Dharma Sansad or Supreme Court?
With elections fast approaching, many parties have remembered Sri Rama out of the blue. Lakhs of people do not have a roof over their heads. Scores of workers and farmers have come to streets with demonetization. Economy is in doldrums with unemployment shooting up. Those who occupied the power corridors with the assurance of Acche Din, gave us the most horrendous days ever. This time around, Modi and his party know the ‘development mantra’ they used last time to win elections, may not work again.
Hence, BJP now thinks of Sri Rama. They are telling people that ‘acche din’ can come only when the Ram Mandir is built. Slogans are resonating on the street pressing for Ram Mandir. Ironically, BJP is in power in UP and demanding Ram Mandir. Who is this protest against? Earlier, UPA government was in power in the country and a protest would mean it was against the dispensation. But now, a protest by Hindutva elements would mean a protest against their own party! BJP which is chanting the Rama Mantra now think people of the country are fools?
Recently, a mega meeting of Dharma Sansad was held and participation of people was less than expected. Significantly, Shiv Sena which was in the forefront of the meeting. This has led to a big question now as to who would be using the ‘Hindutva’ keyword in the upcoming elections. Shiv Sena is a party that is with the BJP, and yet criticizes the latter in the most scathing terms. Uddhav Thackeray is very upset that the BJP government in coalition with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra has not given due credit to the former. There is also a fear of BJP completely consuming the Shiv Sena in the due course. Both parties have been seeking votes in the name of Hindutva. Shiva Sena is losing grounds in Maharashtra for various reasons such as the effect of Bal Thackeray waning with his demise, and Modi effect on their coalition. Hence, Sena needs to assert itself to stand on its own feet.
So in order to survive and cause enough embarrassment to BJP, Sena is speaking in high pitch on Ram Mandir construction. BJP cannot take to streets on this issue since its own party is in power in both the centre and state. Hence, Sena has spoken about this even before the elections are announced, and BJP uses it as first strike advantage. Ram is being juxtaposed against the BJP for the same reason. Even BJP understands this game Sena is playing and has already declared latter has nothing to do with building the Mandir. According to the BJP, Sena never fought for Mandir and had Thackrey been alive, he would have stayed away from Dharma Sansad. The party has already mocked its coalition partner Sena.
BJP has differences of opinion with VHP chief Praveen Togadia as well. He has held an open press conference and accused the Modi Government of plotting his murder. VHP had a prime role to play in Ram Mandir issue. After having used Parishad to usurp power, BJP has forgotten them completely say the VHP leaders. Some VHP leaders have decided to romp up the Ram Mandir issue against the BJP now. Their plan is to get BJP into a tricky situation. This does not mean all of them are against the BJP, but only that VHP and Sena are blackmailing their political partner. They know an election fought without Ram is a lost cause. And for VHP to join hands with BJP, some assurances need to be fulfilled by the BJP. Sena needs to be given its share of space in coalition. Or else, Sena is going to use the trump card of Mandir against the very BJP. If all these are met, they’ll come together to seek votes in the name or Ram for the next elections. Else, Sena and VHP will turn into major challenges for the partner BJP. But looks like RSS will ensure that the issues don’t get complicated to that extent.
Though the fight looks like this is against the government, the whole thing is pitted against the judiciary. Supporters are indicating Dharma Sansad is more important than the Supreme Court. If they win in this, constitution would lose. And what would democracy mean without the constitution? The next elections stands on a moot point of which one is significant to us, whether it is the Dharma Sansad or the Supreme Court. The country’s future rests on this.
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Junior Hockey World Cup: IndiGo crisis disrupts travel plans of players' families, fans
Chennai (PTI): For Kate, the dream was simple -- to watch her son Fahy Noah play for the Australian team in the Junior Hockey World Cup here and visit the Taj Mahal.
But her plans, like those of many others, have been upended by the operational crisis that has hit IndiGo, India's largest domestic airline.
