Rise of BJP – Fall of Hindu Right 4

Venkaiah Naidu is reported of have said that the party’s performance had nothing to do with the leader “alone” and attributed the rout to various state-specific factors.

“Advani alone can’t be held responsible for BJP’s defeat: Venkaiah Naidu”

We agree we cannot hold Shri Advani alone for BJP’s defeat? What else is responsible for the defeat?
Did BJP lost 2009 elections due to various “state specific factors” only ? What are those state specific factors?

What about hindutva ? Did hindutva not play any role in defeat of BJP? Had BJP stood by hindutva would result of 2009 election have been any different?

Why is BJP silent about the separation of the party from Hindutva Agenda as possible cause of failure in both 2004 and 2009 elections?
Why is BJP attributing its defeat in 2004 and 2009 elections to non-hindutva matters?

These questions raise another important questions. Unless BJP accurately diagnoses the causes of its rout in elections, how would it improve its performance going forward? Is there any possibility that BJP has lost not only its moral compass but also political acumen to lead Hindus in 21 century?

Rise of BJP – Fall of Hindu Right 3

Off late, so BJP supporters have been coming up with conspiracy theories to explain the defeat of BJP in 2009 general elections. Does it make any difference? Do people believe these theories?

Majority of the voters DO NOT believe in conspiracy theories such as foreign hand, foreign money. The reason is because most of the proponents of such theories do not provide any evidence to support their point. They expect the voters to just have trust in them. The faith is expected to be the basis of discussion rather than logic. The fact is that the voters want to see evidence that such threats are real credible, and above all significant. If voters assume such threats are real, they do not believe BJP is the one that has competence to deal with them. This is how I am reading the message from last two general elections.

Voters have clearly rejected BJP on threat of terrorism which is very much visible , verifiable, and direct. Then, how would you expect voters to believe in more imaginary conspiracy theories ?

Intellectual honesty requires that BJP supporters respect the verdict of the voters and accept it with humility rather than accusing the voters of being uneducated, dumb, shortsighted, sold for 1000Rs or a bottle of liquor etc. Voters are not as foolish as you may think.

One of the truism of free market is , “You can win an argument but loose a customer”

Keep in mind same voters who the BJP people are accusing of all these adjectives are the one who voted in large number braving media hostility to make it from a 2 member party to 180 member party within a decade or so. In hey days of Ram Jana Bhoomi movement, the media was as hostile to BJP as it is today. So, what did change?

The elections are not about winning an argument or debate. It is about winning trust. It is about showing that you (the politician) care your constituents. It is about making people vote for you.

People faced bullets in Ayodhya firing. 100 people died. Did BJP ever brought an inquiry commission to investigate the firing and role of Mulayam Singh Yadav? No one talks about those dead. The video of that sobbing father whose son was shot dead in Ayodhya firing still haunts my memory. Karsewaks died under the debris of Babri Mosque. Do BJP leaders even know who they are? Do Vajpayee/Advani expect people to forget the martyrdom of Kothari brothers? How many people even know who the Kothari Brothers were?

What did Vajpayee and Advani do? They proclaimed the day Babri Mosque was demolished was “the saddest day” of their life. If it was to make a saddest day of life why do 100’s of people have to die for it? Did Advani or Vajpayee publicly shed tears for those people who died in Ayodhya movement?

Clearly those who contributed tears and blood to Ayodhya movement realized that BJP has cheated them. Tear and blood is much heavier than conspiracy theory of BJP’s so called “intellectuals” and “geo-political experts”.

Probably, people realized that it is better to be a second class Hindu under Sonia Gandhi than being third class Hindu under Vajpayee or Advani.,

Rise of BJP- Fall of Hindu Right -2

BJP was never clear what it wanted. It has always been confused and disoriented with things it never clearly understood. In early days BJP used to talk about some outlandish things like “integral humanism”. To this date, I could not find a single person who could explain me with some clarity what this ‘integral humanism” is. Similarly, it used to talk about some vague “Third Way” suggested by Thengde. All, these fancy words did not appeal anyone. A clear message like “we shall build it right there” (mandir vahin banayenge) was needed but BJP choose to hide behind words and semantics of secularism. BJP consciously tried to distance itself from “we shall build it” message that galvanized Hindus in 80s.

