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India Today
3 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
How Modi govt's 4 Rajya Sabha picks signal shift in strategic template
Some political appointments are meant to signal intent. Others are meant to shape the ecosystem itself. The July 13 nomination of historian Meenakshi Jain, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) veteran C. Sadanandan Master, 26/11 case special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to the Rajya Sabha, under Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution, falls squarely in the second list of nominations reflects how the Narendra Modi government, in its third term, intends to deepen its ideological footprint across the Indian state, beyond the immediacy of elections or the drama of parliamentary floor tests. The four individuals come from all different directions: Jain is from Delhi (North), Shringla's hometown is Darjeeling (East), Nikam is from Mumbai (West) and Sadanandan Master is from Kerala (South).advertisementThere is nothing flashy about this group. No big celebrity power, no sentimental choices, no musical legends or Olympic icons. Unlike in 2018-2022, when some Rajya Sabha nominations seemed to be chasing applause—music composer Ilaiyaraaja, sportspersons Mary Kom and P.T. Usha, and others—this round is austere. And that austerity is deliberate. It marks a transition from ornamental symbolism to operational clarity. Modi government 3.0 is no longer showcasing plurality or projecting inclusion. It's focused on consolidation—across institutions, narratives and sectors of strategic Jain. A quiet yet influential historian, her academic work over the past two decades has sought to reconstruct civilisational history from a distinctly Indian—often read as Hindu—perspective. Whether on temple destructions during the medieval invasions or reinterpretation of the Mughal rule, Jain's scholarship aligns neatly with the Sangh Parivar's longstanding agenda of cultural decolonisation. Jain's books, such as Rama and Ayodhya (2013); Sati: Evangelicals, Baptist Missionaries, and the Changing Colonial Discourse (2016); The Battle for Rama: Case of the Temple at Ayodhya (2017); and Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples: Episodes From Indian History (2019), have provided intellectual depth to the Sangh Parivar's battle against Leftist historians and helped mobilise support presence in Parliament is meant to echo the ideological stance that increasingly guides current policies on education, heritage and more. In Jain, the government isn't simply nominating a scholar but inserting an ideological subtext into the legislative Master's nomination is equally telling. The BJP refers to him as a 'living martyr' for his resilience and continued activism despite his physical condition. Sadanandan Master is a survivor of political violence. He lost both legs in an alleged attack by CPI(M) workers in 1994 in Kannur district of Kerala. A school teacher by profession, he represents a grassroots legitimacy that the BJP desperately needs in southern India, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu that have proven electorally resistant to the party's importantly, Sadanandan Master's inclusion in the Rajya Sabha suggests a recalibrated vision of representation—one that places premium not on identity politics but ideological loyalty and ground-level institution-building. He is not a crowd-puller but a cadre-builder. And in a party increasingly obsessed with the long arc of electoral sociology, that matters more. Modi, in his congratulatory post on social media, underlined the violence faced by Sadanandan Master. 'Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable,' shared the prime comes Nikam, the prosecutor who became a household name during some of India's most significant anti-terror trials. From the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts to the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, Nikam has built his public persona around an unflinching image of the state's prosecutorial will. His nomination to the Rajya Sabha, reportedly backed by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, fits neatly into the BJP's broader claim of being the custodian of national also a nod to Maharashtra's complex political dynamics, where the BJP needs both a nationalist narrative and loyal institutional faces to anchor its fight against an emboldened Opposition. Nikam is not just an accomplished lawyer; he is an emblem of the party's claim that India under Modi is stronger, more decisive and less tolerant of threats—internal or external. His legal acumen, combined with his TV-hardened image as the nation's go-to prosecutor, gives the party a potent voice in debates over terror, justice and criminal jurisprudence. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Fadnavis had managed to get him ticket, but Nikam lost. His entry to the Rajya Sabha means the BJP getting a legal luminary to take on the likes of Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Opposition by contrast, represents the quiet bureaucracy of power. As foreign secretary and later G20 Sherpa, he played a pivotal role in executing India's muscular foreign policy during a time of global flux. His nomination is widely seen as driven by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)—an attempt to embed a trusted technocrat into Parliament, someone who can actively shape legislative debates on foreign affairs, trade policy and geopolitical many ways, Shringla's elevation marks a shift in how the Modi government views diplomacy. No longer insulated from politics, it is now being folded into the political project itself. Parliament is being repositioned as a platform