Verma sacked on What's App,

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Lokmat Exclusive

Verma sacked on What's App,

top IB officials searched his office,

Took away hard discs, files photo copies

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Oct. 25

Murky details of midnight coup at the CBI headquarters revealed that its Director Alok Verma was sacked on What's App of his mobile as 1 am yesterday.

The sack order was sent through What's App as an officer of the Department of Personnel under the Prime Minister failed to deliver it physically at Verma's residence at 12.55 am. The security guards posted at Verma's Janpath residence refused to receive the letter saying that the “Saheb has gone to bed.”

Without delivering the sack order, everything would have come to a grinding halt. M Nageshwar Rao could not have taken over as acting chief of the CBI, there would have been no en-mass transfers and no search & seize operation of Verma and his officers premises.

Everybody in the government, right from the PM downwards to National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to deputy principal secretary P K Mishra to Lok Ranjan, additional secretary in the DoPT who signed the actual sack order were keeping their finger crossed in their offices.

Finally, Ajit Doval told Lok Ranjan in the DoPT to send the sack order on what's app. Lok Ranjan didn't have his mobile and that too was provided by the PMO. And fortunately for the government, Verma opened his mobile phone and saw the what's app message. The moment, Lok Ranjan saw the blue lines blinking, the sack order was considered as delivered.

The entire machinery swung into action and a team of eight officers of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) rushed to the CBI headquarters and took control of the two floors where top officers used to work. Even Nageshwar Rao who was made the acting Director was told politely to stay put in his room after a brief visit to Verma's chamber on 11^th floor. The importance of the raid could be gauged from the fact that an officer of the rank of the additional secretary was heading it. They took out hard disks of verma's computers, made photocopies of all the files in his room and sniffed every paper trail. Similarly, another group of officers scanned all the files and computers of A K Bassi, deputy SP who had raided and arrested his another DSP colleague Devender Kumar two days ago. The offices of A K Sharma, Joint Director (Policy) was also thoroughly searched. No one in the CBI was allowed to enter the two floors of the CBI building until the IB sleuths left the place.

It is still a mystery as to what the IB was searching for. Contrary to reports, the government was not unduly worried about the Rafale probe issue as Verma had sent the papers to A K Sharma. These papers were given to the CBI by Prashant Bhushan and routinely sent to Sharma.

But the fact that all hard disks of computers of all these transferred officers was taken away by the IB shows that it was sniffing at something else. It may also be mentioned that A K Sharma who is also a Gujrat cadre IPS officer and trusted lieutenant of PM Modi was only divested of the crucial policy division and not shunted out of Delhi. He has been retained in Delhi as head of the defunct MDMA which is probing Rajiv Gandhi assassination case for 27 years. Why he chose to side with Verma instead of Rakesh Asthana is still a mystery.

Ends 

Fly on the wall : Congress's Kejriwal riddle in Delhi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Congress's Kejriwal riddle in Delhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi's plan to clinch alliances or adjustment of seats with the like-minded parties has hit major hurdles in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi. While the talks in rest of the states are going smoothly as a team of three senior leaders – Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmad Patel and Kamal Nath – is working over-time to negotiate an amicable settlement. The talks with the BSP are progressing slowly but they are in right direction as Mayawati is wanting pan-India alliance with the Congress. Kamal Nath is insisting that it should be state-by-state as every state has different political situation prevailing. He wants Mayawati to come on board irrespective of alliances in other states. But the bigger problem is in Delhi which has seven Lok Sabha seats. The AAP is keen for adjustment of seats despite bitterness in relations with Shiela Dixit and Ajay Maken. If sources are to be believed, the AAP has offered New Delhi for Ajay Maken, East Delhi for Sandeep Dixit and Outer Delhi for any candidate of Congress choice. But the Congress is playing pricey though it is in on a weak wicket in Delhi as its a divided house. The AAP argument is in a four corner contest – Congress, BJP, AAP & BSP contesting separately, the BJP is sure to get all seven seats. The ball is in the court of Rahul Gandhi now. Similarly, the Congress is at a cross roads whether to go with Mamata Banerjee or CPM in West Bengal. The one-to-one meeting that Ahmad Patel had with Mamata Banerjee yielded no results. Serious problem exist in Andhra Pradesh where Congress is struggling to find an ally. The YSR Congress of Jagan Mohan Reddy has his own problems and doesn't want any pre-poll alliance with the Congress. Its a fate-accompli for the Congress in Andhra. 

