Tridib Raman
Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, seems to be adopting a new political persona in his current term. He is more cautious about his public image, with a core team constantly evaluating public, media, and Delhi’s reactions to his actions. Unlike his previous terms, where he was accessible to the public, party workers, and even opposition leaders, his current tenure has seen increased security and restricted access to his office. Even meeting him requires special passes, and visitors are strictly monitored. In his previous terms as Chief Minister, Fadnavis’s darbar was accessible to the public, party workers, and even opposition leaders 24/7. People could easily reach out to him and share their concerns directly. However, in this new term, the ‘sixth floor of the Mantralaya’ (where Fadnavis sits) has been made so tightly secured that even a bird cannot flutter its wings without the CM’s permission. If the CM genuinely wishes to meet someone, the visitor must obtain a special pass to enter the sixth floor. While a pass is generally required to access any floor of the Mantralaya, now the pass is issued specifically for the designated floor or purpose, and visitors cannot access any other floor beyond that. The RSS is openly batting in favour of Fadnavis. It is believed that after consulting with the Sangh, Fadnavis prepared a list of around 130 government officials, which was shared with all relevant ministers. They were instructed to choose their OSDs (Officers on Special Duty) only from this list. Even allies like Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar had to select their associates from this pre-approved list. Since the tragic stampede during Mauni Amavasya at the Maha Kumbh, where so many devotees lost their lives, Yogi Adityanath’s popularity has been on a steady decline. Even his strongest supporter, RSS, seems to have slightly altered its stance. With voices of dissent rising from saints and seers, it is now believed that demands for Yogi’s resignation may emerge from within the BJP itself or be orchestrated by the party. In other words, with the strongest saffron contender for the “PM in Waiting Club” losing some of his shine, Fadnavis is now eager to seize this opportunity with open arms. His intentions are firm, and he has strategically positioned his moves to capitalize on the situation.
Could the Maha Kumbh Tragedy Have Been Prevented?
Tridib Raman
After the heartbreaking tragedy at the Maha Kumbh, a concerned activist doctor, overwhelmed with grief, turned to AI (Artificial Intelligence) and asked how it would describe such disasters. Do you know how AI, devoid of human emotions, expressed this pain?
“No grand farewell, no tearful goodbye,
Just the whisper of the wind and the lonely sigh of the passing night.
A life once vibrant, now a memory—
A reminder of negligence, indifference, and pain.
In our fast-paced lives, we forget to see
Their silent cries, longing to be free…”
One can at least say that the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela was a political and administrative failure. Otherwise, what was the use of spending crores on installing over 2700 AI-equipped CCTV cameras, setting up 123 watch towers to monitor people’s safety, and deploying numerous drone cameras in the sky? The effect of government propaganda and its continuous announcements was such that the influx of people to the Sangam on Mouni Amavasya day did not stop. What could the poor public do when the government itself said, “After 140 years, this opportunity has come when taking a dip in the Sangam on Mouni Amavasya morning will wash away all sins.” So, the reason cannot be that the massive crowd of devotees fell asleep on the banks of the Sangam, then at 1:30 AM, the fair official announced, “Those who sleep lose, those who wake up gain,” and the devotees standing to the right of the barricade broke through and moved forward, causing a stampede. Even the sleeping people were crushed. Now, a couple of big questions: why was the exit path closed when the crowd was so large? The photographers and videographers stationed there could only see the heads of people, and whose order were these photos released in the media? Why was the 35-meter-high tower, which was used in previous events for senior officers to monitor the situation continuously, missing in the 4000 square hectare Kumbh city? By whose orders and in what proportion were so many luxury tents allowed to be set up, reducing the space for ordinary devotees to move around? The 35-meter-high tower was removed and replaced with cottages for VIPs to change clothes after bathing. So, does this mean that in the guise of providing VIP facilities, the lives of ordinary people were put at risk?