where diplomats no longer report from the sidelines—they participate directly in the debates. In the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP couldn't give Shringla a ticket from his hometown of Darjeeling because of caste fine-balancing. Now, he is being rewarded for his work during India's G20 Clockwise from top left: Ujjwal Deorao Nikam, C. Sadanandan Master, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and Meenakshi Jain Taken together, the four nominations offer a blueprint of the Modi government's strategic temperament. This is not a government in search of broader consensus. It's one that believes its third term represents not just electoral legitimacy but ideological inevitability. And that belief is shaping the kind of Parliament it is building—not just through elections but selective curation. The Rajya Sabha, often mocked as a place for defeated politicians or ageing notables, is being reimagined by the government as an instrument of deep influence. Not through noise but through alignment—of ideas, expertise and long-term narrative the same time, this isn't a radical departure from the past. If one examines the Modi government's earlier nominations, a pattern becomes clear. The selection of Rakesh Sinha, Swapan Dasgupta and Justice Ranjan Gogoi between 2018 and 2020 were early signals of this strategy. Sinha and Dasgupta brought ideological voice; Gogoi, fresh off the Ram Janmabhoomi case verdict, brought institutional value. That nomination was unprecedented—a chief justice moving to the Upper House mere months after retirement. But in hindsight, it looks like a prototype. Gogoi was the first indication that the Modi government was no longer going to treat Rajya Sabha nominations as ceremonial. They would now be has changed in 2025 is that the tactical has become structural. No longer are there deviations. All four current nominees are specialists in statecraft. All are capable of speaking not just to their domain but to the deeper ideological grammar that governs the Modi era of policymaking. The cultural historian reinforces the civilisational state. The RSS insider extends the party's grassroots circuitry. The prosecutor strengthens the narrative of national security. The diplomat brings foreign policy into direct political consciousness. None of them are generalists. All are instruments of a larger contrast with Congress-era nominations could not be starker. Then, the nominated category was used as a space to accommodate civil society, to showcase symbolic inclusiveness or to rehabilitate loyalists who had lost electoral favour. There was occasional brilliance—think of former chief election commissioner of India M.S. Gill or economist Bhalchandra Mungekar—but rarely was there strategic the Modi era, especially now in its third term, nomination is no longer an act of reward. It's about institutional convergence. Education, law, grassroots outreach, and diplomacy are four of the most powerful levers in a modern state. By placing individuals aligned with its worldview at the intersection of these four domains, the Modi government is shaping not just what Parliament does but how India thinks and must remember that the Rajya Sabha was not designed for this kind of power play. But under Modi, it is increasingly being refashioned as a place of quiet transformation. When the Lok Sabha is about volume, the Upper House is about signal. And these four nominations are a signal in its purest Modi's third term is about legacy—about laying down irreversible foundations—then this round of Rajya Sabha nominations marks a significant milestone. It's a reminder that in politics, the most consequential moves are often the quietest. No hashtags. No headlines. Just four names that could help shape the next decade of Indian statecraft from behind the governors, new signalsMeanwhile, the appointments on July 14 of Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh as the governor of Haryana, Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju as the governor of Goa and Kavinder Gupta as the lieutenant governor of Ladakh reflect the Centre's calibrated political signalling with a clear RSS is a scholar with deep RSS links. On the other hand, given his Sangh background in Jammu, Gupta's appointment suggests a focus on stability in Ladakh, which has been in the throes of political discontent over various while now with the BJP, has retained close ties with Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu. His appointment signals careful coalition management of the National Democratic Alliance. The appointments show the BJP leadership is relying on loyalists who align with the Sangh's worldview while also navigating with precision the demands of coalition-era politics and regional power to India Today Magazine- Ends


Time of India
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
From having legs hacked off to getting Rajya Sabha foothold: A Master's journey of grit
