caste.
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I don’t understand why Prabhu Chawla is gawking like this? It was Indira who introduced and specialised in casteism. Sonia is just continuing this. But why didn’t Sonia want a muslim President in Kalam? Or a christian President in Alexander? Was this also her social transformation?
It is a sheer joke to associate Sonia and the Congress with social transformation. They are the ones who want to ensure minorities and lower castes remain downtrodden so they are good votebanks.
Prabhu Chawla like most other English journalists has simply sold his soul to the Congress!! His pontification carries not even half a paisa value.
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Deepak, I will tell you what a sheer joke is. Vajpayee gave reservations for Jats in Rajasthan – and this led to a caste war between Meenas and Gujjaars with the then hopeless CM Vasundhara could do nothing to control. Primary reason for deep caste divisions is BJP.
BJp is adept at appeasing minorities – from Abdul Kalam to Purno Sangma ( A christian who said that North east would break away from India if cow slaughter was banned).
BJP is adept at playing the caste game – from inducting criminals like Kushawaha to bending over backwards to please a casteist leader lIke Yeddi.
No other party has played the caste card as badly as brazenly as BJP has in Karnataka.
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Pure tokenism. The current home minister would have been sacked for the collapse of power grids if this was value based politics. Instead he gets promoted and exhibited as a Dalit rather than as an inefficient minister of state. There must be some simple reason for this!!!
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he is totally missing the points- from a neutral perspective.
yet he is totally dogly obedient to his master .
her children are still italian – nationalism
saved her swiss accounts and made most of money to settle in europe – capitalism
did not even allow indian lady doctor to touch her – racism
and all the people of every religion are converted to christianity. – conversion
prabhu chawla is a punjabi. punjabis like manmohan singh now rich compared to rest of india show allegiance to white race and are happy.
Since punjabis control the army and Sonia controls punjabis and since no one is even bothered about politics except using it for money they find unquestioning shelter in her and she in them – symbiotism.
absolutely obvious why churumuri wants to publish this.
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Nonsense! This is not analysis but kite-flying by attributing intent or motive when there is no evidence any exists.
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Sonia Madam, thank you.
Shinde Saheb, congratulations!!!
Whenever Kalyana Karnataka is granted statehood, the kannada speaking district of Solapur should be made part of it. If you agree to this I am even ready to drop the demand of Yadgir to be made its capital.
Saheb ye baga, we already have a river in the name of Babasaheb in Kalyan Karnataka; you can build a brand new Capital grander than Singapore on the banks of this river and name it Soniapore.
Jai Kalyana, Jai Basavanna, Jai Bhimanna.
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The Congress’s values are most aligned to the values of a lot of Indians. Secularism, tolerance of other communities, co-existence, peace-loving and above all-dislike of big changes. By and large Indian psyche dislikes massive or sweeping changes. We prefer change to be incremental. The Congress also knows this as it knows that Indians in general don’t really understand the concept that if something hurts you today, it may benefit you tomorrow. We are a nation which is most comfortable criticising and condemning and to some extent, relish the failure of any new inititatives. Since long-term benefits are not something which we really understand or appreciate we prefer short term populist measures (MNREGA, loan waiver etc).
The enduring success of the Congress is also because of some other factors. First, a large section of the Hindu voters in India dislike politics of Hindutva. They believe that India is a secular country and the fact that the Congress has on several occasions looked the other way when minorities were attacked does not take away the fact it is the most openly secular of the national parties. This means even if they don’t accept/like everything that the Congress does, their votes are likely to gravitate towards it because they hate politics which they feel is anti-minority. This segment of Hindus is numerically very big, and while it may not be reflected on Internet forums like these, much of the mainstream media and institutions in general are full of people from this segment. Its noticeble that the right wing has no major newspaper/TV channel in India and not surprising; there aren’t too many senior journalists who are stridently right wing nor are there are that many right wing leaning readers to make it a viable option. That’s why despite so many complaints of media bias, the BJP has failed to offer any TV channel/newspaper that is a real alternative to the mainstream media.
The third factor is that in a first past the post vote system, parties with a core vote tend to fare better. Minorities and Dalits tend to be the Congress’s core vote. This segment may be easily 15-20% of the votes, so the Congress starts ahead from the word go.
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We should all strive for a day when people take up resposible positions due to merit, skill, ability and less for the caste or religion opf their ancestor
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@Simple
As an infamous participant said on a reality show SPARE ME!!!
