by P. RAMAN
ILLUSTRATION/Sorit
Modi’s new-age spin doctors vs parivar hard men. Who’ll blink first?
The RSS has now laid out its two-pronged approach towards Narendra Modi. Sources who attended its national conclave in Kochi say the organisation is determined to mobilise all its allied outfits to boost Modi’s campaign. Simultaneously, Nagpur will also give him a long rope while expounding his campaign themes but within the confines of its core beliefs.
Unfortunately, Modi, as he is prone to, has already breached the code umpteen times, raising Hindutva hackles. But after each transgression, he’s also been quick to comply with the warning signals. So far, the RSS side has carefully avoided any direct intervention, even in the case of his toilet-temple analogy. Signals were sent through lesser functionaries and those like Togadia. The latest schism pertains to Modi’s attacks on Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the ISI attempt to “build inroads into Muzaffarnagar”. Joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale told the media after the conclave that Rahul’s concern was “right to an extent” and the government should take preventive measures against ISI infiltration. So far this has been the most direct RSS admonition of Modi.
The most worried lot at such doctrinaire restrictions are Modi’s own spin doctors at his Swarnim Sankul (golden jubilee complex) office in Gandhinagar. The thundering attacks on the PM, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul can only go on for so long. You cannot invent new attack points at every rally. And any novel theme or aggressive campaign idea tends to displease the big brother. Modi’s present predicament is worse than a Manmohan Singh under “remote control”. So far, his actions and comments have enmeshed him in at least a dozen controversies. When he scoffed at the UPA government for the gold dig based on a sadhu’s dream, it was to give him a modern aura, impress his youth constituency. But within three days he was forced to apologise to the same sadhu. The parivar was so furious at his temple-toilet remarks that he had to beat an ignominious retreat there too.
In Chennai, he suggested that “each state be (made) responsible for foreign relations with one foreign country”. Time has come, he declared, for “foreign policy to be driven by the people”, not those sitting in Delhi. This queer proposition along with his sweeping admiration for China and its success in “brand-building”—delivered at a Mumbai advertising association meeting no less—has left party hardliners aghast.
Last week came another test balloon, this time by close confidant Amit Shah who said Ayodhya is not an election issue this time. There are different versions on this about Shah’s motive. Some link it to the tussle over the virtual abandoning of the 84 kosi parikrama in UP. The plan was drawn up by none other than RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during the Kumbh. Now no one in the RSS, BJP or Modi team provides a convincing explanation for the sudden retreat.
The other related policy clash pertains to Modi’s move to embrace Muslims in a big way. Burqas and skull caps were ordered in large numbers for some rallies. Then the whole project was scrapped, apparently due to the RSS’s resistance. At the Bhopal rally, RSS-BJP volunteers even stopped Muslim groups at entry points. There has also been an uneasy schism on the ill-fated criminal MPs ordinance on which Modi had initially taken Rahul and the PM to task and then gone all quiet.
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