Hindu Rashtra Constitution
Tridib Raman
On February 5, the day of voting in Delhi, an ambitious plan was set to be implemented under the guidance of the Sangh by the sadhus and saints of the Maha Kumbh. According to sources, Sangh thinkers had been working for a long time to give a concrete shape to the concept of a Hindu Rashtra. Reports also suggest that after extensive deliberation, a 501-page ‘Hindu Rashtra Samvidhan’ (Hindu Nation Constitution) was finalized. Coincidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also scheduled to be present at the Maha Kumbh on February 5. The plan was to unveil this ‘Hindu Rashtra Samvidhan’ in the presence of saints, sadhus, and akharas, with a copy being formally presented to the Prime Minister. However, due to the tragic accident that occurred at the Kumbh on Mauni Amavasya, the event appears to have been postponed for now. Even though the program has been temporarily deferred, neither the intentions of the saints nor the vision of the Sangh regarding India as a Hindu Rashtra have been abandoned. As the Sangh approaches its centenary year, it seeks to undertake a monumental task that will solidify its relevance and ensure its enduring presence in the future.
Journalist’s Arrest Sparks Questions Over Land Scam Connection
Recently, the Greater Noida Police in Uttar Pradesh arrested senior journalist and founder of a news portal, Pankaj Parashar, along with three of his associates, on charges of spreading fake news and extortion. They have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days. Notably, Parashar also serves as the President of the Noida Media Club. The police took action against these journalists based on a complaint from a real estate dealer. Sources suggest that this arrest may be linked to the notorious ‘Chitehara Land Scam,’ in which several IAS and IPS officers from Uttar Pradesh are alleged beneficiaries. However, these officers and their relatives connected to the scam were later given a clean chit. On May 22, 2022, then-Revenue Inspector Pankaj Nivali filed an FIR at the Dadri police station in Greater Noida, alleging that “lands allotted to the poor were being usurped by government officials in collusion.” An SIT (Special Investigation Team) was formed under the chairmanship of the Additional Police Commissioner, and the alleged land mafia kingpin, Yashpal Tomar, was named in the scam. However, since the appointment of the new Police Commissioner of Noida, the case seems to have been sidelined. Despite this, Pankaj Parashar continued to fearlessly raise this issue, repeatedly asserting, “The entire scheme is running through collusion between land mafias and the administration, and the police are not even filing cases against these mafias.” It appears that Parashar is now paying the price for his honesty, despite his consistent praise of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. One wonders, where does Yogi Ji’s attention lie now?
Revolt of a non BJP CM
This Chief Minister from a non-BJP party knows well how to ride the headlines. At one time, there was a lot of noise about how people who wanted to get work done in the administration of the CM, who boasted of morality and integrity, had learned how things worked there. When discussions about the CM’s wife’s dealings started heating up, the party chief summoned the CM and bluntly told him, ‘Either choose your wife or the chair.’ Obviously, the CM preferred to choose the chair. Then there was a Mahabharata at home, and the wife, angry, went abroad. Delhi also kept a close watch on the entire situation, and some major documents related to the dealings reached Delhi. Now it is heard that the CM might be replaced in March, but it is said that he has also bluntly told his high command that ‘if he is even slightly disturbed, he will take his loyal MLAs and join the BJP,’ meaning another state government might be formed by the BJP.
Kejriwal’s Delhi Challenge
Is Arvind Kejriwal now paying the price for his personal rivalry with Rahul Gandhi in Delhi? The once-dormant Congress in Delhi has been revived in a new form ever since Rahul Gandhi stepped into the battleground. Even political strategists who sympathize with the AAP are now quietly admitting that “even if AAP manages to form the government again in Delhi, it may still lose 8-10 seats to the BJP—solely because of Congress.” Rahul Gandhi has not forgotten how Kejriwal and AAP’s stubbornness cost him an almost-certain victory in Haryana. At the last moment, Raghav Chadha played his game, and the Congress-AAP seat-sharing talks collapsed—just over two seats. Congress had to pay a heavy price for this in Haryana, and now Rahul wants Kejriwal to get a taste of the same.
