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pm modi’s unity pitch strating their might before the tion marks, or more precisely,
rest of the meek and vulnerable cements India’s transition into
It was elevating to behold population. a polity with a certain political
Prime Minister Narendra Modi G.david milton complexion. Juxtapose the win
bowing reverentially before of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur with
a copy of the Constitution election result the defeat of Kanhaiya Kumar to
placed in the Central Hall of appreciate the popular rejection
the Parliament. It brought back In true democratic spirit the of the pro-poor and progressive
the memory of his prostration BJP must be congratulated on forces in the clash of ideologies
at the steps of the Parliament winning the election. It is not and its implication.
on his maiden entry. For his quite simplistic to say that BJP’s In today’s India even Ma-
addition of sabka vishwas (trust emphatic victory is not just a hatma Gandhi might not make
of all) to the catch-phrase sabka triumph of nationalism, but of it in an election. The nation has
saath, sabka vikas (solidarity Hindu nationalism . Prime Min- to now deal with the incompat-
with everyone, development for ister Narendra Modi’s ill-dis- ibility between India’s civiliza-
all) to be more than symbolic guised invocations of a majority tional ethos and constitutional
lip-service and have real effect, Hindu identity to polarize the values and what BJP represents -
it must be more than a wish voters during electioneering Hindutva or Hindu nationalism.
made to look broad-minded and escaped nobody’s notice A leader who hailed Mahatma
all-embracing. Since Naren- To take a dispassionate view Gandhi’s assassin as a ‘patriot’
dra Modi is an unadulterated of the results, the kind of victory would now grace the hallowed
product of the Sangh Parivar, BJP won is a fitting tribute to the floor of the Parliament.
an amalgam of hardline outfits party’s extraordinary ability to The most striking and salient
for which Hindutva is central to tap religious identity to the hilt feature of the electoral outcome
Indian nationhood, it cannot be to its favour. The overarching is the preference shown by
said for sure that he will be able appeal of Hindutva has proved the impoverished multitudes
to practise what he preaches. to be undiminished and incom- to Modi and BJP in that order.
Ideally, Modi’s life should be parably too strong for the Op- Clearly, ‘Modi worship syn-
his message as it was in Mahat- position to stall BJP’s return to drome’ was at work in the elec-
ma Gandhi’s life. power with more seats and vote tion. It is as if the Modi bhakts
The plain fact is that Modi share than in 2014. The con- derive a vicarious thrill out of
owes his phenomenal rise in solidation of ‘Hindu vote’ that watching their demi-god play
politics to his adherence to ag- has made BJP’s decisive victory the political game.
gressive Hindu nationalism. possible despite the unfulfilled However huge the victory
Obviously his speech in promises on vikas and acche may be, it cannot make what is
favour of ‘inclusivity’ or ‘inclu- din will now further consoli- wrong right and what is right
siveness’ cannot carry much date Narendra Modi’s position wrong. Nor can it invalidate
conviction. It is dichotomous for as the country’s strong man. Rahul Gandhi’s passionate
anyone to be a polarizing figure Now the biggest worry is that opposition to Sangh Parivar’s
and a unifier at the same time. the Hindutva hardliners might virulent world-view and his
Modi’s claim that the elec- think that the renewed man- strident criticism of Modi’s
tion has broken down barriers date leaves the way open for the style of leadership and govern-
and connected hearts is untrue Sangh Parivar to implement ance. Narendra Modi is back
and misleading. Actually, it has its core agenda. No matter how in the saddle with renewed
accentuated and reinforced huge and impressive the vic- mandate. Even as we congratu-
religious distinctions, read tory is, no government can act late him, we urge him to try and
fault-lines. against the Constitution either transmogrify himself from a
His statements that the in letter or spirit. Hindu nationalist to a states-
minorities have been misguided maruthancode, tamil nadu man worthy of the world’s
and cheated and the fear among largest democracy. His priority
them is only an illusion require changed political should be to deliver basic living
further elaboration and elucida- complexion standards and commodities
tion. None the less, there is noth- to the country’s impoverished
ing heroic or valorous about The scale of BJP’s victory and masses..
80% of the population demon- the secular parties’ decima- G.david milton

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