The Baffling Silence of CBI in Sterling Biotech case 

All the spotlight may be on Vijay Mallya for defrauding banks. But the silence of CBI is baffling in the Sterling Biotech case despite the fact that the two Sandesara brothers are hiding in Nigeria. They fled the country, like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and several others, along with their key family members with ease. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) went to town claiming attachment of assets worth over Rs 4,700 crores in the Rs 5,000-crore fraud case. But CBI officials are silent even one year after registering the case which is in sharp contrast to the speed with which cases P. Chidambaram, Lalu Prasad, Robert Vadra and several former Congress Chief Ministers are being pursued. The case surfaced after the seizure of a "diary" way back in 2011 from the Vadodara premises of Sterling Biotech by the Income-tax officials giving details of purported payments to some tax officials, politicians and police officers, including a Gujarat-cadre IPS officer who is now a CBI special director. The 11-page CBI chargesheet even named son-in-law of Ahmad Patel, senior Congress leader. Certain raided were also conducted on Patel's aides. It was claimed that clinching evidence exists establishing the nexus between the Congress leaders and Sterling Biotech  group owners. But sources say the probe is stuck as CBI is struggling to find evidence if the UPA government gave any favours to the Sterling group. On the contrary, it has surfaced through a fact-sheet that the group grew leaps and bounds during the BJP rule in Gujrat since June 2004. It was awarded contract for the development of Dahej Port and given 150 acres of land. The Gujrat government took the help in organising Vibrant Gujarat Summit as late as in January 2017. In November 2008, Nitin Sandesra, Chairman of Sterling Biotech who is  absconding, accompanied top Gujrat BJP leadership and government officials to Uganda and Kenya in his aircraft. The Vibrant Gujarat brochures of 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 list Sterling Biotech as success story of Gujarat's pharma and biotechnology policies. Sterling SEZ was allotted 3000 acres to develop a SEZ at Jambusar.  The Government of Gujarat allocated additional 6000 acres despite complaints from banks that loans  to the group were turning bad. The Sterling SEZ was sitting on a land bank of 9000 acres given by the Gujarat Government by 2013. It transpires that some “action” may be taken in the weeks to come to cover the tracks. 

No Data Chief for months in Digital India

Ever since TCA Anant retired as the Central Statistics Officer on Jan. 31, the government has failed to find a replacement. The CSO was without a boss when it released figures last month showing the economy regained its position once again of being the fastest-expanding major economy in the world, with the growth of 7.7 per cent in the fourth-quarter of the fiscal year ended March 31. The PMO was somewhat unhappy with the way he used to come out with the data on the economy. At stake is the reputation of an institution that’s been working hard to rectify the image that India has deficient and unreliable economic data. With a population of 1.3 billion and an economy of $ 2.3 trillion collecting timely and accurate information is a gargantuan effort. With only months to go before the next election, the data is also coming under increased scrutiny as Modi’s political rivals question his claims about key campaign pledges, such as jobs creation and related parameters. The new methodology is also being worked out. For example, when the statistics office published a new series for a GDP that put India’s growth rate on par with China, eonomists said in 2015 that the data didn’t match up with high-frequency indicators showing more subdued expansion. It transpires that the PMO is looking for an outside expert for the job who is capable of gathering reliable economic data which is quite a challenging task.

Rahul's "One seat One candidate" plan to counter Modi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Count down 2019

Rahul's "One seat One candidate" plan to counter Modi

403 LS seats identified in 15 states for Opposition alliance

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 4

As part of Rahul Gandhi's ambitious “One seat One candidate” mission, the Congress president's war room has identified 403 Lok sabha seat in 15 states where it may enter into alliance or understanding with like-minded parties.

Rahul Gandhi is willing to make any sacrifice and walk an extra mile to dislodge the BJP during the Lok Sabha 2019. If he is wooing adversaries, he is keen to bring all ex-Congressmen back into the fold to gear up for Mission-2019. He personally made a phone call to Ajit Jogi's wife to inquire about her husband's health. Jogi has floated a regional party in Chhattisgarh and has been ensuring Congress's defeat for ten years. Simultaneously, he is exploring the possibility of entering into an pan-India alliance with the BSP in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh etc. Obviously, Rahul Gandhi wants enough number of LS seats for the party in UP and willing to concede seats in Congress-dominated states. Rahul Gandhi is not averse to concede space to others in Punjab, Haryana and even Delhi to the BSP. He told the local leadership to come out with a detailed plan to counter the Modi juggernaut in 2019.

