Dilip Simeon's blog

The UP election, political pundits tell us, will impact the re-election chances of Prime Minister Modi in 2024. Is this why the prime minister finds himself in the state almost every week? Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will inaugurate the Rs. 700 crore Kashi-Vishwanath Temple Corridor Project by carrying a container of “Ganga-jal” from Lalita Ghat on the holy river to the sanctum-sanctorum of the temple (to be televised). He will then offer prayer at the Kashi-Vishwanath temple, with priests from 12 jyotirlingas (Shiva shrines) and 51 siddh peethas (powerful temples) in attendance. Later, “prasadam” (consecrated food) will be sent to the homes of all Varanasi residents. For the entire month, Varanasi will witness political events, including conferences of chief ministers of BJP ruled states. By early January, it will be time for the notification of the state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh (UP).  Three weeks ago, the Prime Minister rather dramatically inaugurated (also...

LOVE JIHAD LAW WILL FAIL     HINDUTVA IS OUTDATED, POINTLESS     Bakvaas: Muslim Hindu Se Zyada Ho Jaaenge     SONIA A DISASTER RAHUL A CATASTROPHE     Arvind Kala Speaks: Bandarr Hamare Baap / Sushant Singh Rajput Case ki Faaltu Baatein / Mere Khayal Hindu Dharam Per / I Like Hinduism, I am an atheist     Arvind Kala: What is Hindutva?     Arvind Kala - Is Modi a fool or a hypocrite?   

Seasoned Indian journalist Arvind Kala speaks his mind on current issues -  BANDARR HAMARE BAAP  -  SADAK KE KUTTE, RABIES, ROZE 50 INDIANS KI MAUT  - SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT CASE KI FAALTU BAATEIN  - MERE KHAYAL HINDU DHARAM PER   - I LIKE HINDUISM, I AM AN ATHEIST  - - Coomi Kapoor: A bizarre and unscientific policy is behind the menace of stray dogs all over India

Please look at the headline again. What is Hindutva? Indeed, what on earth is it?  I'm a Hindu Brahmin, I come from the cradle of Hinduism, Uttarakhand, where the Holy Ganga is born, we spoke Hindi in my parents' family, I've lived in a Hindu North India all my life, and 90 % of my friends are Hindus. Yet I have no idea what Hindutva is. Nor does anybody else. Including the shrill Hindutva shouters who've come out of the woodwork. How come we never heard this word Hindutva before Narendra Modi came to power?  Now vast Hindu swathes numbering in tens of millions are congratulating themselves that they are Hindu. As if it's an achievement - being a Hindu. What I say is: You are a Hindu because your parents were Hindu Your name would be Burunga Gomo if your parents were Ugandan. So what's the big deal? For my foolish Hindu brothers luxuriating in their new-found Hinduness, here's a bit of sobering reality.  If you ask an average American what a Hind...

He is both. A lot of Modi's foolishness flows from his extreme narcissism. He adores himself so much that he's dazzled by his own brilliance. That self-love drives Modi to attention-grabbing gimmicks. When he came to power, he coined Make in India from Made in India. And his Sher-mukh lion-like face split into a grin as he marvelled at how wonderful he was. Modi never tires of admiring himself. Never mind while he was propagating Make in India, Indians themselves were buying Made in China. As they do today. That doesn’t bother Modi. His job as PM is to announce grand plans. Not to implement them. He has other urgent tasks. Like getting into a green or pink kurta and jetting off to Burundi or Mongolia. Whichever place will have him. Looking back, Modi's Make in India slogan marked his emergence into a linguistic Smart Aleck. Who uses catchy phrases to enchant India. I will Reform Perform Transform, he said in one speech. A Mission drives us. A Commission drives them...