Opinion PHASING OUT HAJ

“There was always a basic question raised against the subsidy. How can a secular government pay for the expenditure of a religious ritual of believers of one sect? In fact,several Hindu organisations started demanding subsidy for Hindu pilgrimages too. A substantial section of the Muslims also opposed the Haj subsidy,terming it as un-Islamic to accept money to perform Haj. It is safe to say that more or less all sections except the self-serving political class were against the pilgrimage subsidies,” said an editorial in the Organiser.

The editorial added that the Haj subsidy was introduced by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959 and in 1992,P.V. Narasimha Rao increased it substantially,both in terms of money and the number of pilgrims. “The data on pilgrimage expenditure is not available before 2004. The amount spent in 2004 was Rs 160 crore; in 2005 it was Rs 185.81 crore and (it grew) to Rs 826 crore in 2009,” it said. The Organiser argues that this money can instead be utilised to improve infrastructure and amenities in places of worship across the country.

LANDSLIDE WIN FOR MODI?

An article in the Organiser based on a recent survey conducted in Gujarat has claimed that chief minister Narendra Modi will make a comeback in the state in the forthcoming assembly elections ,with a tally of 127 to 138 seats in the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly.

The findings are based on a survey conducted by the website lensonnews.com,claims psephologist G.V.L. Narasimha Rao in the article. He argues that the conclusive factor will be “development,development and development”. The BJP won 117 seats in Gujarat’s last assembly elections. “While a victory in Gujarat elections for the Modi-led BJP is a foregone conclusion,it is the scale of the projected victory that would astound many… Unlike in 2002 and 2007,when there were some regional variations in voting patterns,this year’s election is likely to witness a pro-incumbency wave across all regions” the article says.

“The lensonnews poll shows that the report card of (the) Gujarat government is impressive on all fronts: 69 per cent of those who polled say that rural areas have witnessed development in the last five years; 79 per cent report that the state has progressed in industrialisation; and 75 per cent credit the Gujarat government for job creation” the article claims.

AIRCEL-MAXIS FALLOUT

IN an editorial,the Panchjanya has claimed that Congress president Sonia Gandhi maintains that factionalism and indiscipline will not be tolerated,but has chosen not to take any action on the opposition’s demand that Home Minister P. Chidambaram be dropped from the Union cabinet due to the fallout from the 2G spectrum deal.

The Panchjanya claims that the latest revelations in the Aircel-Maxis deal relating to the alleged role of his son,Karti,has increased Chidambaram’s problems. “Chidambaram may deny the charges but if the opposition is demanding a clarification then why it the government shying away from it?” asks the Panchjanya.