"I am here for the first time and India is so kind and welcoming. We were hoping to see the Taj Mahal, but with the IndiGo problems, we are a bit scared now," Kate, who has come from Brisbane, told PTI outside the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium here.
"One family went on a rest day and got stuck overnight. I think we will have to cancel all our travel plans now, though seeing the Taj Mahal was on my bucket list for long," she said.
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This is the first time that 24 teams are participating in the Junior Hockey World Cup, being held in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10. For most players and their families, it is their maiden trip to India. Many NRIs have also flown in to support the Indian team.
However, the widespread flight delays and cancellations have thrown schedules into chaos. IndiGo cancelled thousands of flights last week, citing regulatory changes in the pilots' flight duty and regulations norms. This resulted in lakhs of passengers getting stuck at airports across the country.
Laura, who has come from Belgium with her entire family to support her son, said they are now travelling by road.
"We are happy to be here in this beautiful country. We went to Munnar and Madurai, and now we are planning to go to Puducherry and Mahabalipuram by road," she said.
"We had taken IndiGo flights earlier, but some other families who travelled on different days got stuck and somehow managed to come back by train. So we are not flying anywhere in India now. Road travel only and then back to Brussels next week," she said.
For 87-year-old Kenyan hockey legend Avtar Singh Sohal, a four-time Olympian and a lifelong supporter of Indian hockey, the crisis was particularly distressing. He spent 12 gruelling hours at the Chandigarh airport on December 4 before finally reaching Chennai just in time for the quarterfinals.
"Our IndiGo flight was delayed by 12 hours. We were at the airport from 7 am to 7 pm. They kept giving excuses -- the aircraft has not arrived, the pilot is not available. We had no idea what was actually happening," he said.
Accompanying Sohal was 85-year-old Tarlok Singh Mandair, a former treasurer of the English Hockey Association, who had flown in from London.
"It was a horrible experience. They kept changing the timings from 12 noon to 4 pm and we finally took off at 7:20 pm. They gave us sandwiches which were not even good," Mandair recalled.
"Our return flight is also on IndiGo, but now we are exploring other options," he said.
Jujhar Singh Plaha, 86, from London, who was on the same flight, said his excitement has turned into anxiety.
"We were so excited about this trip; hockey is our first love. But this (IndiGo crisis) spoiled our mood. Now we are worried about returning because at our age, we cannot travel long distances by train or road," he said.
Jason, the father of Australian player Roger Lachlan, has had an eventful trip to India so far -- beginning with the rain in Chennai triggered by Cyclone Ditwah.
"We are from Hobart -- home of Ricky Ponting and David Boon. We arrived after a cyclone, which caused heavy rain. Now the sun is out and we are enjoying ourselves," he said with a smile.
Jason, too, has shelved all further travel plans.
"No sightseeing now. We will just eat, swim and head back. I am loving masala dosa, masala tea and curries," he said.
Some fans from Bengaluru, who had booked their flight tickets months in advance, decided not to take a risk. They opted for refunds and drove down to Chennai on Sunday to catch the semifinal.
"With flight uncertainty and trains full, we drove down. We did not want to miss India in the semis," said Vinod Chinnappa, who drove for six hours to come here.
Even officials have not been spared by the flight disruptions.
Digvijay Singh, an official of the Hockey India League franchise, waited eight hours at the Patna airport to catch a flight to Chennai.
"I did not want to miss the India-Belgium quarterfinal, so I waited. I finished all episodes of (web series) Family Man at the lounge," he said.
"I had gone to Patna from Delhi for a meeting earlier in the day and then needed to connect to Chennai," Singh said.
With the World Cup set to wrap up in two days, uncertainty about people's plans to return home looms large.
With prices of alternative flights rising and train seats nearly impossible to find, fans, officials, families and journalists are monitoring travel apps as closely as match updates.
If the situation does not improve soon, returning home could be as challenging as winning matches on the field.
