Media 'commitment' for money? VP Singh, as seen by MK Stalin, on top daily's page 1

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*

It was a pleasant surprise to see former Prime Minister VP Singh on the front pages of the the so-called mainstream media. Though they would never have given him space, an advertisement provided by the Tamil Nadu government that did the job. Indeed, controlled by dominant castes, the media is ready to do anything for cash. That is its commitment.

I was amazed to see the front page of "Dainik Jagaran", whom many criticise for taking communal and hate-mongering stance. It is known to have abused VP Singh, Mulayam Singh, Lalu Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan and Sharad Yadav in the aftermath of the government’s decision to implement Mandal Commission Report.

It is another thing that Mulayam Singh Yadav compromised and sent the owner of "Dainik Jagaran", Narendra Mohan, to Rajya Sabha. It was not without reason that this newspaper along with others, ignored the passing away of VP Singh in Delhi on November 27, 2008 as they were busy reporting on the Mumbai terrorist attack.

While the dominant caste media and casteist Brahmanical leaders of both BJP and Congress may have a point in ignoring VP Singh, because he brought the issue of social justice onto the mainstream, the silence and ignorance of those who enjoyed the fruits of power from his policies -- Lalu Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan -- was bewildering.

However, the real strength to VP Singh came from K Karunanidhi, whose party DMK organised a massive rally in favour of the Mandal Commission Report when North Indian leaders were still calculating pros and cons of his politics.

More than 35 years have passed since VP Singh relinquished his power, but he remains essential for the politics of social justice and secularism. Unfortunately, the social justice parties of North India started ignoring VP Singh in order to woo savarna votes. In order to please the Brahmins and Banias in particular, the Samajwadi Party and Mulayam Singh Yadav went out of the way to give them plum posts. The dominant caste journalists always enjoyed the curtsy of the Samajwadi Party.

Can you imagine, a person who was twice chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a finance minister of the country, President of Uttar Pradesh Congress, Defence Minister, and last but not the least, the Prime Minister of India, does not have even a memorial in his name?

We have a big memorial for Sanjay Gandhi without him being any minister, but we don’t have anything for a man who altered the political discourse of the country. While the Congress and the BJP can be faulted for this, it is disappointing that even Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar and the Samajwadi Party in UP never bothered about it.

As for the Congress’ Brahmanical secular-liberals, they have never had time for remembering VP Singh, as most of them hated him for Mandal ‘sin’.

The problem with the Congress is that it refuses to learn any lessons. Rajiv Gandhi supported VP Singh when BJP withdrew support, but criticised the implementation of the Mandal Commission Report on the floor of the house. It was an extremely bad decision. Mandal was an opportunity which the Congress lost.
Years later, Rahul Gandhi is talking of caste census, but not a single Congress leader has repeated it. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has supported it but one does not see the same enthusiasm from Kamal Nath. In fact, even Rahul Gandhi as also other Congress leaders have no time to speak a few good things about VP Singh.

The Congress acted like the BJP after VP Singh was forced to quit. The Brahmanical leaders of the Congress right from Kalpanath Rai to Ratnakar Pandey and KK Tiwari were let loose against VP Singh. The media was misused shamelessly (a pattern that BJP is diligently following now) to target VP Singh. So much so that MJ Akbar, a favorite of Rajiv Gandhi, was asked to write a false story about VP Singh’s bank account in St Kitts.

Whatever be the political repercussions, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s one action has made the entire event historical. MK Stalin has proved that he is far more mature than his contemporaries, whether in the Congress or in other social justice forces.

Tamil Nadu has given due respect to and acknowledged the role played by VP Singh. The Dravidian government has put VP Singh in the company of Dr BR Ambedkar, Ramaswamy Periyar, Annadurai and Karunanidhi. Stalin’s action has made the leaders who have enjoyed power in North India look too small.

