Are Left Liberals Influencing My Critique of Smriti Irani?

Following publication of my interview by Vrinda Gopinath in Scroll.in http://scroll.in/article/694110/Somebody-has-done-black-magic-on-Modi:-Madhu-Kishwar)  Niti Central had published an attack on me under the title: “Madhu Kishwar Sells Out to Left Liberals’. Within a day the title was changed to “Madhu Kishwar’s Attack on Smriti Irani Disgraceful”.

I am disappointed at this change because I was hoping Niti Central would tell me the names of left liberals who have purchased my loyalty so that I can at least go and claim the price they are supposed to have put on me. 

The writer makes it out as if I my criticism of Modi’s appointment of Smriti Irani as HRD minister is born out of personal angst. Firstly, I don’t have any history of association with Smriti Irani. My one and only brief interaction with her was in a TV studio more than 10 years ago when I took part in a panel discussion she anchored. Other than that I have never interacted with her. I do not inhabit the world she lives in nor does she have anything in common with my world. How can I be jealous of a person I don’t know?

Is it Niti Central’s case that all criticism is born out of jealousy? By that logic Modi must have been extremely jealous of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi because he tore them apart at every conceivable occasion.

I have also repeatedly criticized Modi’s choice of Jaitley as Finance Minister on a number of counts. Is it their case that I wanted to be Finance Minister, hence my criticism!

As Modi fans and followers, it should worry Niti Central that people within the BJP are no less upset at Modi having made such a questionable choice for the crucial HRD portfolio. It has given rise to the most unsavory rumors and surmises within the BJP.  They should actually thank me for not giving legitimacy or currency to those ugly rumors which bring credit neither to Modi nor to Smriti. I have instead focused only on the most obvious issues at hand:

a)      Her lacking the minimum qualifications required for leading the HRD ministry in a credible manner;

b)      Her lying on oath about her educational qualifications;

c)       Her general penchant for lying in order to dress up her credentials.

It is ironical that my having supported Modi at a time when very few even within BJP were willing to stand up for him is being used as a stick to beat me up with. I defended him against malicious attacks because I was convinced he was being unfairly targeted. But that does not mean I signed a lifelong slavery bond with Modi thereby surrendering my right to point out flaws in his decisions –as and when I notice that he is trampling upon the promises he made to the people of India.

I wonder if Niti Central realizes that when they allege that I am attacking Smriti Irani because I have been denied ‘rewards” by Modi or I wanted this portfolio for myself, they are suggesting that only self seeking people came to support Modi, that none came to support him out of conviction.

Let me say it for the Nth time, Modi owes me nothing just as I owe him nothing. My support for Modi as PM and my defense of him against Left-Congress attacks was born out of conviction. He neither offered me any quid pro quo nor did I ever expect anything in return.

My criticism of certain policies of Modi is likewise born out of conviction. Abusive attacks are not going to deter me from expressing my opinion in a fearless manner just as I remained steadfast in support of Modi despite left liberal attempts to defame me.

Modi does not have anything to give me which I could not have gotten on my own strength from the earlier regimes, had I so desired. 

Of "Modi & Black Magic" Remark & Media’s Penchant for Sensation Mongering

On December 8, 2014, journalist Vrinda Gopinath came to interview me about the performance of the Modi government and the controversy around Smriti Irani’s appointment as HRD minister.

I told her it was too early to come to a firm conclusion about Modi as PM but as far as appointment of Smriti Irani is concerned, I have not changed my opinion one bit about it being a disastrous choice. And my opinion was shared by a large number of people within the BJP.

Vrinda asked me if I had any explanation as to why Modi made that choice.

My response was if I could find a reasonable explanation, I would not have been so shocked. She then began hazarding her guesses and asked me if such and rumour about Irani was the likely reason. I said, it doesn’t sound credible to me. She then put forward a couple of other explanations like, “Is it his arrogance? He thinks he can get away with anything, even a useless puppet.”

My answer was the same that they don’t sound satisfactory to me. She persisted and said, “But there has to be some explanation!”

My answer was that  none of the likely reasons she had offered appear convincing to me and then I added in a light note, more in jest than venturing an explanation or hazarding a guess “May be occupying the PM’s office has disoriented him or may be someone has done black magic on him.”

It was my way of saying that like many others, I can’t make sense of his choice of such an unsuitable person to head the most crucial ministry. But next day when the interview appeared on a web portal, the light hearted dismissive comment about “black magic” was used as a banner headline.

I am sure discerning readers will read the line about "black magic" in the spirit it was intended and not be swayed by the sensationalist intent of the editors of the website.