Same goes with AUDF in Assam and even NCP may get a few seats in Gujrat outside Maharashtra as part of this mission. Efforts are on to rope in the Abdullahs in Jammu & kashmir who had deserted the Congress. The Congress is already in alliance with Bihar, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand. The talks are on in UP where SP-BSP-RLD have come together. The Congress burnt its fingers in two byelections- first in Phulpur where it unnecessarily put up a candidate and lost the deposit and secondly, lost Palghar seat in Maharashtra and faced humiliating defeat.

But it was Rahul Gandhi who personally clinched the Karnataka alliance and gave the prime position to Janata Dal (S) with the objective to win majority of 28 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP had won 17 seats in 2014 while JD-S won 2 and nine by Congress. Rahul hopes to reap the harvest in Karnataka during LS polls.

Incidentally, Rahul Gandhi did in Karnataka what his late grand mother Indira Gandhi did tway back in 1978 when she installed Charan Singh as PM though he had no majority. Surprisingly, it was Kamal Nath who was behind the whole operation in 1978 which was executed at the behest of Sanjay Gandhi. Now same Kamal Nath wants alliance with the BSP outside UP.

It is, however, not clear as to how many seats Congress will contest out of these 403 Lok Sabha seats in 15 states as seats are being identified. Rahul Gandhi is yet to resolve tricky issues on remaining 140 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh (25), Telangana (17), West Bengal (42), Odisha (21) and Delhi (7) etc.

Ends

Fly on the Wall : Worry behind the big hype

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Fly on the Wall

By Harish Gupta

Worry behind the big hype

If Rahul Gandhi was seen in his new avatar long before the Assembly polls, Prime Minister Modi is also showing the signs of change after the Gujrat results. The BJP may be celebrating 1.25% gain in its vote share to hide behind the loss of 16 Assembly seats. But Modi has woken up to the tough road ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Gone are the days when he used to issue sermons to Mps and at times snubbed them left, right and center. Now his tone is conciliatory and he is meeting Mps in his Parliament House in numbers. Any M P can walk in if the PM is sitting in his chamber during the session and there are chances that the PM will meet him. Though he explained to Mps at the BJP parliamentary party meeting that he is virtually working 24X7 and traveled to 15 states after ending his hurricane campaigning in Gujrat on December 12. But he requested them to work hard rather issuing one sermon after the other which he used to do in the past. Modi has also asked his ministers to meet desiring Mps and solve grievances of the workers without delay. Though the “arrogance” has not vanished of some of the leaders, but they have realised that its time to mend fences to prevent dissidence.

Sharad Yadav as UPA Convener ?

The Congress may be bragging victory in its defeat in Gujrat. But the grand-old party is also gearing up to the challenges ahead. Contrary to reports, there is no question of Sonia Gandhi retiring from politics. Rather, she will be playing a more active role in reviving the now defunct United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in some new avatar. Sonia Gandhi continues to be the chairman of the UPA. However, it now transpires that a convener will be chosen from the other parties to play the role of a catalyst. A veteran Opposition leader Sharad Yadav's name has emerged as the convener of the UPA. Neither UPA-I nor UPA-II had any convener. But it is now realized that a convener is necessary from within the Opposition ranks who understands them better. Sharad Yadav is rated very high in the Gandhi dispensation as he sacrificed the minister's post in the Modi government and stood his grounds. The Congress is also keen that he is brought to the Rajya Sabha. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is now glued to the caste politics in India and who will know better than Yadav who was behind the Mandal Commission politics.