Just take case of Varun Gandhi. The poor chap was slaughtered for just speaking his mind. I have heard its tape. There is nothing which I considered was objectionable. BJP instead of defending the speech and its message, went on making phony arguments like tape were doctored, or other technical issues.

No where in any advanced democracy, hate speech is criminalized as it is in India. At least here in United States, the second amendment of the constitution protects your speech even if it is full of “hate” and “bigotry”. BJP did not defend right of Vaurn Gandhi to make a speech even if it is full of “hate” while leaders of other community have freely used hate speech against BJP.

Hate speech is necessary and important part of a discussion because it closes the conflict faster by bringing to attention the undercurrent and providing much needed catharsis to anger built in a society. Even Rajiv Gandhi made that famous “we shall remind them of maternal grandmother” (nani yaad dila denge).

However, BJP kept hiding behind technicalities and form. It did nothing to address the substance of the Varun’s speech. If I have opportunity, first thing I shall do is to decriminalize hate speech.

The list is long. We need go-getter kind of people in BJP or whatever comes up in future. Poets, philosopher, and scholars are not suited for cut throat politics. As you suggested, the time is running out and so are options for BJP.

Finally, I want to reemphasize that what I have written has already been discussed almost a decade ago. It might appear new to a few. To those who have watched BJP closely this was expected sooner or later.

Rise of BJP – Fall of Hindu right

I have been following BJP at least since 1986 when RJB was unlocked by an court order. Those days were really hostile for
someone to advocate Hindu etc. Not only you were outnumbered by secularists but also there was no one willing to listen
to a Hindu argument. To a lot of people the decline of BJP has come as a shock and is cause of heartburn. Those who have
seen the BJP from very close knew it all along that it was bound to fail. It was predicted by scholars as early as in 1996
when the first Vajpayee govt was installed. No other party has angered its core constituents as much as BJP. Sitaram Goel is
known to have commented that one can save Hindus from secularist but how will one save hindus from BJP. I guess the voter who
are closer to action realized it and voted out BJP. GOOD RIDDANCE !!

To borrow from Joseph Schumpter, I will equate demise of BJP as creative destruction. But, this destruction is like death of
someone terminally ill. Who needs a lot of attention just to remain alive. The death finally frees both the person and people
attending from the pain of looking after someone who has been perennially sick. I feel very relieved with the results because
it was something even I have been expecting and I believe is good for Hindus. The relief is same as that you feel after a bad
news, which you have been anticipating for a long time, finally comes true. No doubt it makes you sad. But, it also relieves
you of the pain of thinking of that unknown with no end at sight. Akin to to the pain that a convict condemned to death
sentence has to go through each day waiting for that final moment. The uncertainty surrounding Hindu movement and its
relation with BJP has been cleared up. A large number of BJP supporters begin to realize as early as in mid 90’s that there
is a huge gap between what BJP claims and what it can do.

It has been clearly established the BJP is not the platform of choice to further cause of Hindu interest. BJP lacked of
clarity of purpose and played by rule set by its opponent. Its duplicity on Hindu matters neither impressed its
constituents nor amused its opponent. You might recall that rules of game are as important part of strategy as the game itself.
unfortunately. BJP’s half hearted attempt towards Hindu right only made the matter worse for itself.

Time and again BJP raises an issue only to dump it half way.

1. BJP NEVER CHALLENGED SECULARISM: Contrary to what many Hindus believed, BJP never challenged secularism.
BJP has always claimed to be secularist. By calming to promote Hindu interest within secularist framework of constitution of
India, BJP created a dilemma for itself. BJP was never able to overcome this dichotomy in its creed. It ended up keeping
no-one happy. The core supporters saw BJP not doing anything to promote Hindu interest. However, to non-hindus and
non-supporters, BJP looked like a communal party, and main stream media correctly projected BJP as such. BJP choose to
highlight more symbolic and visual to prove its commitment to Hindutvaa than by taking anything substantial or silent.

One good example is article 25 of Constitution of India which gives freedom to minorities to establish schools of their
choice and take admissions without having to allocate any seat for reserved categories like SC/ST/OBC etc. Instead BJP
remained in news for wrong reasons like 2002 riots in Gujrat, 2008 riots in Orissa, or beating of pub going women in
Mangalore by Ram Sene cadre.

If only BJP had tried to amended the constitution by extending same rights to hindus and allowing them to run educational
institutions without interference from state, it would have helped hindu cause in long run without creating any opposition.

