Showing posts with label Gujjars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gujjars. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Caste in silence

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Most of the policy roadblocks the Narendra Modi government now faces that might have been set up by its predecessor, the Congress; but BJP, today's ruling party, was complicit in the acts. The 2013 Land Acquisition Act is a classic example. Sumitra Mahajan, currently the Lok Sabha Speaker, headed the committee that vetted the bill; she let it pass with an approving nod. During discussion of the bill in the Lower House, BJP's Lok Sabha leader Sushma Swaraj was among its most vocal supporters. But Modi wanted it to be overturned from day one he came to power. Such excessive exhibition of interest by BJP in populist policies, with a potential to backfire, has become Modi's albatross.