Congress lost 12 seats, thanks to NCP, BSP

The blame game between the Congress and NCP leadership has turned bitter for the collapse of alliance in Gujrat. Sonia Gandhi's Political Adviser Ahmad Patel claims the NCP wanted 24 seats initially when the talks broke down. Later, NCP's Praful Patel signaled to Ashok Gehlot that the party would be contended if given 12 seats. The Congress offered six seats to the NCP which it was unable to accept. When the contact was re-established, the deadline for withdrawal of nomination papers had gone. Frankly, neither the Congress and nor the NCP were keen for an alliance. Similarly, the BSP was also willing for an alliance with the Congress provided 25 seats are given to it. The Congress refused to even consider the proposal and the BSP also contested polls alone. Both the parties barely secured 3.91 lakh votes (1.3%). But both cost the Congress dearly as they caused a loss of 12 Assembly seats. The margin of BJP's victory in these 12 seats was less than 2000 votes each while candidates of these two parties polled more votes. Congress alleges that the two parties never wanted an alliance and were playing a game. Both parties vehemently deny and say if the Congress wanted to win the state, it should have behaved like a big brother.

When Amit Shah touched Dr Joshi's feet

The Central Hall of Parliament was stunned when BJP president Amit Shah touched the feet of veteran party leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi. It so happened that Amit Shah who is a new entrant to the Rajya Sabha, came to the Central Hall. While going over to the Lok Sabha from the Rajya Sabha, he saw Dr Joshi sitting. Shah went up to him and touched his feet. Dr Joshi gave him the “aashirwad.” No politics was discussed. There is a speculation about the room to be allocated to the BJP chief in the Parliament House. The BJP either will have to re-design the two rooms it has been allocated on the ground floor to accommodate Shah or the party chief will have to be contended by sharing room with L K Advani who has an independent room and practically has no work.

Dhumal, Anandiben as Governor as Malhotra gets MoS rank

With the BJP's founder and 90-year old Vijay Kumar Malhotra who has been in political wilderness like many others for the past 44 months, being given the Minister of State rank, it is clear that he will not go as Governor. Initially Malhotra was offered a Governor's post but he put a condition that he be sent to Punjab. Modi refused and Malhotra went into political wilderness. Now Modi bestowed upon him a favour by granting a private secretaryto him as he is holding the rank of a Minister of State as he is the president of All India Council of Sports. All India Council of Sports is the representative body all sports bodies in the country. It is now clear that Prem Kumar Dhumal of Himachal Pradesh and Anandiben Patel of Gujrat will be sent as Governors. There are at least four vacancies of governors at present and the same will be filled anytime.

Kamal Trivedi is new SG?

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Kamal Trivedi new SG ?

Salve yet to respond to AG’s offer

Govt in a hurry to finalise Law officers early

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 13 

Even as suspense over the appointment of new Attorney General continues after Mukul Rohtagi expressed his desire to quit, the name of Kamal B Trivedi has emerged for the post of Solicitor General of India. Kamal Trivedi is currently advocate general of Gujrat and considered very close to Prime Miniser Narendra Modi. It was Modi who appointed him as Advocate General of Gujrat 11 years ago in 2006.

It is learnt that he has been sounded for the coveted post of SG. It is not immediately known if Trivedi is willing to come over to Delhi. For the post of Attorney General, leading lawyer Harish Salve is reported to have been sounded too. He was contacted in 2014 when Modi came to power. But he expressed his inability due to commitments in London. It is not immediately known if he is willing to return to India permanently. Sources say that in the event o him declining once again, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar may be promoted as Attorney General of India.

The government is keen to finalise the appointments of law officers before Modi departs to the US.

Ends

Internal bickering led to quitting of Rohtagi

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Internal bickering led to quitting of Rohtagi

Salve in line of suucession

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, June 12

With Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi declining to continue in the post “until further orders” decks are cleared for a shake up in the government’s legal officers’ team.

It transpires that the proposal for extending the terms of AG Mukul Rohtagi, Solicitor-General of India Ranjit Kumar and eight other Additional Solicitor generals of India was mooted almost two months ago.

has written to the Narendra Modi government, saying he is not interested in the continuation of his tenure as the nation's senior law officer and wishes to get back to private practice. Normally, such decisions are taken well in advance rather than delaying until the last moment. But in the instant case, the file remained pending somewhere in the Law Ministry or the Prime Minister’s Office.

Without waiting for the government to take a decision, Rohtagi wrote to the government that he was not interested in continuing with the job and wants to return to private law practice. 

Rohatgi, 61, had been appointed for three years and his term was to expire on June 18, 2017. However, Prime Minister Modi, before embarking on a foreign tour, issued a general order saying that the term of all law officers is extended until further orders. It is said that this was the crux of the problem as self-respecting Rohtago felt that he can’t remain an atmosphere of uncertainty and decided to call it a day.  Sources in the law ministry said they were "not aware why the Attorney General is not keen to continue".

