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Editorial

BJP’S MERE WELFARISM WON THE DAY stration effect in rural UP. Especially
since ground level BJP/RSS cadres
ensured last mile delivery of declared
HE BJP’S 4-1 SWEEP OF THE FIVE in 25 years to be returned to office in allocations and provisions. Although
STATE legislative assembly elec- Lucknow. similar declarations and provisions
Ttions held in February-March Admittedly these factors influenced have been made in the past by other
has attracted detailed reportage and the final verdict. But perhaps a deter- parties, in a state notorious for official
analysis by respected media pundits minant often dismissed as ‘welfarism’ corruption, allocations have been rou-
and prophets. However few, if any, in the media played a more important tinely siphoned off by venal bureau-
have provided a satisfactory explana- role. According to BJP spokespersons, crats and middle men.
tion for the triumph of BJP in four of in the period 2017-22, the Adityanath The differentiating factor of BJP
the five states which went to the hus- government built 4.4 million homes welfarism is that the party has the ad-
tings, especially the comprehensive for targeted poor as against 50 mil- vantage of its own and RSS cadres who
re-election of BJP — the ruling party lion in the past 30 years. Moreover, ensure that proclaimed benefits reach
at the Centre — in Uttar Pradesh, the in a state in which only 13.2 percent targeted beneficiaries. This was a deci-
country’s most populous state. of rural households have tap water sive factor which won the BJP its most
The consensus of expert opinion is connections, the BJP administration recent mandate, and the women’s vote
that it was a combination of the cha- claims to have provided 2 million in particular.
risma of prime minister Modi, con- connections in 2020-21 and made For champagne socialists who
struction of the Ram Mandir in Ayod- an election promise of 22 million by dominate the roundly trounced Con-
hya, upgradation of temple spaces in 2024. In addition, it supplied 2 mil- gress party and media pundits, a gas
Mathura, Varanasi, Char Dham and lion free-of-charge gas cylinders to 2 connection, tap water and a toilet in
dog-whistle hindutva propaganda million households; built 26 million the house are taken for granted. But
that engineered BJP’s victory. Ac- toilets and distributed free rations to for voters in the bottom deciles of the
cording to media pundits, these fac- 15 million targeted poor households country’s iniquitous socio-economic
tors superseded anti-incumbency and during the pandemic lockdown. pyramid, law and order and modest
negative realities such as rising prices Although casually dismissed as comforts are life changing experiences.
and unemployment and won the day mere welfarism, these carefully target- BJP’s leaders and strategists grasped
for Adityanath, the first chief minister ed initiatives had a powerful demon- this reality and won the day.

UKRAINE INVASION NOT ENTIRELY UNPROVOKED ica’s Monroe Doctrine (1823) which
declares that stationing of troops or
armaments by European or other
USSIA’S INVASION OF THE inde- Ukraine was unprovoked. For the past nations on the soil of any country in
pendent Republic of Ukraine several years, President Putin had re- the North and South American conti-
Ron February 24 and the sub- peatedly warned Ukraine — which un- nents is an act of war against the US.
stantial damage to lives and property til 1991 had been integrated in Rus- It’s pertinent to recall that in 1962
that the inconclusive 30-day war has sia’s precursor United Soviet Socialist when the USSR sited missiles in Cuba,
caused in the heavily outgunned and Republics (USSR) aka Soviet Union President Kennedy blockaded Soviet
outnumbered latter country, have — against signing up with NATO warships heading for Cuba and nearly
been universally condemned. Quite (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), triggered a nuclear war. In the circum-
rightly, because Russia and particu- an anti-Soviet coalition of Western stances, the continuous expansion of
larly its autocratic President Vladimir countries established by the United NATO to ring-fence Russia with mem-
Putin mounted the largest land of- States in 1949, to protect European ber nations violates the norms of natu-
fensive since World War II against its nations against the threat of westward ral justice and equity.
hapless neighbour-nation without suf- expansion of Russia under the USSR The terms and conditions of a du-
ficiently arguing his case in the United banner. However during the past 30 rable peace in Eastern Europe are
Nations General Assembly. years after the USSR imploded in self-evident. The US should unilater-
For the ‘unprovoked’ invasion of 1991, several former Soviet republics ally abrogate all NATO memberships
its neighbour republic, the US and including Estonia, Latvia, Hungary of former USSR republics on condi-
the West have imposed unprecedent- and Poland which neighbour Russia, tion of their territorial integrity being
ed economic and financial sanctions became NATO member nations. Evi- guaranteed by the United Nations, and
against Russia. Its hard currency re- dently imminent NATO membership Ukraine should withdraw its NATO
serves with IMF and International of Ukraine, which for several centu- membership application. This will en-
Bank of Settlements have been frozen, ries was a constituent unit of Russia, able a face-saving Russian withdrawal
and Russia’s lucrative crude oil and was the last straw for President Putin. from Ukraine on terms and conditions
liquid natural gas supplies to Europe As he observed in a video which has already conceded by Ukraine’s Presi-
severely disrupted. These sanctions mysteriously disappeared from social dent Zelensky. President Putin not
are likely to deeply hurt the general media, how would the US react if Rus- unjustifiably believes that Russia is
Russian populace. sian troops and missiles were sited on entitled to a Monroe doctrine equiva-
Nevertheless, it’s not entirely the Canada-US or Mexico-US border? lent which prohibits foreign troops
true that Russian aggression against The answer is provided by Amer- and bases in its backyard.

12 EDUCATIONWORLD APRIL 2022