“When you win, you don’t examine it very much, except to congratulate yourself. You easily, and wrongly, assume it has something to do with your rare qualities as a person. But winning only measures how hard you’ve worked and how physically talented you are; it doesn’t particularly define you beyond those characteristics.
Losing on the other hand, really does say something about who you are. Among other things it measures are: do you blame others, or do you own the loss? Do you analyze your failure, or just complain about bad luck?
If you’re willing to examine failure, and to look not just at your outward physical performance, but your internal workings, too, losing can be valuable. How you behave in those moments can perhaps be more self-defining than winning could ever be. Sometimes losing shows you for who you really are.”
― Lance Armstrong, Every Second Counts
Bihar election result must have been a rude awakening for Mr Narendera Modi , as after all this election too turned out be his as much a personal defeat as 2014 national election was his personal win . It is time Mr Modi along with his party would analyse the reason for the biggest loss they have made in past few years .
2014 national elections gave Mr Modi & BJP a clear mandate , and the mandate was for development , the mandate was against corruption , against price rise , against dynastic politics . Mr Modi started of well connecting with the media & the masses , after all who doesn’t remember when Mr Modi bowed at the steps of Indian Parliament or got chocked in emotions after getting sworn in as Prime Minister of India.
Many promises were made , immediately media started reporting that ministers have started visiting offices to check if employees come on time and checks put in place to control corruption . We saw on television Mr Modi taking report from ministers on completion of 100 days and progress made so far . It gave us all a ray of hope that change has started to come .
And then the news stopped coming in . Ministers became difficult to approach . Seemed like the previous Govt ,they too have finally found their ivory towers . Common man has no knowledge what the Govt is doing . All common man heard was that the rate of pulses have become more expensive than the price of chicken . Rupee has become all time weaker against US Dollar .All actions against Mr Vadra , Mr Modi had promised , in all his pre election speeches are being recalled . Information & Braodcasting ministry didnt seem to communicate the facts .
Groups which have traditionally been considered anti Mr Modi were waiting for this weak moment and they started re grouping . Many of The NGO’s who were accused of working at behest of some foreign groups to influence Indian politics along with some media houses , known editors , TV anchors & editors grew bolder and bolder to spread disinformation against the Govt & hitting out at Mr Modi’s Govt .
To discredit Mr Modi , it all started with propaganda of so called ” attacks on churches ” in NCR of Delhi . For days & weeks together we saw most of newspapers & TV channels busy with this debate that minority religious places are being targeted in the capital region . Modi Govt failed to get the narrative corrected . It was later found that in most of the cases , those who vandalised had got nothing to do with any organisation and in some case it was a jilted lover who did this . However non of editors in print of television tried to share the information with their readers / viewers . Mr Modi govt became as helpless , as helpless as a Yazidi in Syria .
Media & anti Mr Modi group had just tasted blood , and when they became bolder they started selling stories about beefban in Jammu & Kashmir . Surprisingly , not one person from Mr Modi’s Govt came forward to tell the media that nothing was new regarding selling of beef as illegal in Jammu & Kashmir as the law under Ranbir Penal Code banning sale of bovine exists in the state even before the state acceded to India . The story kept on selling in media houses , and again Mr Modi Govt appeared like those Indian spectators who used to go & watch India vs Pakistan cricket in Sharjah.
Even in case of some murders of individuals in state being governed by Congress or Samajwadi Party , all media houses instead of targeting those Govt;s started targeting Mr Modi instead . Mr Modi became their favourite punching bag. Even a shoddy performance by a constable in Delhi is now linked to performance of Prime Minister of India.
Information & Broadcasting ministry in Mr Modi’s Govt just did not fail . They found 10,000 ways that dont work to control falsehood being spread against Mr Modi”s Govt .
Not only this , one must accept that the Modi Govt’s disconnect with the masses and its understanding about what is happening at ground zero in each state started growing . All of a sudden we saw emergence of Hardik Patel in Mr Modi’s own state bringing Ahmedabad to complete halt . How is it that Mr Modi was unaware and allowed such a situation to be built ?
Mr Modi should realise that one of the most hard core supporters of him are the Kashmiri Pandits , who continue to support him , even though being disillusioned . Not once in last 18 months has Mr Modi tried to visit a migrant camp in Jammu . While Mr Modi has time to attend marriage functions in Yadav family or Harbhajan’s marriage reception [ nothing against that ] , Mr Modi could not get an hour spare to visit the refugee camp of Kashmiri Pandit community . Not only that , even though knowing that the true representatives of Kashmiri Pandits are Panun Kashmir , elements from BJP have been trying to ignore & discredit Panun Kashmir . As a prime minister you owe responsibility to visit Kashmir during or after the flood and even extend help to the muslim brethren , but remember Kashmiri Pandits cntinue to be supporters who had expectations from you . And the feeling within the community is that you have completely ignored them .
You have a plan for Kashmiri Pandits , but what good is the plan if you wish to implement if that goes against the wishes of majority in this community . That would be called treachery . This community trusts you like they trust God.
Remember, To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved
Jammu which gave a clean sweep to BJP , has no super speciality hospital . Despite being promised AIIMS , the region continues to be neglected and AIIMS was sanctioned to Kashmir which already has a super speciality hospital and gave BJP zero seats in assembly . No wonder , Congress is actively regrouping back in Jammu & if things move like they are now , Congress is likely to replace BJP as the second largest party in the state .
Many people wonder what and who drives BJP . On one hand is the trusted partner of 26 years in Maharshtra , relationship with whom are at verge of collapse and on the other hand is a partner like PDP , which most of us know will eventually betray BJP .
Punjab elections are not that far away . BJP here too appears to be disconnected . Even a child born on valentine day of 2015 would be that much aware as how big liability Akali Dal has become . It actually surprises people that BJP is still happy carrying forward with the liability knowing very well that they stand no chance. This was the time they could have built their party , created a strong local leader . The chance that BJP gave away has been taken gladly by AAP in Punjab and they appear to be the favorite for next election . Writings on the wall are clear . Common BJP supporters had wished that Navjot Sidhu should have been given a chance to lead , but that too seems to be difficult . Loyal to the party , Mr Sidhu stands ignored as Akali’s dont have a liking for him . BJP sacrificed it ‘Senapati’ in Punjab to please a party which is most hated in Punjab these days. Not sure if you have realised that, despite giving OROP , the protest is continuing and would culminate after Punjab elections .
In Delhi , BJP seems to nowhere , whereas Mr Ajay Maken & Congress are taking fight against AAP to streets.
The gains in West Bengal & Assam seem to be reversing . A strong local face needs to be in place .
Not all Amitabh Bachchan movies were super hit . Who could forget Toofan & Jaadugar
The choice of spokespersons on TV is less said the better . It only reminds us of Congress strategy . BJP has done best to follow that . BJP has poor party’s many Sanjay Jha all across TV . I dont find a spokesperson in India’s biggest political party capable of having a public meeting of just 1,000 people and making these 1000 listen . If the face you present to the nation everyday are like these , do remember the benches opposite you in the parliament.
Like all politicians who try to exhaust a tricky subject, your spokespersons have started exhausting the listeners.
It is time some corrections are made , and getting connected to masses by all BJP leaders , irrespective of elections is one important initiative which should be driven .
The Kashmir 