"I have worked for five years as law officer under the Vajpayee government and now three years under the Modi government," Rohtagi said in the state. "I want to return to my private practice. I have a good relationship with the government... That's why I wrote to the government not to extend my term," he added.

A word is yet to emerge in respect of Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar whose term had also been extended until further order.

Sources in the law ministry said the present team of law officers was considered close to Finance & defence minister Arun Jaitley. It is also felt that Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was always uncomfortable with Rohtagi and even Ranjit Kumar. It is not known what will happen next because the entire government will now be stationed in Delhi for the next one week as various important decisions are to be taken in bureaucracy, law ministry and also Presidential elections.

Over the last three years, Rohatgi was handling the cases involving Aadhaar, judicial appointments for the government. His recent cases also involved the contentious triple talaq issue, the matter is being heard by a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court.

The son of former Delhi High Court judge Justice Awadh Behari Rohatgi, he earlier represented the Gujarat government in the Supreme Court regarding the 2002 Gujarat riots, and cases involving Zahira Sheikh and the Best Bakery. There are reports that leading lawyer Harish Salve may now be brought in a AG and Tushar Mehta, an additional solicitor general of India may be promoted.

All eyes on Gujrat’s three RS seats

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

All eyes on Gujrat’s three RS seats

Anandiben Patel Vice President contender ?

  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, March 31

  

The Capital is agog with intense speculation that BJP president Amit Shah and Anandiben Patel, former Gujrat Chief Minister may quit as MLA after the Presidential polls due to be held in July this year.

Since MLAs in states along with MPs constitute electorate college for the Presidential polls, both have chosen to stay put. But the moment presidential poll is over, they will quit. Interestingly, both will have their own reasons to quit their respective seats in the Gujrat Assembly.

Highly placed sources close to the BJP president say that Amit Shah will prefer to come to the Rajya Sabha in August when biennial polls for three RS seats will be held in Gujrat. BJP’s Smriti Irani, Union Textiles Minister, and Dilipbhai Pandya ill be completing their six year terms as MPs from Gujrat. Ahmad Patel of the Congress will also complete his term in the Rajya Sabha. Given the composition of the State Assembly, the BJP will be able to retain its two seats while the Congress will get one seat easily.

While Amit Shah coming to the Rajya Sabha is considered a foregone conclusion, it’s the second seat that has led to intense political speculation within the party. While a section of the BJP says that Anandiben Patel may be brought in Rajya Sabha for the second seat and get a Cabinet berth and Smriti Irani may move to UP to occupy the seat to be vacated by Manohar Parrikar who is now Chief Minister Goa. Parrikar is Rajya Sabha MP from UP at present.

But what has caused enormous interest in political circles is the talk that Anandiben Patel may even be brought in as Vice President of India. The BJP and NDA have a clear majority to get its own candidate elected as Vice President. Though various names are being mentioned for the post including that of M Venkiah Naidu, Minister for Urban Development, Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gahlot, P Sadasivam, former Chief Justice of India and Governor of Kerala and others. But Anandben Patel’s claim to the post is stronger compared to others, these sources say.

She was removed as Chief Minister and has been cooling her heels quietly for long. She herself is a Patidar and was considered to PM Modi who anointed her as his successor in Gujrat. Since Gujrat Assembly polls will be round the corner, her elevation will help the BJP during the elections as well.

Penitence in Public Life

Emperor Asoka is one of the biggest achievers in ancient India. He carried Buddhism from a local faith to that of being a global religion. But his other big achievement was in abjuring violence in a dramatic manner and accepting peace. He got this story told to the posterity in powerful language in his edicts that say a lot about the mayhem he had himself caused in Kalinga, and his thoughts thereafter. The longest among the edicts reads: “150,000 persons were thence carried away captive, 100,000 were there slain, and many times that number died”. His penitence followed. “Directly after the annexation of the Kalingas began His Sacred Majesty’s remorse for having conquered the Kalingas, because the conquest of a country previously unconquered involves the slaughter, death, and carrying away captive of the people.

