Shanmukh wrote:KLNMurthy wrote:
Is it necessary for Hindus to articulate a vision? Yes. But it is not sufficient, at least the way the visions are articulated today. “Just bulldoze (so to speak) the BIF” is not a workable vision, if it means you just issue a fatwa to the government to make your dream come true, and then sink deeper into the pit of anger and frustration when that (of course) doesn’t happen.
Before you start on this, consider what the vision of the Modi government itself is. Modi sarkar started the second term on a very strong Hindutva note. They did away with Art. 370, got Ayodhya, pushed CAA through, etc. After the beginning of 2020, when the pandemic struck, they have retreated, and from 2021 onwards, they have been in full retreat, making one concession after another. So, what changed between the end of 2019 and 2021? I can think of only one major change - the rise of the Biden sarkar.
So, after the rise of Biden sarkar, Modi government has decided, for whatever reasons, that they should appease the enemies of Hindutva. Now, we don't know the exact reasons for this, and I suspect, we are not likely to find out either. My guess-they consider Hindutva to be done something as and when occasion offers. They are not going to bet the kingdom on this. They think they can keep the Hindutvavadis in their fold. How are they doing it? By giving the state governments clearance to go ahead with the Hindutvavadi schemes. So, in Assam, they allow
Himanta to kick out the squatters on temple and sattra lands, in Bengal, they allow Suvendu to go ahead and lead protests against the Bangladeshis, including the Bangladeshi high commission in Calcutta, in TN, they allow Annamalai to take on Hindu temple issues, in Gujarat, they allow the government to try to start taking over the management of the minority institutions,
in UP, they bring out bulldozers and level the homes of the Jihadis, and in Karnataka, they allow the government to ban hijabs and push through a very strong anti-conversion law. Now, what is the end result? BJP's state governments are going to be in favour of the Hindutvavadis. We see all this yelping against Modi from the Hindu side. How much anger are you seeing against Annamalai, or Himanta, or Suvendu, or Bommai, or Yogi? Very little right? So, Modi sarkar has decided that the risks should be taken by the state government, while the centre looks to be more `secular'. They believe - rightly or wrongly, I don't know - that Modi's image can take the battering and still not lose the Hindutva vote.
Shanmukh Saar,
what you have said could very well be true regarding Biden Sarkar, but one picks and chooses his battles very carefully, because we are right now arguing on perception only. For all the things Himanta and Yogi ji are doing in Assam and UP, they haven't done anything illegal. they have gotten rid of illegal squatters which will not find takers in SC as well. Yogi is bulldozing, but only the illegal settlements, to put the fear of god in them. Some of them have participated in the stone pelting incidents, but i don't think all stone pelters have their houses razed.
Also the first half that you quoted regarding ram Mandir and Article 370 were core issues for the BJP which also had a convergence with the hindutva vaadi crowd as well. BJP is doing what they have always looked to have done. When you lathi charge the so called "farmers" and peacefuls protesting against "farm laws" and "CAA" it will lead to bad optics and will cement that this is fascist govt with the assorted proofs and martyrs also.
Electorally this is will also lead to counter polarization and common people will be the first one to say maybe the govt should have atleast negotiated before lathi charging (you can see in tv debates the number being thrown around that 700 farmer died and the govt is only responsible).
People who think they support the govt should atleast take the wind out of sails by posting memes on the dakait and bilkis dadis, but we just turn on our own and threaten that we won't vote for them.
Cyrano wrote:Shanmukh ji,
Excellent posts.
its useful to ponder the difference between the nation-state India and hindu-raashtra Bharat. European Judo-christian nation state construct vs subcontinental dharmic raashtra construct.
.....
Where NaMo and BJP are going wrong IMHO is on "sab ka vishwas". Vishwas is needed during election time, and the mandate won is proof of vishwas accorded, by the Hindu vote. BJP's harping on vishwas despite its massive mandate is an admission that it doesn't have the vishwas of muslims and christians and "secular hindus" and is a giveaway of its thirst and its intent to acquire the same. Vishwas is a result, and what does the Gita tell us? Do your job according to Dharma and the results will come, so dont focus on it or get attached to it - then its becomes Maya and leads you astray.
BJP's error is to consider Hindu vishwas as a perpetual given, or that its secured by development.
Cyrano ji,
the BJP by the very essence of govt has to take everyone together, even if the other side doesn't come with them or stays away. This also has other connotations, the BJP is trying to expand its vote base. For all the arguments we had a little before the 5 state elections especially with UP is that no matter how much Ram mandir and Kashi Viswanath corridor work has taken place, there is still a strong jati caste equations that are important in these elections. The BJP is not looking to win all of the yadav, jatt or muslim, but atleast a significant chunk based on woman and development and soft appeasement.
This is the reverse of what Congress had done with soft hindutva with Raul babas temple run and now recently with Bupesh singh Baghel saying that they will develop Ram circuit in Chattisgarh. I didn't see any muslim organization or individual saying that Congress has left "secularism" and will no longer vote for Congress/vote NOTA/ etc etc. Congress is trying to keep its vote bank and break hindu votebank.
The BJP is trying to do the reverse. instead of trying to get more electoral wins (because these electoral losses for seculars have made people who questioned Lord Ram's birth and his timeline and Hindu faith in general are brandishing their gotra and other songs and rituals) and imposing the agenda for a rising Bharat we are busy arguing how the BJP is not longer as Hinduvaadi as self and so we need to desert them.
think for a moment, would a non BJP/NDA govt have gotten Ram mandir off the ground and would the Kashi corridor have even happened. Would there be silence from the state and center in the ongoing Kashi Gyanvaapi dispute if there was a secular govt. they would have probably shut down the survey request with "peace between communities" argument. You see protests in Karnataka on the hijab issue. The govt didn't stop the jihadis, but it didn't stop the hindus from protesting either, the previous secular govt would have probably gone with the burkhas.
For all the rona-dhona we saw during Ornobs case and the lack of support, at the end of the year all the concerned people from the MVA are in jail and ornob is scott free.
If the Hindus and Hinutvavaadis can't see this and don't realize the importance of being in power electorally then what to do. i am always reminded of Ramana Saar's example of Samanta kings behavior during the battle between the kakatiya and kilji forces where trying to show their importance, they came late to the battle and by then the khiljis had won. we can see the same in the lack of unity in the face of culture destroying hordes.
