The Hindu : National / Elections 2004 : POLL-POURRI

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 07, 2004

National

National - Elections 2004

POLL-POURRI

Politics, not piety

Party leaders, whether secular or otherwise, make it a point to visit temples and shrines of different faiths in order to boost their credentials with the voters; such visits are an integral part of campaigning. In other words, it is more a question of politics than piety. However, three deities in Maharashtra's Thane district, it appears, are less than impressed by the politicians's shenanigans. The fortnight-long carnival of the three deities — Mahalakshmi of Dahanu, Sheetaladevi of Kelava and Jarimari of Kalyan — attracts lakhs of devotees, who are literally turning their backs on the candidates in the prestigious Thane and North Mumbai constituencies. The candidates losing out are the Petroleum Minister, Ram Naik and the film star, Govinda in North Mumbai and the NCP stalwart and Maharashtra Legislative Council Vice Chairman, Vasant Davkhare and sitting Shiv Sena MP, Prakash Paranjpe. The festivals will be over by the middle of the month, but then the `yatrotsava' of Vrijeshwaridevi begins on April 18 near Bhivandi!

Joshi's spiel

The Shetkari Sanghatana leader and founder of the Swatantra Bharat Party, Sharad Joshi, the latest entrant into the NDA, has good reason to feel better than the `feel good' factor touted by the party's principal partner, the BJP. That is because of India's quantum jump in agricultural production, he says. India has now turned a net exporter of foodgrains, instead of being a basket-case. The country is the world's largest producer of milk, the second largest producer of vegetables, the third largest producer of fruits, and the fifth largest producer of eggs. India is a leader of various revolutions — green (foodgrains), yellow (oilseeds), blue (fish) and white (milk), he says. What pleases him, above all, is that "India made this progress despite inimical Government policies." And the credit goes to Mr. Joshi and his outfit, the Shetkari Sanghatana, he claims. How so? Well, not one but two prime ministers, belonging to two different political parties, have invited him to advise them on matters like the National Agricultural Policy and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks, he says.

Echoes of Sati

The Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha elections from Jaipur, Pratap Singh Khachariawas — who recently crossed over from the Bharatiya Janata Party — faces a formidable challenge from an unexpected segment: women. Much to his discomfiture, the women's groups in the Pink City have opposed his candidature on the grounds that he is an accused in a case relating to the glorification of the Sati incident in Deorala in 1987.

Though a special court recently acquitted Mr. Khachariawas of the charge, the Mahila Atyachar Virodhi Jan Andolan, an umbrella organisation of women, has threatened to file a public interest petition in the Rajasthan High Court challenging the verdict.

— Arunkumar Bhatt, Mohammed Iqbal

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