Why bring Vajpayee into this? He wasn’t the first or the last to introduce reservations. And if Sonia selects a muslim, its social transformation! If Vajpayee does it, its communalism? Typical pseudo-secular double standards.
And agreed that Yeddy has brazenly played the casteist card. But who started it in Karnataka? Answer that dear!!
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Do we need any proof to show why caste is not a dead issue or unlikely to disappear when we see every thing including (Churumuri) from the point of view of CASTE? What a shame! When will be able to stop this nonsense?
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@Indian
“The Congress’s values are most aligned to the values of a lot of Indians. Secularism, tolerance of other communities, co-existence, peace-loving and above all-dislike of big changes.” — Wow! Do you really believe what you have written or just saying it because it sounds nice!!
Congress could get away by fooling people into thinking that they are secular, tolerant and all that stuff some years back. But no longer!! Do you seriously think they won in 2014, because of their so-called secularism? No way!! They won because of poor strategy of BJP and because of local leaders like YSR, Karuna, splitting votes of MNS, Praja Rajyam, etc.
And regarding your point of BJP not getting support in media,you are not correct!! Aaj Tak and India Today were pro-BJP during the Vajpayee days and changed their stance towards the end of the first UPA.
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This from a man whose intellectual abilities are always suspect.Refer to radia tapes-all he wants are favors from the rich and powerful.It is a joke in media circles that he ‘writes’!,he needs a sub to accompany him on daily basis.How does he survive;by sucking up to highest bidders.
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That some of the leaders mentioned in the post “belong to a socially backward class” is an awkward expression. I will not go so far as to say that there is a Freudian slip here.
Before heaping accolades on Sonia G. we might want to consider the possibility that there is an Indian version of the Trilateral Commission that pulls the strings of the toy called Sonia. Good is often alone, but evil always needs company to flourish.
DailyBread–
Hold your applause and positive thinking until the amendment comes before Parliament. Selvi Jayalalithaa will get in the way as well as any politician who wants special status for his unfortunate province.
Yadgiri as capital is an intriguing idea, but too hot. Look for a spot closer to the North of Southern Karnataka. Sollapura is as much a lost cause as Kasaragodu. We might take comfort in the thought that we gained, like Kerala, more than we lost when the states were linguistically reorganized. What is TN now lost large chunks of territory to its three big neighbors. Potti Sriramulu certainly knew what he was doing.
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If J.Nehru was such a dalit lover, he could have easily asked Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar to be Independent India’s first Prime minister.That would have been indeed a fitting tribute to his love. All this is bunkum… He ensured he became PM, then this talk about dalit love etc. etc.
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If I pay more money than anybody this crook will sing high praise for me.
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Sonia Gandhi is slowly but surely gaining lost ground. Last two months, UPA ratings are up, there is a feel better factor.
Presidential election victory, kejriwal -anna harakiri, keshubai Patel coming out against modi, yeddy becoming a human bomb for bjp, nitish ‘s growing acceptence among non bjp NDA partners, granting of special status to north Karnataka districts, Cong will hold on to the advantage .
As things are going, BJP will be projecting MODI for pm and dheera maartanda, ganda bherunda, prachanda, Agni kunda yeddyyurappa for deputy pm, ashok singhal will become UN SECRETARY GENERAL, RSS will be awarded Nobel peace prize and Micheal Phelps world record will be broken by an Indian.
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Longing for the day when we will come out of identifying people on the basis of their caste.
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Dear Mr Chawla,
Please take a look at TJ George’s column: http://tjsgeorge.blogspot.in/
Whatever specious reasoning you are employing to make your point, nothing can mask your zero integrity as a journalist and a citizen of India!
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Dr Ramesappa!
Your great man’s son Balakrishne Gowda is in the Lokayukta net allappa! So ratings of JDS must be soaring right? I know that he has only about 15 crores or so excess property which is kind of insulting right? :)) LOL
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After Independence people blamed Nizam for the backwardness of Hyderabad Karnataka. Every one clamored for integration of Kannada speaking areas. Now after 66 years of Responsible Government now they want Kalyana Karnataka and Special status under Art. 371. Ironically they had people like Veereendra Patil, Dharam Singh as Chief Ministers of Karnataka in this period. You mean to say they were useless Chief Ministers ?
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PTL,
Special status, additional grants, etc., are extra bogies getting added to the great gravy train. I don’t mind my area sucking in more money from other parts of the country to be looted secularly by local politicians/Babus.