Never in its 6 year rule at center, BJP even tried to bring up a bill in parliament to do something substantial but non-violent
in nature. Somethings BJP could have done is like bringing bills to implement UCC, scrap article 370 etc. These were quite
matters with little symbolism but more value.

The life of average Hindu did not undergo any noticeable change under BJP regime. BJP ended up being a congress without
Gandhi.

2 BJP LACKED COURAGE OF CONVICTION: From the day Babri Mosque was demolished, the BJP leaders claimed demolition of mosque
was shame. If BJP leaders sincerely believed it was shame, then what was need of doing kar sewa and pulling down the disputed
structure. And if they were convinced pulling down mosque was right thing to do, they should have challenged the opponents
blaming them of crime. Instead, BJP leaders were always apologetic about it and felt feeble (as opposed to defiant) to defend
the charge of pulling down the mosque.

The problem is that BJP did everything that it criticized everyone else of doing. It criticized Mufti Mohammad Sayed of
releasing terrorist to seek release of her daughter in 1989. Then itself bowed to terrorists and released dreaded terrorists
in Kandahar. It opposed Hajj Quotas, but then when it was in power, it increased the same. Photo of BDR soldiers carrying a
dead Indian soldier was flashed to the whole world. BJP govt did nothing to restore some hurt pride and went on to protect
Shaikh Hasina, then PM of Bangladesh. The list is just too long. Convicts of Purulia arm drops were released. Indian forces
were deployed on border for months without any real action.

3. BJP’s HALFHEARTED EFFORT: I guess what caused the credibility crises among the constituents of BJP is the halfheartedness
in BJP’s action. A strong and committed action requires that once a goal is taken up, it is followed through its logical end,
come what may. However, BJP time and again gave up on slightest resistance by its opponents. Not only did it back down, but
it went so far as to be apologetic about it. This can be seen in all the targets it set for itself. RJB, UCC, 370 etc.
BJP proved it incapable of fighting for an issue. The most it did was to raise awareness. For it people rewarded handsomely
by increasing BJPs seat in parliament from just two in 1980 to 180 in 1998. After that BJP has been in downfall. Once it came
closer to power, it starting choosing path of least resistance. This caused serious division within BJP and its down fall
started.

4 BJP KILLED ITSELF TO SHOW ITSELF MODERATE: I recall KL Sharma, a very senior BJP leader telling in 1995 that it was nice
that Shiv Sena was there because BJP appears moderate as compared to them. In order to prove its was moderate and secular
credential, it went overboard and distanced itself from the leaders who once formed backbone Hindutvaa movement.
For one reason or the other, the leaders like Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti were sidelined and forced to desert the party.

The early BJP supporters had begin to realize the BJPs weakness by 1996/1997. But, BJP had so much momentum then that leaders
were unwilling to listen to anyone. The critics were also shouted down. How could the prove that BJP was wrong unless
something wrong does happen to BJP. Finally, the wrong did happen in 2004 followed by 2009. The critics were proven correct.
But, in the process precious decade or so has been lost in Hindu empowerment project.

Year 2000 was about time when BJP stopped growing. It is the time when the mismatch between number of new people going for BJP
and number of people leaving BJP started to grow. When 2004 elections happened, not everyone who had voted BJP earlier voted
again. By, 2009 the number further went down. After reaching its peak in 2000, BJP did not grow enough both in depth and width.

A lot of people who held leaders like Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti started deserting BJP. If BJP cannot take care of its heroes
who spend the decade of 80’s building the party, how could it the constituents take care of BJP.

The irony is that BJP used identity politics to grow but it is today struggling in search of its own identity? To die hard
Hindus it is no different than a Congress but without Gandhis. For its critics, it is a communal party with divisive agenda.

After 2009 elections, there is a huge debate among hindus as to what should it do. Should it return to its Hindu root with
spirit of sacrifice? Or, should it another umbrella organization like Congress?

It is hard to answer this question. BJP has crushed the extreme Hindu right just to look nice to secularist. Today it is
paying for its sin. The BJP’s biggest challenge will be to convince the die-hard Hindus that it indeed is a party that is
capable and committed to deliver on the promises it made to Hindus in 1980’s. Just as difficult it will it be to convince
the secularists that it is not a communal party.