Ceding Political Space

I was reading an article by Mr. Salman Anees Soz. Mr. Soz is son of Mr. Saifuddin Soz, a congress member of Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir and minister of water resources in UPA I. In his article, Mr. Salman Soz had lamented if BJP wins power in 2019, there will be demise of multiparty democracy in India. There will be one party rule. Constitution of India will be changed. India will become a Hindu rashtra, instead of current secular state.

Fears of Mr. Soz that BJP is likely to win 2019 general election is probably correct. Mr. Modi enjoys unprecedented popularity. He is considered hardworking and honest. Repeated campaigns have been made to potray Mr. Modi to be a dictatorial person, a communal leader, a follower of facist ideology. Many have attacked inability of Mr. Modi to fulfil his campaign promise. Still, popularity of Mr. Modi has not been dented.  It is possible that Modi lead BJP is doing some work at ground level. Without which so many victories would not have been possible. Though  a lot can happen in remaining two years, it is still a safe guess that Mr Modi may lead BJP to another electoral victory.

With majority in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and a chosen president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, BJP may be in a position to get constitution amended and get many controversial laws passed. Hindu Rashtra may be part of one such agenda. Though BJP has officially distanced itself from a conclave organised in Goa towards creation of a Hindu Rashtra by 2023, BJP chief minister of UP has no problem with the idea of a Hindu Rashtra. Already, chief ministers of BJP ruled states have decided to meet to discuss Hindu Rashtra in a conclave in Goa. What will be consequences of such a state on minority population, specially muslim minority population, is anybody’s guess. As a harbinger of Hindu Rashtra, nation wide ban on cow slaughter law is being brought forward. Activity of cow protector vigilante groups has increased all over the country. People can lose life for storing, carrying and eating beef. Certain segment of Indian citizens are being targeted as cow killer and beef eaters.

Even if dire predictions of Mr. Soz becomes a reality, most likely it will become, I would have no doubt in my mind whom to blame for such a predicament. It will not be elected BJP lead NDA government but Mr. Soz’s party that is Congress lead UPA? india had given at least 50 years to congress party. Nation went bankrupt during their rule. Scam after scam had surfaced during congress rule. So much so common public have become desensitized to the extent that no one now considers anything less than 100 crore rupees to be a loot. Congress party has become dynastic. Leave aside supreme leader of his party, Mr. Soz himself thrives on family legacy.  Same is true for many of his esteemed colleagues, who form the inner coterie of his supreme leader. Party has no compunction joining hands with utterly corrupt and dynastic leaders from all across the country. Yet leaders like Mr. Soz cry of loss of democratic principles in india! If anything, Mr. Soz should look in the mirror first thing in the morning, and ask question “are we responsible for ceding political space to BJP by being dynastic, nepotist and corrupt?” He may find his answer.