Mamata Banerjee Tries To Unite The Opposition Once Again
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-04-02 03:05:24
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
Ever since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014 and the BJP raised the war cry of a Congress-mukt Bharat, the famed election machinery of the saffron party and its various Hindutva associates have been doing that with great zeal. But somewhere down the line, as it happens with all authoritarian regimes, the hatred towards the Congress turned into hatred towards any one or any party that opposed the BJP. With the opposition remaining divided either through unmanageable egos of leaders or machinations by the BJP the situation has gone from bad to worse and the BJP seems unstoppable.
The letter written by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, in the midst of a fiercely contested election in the state, to 14 opposition leaders must be seen in the light of the above. Banerjee has raised concern that the continued rise of the BJP means that states will be reduced to "municipalities". She has also said that a single party cannot stop the BJP. Hence, she has made a fervent plea to all opposition leaders to shed their inhibitions (and egos) and join forces to preserve the federal structure of India.
Banerjee has picked mainly upon the recent Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, to cite how the NDA government is following a 'vile' agenda to bring state governments to heel and crush the federal structure to establish its hegemony. She has also mentioned the sustained efforts to crush the independence of democratic institutions and targeting of opposition parties, individual leaders and other prominent citizens.
But the BJP has been doing all of this ever since it came to power. The opposition has to share the blame in allowing it to get away with it. Instead of uniting and presenting a multi-pronged strategy to foil its attempt - in Parliament and outside it - the opposition parties have usually chosen to disrupt proceedings in Parliament and present a confused face without any mass movement outside it. This has helped the BJP in creating an impression that no one in the opposition - or even a united opposition - is capable of governing India and it has increased the so-called halo around Narendra Modi.
If Mamata Banerjee's letter helps unite the opposition (which is highly unlikely) it will be wonderful as a strong opposition is the best way to prevent authoritarian rule by a single party or a 'popular' leader. The Congress has already supported Mamata. Others like NCP, SP, RJD and AAP are already in sync with Didi's thinking. But thinking alike and forming an all-India alliance are two vastly different things. The opposition parties, especially after the complete eclipse of the Congress (which, with its all-India infrastructure and deep pockets in the past could have acted as the sticking board), are in no position to start a concerted movement against the NDA, let alone sustain it long enough to unseat the government.
