The RSS Conclave Sends Out A Clear Message: It Is Set To Tighten Its Grip On Modi's BJP

The RSS conclave sends out a clear message: it is set to tighten...
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BROTHERHOOD IN SAFFRON
The RSS conclave sends out a

clear message: it is set to
tighten its grip on Modi's BJP
In his third term as general secretary, Bhaiyaji Joshi is expected to be
the main point of contact with Narendra Modi.
Dhirendra K Jha
Yesterday 10:43 am
23.7K|
Total Views
Photo Credit: IANS
Retention of Bhaiyaji Joshi as the executive head of Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh marks the beginning of a new phase in the
organisations relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There
are enough indications that the RSS, after ensuring a third term for
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Tuesday, March 17th 2015
establishing a better grip over the Bharatiya Janata Party and its
government at the centre.
Bhaiyaji Joshi, who is seen as the action man of the Sangh, is a
Maharashtrian Brahmin born in Indore in 1947. In terms of age, he is
the seniormost leader in the RSS, being nearly two years older than
even its head, Mohan Bhagwat, the Sarsanghchalak. And in terms of
authority, despite being technically number two, his words are
considered final in the closed door meetings of the RSS office-bearers.
He became a pracharak in 1975 and led the Sangh at places like
Thane, Dhule, Jalgaon and Nasik before becoming the head of RSSs
Maharashtra unit in 1990. For nearly two decades he occupied
different posts in the RSS and became the organisations executive
head Sarkaryavah or the general secretary in March 2009.
The co-ordinator
In the past, Joshi did not ever show any interest, at least overtly, in the
BJP's activities, yet many RSS leaders feel that in the future, he will be
the one primarily dealing with Modi, who at the moment controls
both the BJP and its government.
According to a senior RSS official, the Sangh is contemplating a new
modus operandi to exercise control over its political outfit because the
old system is not working in the manner it used to before the BJP
registered a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections under Modi's
leadership last year.
Traditionally, the RSS has used its influence through its liaison man,
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RSS's viewpoint and, therefore, given due respect in the party.

Krishna Gopal, one of the joint general secretaries (Sah Sarkaryavah)
occupying this post for last five months, is said to be feeling
uncomfortable in dealing with Modi and BJP President Amit Shah.
Just before the Pratinidhi Sabha, he (Krishna Gopal) even offered to
give up the responsibility, but he was asked to stay until a new
arrangement was made, the RSS official said.
Insiders claim that Joshi, who has been given a third term primarily to
consolidate the Sanghs status as the big brother in the Parivar, is
contemplating adding his weight behind Krishna Gopal vis--vis Modi.
The exact structure that may be put in place for the purpose is not yet
clear. Bhaiyaji Joshi may form a committee or he may simply start
taking more interest in the coordination activities of Krishna Gopal,
the RSS official said.
New system
The Sarkaryavah taking interest in the day-to-day functioning of the
BJP and its government will clearly mean a shift in the manner the
RSS has been exercising its control over the BJP.
In the past, too, the team comprising top RSS officials, including the
Sarsanghchalak, Sarkaryavah and Sah Sarkarvahs, have deliberated
from time to time on major issues concerning the BJP. But the
day-to-day overseeing of the saffron party has always been the
responsibility of the single person assigned to do the job. This
individual-based system is set to be altered now that Bhaiyaji Joshi is
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In terms of implications, this change is bound to add a new dimension

to the RSSs dealing with Modi, who has been retaining ever since he
led the BJP to a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections in May last
year an overbearing presence in the Sangh Parivar.
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found dead in
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Today 08:00 am
even your internet

usage
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REALITY CHECK
Indias urban slums can house

all of Italy
Nearly 17% of the urban population, or more than 65 million people,
lives in slums. This number has more than doubled over three
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Today 07:30 pm
Photo Credit: Erin/Wikimedia Commons
It is reasonably well known that 31% of Indias population, or 377

million out of 1.2 billion people (when last counted in 2011), live in
urban areas.
What is not as well-known is that nearly 17% of this urban population,
or more than 65 million people, lives in slums, a number that has
more than doubled over three decades.
More Indians now live in slums than the number of people in Italy or
the UK. The 30-year rise is the equivalent of adding the current
population of Canada or Tanzania or two Syrias.
The Census of India defines a slum as a residential area where
dwellings are unfit for human habitation [due to] dilapidation,
overcrowding, faulty arrangements and design of such buildings,
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The number of urban poor has fallen 21% over six years, according to
poverty estimates of the erstwhile Planning Commission.
Despite falling poverty, slums have been increasing in cities because
they provide housing to millions who are not officially regarded as
poor.
Up to 53 million of 65 million slum-dwellers live below the poverty
line, defined as the ability to spend Rs 1,000 for a family of four every
month, according to the Planning Commission. The other 12 million
belong to what are called economically weaker sections, with the
ability to spend less than Rs 8,000 per family per month.
Up to 88% of economically weaker sections and 11% of lowerincome groups, (with the ability to spend between Rs 8,000 to Rs
16,000 per family per month), face housing shortages, according to
the Ministry ...
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SWEET REVENGE
A day after she faced abuse in

