IIPM Excom Prof Rajita Chaudhuri
Anurag Thakur is the national president of BJP’s youth wing Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha. Lately in the news in connection with the Tiranga Yatra, Thakur believes the Kashmir issue is not religious but constitutional and that some political parties are fuelling separatist tendencies in the Valley for their own benefits
How successful was the Tiranga Yatra in achieving its goal?
The yatra was aimed at arousing the spirit of nationalism among the youth and inspire them towards nation building. We went to different states to tell make the youth aware of the Jammu and Kashmir issue and who is responsible for creating it in the first place. We have been successful in getting our message across.
When unemployment is the bigger problem for the youth of the country why not a yatra for that instead of the Tiranga yatra?
Unemployment is a big issue but national security scores over it. Why is it that in J&K the flag of a foreign country can be unfurled but not the tricolor? It is the right of every citizen to hoist the national flag, but citizens are being denied this right.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari repeatedly emphasises that BJP’s politics is development-centric. How is Tiranga yatra associated with development?
It is. The Indian government spends 10 per cent of its revenues on J&K. What can be spent on the development of other states is spent as subsidy on J&K. Do you know the state gets 90 per cent subsidy. An electricity bill of Rs 1,500 in any other state will come to only Rs 150 in the Valley. Crores of rupees are being spent in the Valley to fight terrorism. This money belongs to the common man and is being spent only because of Article 370 of the Constitution.
Till now, only senior leaders have been raising J&K issue. Now, it’s you...
We did not get to handle this issue overnight. Last year in October we ran a campaign by the name of “India First”, during which I held 39 public meetings in 20 states. During these meetings the Kashmir question kept cropping up. People wondered as to why was it remained unresolved even after 64 years.
The Congress is accusing the BJP of turning it into a religious issue.
The issue is not religious, it is constitutional and political.
Did the RSS instruct you to take up this issue?
The RSS does not interfere in any decisions of the BJP. It was Yuva Morcha’s decision to take out the yatra and hoist the flag at the Lal Chowk.
The Congress and the NC have accused the BJP of disturbing communal harmony and promoting a political agenda in the garb of nationalism.
If those who hoist the national flag are communal, then the whole country is communal. If there ever was a communal party, it is the Congress. It is dividing the country on the basis of religion and caste. Congress leaders dine at the homes of terrorists in utter disrespect to the martyrs. This is the communal face of the Congress.
How has the yatra benefited the party politically in terms of its vote bank?
Every issue should not be viewed through a political prism. This was not a political yatra. Vote bank politics was not its aim. Being a political party, if we don’t raise such issues then who will?
How much support did the yatra receive from the Muslims?
As I have said earlier, the J&K issue is not religious. We got huge Muslim support. In all my meetings, Muslim youth were present in large numbers. I would like to illustrate with a few examples how emotionally involved they are with the issue. The Muslim tailor in Lucknow who stitched the flag did not charge us for it. In Bihar’s Hazaribagh, we had tea at a small stall. It belonged to a Muslim who refused to charge us, saying it was his small contribution to a national cause. It is not the Muslims but the separatists who are opposing us while the Congress is giving it a political tinge.
You mean the yatra became a target of political vindictiveness?
It is distressing that the central and state governments buckled under pressure from the separatists. Instead of putting all their might into stopping us, they should have unfurled the flag at the Lal Chowk with us and sent out the message that all political parties are opposed to the separatist forces.
It is being said that the yatra was a vehicle for self projection of Anurag Thakur.
It saddens me when people try to give a totally different colour to the yatra. I ask why does a Congress leader not hoist the tricolor at Lal Chowk? It is said that the Lal Chowk can be ‘green’ but not ‘saffron’.
From the son of a chief minister to an MP, how has Anurag Thakur evolved?
Very few people know that I am Prem Kumar Dhumil’s son. I don’t want to be known through my father. That is why I do not use his surname. Earlier I was a cricketer and wanted to play for the country. Now that I am in politics I want to do something for the country.
Which is a more difficult game to play: cricket or politics?
(Laughs) Both cricket and politics are games of responsibility. I believe that politics should be done with a spirit of sportsmanship. Politics should be a contest of ideologies not of personal issues. The political game should be played for the benefit of the country.
