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The Madhavrao Scindia Chat

Bilkis: I firmly believe that the Congress party can be revived. Whether it will, only the future can tell. In the past few years, not much heed was paid to the organisational aspect which is all important. Because in a democracy it is the organisation which acts as the link between government and the people. Due to weakening of the organisation, this link too had weakened. The new Congress president Mr Kesri is placing immense emphasis on organisational rejuvenation. He is a man who is identified with the weaker sections and the minorities. This is a large segment of the population which had got cut off from the Congress party. They are now coming back to the fold. Mr Kesri has made several new appointments in the organisation. What is significant is that most of these appointments are representing a new and younger generation of leadership. The Congress still has the largest network of workers. Even today when the party has suffered a debacle in the last general elections the Congress is still represented in every village all over the country. All that is required is to mobilise, encourage and activate this network. The people too seem to have understood that stable government can only be provided by the Congress and political instability in the Centre and in the states is costing the nation greatly. The future therefore will see a movement back to the Congress because of all these factors.

Mr Scindia, It is a pleasure to chat with you. Can you tell me how Ms Sonia Gandhi, an Italian, manages to wield so much influence over a party that was instrumental in ending British rule in India? If she leads the Congress, won't that be extremely ironic!

Mr. Scindia: That was the answer to a question posed to you almost 20 minutes back.

Hey Puneet, he's back, with typical politician's and that too, the congress politician's answers.

Nikhil, we have got the connection.

George: aaavar odu intro peenum nokam para!

Mr Scindia, please be more precise. What stability has the congress provided. In the states, it is always fighting -- just see the Punjab unit a month ago. Arn't you being presumuptious when you say there is no alternative to the Congress?

hi~~

Mr Scindia, did you or did you not take the hawala money. Why would you need to take money?

Holkars: I see the message now. Thanks

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Mr. Scindia: Do you think that the current govt. of Deve Gowda be able to finish its full tenure of 5 years.???

Mr Scindia, you are supposed to be against the BJP. Yet were you not once part of the RSS, which I believe, is linked to the BJP. Can you explain the reason for the change of heart? Also, do you think the BJP has a realistic chance of ruling India? They seem to have plateaued off.

Michael: Sonia Gandhi is married into a family which has made an immense contribution to India during the Independence struggle and after. She may be of Italian origin but she is married into an Indian family and is very much an Indian. In any case, in a democracy it is for the electorate to decide who to follow. If one is a true democract one has to accept the democratic verdict. And there is no doubt that the Gandhi family and Mrs Gandhi are immensely popular and do enjoy large support amongst the people. That is the only factor that should count in a democracy--general popularity amongst the people. Once someone is privilaged to be a recipient of this support, then if one is a democract there is little left to argue about. The day Sonia loses that support her relevance will cease but the fact is that she still has it and therefore she remains relevant on the Indian scene.

Mr. Scindia is there a technical problem on your side that we are unable to correspond over this chat area.

You feel that Two MPs leaving the UF and joining the Congress is an earth shaking event -the amount of interest it has generated?

Hi Michael fernandez That was a hot question. I don't think we will have an answer.

Dear Mr Scindia, Once upon a time we truly had immense faith in the congressWith hawala , Sukh ram, Chandraswami,and the rest we feel there is no hope left. We are truly amazed when you say the congress made of the very same people is the only hope for the country. Do you really have a gameplan to get out of this mess or is this only political rhetoric? if there is a gameplan please please do enlighten us Sir.

Where do you think the country is headed?Don't you think economic disparity,more than religious fundamentalism, poses the greatest threat to India's future? What changes do you see unfold in India in the next ten years?

Michael: No Michael. I was never a member of the RSS. I too think that the BJP has plateaued. Any party which bases its support on a communal divide will find it very difficult to govern India. We are a country with tradition which has welcomed people from all communities and all religions. Four of the greatest religions in the world were born on our soil--Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Our outlook has always been very broad and it is only this broad outlook which acknowledges unity in diversity and gives recognition to diversity and thereby strengthens unity that can bind this country. It is only if the BJP is prepared to broaden its outlook that it has a chance to grow in the future.

You said you would not return to the Congress as long as Rao was there. You told reporters in Bhopal that you would not join the Congress, yet the poll results of last month made you change your tune. Was it the fear of mraginalisation that made you return to the Congress party?

Maharaj -- for I cannot call you anything else -- on which side are you on? Are you with Mr Kesri? Do you think Mr Kesri will do wonders for the party? And will you contest the party president's poll?

Thank yor Mr Scindia.

You are against the BJP. Is there any leader, apart from the Rajmata, you admire in the BJP? Do you believe they are evil>? And here I hark back to your speech in the Lok Sabha of four years ago?

Alok, Puneet, Varghese, where are you guys? Why don't you repost your queries?

Jaswant: I think it is a combination of factors that can make or mar the future. It is difficult to pinpoint one single factor. The major negative factors which we have to overcome are economic disparity, religious fundamentalism and casteism. The main thrust of the economic policy should be to reduce disparity. But economic programmes can only be successful if there is stability in the social framework. And if religious fundamentalism or casteism is allowed to grow it would lead to a fractured society which would render any programme economic or social ineffective. Therefore it is the combination or the mix of factors that we have to get right and that does not make the Indian exercise a simple one!

Shameem: It seems that Mr. Scindia is avoiding the issues. And I will not like to push someone to the extreme to get a response.