File photo: Sadanandan Master, who lost both legs in political violence, got nominated to Rajya Sabha NEW DELHI: It was May 2016. Speaking at a rally in Kasaragod, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held up the hand of C Sadanandan Master as he lamented the silence imposed on the story of the victim of barbaric poll violence. Coming from a family of hardcore CPM members, the 30-year-old school teacher was influenced by the writings of poet Akkitham and turned into a votary of RSS's philosophy of cultural nationalism. He was dubbed a traitor by his comrades, who punished the defection by hacking off both his legs in 1994. The limbs were mutilated so that they could not be rejoined. The PM breached the "silence" on Sunday that he complained about nine years ago by announcing Sadanandan Master's nomination to Rajya Sabha - a move that lakhs of members and sympathisers of RSS would applaud. For, if the atrocity was meant to intimidate him into submission, the attackers failed miserably. Sadanandan, popularly known as Master or 'Maashay', who is now dependent on his prosthetic legs, did not let the gruesome attack deter him from taking on the powerful CPM in their stronghold of Kannur and elsewhere, and propagating Hindutva. Importantly, he has been arguing against the use of violence to settle political and ideological disagreements. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo If the recognition of Sadanandan Master helps explain his enduring appeal among lay supporters of RSS, the PM gave them another reason to celebrate on Sunday: the nomination of historian Meenakshi Jain. Part of the rare breed that challenged the dominant Left historiography, Jain had to endure resistance and ridicule in academic circles. She, however, earned the admiration of Hindutva circles by detailing the destruction of temples in the medieval period, a taboo area for 'mainstream' historians. Her books - 'Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples', 'The Battle for Rama: Case of the Temple at Ayodhya', and 'Rama and Ayodhya' - are evidence of the tenacity with which she pursued her passion. Ujjwal Nikam , the Mumbai lawyer who successfully argued for death penalty for Ajmal Kasab of 26/11 infamy and had earlier argued the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case, is not known for his links with RSS. Yet, his nomination appears to be part of Modi rewarding those who turn out to be symbols of the cause. Ditto for Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the career diplomat who served as foreign secretary under Modi 2.0. He was seen as BJP's choice for the Darjeeling LS seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections before the leadership deferred to the in-house wisdom that the incumbent be retained. The PM may have gone along with the majority view, but did not let the former ambassador slip off his radar. A Leftist-turned-RSS karyakarta, Sadanandan Master's life has been one of sacrifices and a symbol of resilience and unwavering public service in the face of a brutal political attack on him in 1994 in Kannur. For 31 years, Sadanandan Master has been living with these scars when CPM workers severed both his legs, mutilated them on the surface of the road so that he couldn't undergo limb replantation and left him writhing in pain. The brutal attack didn't deter Sadanandan Master as he returned to his teaching job and social service on prosthetic legs. He has consistently spoken out against political violence, especially in Kannur, and has advocated peace and dialogue. "The psychology of violence is that of action and reaction. I am a victim of political violence, and I have always maintained that in my individual capacity, I am willing to take on any role to end this violence," he had told TOI in 2016. Sadanandan Master unsuccessfully contested the 2016 and 2021 assembly elections in Kerala on a BJP ticket from the Koothuparambu constituency in Kannur district. Currently, he is the vice president of BJP's Kerala unit.


Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Proud moment': Sadanandan Master pledges to work for 'Viksit Kerala' after Rajya Sabha nomination
Calling it a proud moment, veteran social worker and educationist C. Sadanandan Master on Sunday pledged to work harder to help realise the Union government's vision of a "Viksit Kerala," following his nomination to the Rajya Sabha by the President. Sadanandan Master has vowed to improve their lives and boost their morale. Master, who has decades of grassroots service in Kerala, said that the political climate under the ruling Left government has been challenging for BJP workers. He vowed to improve their lives and boost their morale. "This is a proud moment because the party has shown its confidence and trust in me. This is very important in the context of Kerala politics. The party is now promoting the idea of Viksit Kerala and Viksit Bharat. To help realise this vision, I must work even harder," he said. Also Read: Mumbai blasts lawyer, ex foreign secretary among 4 new nominees to Rajya Sabha "In Kerala, we have faced many atrocities from political opponents, especially in the Kannur district. Many karyakartas have sacrificed their lives for the party. Their families are suffering today. It is my duty to uplift them and restore their confidence," he added. Master, along with Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Deorao Nikam, former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and historian Meenakshi Jain, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India, recognising excellence in public service and scholarship. These nominations were made under the powers conferred by Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution, read with clause (3). They come following the retirement of previously nominated members. The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the nominations through an official notification. The appointments are seen as recognition of outstanding national contributions in the fields of law, diplomacy, social service, and historical research. Following the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Master, describing his life as the "epitome" of courage and resilience. "Shri C. Sadanandan Master's life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit toward national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are commendable. He is deeply passionate about youth empowerment. Congratulations to him on being nominated to the Rajya Sabha by Rashtrapati Ji. Best wishes for his role as MP," PM Modi said.