You rode on Narendra Modi’s lucky rath. How lucky did it prove for you?
This is Narendra Modiji’s affection towards me. He said, ‘I have two raths, you can take one of them.’ It was his love for the party and the youth that he gave us the rath. The Yuva Morcha is thankful to him.
It is said that you are well liked by party stalwarts like Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley. How much benefit do you derive out of it politically?
Every party worker receives the affection of senior party leaders. Being in the Parliament, I know more people and vice versa and this proves beneficial for me.
Let’s talk of Rahul Gandhi. Youth are being attracted to the Congress because of him….
(Interrupts) The youth’s inclination has been clearly demonstrated in the Bihar elections. Even Gujarat, Himachal, Rajasthan and Jharkhand’s local elections give a pointer towards that. In Delhi, Uttarakhand and Gujarat, the NSUI has been sidelined by the ABVP in student body polls. Wherever Rahul Gandhi goes for campaigning, the party’s position worsens.
How much importance does your party give to youngsters?
The greatest number of young pradhans, sarpanchs, mayors, MLAs and MPs are from the BJP. Within the governments and the party organisation, the average age of our members is lesser than that of other party members. The NDA cabinet under Atalji could boast of the youngest ministers till then.
Factionalism is rife in the party. Senior leaders are fighting for posts and power. Don’t you feel there is no ideal leader to attract the youth to the party?
All this is media speculation. At our Ekta yatra leaders of the Opposition from both the Houses came together on the same platform. Many big leaders joined the yatra. As for an ideal, Advaniji is a source of inspiration not only for party workers but for the entire youth of the country. In the next generation of leaders we have Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari.
This is your second term as MP. You have seen from close quarters how Lal Krishna Advani works in the Parliament and how Nitin Gadkari manages the organisation. What are the differences between the two?
Both are unique in their ways. They cannot be compared. Advaniji has served the party for six decades and helped it reach this position, whereas Gadkari has risen from the ranks of a party worker to become its president, which is no ordinary achievement.
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Anurag Thakur is the national president of BJP’s youth wing Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha. Lately in the news in connection with the Tiranga Yatra, Thakur believes the Kashmir issue is not religious but constitutional and that some political parties are fuelling separatist tendencies in the Valley for their own benefits
How successful was the Tiranga Yatra in achieving its goal?
The yatra was aimed at arousing the spirit of nationalism among the youth and inspire them towards nation building. We went to different states to tell make the youth aware of the Jammu and Kashmir issue and who is responsible for creating it in the first place. We have been successful in getting our message across.
When unemployment is the bigger problem for the youth of the country why not a yatra for that instead of the Tiranga yatra?
Unemployment is a big issue but national security scores over it. Why is it that in J&K the flag of a foreign country can be unfurled but not the tricolor? It is the right of every citizen to hoist the national flag, but citizens are being denied this right.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari repeatedly emphasises that BJP’s politics is development-centric. How is Tiranga yatra associated with development?
It is. The Indian government spends 10 per cent of its revenues on J&K. What can be spent on the development of other states is spent as subsidy on J&K. Do you know the state gets 90 per cent subsidy. An electricity bill of Rs 1,500 in any other state will come to only Rs 150 in the Valley. Crores of rupees are being spent in the Valley to fight terrorism. This money belongs to the common man and is being spent only because of Article 370 of the Constitution.
Till now, only senior leaders have been raising J&K issue. Now, it’s you...
We did not get to handle this issue overnight. Last year in October we ran a campaign by the name of “India First”, during which I held 39 public meetings in 20 states. During these meetings the Kashmir question kept cropping up. People wondered as to why was it remained unresolved even after 64 years.
The Congress is accusing the BJP of turning it into a religious issue.
The issue is not religious, it is constitutional and political.
Did the RSS instruct you to take up this issue?
The RSS does not interfere in any decisions of the BJP. It was Yuva Morcha’s decision to take out the yatra and hoist the flag at the Lal Chowk.
The Congress and the NC have accused the BJP of disturbing communal harmony and promoting a political agenda in the garb of nationalism.
If those who hoist the national flag are communal, then the whole country is communal. If there ever was a communal party, it is the Congress. It is dividing the country on the basis of religion and caste. Congress leaders dine at the homes of terrorists in utter disrespect to the martyrs. This is the communal face of the Congress.