After annexing Kalingas in the 3rd century BC, King Ashoka understood the virtue of penitence in public life. Why leaders do not understand it today

That is a matter of profound sorrow and regret to His Sacred Majesty”. It is doubtful if history would have remembered Asoka for his conquests alone. But since the discovery of his edicts and coins by 19th century British civilians in India, he captured the imagination of Indians as a king who not only felt remorse for his past wildness but could turn his repentance into an ideology which traveled far and wide.

His story acquires relevance in today’ context, against the background of the travails of Narendra Modi, a leader whose governance talents and iron will undoubtedly makes him a deserving candidate for the post of prime minister. Yet he is in a limbo because he has not thought it necessary to show any remorse whatsoever for the horrendous 2002 riots in Gujarat under his charge. True nothing has been proved so far to implicate him personally in the communal holocaust killing 1,200 people, mostly Muslims. Nevertheless, one of his ministers, a woman,  has been sentenced with prison term; another is facing trial; and the allegation that the police took too long to appear on the scene is an accepted fact. Maybe much of the violence had happened without Modi’s knowledge, as mob fury has its own dynamics, but he still remains morally accountable as the state was under his charge and it was his remit to maintain public order.

With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) is a coalition partner of Modi’s BJP, absolutely unwilling to accept Modi as the alliance NDA’s candidate as prime minister for the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, what has come into focus is the importance of penitence in public life. The value of atonement is not merely derived from the Bible, or the life of Asoka. If Modi had in all these eleven years made a single public gesture to express grief for his administration’s failure to prevent the riots, the atmosphere would have been different altogether for him. Instead he issued a half-hearted apologia before the assembly elections last year, with no mention of what was it about. A heartfelt “sorry” for the 2002 massacre would have erased many bitter memories from public mind of his own vitriolic utterances, including his citing, at the height of the violence, Newton’s law of motion about each action drawing an “equal and opposite reaction”.

One understands why it is so difficult for Nitish to accept Modi as NDA’s candidate for the post of prime minister and yet remain in the coalition. Far from its being a refusal born out of jealousy, it is an expression of helplessness. Bihar’s capital, Patna, is the place from where Emperor Asoka ruled over a vast empire in the 3rd century BC. In today’s Bihar, Muslims are 17 per cent of the population and are a community known to vote en bloc. Despite protestations to the contrary by Modi’s influential advocates in the media and elsewhere, the fact remains that Muslims have not pardoned him after 2002, not to speak of voting for him or his party. It is no wonder that he does not field a single Muslim candidate in the state’s assembly elections. It doesn’t matter as Gujarat has just 7 per cent Muslim population; they are scattered, and are too timid to matter electorally. But Nitish presides over a broad alliance of Muslims, a section of OBCs and dalits. In 2005, he managed to show the door to Laloo Yadav and his RJD precisely because Muslims as a community had switched sides. There could be other reasons too that had led to the ouster of Laloo Yadav, but getting Muslims over to his side was Nitish’s trump card. And now the BJP is cajoling him to give up his hard won constituency by riding the Modi bandwagon.

The 2002 Gujarat riots may be an old story but it has an unending recall value, somewhat like Stalin’s gulags, Hitler’s pogrom, or, looking closer to our times, the three-day-long massacre of Sikhs in Delhi and some other places in early November 1984, following the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her own Sikh bodyguards. Its long shelf life in public memory is evident from the allegation against former Congress minister Jagdish Tytler that he played a key role in the riots near a Gurdwara in the capital leading to the death of three persons. Like Modi, Tytler never publicly regretted his role. He is of course not a gifted leader like Modi but he has the same arrogance of power, which people would neither forgive nor forget. The day last week when a Sessions Court ordered reopening of the investigation against him, 29 years after the incident, there were sizeable crowds of ’84 riot victims and their relatives who had assembled outside the court to demand his fair trial. Modi’s plight is on a larger scale. He is unlikely to get powerful allies in states with 15+ per cent Muslim population, like Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Kerala. These states account for 36 per cent of total seats in the lower house.

Asoka had ruled two millennia before modern democratic states came into being, but he understood the virtue of penitence in public life, and that of moderating one’s pride of power with a credible concern for the welfare of every section of the populace. It is a pity that Modi has not cared to understand the message of Asoka’s edicts. Maybe India will be the loser, for it genuinely needs the leadership of an “iron man”, or perhaps an “iron gentleman”.

(The author is the National Editor of Lokmat group)