News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
PM Modi Called Me, Said Kerala Matters: C Sadanandan Master On Rajya Sabha Nomination
Last Updated: Sadanandan Master said, 'PM Modi urged me to step forward to fulfill my mission of transforming Kerala into a flourishing state, free of political violence and intimidation.' A day before the official announcement of his nomination to the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called C Sadanandan Master, urging him to accept it. 'We want you to accept this responsibility. Kerala matters deeply to us," the PM told him on Friday. Speaking exclusively to News18, Sadanandan Master said, 'PM Modi has always expressed his concern about the state, and made it clear how crucial Kerala is to him. He called me on Friday and urged me to step forward to fulfill my mission of transforming Kerala into a flourishing state, free of political violence and intimidation." 'Last evening (Saturday), I met Amit Shah ji too. He was in the state for a programme. He congratulated me too," said Sadanandan, who holds the position of vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit in Kerala. Modi's call to the senior leader was more than a gesture of political trust. It is now seen as a recognition of decades of silent, often painful, ideological work carried out by the Sangh Parivar and their functionaries in the volatile terrain of Kerala's Kannur, known as the 'red citadel' of the CPM. 'I come from Mattanur, a municipality in Kannur — the red bastion of the Communist Party. Over the decades, more than 100 RSS karyakartas have lost their lives to political violence in Kannur's ideological warzone. This nomination is not just personal, it is also a tribute to their sacrifice. Since 1949, Sangha has been holding ground in Kannur and fighting against political violence and intimidation," Sadanandan Master said. Shri C. Sadanandan Master's life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable. He is extremely passionate towards youth…— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 13, 2025 Grounded in Kannur, speaking for India The nomination of a long time RSS functionary from Kannur to the Rajya Sabha is also a powerful political message — one that reflects the BJP's deepening focus on Kerala, the ideological battle with the Left, and the Sangh Parivar's growing footprint. As a retired schoolteacher, writer, poet and senior RSS functionary from Kannur, the nomination was 'long overdue', said a senior RSS functionary, who is based out of Kerala. 'We have evolved from door-to-door outreach to building schools, ideas, and a nationalist vision in Kerala. From Kannur to Thrissur, every inch has been hard-earned. We have our mandal and taluk committees everywhere. We have made a reasonable outreach among the Christian communities as well. They are solidly behind us and they contribute to at least 18% of Kerala's vote share," Sadanandan Master said. 'I have been a writer, a schoolteacher, a poet, and yes, also a victim of retaliatory violence. But the real story is not revenge. It is about modernising the RSS in Kerala, working with society, and never losing sight of the goal — a just and awakened society. With Suresh Gopi in Lok Sabha and now this Rajya Sabha nomination, the BJP has voices from Kerala in both the Houses. This is the broadening of our base," he added. Nomination of Sadanand Master, among others, to the Rajya Sabha is an inspired Master's perseverance, from survival to activism, underscores the deadly stakes of ideological violence in Kerala's Kannur region. His life is a story of conviction, courage, and… — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 13, 2025 Sadanandan Master's journey from Sangh to BJP Sadanandan Master's life is in many ways a symbol of this continuous and ongoing struggle. A district joint general secretary of the RSS in 1994, he lost both his legs in a brutal attack allegedly carried out by CPM cadres, a chilling episode that still resonates in the blood-stained political landscape of Kannur. He was later shifted to Thrissur from Kannur by the Sangh and in 2020, post-retirement, he was positioned in the BJP as the state vice-president. His survival, resilience and continued service within the Sangh fold made him a revered figure in Kerala's RSS ecosystem. His nomination to the Upper House not only rewards his personal resilience and ideological commitment, but also elevates the RSS narrative of martyrdom and struggle in a state long dominated by communist politics. 