The ugly politics behind ‘Vikas’

‘Vikas’ is a word that can beat ‘sex’ or ‘porn’ as the topmost Google search, thanks to Modi who singlehandedly made this word world famous.

Entire premise of Modi era is built around this elusive ‘Vikas’. Modi has successfully conjured up this illusion of vikas that has both positive as well as negative connotations.

Now, none other than a senior Gujarat BJP leader who’s been former minister and also party spokesman has spilled beans inadvertently on camera that ‘Vikas’ has a price that people have to pay by votes. It is not, I repeat it is not public service that people can expect by default in democracy, or BJP’s (read Modi) version of democracy. If people don’t vote for BJP there will be no vikas. Blackmail or intimidation, this is Modi’s model of vikas. He openly said it last month when he started visiting Gujarat in the run up to assembly polls.

Jay Narayan Vyas is BJP’s candidate in Siddhpur constituency. Vyas, an ex bureaucrat and former cabinet minister for health in Gujarat who lost 2012 election against Balvantsinh Rajput of Congress. That defeat of a senior BJP leader and a political heavyweight cost Siddhpur development. A cancer hospital building was ready but then shelved, Lithotripsy machines were moved out, PET CT Scan machines were moved out, Civil hospital building was ready but shelved Ayurvedic college project was not implemented. All this is admitted on camera by Jay Narayan Vyas whose election premise is “Let’s not talk about development, let’s talk about what new can we do” purely because of this reality.

The ugly dark underbelly of Modi’s guilt edged model of politics, vikas is menacing. It simply implies “Either you vote for me or else suffer” Gujarat model’s hidden underlying foundation is ‘Either with us or against us’ In Modi model of politics the basic principle of democracy, freedom, is taken away. People who don’t vote for BJP will lose their freedom of choice.

This spine chilling video clip bares it for all to see how elections are used now to alleviate friends vs foes and subsequently victimised in basic expectation of governance.

Take note that Rs 5000 crores is tossed in for Gujarat elections alone for media management. That shows the perspective behind the importance of Gujarat elections. In contrast Congress is fighting on a shoestring budget.

This is mentioned to understand what drives the narrative pushed by India’s national media ’People may be unhappy but ultimately they will vote for Modi’

This is precisely why SM and political blogs have become more credible than conventional media.

Since video clip is in Gujarati, I have produced transcripts in English here.

Transcripts:

Reporter: People’s expectations must be high, but you have said development has taken place but we don’t want to talk about it. We want to talk about what new can we do. So what’s the roadmap and what new will you do for Siddhpur?

Vyas: Look, Siddhpur’s development roadmap is waiting to take off. Cancer hospital building is ready, PET CT scan machines had arrived, but moved away from here. Civil hospital building is ready. Lithotripsymachines had arrived but moved away. Homeopathic college has started this year. Ayurvedic college is yet to be started. Drug laboratory building is ready for a while and it is the most ultramodern in Gujarat but is not started yet. These are some examples I’ve mentioned. A little push is required and once on track, Siddhpur cancer hospital can be the better than Ahmedabad and Jaipur hospitals. Poor can get best medical treatment at their doorstep in Siddhpur is what we will try to do. We will link all of this with development as we have our colleague as GIDC Chairman now (Balvantsinh Rajput). Siddhpur has GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation) now. *smiles. Now mother will serve food and dinner is at maternal home so everything will happen with help of friends right?

Reporter: You said equipments worth Rs 100 crores were moved out of Siddhpur, they were not utilised, people may not know all this and why this happened. I’ve talked to people and they complain that equipments went back, hospitals stalled. So why all this happened? Since Government is yours, current MLA (Balvantsinh Rajput – Congress) is now your colleague in BJP.

Vyas: I won’t blame Balvantsinh Rajput for this as he was in opposition and Siddhpur is a classic example of what happens when you lose influence in government. Payments were made for machines like PET CT Scan that costs Rs 22,000 to 30,000 per scan that would be free for poor people od Siddhpur. Dialysis cost Rs3500 per dialysis for which we brought 20 dialysis machines and free dialysis for poor patients. Best of best blood bank built. All this happens only when you have influence in government. We want that influence back.

Reporter: Have you got the influence back? You’re back in race from BJP? Question is if BJP claims to be ‘Party with a difference’. If equipments are brought here paying huge sums and efforts, my straight forward question is why would government work only if there’s influence in the government?

Vyas: Look, (Quotes a Gujarati saying which means) everything works when you are with the government. Those who left us, we shall bring them back.

Reporter: Thank you very much. *Turning back to camera says: Jay Narayan Vyas’ politics is simple, development happens only when you have influence in government.

Message is ‘Vote for us or else suffer’