So many scams seem to have taken place during the last Congress rule. Who is responsible for this? The party or PVN?

Shameem: I know my next career is in politics where I can comfortably duck away the questions which I am not ready to respond to.

No, Puneet. It is likely he has not seen the question. Some of the questions havce scrolled off the screen. Please try again. We need to get some cogent responses from him tonight. He is such a rare bird. Mr Scindia, why do you think corruption has become synonymous with the Congress? When did you see this malaise begin? Please be honest.

Thank you, Mr Scindia. Hey Puneet, Not fair! He took the BJP question. He is a frank, open guy from what I can see. If I could still vote from Savannah, georgia, I'd vote for him as PM!

You said you would not return to the Congress as long as Rao was there. You told reporters in Bhopal that you would not join the Congress, yet the poll results of last month made you change your tune. Was it the fear of maginalisation that made you return to the Congress party?

OK at the request of my friend Mr. Shameem Ali, let me try again. Mr. Scindia What do you think about the Deve Gowda Govt. Do you think it will finish its full tenure or should we expect midterm election during March-April'97

From another angle, Mr. Scindia what do you think of Indian Cricket now ?

Madhavrao, Indians abroad -- and I am sure you must have met with them -- are greatly disillusioned with Mother India. We do not want to come back like the overseas Chinese and contribute to our homeland's resurgence. Unless things change in India. Somehow, despite the reforms and everything, I believe the quality of life has deteriorated, not improved. What are you guys doing to change the way politics is conducted in India?

Do you see your appeal ever extending beyond the cow belt? Have you done anything to extend your influence?

hey Jaswant: don't get me wrong I do look upon this person to lead India into the next century. I will prefer someone to say that it is not the place to discuss rather than ignore the issue.

Puneet, Ms, not Mr!

No proble, Puneet. I am just curious to learn from Mr Scindia what his agenda for change will be? Which areas need attention?

Sorry: Ms. Shameem, I apologize for the mix up.

Don't be under any illusion. This man is not going to change anything. What has he done for Gwalior to change the quality of life for its people?

No sweat. It happened to me all the time when I was home.

Is Mr. Scindia still here ?

Mr Scindia, in many ways, arn't you a typical politician. for your daughter's wedding, you had marble flooring done at Gwalior railway station? Do you still believe you are a maharaja, after joining a party that swears by socialism!!!!

Hey Alok, Shameem, Varghese, jaswant etc. why don't we get together at a different site and discuss some of the issues and may be we can send the transcript to Mr. Scindia in Delhi, or Gwalior.

I dont see a sigle response from Mr. Scindia, is he still here

Mr Scindia, isn't this exactly the problem with India, lousy infrastructure. How come the lines keep breaking? Why can't it be improved to world class?

Hi Puneet. Sure,that's a great idea and since you are a prospective politician, we stand to gain a lot.

MR SCINDIA ARE YOU HERE ?

Can you explain the factors for the absolute decline of the Congress in the states of Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. Can the Congress, which tries to please all, and thus pleases none, ever grow again in UP?

Hey guys , has mr scindia been here and left ?

Looks like this Maratha has turned tail again!??!

Your Highness: I deduct from your answer to Jaswant that you see religious fundamentalism an impediment to soicial and economic development of the nation. I am surprised how could you have so divergent views from your mother. Could you shed some light as to what lured you from the abode of fundamentalism to secularism? I believe your sister and your have been raised by your mother in the same fashion - feeding Hindu fundamenatalism. How come you develped a totally defferent ideology?

Mr. Scindhia: What do you think defines the new political centre in the Indian Polity? Is it possible to create a new political alignment by picking up blocks from existing political parties! Could such a centrist political formation built around U? Do U have the lilling instinct so badl y needed to be primeminister of India?

I think I will have to stand as an independent candidate. Mr. Scindia: thanks for getting me the support over the internet. I hope someone like you will second my candidacy.

GUYS, SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IF MR. SCINDIA IS HERE OR NOT

Hey Holkars it seems you know quite a bit about what goes on in Gwalior.

They must have lost the connection. I guess he will be back soon. This, alas, is what monopoly does in India. VSNL needs to get its act together!

They must have lost the connection. I guess he will be back soon. This, alas, is what monopoly does in India. VSNL needs to get its act together!

Sharma: Mr. Scindia has done a lot for the development of Gavalior. It is precisely this reason that gets him elected no matter what party he is in.

Hi It was nice chatting with all of you especially Puneet,Alok, Shameem and Jaswant.I shall certainly join you for the next chat show Byee

Bye Now Varghese, have a nice day.

Sorry folks, they just can't get through to VSNL in Delhi. Mr Scindia has to leave. He has requested that the Chat be rescheduled after December 27. We'll keep you posted. Sorry for the way the Chat ended.

Madhavrao Scindia posted this repsonse to Shameem Ali, but could not transmit it:

Ali: I have said earlier that Kesri in his earlier avtar as minister for social welfare has established an identification with the weaker sections and the minorities. This is a segment of population which Congress has somewhat lost touch with. With Kesriji at the helm, there are already signs of these segments having a rethink about the Congress party. This is a thought process which Congressmen should try and accelerate through a continous process of dialogue with general public down to the grassroots. Kesriji has also appointed a new generation of leaders to many organisational posts in the Congress party. This is also a very healthy and positive move. As far as the second part of your question asking about whether I am a candidate for Presidentship, you can only expect a typical politician's answer--certainly not!