Parliament, Smriti Irani is
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17/03/15 8:14 PM
Tuesday,
17th 2015
The World Economic Forum
has March
selected
the BJP politician as a Young
Global Leader.
Scroll Staff
Today 07:25 pm
Photo Credit: Narinder Nanu/AFP
Indian Parliament isnt the friendliest place for women. Nine out of
ten seats in both the houses are occupied by men. Among the women
members, few are in positions of power in the government. Smriti
Irani is one of them.
On Monday, the 38-year-old minister for human resources stood up to
intervene as Sharad Yadav, the Janata Dal (United) leader, launched
into another round of sexist comments on savali or dark-skinned
women. Irani appealed to him to stop. She used civil language but got
abuse in return. Yadav turned around and said, "Kaun hain aap? Ye
aap kya hain, main jaanta hoon. " Who are you? I know what you are.
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A day after the Indian Parliament allowed a male politician to insult

his woman counterpart, an international forum has honoured her.
The World Economic Forum has selected Irani as a Young Global
Leader. Every year, the non-profit organisation, best known for its
high powered annual meet at Davos, which brings together big
business and top from around the world, selects a group of
exceptional individuals under the age of 40 as Young Global
Leaders.
This year, 187 people have made it to the list. 10 of them are Indian.
Among them, Smriti Irani is the only politician. Sharing the honour
with her are other women political leaders: Safak Pavey, the first
disabled woman elected to the Turkish parliament; and Japans
youngest elected female mayor, Naomi Koshi.
The award in itself is not very significant but it comes as a well-timed
rebuke to those who respond to a womans success with malicious
insinuations. Strikingly, and unsurprisingly, on social media, it was
women who spoke up most strongly against Yadav's abusive
behaviour.
Sharad Yadav dismisses Smriti Irani by saying he knows what kind of
a woman she is. Well h ...
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The one paragraph from the

Supreme Court's Jat quota
judgment that slams
competitive backwardness
Recovering 'lost ground' can't be reason enough to give reservations.

Rohan Venkataramakrishnan
Today 06:50 pm
Photo Credit: Prakash Singh/AFP
Just because your community was backward in the past doesn't mean
it can be considered backward forever. That's what the Supreme
Court concluded on Tuesday in a significant order striking down the
previous government's decision to give Other Backward Class status to
Jats in North India. The apex court's Jat quota decision was received
with shock in several states with significant Jat populations, since it
means the community will no longer be given the benefit of
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The United Progressive Alliance government had ignored the

recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes,
which had concluded that Jats don't deserve to be put into the central
list of OBCs because of their socio-economic status. Jats already have
reservations in a number of north Indian states on their own lists, but
the centre hadn't recognised them as backward until last year, in a
decision that was seen as a last-ditch effort from the UPA to curry
favour.
The court in its order said that the government couldn't simply
dismiss the NCBC's report and added that one line of reasoning that
many states had given them backward status could not be the basis
for OBC classification. A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Rohinton
Nariman took this argument as a chance to slam the way reservation
politics have often gone in this country: competitive backwardness
with everyone pointing to historical reasons as a chance to get into a
reserved bracket.
One paragraph in the judgment explains what's wrong with this.
"An affirmative action policy that keeps in mind only historical
injustice would certainly result in under-protection of the most
deserving backward class of citizens, which is constitutionally
mandated. It is the identification of these ...
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OPINION
Why are some people

celebrating Godse and
Abraham Lincolns killer?
The venerations raise troubling questions about nationhood.
Dilip DSouza
Today 06:30 pm
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
April 14 will mark 150 years since the assassination of Abraham

Lincoln. You will find one measure of the lasting impact this American
President had not just on his country, but on the world, at my alma
mater, BITS Pilani. On an exterior wall of the Birla temple on the
campus are carvings of several inspirational figures: Marie Curie,
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Americans lists of their best presidents.
So it comes as something of a surprise, then, that there are actually

