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RSS, BJP feel the heat
Despite their stout defence of Gujarat thief chief minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and the RSS are beginning to wilt under the attack not just from the opposition, NDA allies and domestic media but industry as well. This has been capped by the criticism from western countries at a time when the BJP-led government thought it had brought India centre-stage in the global war against terrorism .
Then they blew it by indulging in the same thing. It doesn't matter whether you wear a turban or not. It matters if you kill and maim other people for funsies.
So, even as the BJP and the RSS reiterate that Modi brought the situation under control within 72 hours and his conduct has been impeccable, the process of distancing themselves from Modi appears to have begun.
Cheeze. I'd hate to see what they think peccable is.
On Monday, RSS spokesperson MG Vaidya suo moto said it was strictly within the BJP’s purview to decide whether to retain Modi as Gujarat CM. "We didn’t influence the BJP when he was appointed chief minister," Vaidya said.
"Who cares if he gets dumped, as long as we hold onto power?"
He alleged the continuing violence was being deliberately provoked to bring pressure to remove Modi, and hastened to add there was no case for Modi’s removal...
The original violence was provoked as an exercise in power by the RSS brownshirts. If Modi's done anything to stop it, it's been ineffectual. If he hasn't done anything, he should be removed. If he's been ineffectual, he should be removed.
But even as they sought to distance themsleves from Modi, the BJP and the RSS are also trying hard to launch a public relations counter-offensive on Gujarat. So, on the eve of the crucial Lok Sabha debate, both the RSS and the BJP attacked the media and some organisations for selective presentation of "facts" and dropped dark hints about the dangers to internal security.
The "selective presentation of 'facts'" so far features about 800 dead, along with tales of inhuman cruelty. Now, one can say the inhuman cruelty didn't take place except in those instances where there were cameras around, but it's hard to dispose of 800 bodies of the brownshirts' fellow citizens, even when they've been incinerated in their homes.
Malhotra... said the reports of rapes were vastly exagerrated. "How can mobs rape women?" he asked.
Lord knows. But mobs in that part of the world sure seem to get a lot of jollies out of doing it.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-04-29
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=4221