Effect of the 'Fake Encounter'

The wishful thinking “The BJP goes for its own jugular” (Counterpoint, HT July 25 issue) of Vir Sanghvi needs further analysis.

We have witnessed how BJP often tries to project the issue of foreign origin hoping that this will pin down the Congress but they never get the desired result as they fail to understand that the Congress has risen from ashes only with the rise of Sonia despite the common knowledge of her origin. For the voters this is already a well known fact and hence already taken into account of. In another similar case, the fodder scam was never an eye-opener for the voters of Laloo and hence the scam never had the effect as was desired by those who raised the issue. It is also not difficult to understand that a sting operation “unveiling” that Raj Thackerey is spitting venom against ‘north Indians’ and ‘biharis’ would be actually helping him to hold on to his vote bank. Another sting operation showing that CPI(M) is supporting naxal movement is in fact going to benefit them.

We often forget to analyze the circumstances and reasons that led to the rise of BJP in India. We must first acknowledge that the party rose to occupy the central place in Indian politics only after the demolition of Babri Masjid and also that Gujrat is under BJP rule for so long only due to the prevailing public perception of their way of handling of the Godhra issue. All attempts therefore to prove that they are not ‘secular’ acually help their cause. In fact these efforts help BJP in creating an image that they themselves will probably feel helpless in building up due to the constitutional constraints. BJP has never been considered as a secular party in the way this phrase is widely understood. BJP tried to change the understanding of this term in order to qualify for becoming the ‘true secular’ party and also by branding others as ‘pseudo-seculars’. All instances that the media try to blow sometimes out of proportion to prove that they are not secular actually help BJP to keep their vote bank intact. Analysis would conclude strongly in favour of the fact that the decline of BJP started as they tried to occupy the place reserved for Congress in Indian politics. Whether one likes it or not but the fact remains that Modi has risen against all odds just because the public at large believes all allegations imposed on him to be true. His ‘charishma’ starts fading whenever confusion begins to prevail about these allegations. Just when people start doubting his role in Godhra issue, some sting operation or the other helps them in reestablishing their faith.

To be precise, Pragya Thakur’s case shocked the BJP voters, Kausarbi’s murder too has the potential to shock them, but you can never surprise them with the disclosure that Shohrabuddin died in a fake encounter. And therefore it is just a wishful thinking of some that Amit Shah’s or for that matter Modi’s arrest is going to make BJP suffer. More often than not these “disclosures” have gone in favour of BJP in the past.

Hope to Live in a Plural Country

The author has proven his point that “For Hindus the enemy is within” with his article itself (“For Hindus the Enemy is within”, Mail Today, page 10 on July 20, 2010 http://epaper.mailtoday.in/Details.aspx?boxid=104296&id=39540&issuedate=2072010). Ironically, the article thereby implies that the other religion faces threat only from outside. It is indeed a fact that Hinduism is the only religion that exists with its enemy within itself. But that is its strength. The author must realize that it is the plurality of the ‘Hindu way of life’ that allows his mainstream opinion to exist along with the minority (in his opinion?) opinions of Modis, Mohans, Togadias and Advanis. It is the Hindu way of life that welcomes the author with a space for reinterpreting the message conveyed by the 'Deva' and 'Asura' conflict existing in Hindu mythology. A similar article will find no space in the “other way of life” if one dares to replace the word ‘Asura’ by ‘Kafira’. The Hindu way of life is clearly absent when Omars, Mehboobas, Yasirs, Afzals and Geelanis give the impression of representing the same face of a coin. It is also not visible when Musharrafs, Zardaris, ISI, Quasabs and Qureshis speak the same language of religion. I agree with the author when he argues that all forms of terror are same however he must realize that it is Hinduism that gives him the strength to condemn the greater threat which is saffron in his opinion. The author derives strength from this Hindu way of life when according to him legitimizing ‘violence to unify humanity’ poses an ignorable threat to our society but legitimization of ‘retaliatory saffron violence’ qualifies for being a much greater threat. I can only pray and hope to continue to live in a society where majority advocates for a way of life that allows authors like Jyotirmay Sharma to freely express his views against the majority.