How has the yatra benefited the party politically in terms of its vote bank?
Every issue should not be viewed through a political prism. This was not a political yatra. Vote bank politics was not its aim. Being a political party, if we don’t raise such issues then who will?
How much support did the yatra receive from the Muslims?
As I have said earlier, the J&K issue is not religious. We got huge Muslim support. In all my meetings, Muslim youth were present in large numbers. I would like to illustrate with a few examples how emotionally involved they are with the issue. The Muslim tailor in Lucknow who stitched the flag did not charge us for it. In Bihar’s Hazaribagh, we had tea at a small stall. It belonged to a Muslim who refused to charge us, saying it was his small contribution to a national cause. It is not the Muslims but the separatists who are opposing us while the Congress is giving it a political tinge.
You mean the yatra became a target of political vindictiveness?
It is distressing that the central and state governments buckled under pressure from the separatists. Instead of putting all their might into stopping us, they should have unfurled the flag at the Lal Chowk with us and sent out the message that all political parties are opposed to the separatist forces.
It is being said that the yatra was a vehicle for self projection of Anurag Thakur.
It saddens me when people try to give a totally different colour to the yatra. I ask why does a Congress leader not hoist the tricolor at Lal Chowk? It is said that the Lal Chowk can be ‘green’ but not ‘saffron’.
From the son of a chief minister to an MP, how has Anurag Thakur evolved?
Very few people know that I am Prem Kumar Dhumil’s son. I don’t want to be known through my father. That is why I do not use his surname. Earlier I was a cricketer and wanted to play for the country. Now that I am in politics I want to do something for the country.
Which is a more difficult game to play: cricket or politics?
(Laughs) Both cricket and politics are games of responsibility. I believe that politics should be done with a spirit of sportsmanship. Politics should be a contest of ideologies not of personal issues. The political game should be played for the benefit of the country.
You rode on Narendra Modi’s lucky rath. How lucky did it prove for you?
This is Narendra Modiji’s affection towards me. He said, ‘I have two raths, you can take one of them.’ It was his love for the party and the youth that he gave us the rath. The Yuva Morcha is thankful to him.
It is said that you are well liked by party stalwarts like Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley. How much benefit do you derive out of it politically?
Every party worker receives the affection of senior party leaders. Being in the Parliament, I know more people and vice versa and this proves beneficial for me.
Let’s talk of Rahul Gandhi. Youth are being attracted to the Congress because of him….
(Interrupts) The youth’s inclination has been clearly demonstrated in the Bihar elections. Even Gujarat, Himachal, Rajasthan and Jharkhand’s local elections give a pointer towards that. In Delhi, Uttarakhand and Gujarat, the NSUI has been sidelined by the ABVP in student body polls. Wherever Rahul Gandhi goes for campaigning, the party’s position worsens.
How much importance does your party give to youngsters?
The greatest number of young pradhans, sarpanchs, mayors, MLAs and MPs are from the BJP. Within the governments and the party organisation, the average age of our members is lesser than that of other party members. The NDA cabinet under Atalji could boast of the youngest ministers till then.
Factionalism is rife in the party. Senior leaders are fighting for posts and power. Don’t you feel there is no ideal leader to attract the youth to the party?
All this is media speculation. At our Ekta yatra leaders of the Opposition from both the Houses came together on the same platform. Many big leaders joined the yatra. As for an ideal, Advaniji is a source of inspiration not only for party workers but for the entire youth of the country. In the next generation of leaders we have Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari.
This is your second term as MP. You have seen from close quarters how Lal Krishna Advani works in the Parliament and how Nitin Gadkari manages the organisation. What are the differences between the two?
Both are unique in their ways. They cannot be compared. Advaniji has served the party for six decades and helped it reach this position, whereas Gadkari has risen from the ranks of a party worker to become its president, which is no ordinary achievement.
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Arindam Chaudhuri bags Delhi team of i1 Super Series
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri Dean Business School IIPM
Kapil Sibal’s voters want Jan Lokpal, not Government-proposed Lokpal Bill
IIPM: What is E-PAT?
"Thorns to Competition" amongst the top 10 best sellers of the week.
IIPM RANKED NO.1 in MAIL TODAY B-SCHOOL RANKINGS
IIPM Mumbai Campus
