Just returned from the Kumbh Mela.
The biggest takeaways for me were
a) the size and scale, just unimaginable.
b) the huge amount of energy and goodwill. People walking for miles and miles, with a smile, no complaints and in good cheer, if not some degree of exhilaration.
c) a realisation that Sanatan truly resides deep in our beings across vast swathes of society. The realisation that we are a civilisation not simply a religion that is comfortable with multiple contradictions, chaos and disorder and yet is able to comprehend, experience and hold on to the centrality of our existence.
d) finally an understanding why 10 centuries of invasions and colonial rule has not been able to decimate the Hindu faith.
@narendramodi@myogiadityanath@ShefVaidya @NAN_DINI_ @ARanganathan72
The selective outrage is amusing.
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Returning Officer in Birbhum rejected the nomination of BJP’s candidate, a former IPS officer, over a No Dues Certificate that had to be issued by Mamata Banerjee’s government. He approached the Supreme Court. The petition was dismissed. BJP had to field a replacement candidate at the last minute.
In Basirhat, however, the Returning Officer accepted the nomination of the TMC candidate even though most fields in his form were marked “NA” and he too had not submitted a No Dues Certificate despite being a former MP. His nomination sailed through.
BJP challenged the matter through an election petition in the High Court. The case is now before the Supreme Court.
Curiously, the same voices now lamenting the lack of an immediate remedy were nowhere to be seen then. No accusations of Mamata Banerjee influencing district administrations. No claims of the ECI acting in concert with the ruling party.
The legal position was the same then as it is now.
Of course, it helps explain the sudden concern when the complainant’s wife is a TMC MP and he himself appears to be aspiring for a Rajya Sabha berth.
The selective outrage is amusing.
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Returning Officer in Birbhum rejected the nomination of BJP’s candidate, a former IPS officer, over a No Dues Certificate that had to be issued by Mamata Banerjee’s government. He approached the Supreme Court. The petition was dismissed. BJP had to field a replacement candidate at the last minute.
In Basirhat, however, the Returning Officer accepted the nomination of the TMC candidate even though most fields in his form were marked “NA” and he too had not submitted a No Dues Certificate despite being a former MP. His nomination sailed through.
BJP challenged the matter through an election petition in the High Court. The case is now before the Supreme Court.
Curiously, the same voices now lamenting the lack of an immediate remedy were nowhere to be seen then. No accusations of Mamata Banerjee influencing district administrations. No claims of the ECI acting in concert with the ruling party.
The legal position was the same then as it is now.
Of course, it helps explain the sudden concern when the complainant’s wife is a TMC MP and he himself appears to be aspiring for a Rajya Sabha berth.
@ShashiTharoor@ECISVEEP@INCIndia Why are you tweeting about this?? All of you should go to court??
Meenakshi Natrajan’s case is being heard today in SC.
That’s the way to do it. Not just tweet from an AC room and move to the next sip!
This “denigration” of the past in this instance is only in your head. The fact is that those who served in GOI starting from PM Nehru in the 1947-52 period, including everyone from the PM, Deputy PM onwards, were all Appointees. None of them were elected.
This is just a fact of history. Accept it.
Secondly if Sachin T goes past a Gavaskar record, it denigrates neither. It happens all the time. As they say records are meant to be broken.
Finally don’t take everything about the Nehru-Gandhi family personally.
A familiar response to this tweet has been Nehru was only ‘ELECTED’ in 1952 and not earlier. So my question remains the same: was Sardar Patel also an ‘unelected’ deputy PM and home minister of India? This constant attempt to denigrate the past does grave disservice to great leaders who shaped modern India. Why glorify the present by repudiating the past? (By the way, Mr Modi has been CM and then PM since 2001: a leader who has dominated Indian politics for a quarter century surely doesn’t need history rewritten in his favour. Modi’s record can stand on its own. Why drag Nehru into every debate?)
@sardesairajdeep Why are you trying to obfuscate a simple issue. The comparison is only of tenure when both PMs were elected. Nehru was indeed PM from 1947-52 but as an APPOINTEE PM, not elected.
@AnantGuptaAG The party backs the efforts of the candidates and in many cases bankrolls them.
In any case they have till June 18 to file but I’m not holding my breath and neither should you!
@AnantGuptaAG Utter nonsense. They are filing cases right left and centre. On Monday they have filed in HC about LOP appointment. Abhishek has filed against CID summons etc.
@Tamal0401 Why didn’t they go to court if they are so sure??
For SIR they went, na?
In WB they have time till June 18. Full 10 days. They can still go.
Indeed and with good reason. Two leaks in two years.
In the short run what’s the alternative?? You can’t trust the same old.
Once the re-examination is over, there’s going to be a complete overhaul.
This tweet of yours illustrates a huge problem with journalists. They have ZERO domain knowledge and ZERO administrative experience; but because they have a platform they shout utter rubbish from the rooftops.
@velury_jay@gurdeepsappal I have watched it several days back. He talks about CV, lack of leadership skills etc to explain his lack of suitability for the top job.