Delhi in summer is hotter than Yadgir. Once “HyderbadKarntak wale jago, oldmysore wale bhago ( I am borrowing this slogan from our neighbours from AP, Telengana wale Jago, Andhra wale bhago) ” is implemented in letter & spirit, we don’t have to worry about temperature. The full supply from RTPS can run any number of ACs……
******
Dr. Ramesh,
How is your Chaand Sahebru? Before you drag us down to the level of Kaanda, Batata, please get us our separate state….
*******
Mr. Indian,
>a large section of the Hindu voters in India dislike politics of Hindutva. They believe that India is a secular country
Sir, you don’t know anything about cunning communal Hindus. There is a reason why they don’t want Hindutva and vote overwhelmingly to have secular laws in this country. When a Chaand like kaand happens, if you are pinned down by your girlfriend to legitimize escapades, they know that secular laws will give them a very easy and non messy option+exit.
There are lots of other similar reasons; you seem to be an extremely intelligent fellow, you can figure out on your own other reasons.
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@Soumya
No need to wait for that day. i have already realized it!!
In reality caste or any divisional force do not exist in the God’s realm or nature or to say in ultimate truth. easy way to feel it- realize the the ultimate truth and identify yourself with it :)
It only recorded in stupidity of human mind as because of same “Human mind” is the creator of caste or any division . Don’t say even Constitution as mention of word “Caste” as even Constitution is also creation of “Human mind”!!!!
Simple way to erase caste system is by erasing it at respective “Individual Human Mind”. As Mind is the reflection of World (read it in vice versa)- Pure mind (no division, no fragment of conciousness) does not suffer from ill effects of casteism (psychologically) even when whole World is practicing it!
Right now in my World(in my Mind) is rejoicing “Casteless thoughts” (actually no thoughts) with serenity and rapture developed by deep contemplation of harsh reality, now enjoining the stupidity of society what it it had followed from time immemorial and following foolishly till now!
AT last to tell–MIND IS THE REFLECTION OF ONES NATURE. Want to study different Minds here? start reading the article and also its Comments. Again :)
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Ramesappa,
<>
Are you so daft that you did not understand this whole Anna Hazare nautanki was stage managed by Sonia herself….no wonder you support JDS (Just Dad and Son) party
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Prabhu chavla used to suck up to NDA when it was in power and was a trusted advisor of Vajpayee…now that UPA is in power he is trying to suck up to the Rajmata and her retarded son….he is in direct competition with Taklu Gupta of Indian Express, Rajdeep, Pronnoy Roy for a share of the spoils
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Soumya: A man has many identities, caste, geography, language, religion etc. We may identify them by any one of them.
But, It shouldn’t be the reason for providing posts, jobs, seats etc. It just doesn’t stand to reason.
It is just a form of DISCRIMINATION against merit.
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maisuru,
After Independence people blamed Nizam for the backwardness of Hyderabad Karnataka.
Sir, please don’t misunderstand, were people wrong? I am sure you are familiar with the history of great Nizams of Hyderabad. How many schools (there were no kannada & english medium schools, there were few urdu medium schools) , colleges(including science, engineering, medical, law), universities, hospitals, industries, power plants, dams, canals, bridges, roads, etc., were there at the time of police action in the area of kalyan Karnataka. You had the benefit of benevolent rule of great Wodeyars and other parts of Karnataka the secular rule of British. Thank God that we don’t have a Pakistan in the middle of the country. The wretched population was lucky enough to survive the genocide & ethnic cleansing from Razzakars.
>Every one clamored for integration of Kannada speaking areas.
It was a good move at that time and time has come to rethink about linguistic states…
>Now after 66 years of Responsible Government now they want Kalyana Karnataka and Special status under Art. 371.
Responsible govt. responsible to whom? responsible for what? I don’t want a special status…
1)I want a separate state with a brand new capital on the banks of Bhima(this is a purely democratic demand which has a single legitimate vote, i.e. my vote).
2)Majority of the money looted by Baabus & politicians gets invested in their state capitals. I have seen the positive change in places like Dehradun, Raipur, Ranchi after becoming state capitals. You don’t know what one Madhu Koda like person can do to a god forsaken place like Gulbarga.
>Ironically they had people like Veereendra Patil, Dharam Singh as Chief Ministers of Karnataka in this period. You mean to say they were useless Chief Ministers ?
Veerendra Patil had his moments of brilliance in administration, Dharam Singh was an useless Darbaari.
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DB,
HDK is probably the only politician in India who sat on a fast urging a CBI enquiry against him. Even today hdk and Co. Have issued statements that they are ready for the enquiry for the truth to emerge. Thousands of allegations were hurled at devegowda from decades, but the man went on to become PM, so one has to separate men from boys .
