To Reap Electoral Dividends, The BJP Has Unleashed A Monster It Cannot Tame
Yogendra is freelance writer
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By Yogendra
First publised on 2022-06-08 12:28:09
About the Author
Yogendra is freelance writer
View all posts by this Author
No amount of firefighting or change in rules regarding BJP leaders joining TV debates is going to curb the inherent attitude of many (some would say most) BJP leaders in making inflammatory remarks and comments against Islam and Muslims - be it their dress, food, living conditions or anything that catches their fancy which includes but is not limited to the azaan loudspeakers, praying in public places or more such things. This - the hatred of Muslims and any and everything connected to them - is ingrained in the psyche of many (again, some would say most) BJP leaders and that has percolated down to the karyakarta level, leading to clashes on the ground.
But then even the vilest of the politician is adept at hiding his or her personal views to present a manageable public face. Not that this is ethical but in politics, it has come to be accepted as the normal as almost all politicians are something else deep inside but present themselves as something else. Hence one would see a staunch communist who would abuse an industrialist in closed-door meetings sup with him at business meets in order to get him to invest in his state. Or when it is true that the friend of an enemy can never be a friend, a politician can go out of the way to court such a person if it brings business and votes.
Yet, these are small things in politics. But when it comes to the rubbishing of an entire community or defaming a religion, there has to be a lakshman rekha. The othering of Muslims has been going on since 2014 and assorted BJP-wallahs have advised them to leave for Pakistan if they do not like it under Prime Minister Modi. More recently, others have advised Hindus to pick up arms and fight the Muslims for their alleged impudence (taking 'our' girls away by indulging in love jihad or insisting on their Constitutional rights). But when someone can have the temerity to speak against Prophet Muhammad, the lakshman rekha is crossed. Unless this current habit of speaking against religion, religious symbols, traditions and beliefs is not reversed, India is going to become a ticking bomb that can explode, with serious consequences, any time. Then there would neither be sabka saath nor will anything be left for vikas.
