BJP concerned about 377 verdict’s economic impact
In all the hype surrounding the reading down of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, an important issue – the economic impact – has largely been ignored by the mainstream media.
Standard economic theory tells us that when the overall level of money exchanging hands (or corruption as some would rudely have us call it) in the system is reduced in this manner, the ripple effect on the growth trajectory of the economy is severe indeed.
As the party that truly embodies the principle of equal economic opportunity for all (“Why wait to die in the long run when in the short run, we can ensure that we’re all equally and efficiently blown to nuclear bits?”TM), the BJP is now standing alone overcome with deep anguish at the economic impact of this verdict.
Regrouping from the devastating blow brought about by the verdict, the BJP has commissioned its brother organization, the RSS, to reach out to those who are most immediately affected by this unfortunate turn of events – policemen.
In the meanwhile though, refusing to silently take on the status of victims, policemen all over India are already in the process of organizing dharnas to protect their livelihoods. “What will they take away from us next? Traffic challan bribes? Passport verification bribes? FIR bribes?” lamented a member of the Policemen Victims of 377 Verdict Association.
Knowing the power of building broad-based coalitions, the RSS has sought to appeal to the policemen through a combination of hard economic arguments and a soft-sell marketing campaign to capture their hearts and imaginations. As part of its strategy to show that while it truly understands the concerns of the poor policemen, the future can only bring good tidings, the RSS has been widely distributing glossy color photographs taken at its various shakhas of the rows and rows of men standing to attention in starched khakhi shorts and white shirts.
RSS leaders have acknowledged that they were guided by the greatest minds in advertising – the editorial department of the Times of India – who counseled them to use the photographs to get their message across in no uncertain terms. “We are hoping that the pictures will awaken in them memories of being innocent school boys coming together for a common cause, awash in a sea of brotherly love” said an RSS spokesperson with a faraway look in his eyes.
Pragmatic as always though, the BJP is hoping to create (and capitalize on) a potential vote-bank consisting of not just the disgruntled policemen but also those Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Parsis and Sikhs who believe in roundly rejecting the influence of the West and upholding the rich ancient Indian tradition of upright heterosexual conduct started by Thomas Macaulay. Leading journalist, Swapan Dasgupta and BJP leader, Murli Manohar Joshi, are reported to be working on the details of this broad-based policy platform which will reportedly include a combination of divestment (from low-profit margin areas such as inciting violence against all those who were Hindu a couple of incarnations or generations past) and investment (in new high growth opportunities such as raiding bars and clubs replete with non-upright Hindus and upright non-Hindus) measures.
Photo Courtesy: The Hindu http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/26/stories/2007122657200400.htm
Hei Govindacharya came out in public stating “India has always lived with it (homosexuality). It had neither sanctioned nor promoted it. No legal sanction was required,”
When I read it I was wondering the ‘it’ was interchangeably used about homosexuality and RSS.