Asha ,
Team Anna may have been propped up by Congress initially to take opposition ‘s place,but they were becoming errant and over ambitious, when team Anna announced political party, bjp RSS felt that it is their voteshare which will be eaten by Anna, so pressure from RSS resulted in Anna backing out.
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what i mean to say – General thought is “MIND is reflection of WORLD” but the converse is the absolute truth -“World is the reflection of Mind”
suffering is because of Poison filled in their mind- greed, anger, delusion.
those Minds which shout against caste-ism, corruption unskillfully and suffer in the process are not reflecting the worldly thoughts.
but actually reflecting their own mind!
Greed is the dominant factor for the minds who are benefitor of caste ism or corruption
Delusion is the dominant factor for the minds who are the sufferer of casteism or corruption
Anger shared equally between them.
As greed conditions delusion and delusion conditions greed, both are cyclic, so we see the characters embedded with above poisons swapping time to time.
the above three poisons generate suffering and noises which is evident in this blog :)
this suffering mind(World) is called HELL.
coming to…..
the mind which kills the three poisons -greed, anger and delusion by cultivating its antidote-generosity, compassion and wisdom.
such mind is called is called pure mind or no-mind
such mind cannot be a sufferer in the suffering world.
this Pure mind(World) is called the HEAVEN.
“ಇಲ್ಲೇ ಸ್ವರ್ಗ ಇಲ್ಲೇ ನರಕ ಬೇರೆ ಇಲ್ಲ ಸುಳ್ಳು……….”
earth(mind) is resident to both HELL and HEAVEN.
If “mind” pretends to be “PURE” but feel suffering of Worldly caste ism or corruption.
This suffering is evident of its impurity!
This is the law created by God OR Nature not me!
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Dr. Ramesh, Tavu doddavaru, yella ballavaru, sahebra gaadigalu, sahebra stepneygalu.The sad part is, we will not wake up to see these dangerous liaisons, till a Haryana like incident happens.
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Deepak
If you criticize Sonia, so can Vajpayee and BJP for far greater evil like dividing India on communal and caste basis.
See what Modi is doing now. From his dirty trick text book he has started accusing Congress of supporting cow slaughter – when elections are just two months away in Gujarat.
And people like you will fall for this cheap trick and vote Modi again.
Conveniently forgetting how badly he has ruled Gujarat.
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@DailyBread,
Agree with you. Smaller states are the way to go !! Telengana, Vidharba, North Karnataka all should be new states.
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@Simple
I am not going to vote for Modi ….because I am not a voter of Gujarat…..lol
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Modi, yeddi, cheddi… all same.
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“And people like you will fall for this cheap trick and vote Modi again.
Conveniently forgetting how badly he has ruled Gujarat.” – Where is this joker from?Saudi or even Mars.Pathetic.Education is supposed to make one’s brain open to truth,reason and accuracy.Not illogical thoughts aquired from rumors and propaganda.
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Dr Ramesappa!
Then I am relieved to hear even Yeddi is only facing allegations! Wow thank you! Thanks to people like you ‘rains and crops’ happen as we say in Kannada! LOL
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Goldstar,
>Smaller states are the way to go !
I have a completely different goal & agenda. I want government to invest more money in creating new urban infrastructure. We need more cities & one of the ways we can have more cities is by having more state capitals. If we get it, I will be very happy to enjoy the good governance as a by product from small states, however I am not betting on that.
Noida is a great success which was created from scratch by UP administration. I am confident with the help from JP, UP administration will be able replicate their success across at least 20 more towns along Yamuna & Ganga expressways (provided we don’t have nautankis like Bhatta Parsaul). The credit for Yamuna & Ganga expressways should got to Mayavati, I am disappointed that she was not elected back.
Delhi- Mumbai industrial corridor folks are talking of building few new cities, hope they will succeed in their endeavors. Mayavati is free, Mayavati is a great builder (very very impressive ambedkar parks), UPA should request her to head this project.
BMIC would have created some great urban infrastructure in our neighborhood & partly decongested Bangalore. I don’t know, why we don’t discuss this…….
Regional river linking project also would have created some nice cities during the course of its implementation.
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Prabhu chawla…forgot to mention all these minorty and socially backward politicos are but PUPPIES of the Vatican supported white christian….prabhu chawla you remind me of a smally hungry puppy wagging its tail for dog biscuits from its white imported xtian master
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