VP Singh was Prime Minister for 11 months but his actions actually shook the power structure. It was he, as Prime Minister and man in power, who respected and acknowledged Ambedkar’s contribution to our country and not only gave Bharat Ratna to him along with Nelson Mandela, but also installed Ambedkar's portrait inside Parliament, which was ironically not there.

There is a need to ponder: Shouldn't our Parliament have the portrait of VP Singh inside Parliament? Let the social justice forces make a big monument in the memory of VP Singh as a fitting tribute to the man who was once termed as ‘Raja nahi faqeer hai, desh ki taqdeer hai’. VP Singh certainly deserves better from all of us who believe in social justice and secularism.

---

*Human rights defender. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat. X: @freetohumanity. Skype: @vbrawat

Comments

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor* Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी: जल जीवन मिशन के लक्ष्य को पाने समन्वित प्रयास जरूरी

- राज कुमार सिन्हा* जल संसाधन से जुड़ी स्थायी समिति ने वर्तमान लोकसभा सत्र में पेश रिपोर्ट में बताया है कि "नल से जल" मिशन में राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी साबित हुए हैं। जबकि देश के 11 राज्यों में शत-प्रतिशत ग्रामीणों को नल से जल आपूर्ति शुरू कर दी गई है। रिपोर्ट में समिति ने केंद्र सरकार को सिफारिश की है कि मिशन पुरा करने में राज्य सरकारों की समस्याओं पर गौर किया जाए।

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das* India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

PUCL files complaint with SC against Gujarat police, municipal authorities for 'unlawful' demolitions, custodial 'violence'

By A Representative The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Justice of India, urging the Supreme Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against the police and municipal authorities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complaint alleges that these officials have engaged in unlawful demolitions and custodial violence, in direct violation of a Supreme Court order issued in November 2024.

Incarcerated for 2,424 days, Sudhir Dhawale combines Ambedkarism with Marxism

By Harsh Thakor One of those who faced incarceration both under Congress and BJP rule, Sudhir Dhawale was arrested on June 6, 2018, one of the first six among the 16 people held in what became known as the Elgar Parishad case. After spending 2,424 days in incarceration, he became the ninth to be released from jail—alongside Rona Wilson, who walked free with him on January 24. The Bombay High Court granted them bail, citing the prolonged imprisonment without trial as a key factor. I will always remember the moments we spent together in Mumbai between 1998 and 2006, during public meetings and protests across a wide range of issues. Sudhir was unwavering in his commitment to Maoism, upholding the torch of B.R. Ambedkar, and resisting Brahmanical fascism. He sought to bridge the philosophies of Marxism and Ambedkarism. With boundless energy, he waved the banner of liberation, becoming the backbone of the revolutionary democratic centre in Mumbai and Maharashtra. He dedicated himself ...

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the river’s degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizens’ rights to a healthy environment. The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents. The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalition—environmentalists, ecologists, and urban planners—submitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to “re-section” and “desilt” the river contradict the NGT’s 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

CPM’s evaluation of BJP reflects its political character and its reluctance to take on battle against neo-fascism

By Harsh Thakor* A controversial debate has emerged in the revolutionary camp regarding the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s categorization of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many Communists criticize the CPM’s reluctance to label the BJP as a fascist party and India as a fascist state. Various factors must be considered to arrive at an accurate assessment. Understanding the original meaning and historical development of fascism is essential, as well as analyzing how it manifests in the present global and national context.

Implications of deaths of Maoist leaders G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya in Chhattisgarh

By Harsh Thakor* In the wake of recent security operations in southern Chhattisgarh, two senior Maoist leaders, G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya, were killed. These operations, which took place amidst a historically significant Maoist presence, resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals on March 20th and 16 more three days prior.

Haven't done a good deed, inner soul is cursing me as sinner: Aurangzeb's last 'will'

Counterview Desk The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last of the strong Mughal emperors, located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, has this epitaph inscribed on it: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e maa ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast" (the rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave).

Search This Blog