'Specifically, from a politically charged district like Kannur, where political violence always takes place in circuitous and retaliatory ways, Sadanandan Master's elevation motivates the cadres. He is the most deserving candidate for the position," said B Gopalakrishnan, a senior advocate and vice president of BJP's state unit. Inside the epicentre of a changing Kerala Kannur, a CPM stronghold, has for decades been the epicentre of violent ideological clashes between Marxists and RSS workers. Despite repeated electoral setbacks, the Sangh has kept its organisational focus intact, often paying a heavy price in blood. The appointment of Sadanandan Master, who is seen as a living witness to this violence, brings that quiet perseverance into national political spotlight. It transforms him from a regional symbol of sacrifice into a national voice of the Sangh's Kerala struggle. Strategically, this is also part of the BJP's broader south India push. With actor-politician Suresh Gopi now in the Lok Sabha as the party's lone elected MP from Kerala, and Sadanandan in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP has for the first time placed ideological representatives in both Houses of Parliament from the state. It is a signal that the central BJP leadership intends to keep Kerala firmly on its political radar. For the RSS, the move reaffirms its influence in shaping not just the BJP's ideological direction in the state but also its institutional representation. And for Kerala, it sends a message that the state's political future is no longer immune to the forces that have redefined Indian politics elsewhere. In Sadanandan Master, the BJP has chosen a figure who embodies both memory and mission — a witness to communist brutality, a survivor and now, a representative of Kerala's 'nationalist' alternative. About the Author Madhuparna Das Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Bharatiya Janata Party bharatiya janata party bjp Narendra Modi news18 specials rajya sabha rajya sabha elections Rajya Sabha nomination Rajya Sabha polls view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 13, 2025, 14:18 IST News politics PM Modi Called Me, Said Kerala Matters: C Sadanandan Master On Rajya Sabha Nomination | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kerala BJP veteran who lost both legs in Kannur political violence, C Sadanandan Master nominated to Rajya Sabha
The President on Sunday nominated Kerala BJP leader C Sadanandan Master to the Rajya Sabha. Sadanandan Master is a survivor of the political violence that rocked north Kerala's Kannur district two decades ago. 'Shri C. Sadanandan Master's life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable. He is extremely passionate towards youth empowerment. Congratulations to him for being nominated to the Rajya Sabha by Rahstrapati Ji. Best wishes for his role as MP,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X following the announcement. A retired schoolteacher, Sadanandan Master was last week appointed one of the state vice-presidents of the Kerala BJP. His village of Perinchery near Mattannur in Kannur was a CPI(M) stronghold. Although hailing from a family of Communist supporters, he joined the RSS, making his way into the Sangh through its students' wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). In 1984, he joined the RSS and for a time functioned as the RSS boudhik pramukh in Ernakulam, responsible for the intellectual activities of the Sangh and ideological training of the cadre. His decision to join the Sangh allegedly provoked the local CPI(M) and placed him in its crosshairs. On January 25, 1994, a gang attacked him at around 8.30 pm when he was walking towards his home after alighting from a bus at Uruvachal near Mattannur. At the time, he was serving as the RSS sahkaryavah in Kannur district. Recalling that incident, Sadanadan later said, 'A gang suddenly started hurling bombs, seeking to create a scare, and people started running and shut their shops. The gang approached me from behind and caught me. They laid me down on the road, then hacked both my legs below the knee and threw them away. No one dared to come to help me until the police arrived and took me to the hospital.' After a few months in the hospital, Sadanandan, who has had prostheses for both legs, returned to his school that was struggling for want of enough students. The BJP then took it upon itself to rehabilitate him, and he was appointed sub-editor in the BJP mouthpiece Janmabhumi. In 1999, Sadanandan joined as a teacher in a school in Thrissur run by the Sangh Parivar. Even after the attack, Sadanandan remained active in the Sangh Parivar. In the 2016 Assembly elections, when the BJP made 'CPIM-sponsored' violence a key issue, it fielded Sadanandan as a candidate from the Koothuparamba Assembly constituency, where some of the brutal political killings took place in the 1990s.