Americans who despise the man and all he stood for. One set of these
comprise an organisation called the League of the South.
Headquartered in Alabama and with chapters across the American
south, the League is dedicated to the survival, well-being and
independence of the southern people. It believes that these southern
people must secede from the US, and seeks to eventually create a
free and independent Southern Republic.
As these things go, the LotS is also known, and watched, as a white
supremacist hate group.
On their website earlier this month, the LotS announced that it had
plans to celebrate on April 14 John Wilkes Booths execution of the
tyrant Abraham Lincoln. The League, the announcement continued,
thanks Mr Booth for his service to the South and to humanity.
Whats to be said about this glorification of a presidents assassin?
That it is startling, disturbing and hard to believe, sure. But it is also a
reminder that a lot of people hold views that many of us would find
repugnant. Yet to those people, these views speak of a definite
patriotism. Of service to humanity, even.
Worshipping killers
Are there parallels in India? Note the Hindu Mahasabhas plans to
install statues of Nathuram Godse in temples on Ja ...
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MOTHER AND SON
Why Sonia's new agitational

mode could pose problems for
Rahul
As the party vice president remains missing during crucial protests
against the land bill, his mother's supporters may insist that she
remain chief.
Anita Katyal
Today 05:21 pm
4.4K |
Total Views
Photo Credit: Raveendran/AFP
In 2003, when the Congress lost the assembly elections in Rajasthan,
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long. She picked up the threads within weeks, hit the road and set
about building alliances with like-minded secular parties, which
eventually led to the surprise formation of the Congress-led United
Progressive Alliance government in 2004.
But it was a different story after the Congress suffered its most
humiliating defeat in last years Lok Sabha election. Clearly shaken by
the partys dismal performance, Sonia Gandhi virtually withdrew into
a shell and a demoralised Congress rank-and-file was left rudderless
and directionless.
But not any more.
Back in business
Down and out after its string of electoral defeats, Congress cadres are
now feeling re-energised after Sonia Gandhi stepped out of her
self-imposed exile to lead the party from the front.
They got a glimpse of the old combative Sonia Gandhi when she
rallied leaders in support of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
after he was summoned by a court as an accused in the coal blocks
allocation case, and even led a short march from the party
headquarters to his residence last week to express solidarity with him.
Again, it was at Sonia Gandhis behest that the Mahila Congress landed
up at Manmohan Singhs residence two days later to assure him that
the party is supporting him. The National Students Union of India is
also slated to walk to the former prime ministers residence this week
to deliver a similar message.
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will march with representatives of ten political parties from

Parliament House to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit a
memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee to register their protest
against the Modi governments move to dilute the land acquisi ...
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PUTTERING OUT
The Western world has turned

its back on car culture
A status symbol no more.
Leo Mirani, qz.com
Today 04:30 pm
15 of 18
3K
Total Views
17/03/15 8:14 PM
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Western worlds century-old love affair with the automobile is

coming to an end.
People are driving less than they did before the recession, and there
are fewer cars on the road. In the US, the number of vehicles per
driver has fallen from a peak of 1.2 in 2007 to 1.15 today, according to
data compiled by Schroders, an asset management firm. Young
Americans are getting their drivers licenses later than they did in
1983, or even in 2008. Fewer Britons under the age of 30 have licenses
today than in the 1990s. And many young people on both sides of the
Atlantic are not getting licenses at all.
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Driving licence penetration by age, United States (Schroders)
This could very well be the end of the road, writes Katherine
Davidson, automotive analyst at Schroders, in a fascinating note that
makes the argument that car sales may never recover to their
pre-recession peak. And it comes down to two things: urbanization
and smartphones.
A status symbol no more
The majority of the worlds population now lives in cities. And young
people are increasingly willing to stay there, unlike their parents, who
flocked to the suburbs as their families grew. Nearly two-thirds of
American millennials, or people born after 1984, live in cities today
and some 40% say theyre not leaving. For them, cars are not as
relevant as a status symbol, and getting a license is no longer a rite of
passage in the way it once was, writes Davidson.
Urban centers, of course, are less pleasant and more expensive to
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residents access real-time information ...
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The RSS Conclave Sends Out A Clear Message: It Is Set To Tighten Its Grip On Modi's BJP

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The RSS Conclave Sends Out A Clear Message: It Is Set To Tighten Its Grip On Modi's BJP

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The RSS conclave sends out a clear message: it is set to tighten...