By
Ram Puniyani
Currently
(August 2013) Narendra Modi is trying to dominate the media, print social and
TV through his carefully constructed propaganda machinery and his potential of
being nominated as the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate by RSS-BJP. Modi has
openly used the words like puppies dying under the car wheel, while referring
to the victims of Gujarat carnage of 2002. He has also asserted that he is a
‘Hindu nationalist’. While most of the older allies of NDA, are deserting NDA,
RSS-BJP hope that he will be able to win the 2014 elections due to his image of
a non corrupt, efficient administrator who has taken Gujarat to the heights of
development. In social media and other platforms the polarized section of
Hindus and the section of middle class are very appreciative of Modi and are
creating a delusion of his becoming the next prime minister.
All
this is mostly a pipe dream. One knows that Modi is totally disliked by the
victims of communal violence, most sections of religious minorities Those who have gone deeper to the issue of
Gujarat development model point out that it is more of a propaganda than
reality. We still need to understand as to why ‘Modi phenomenon’ has arisen on
the Indian scenario and the dangers of ignoring the politics represented by
Modi as such. Even though he may not be able to be the PM after 2014 we need to
realize that politics represented by Modi and his ilk is the politics of
‘Communal Fascism’, which at surface looks to be just against minorities, but
as a matter of fact, aims to abolish democracy after usurping power through
democratic means. Its agenda is to do away with the human rights of the dalits,
Adivasis, workers and women in Indian context.
RSS-BJP:
Rise in 1980s
Modi
is a trained Pracharak (propagator) of RSS, deeply soaked in the ideology of
Hindu nationalism, working for the agenda of Hindu nation. In the decade of
1980 multiple factors at global and local level led to the rise of conservative
middle classes, the petty industrialists, the rich farmers, the affluent
professionals, who are always for the politics of status quo. During this time
the global changes, the creeping globalization was on and the attacks on
working class movement were stepped up. RSS-VHP during this phase started
promoting the religiosity all round. Using the Shah Bano judgment as the
pretext, RSS launched the tirade against secular values by putting forward the
word ‘Pseudo secularism’ and phrases like appeasement of minorities.
In
this backdrop Advani started his Rath Yatra for Ram Temple. In the country
where the dire need of basic amenities for life and the need for protection of
the human rights of weaker sections of society are paramount, the RSS combine
deliberately brought forward the issues related to identity of a section of
Hindus. At the same time their propaganda targeted the religious minorities, a
mix of distorted version of history, and presenting the victims as culprits.
The rath yatra of Advani created the atmosphere of ‘Hate towards minorities’
and this led to series of acts of violence.
The
major outcome of this campaign for Ram Temple was that the issues related to
human rights and the bread, butter, shelter and employment issues got relegated
to the background and social-political scene started revolving around the
identity issues. As a part of the communal politics unleashed by RSS combine,
the anti Christian violence in Adivasis areas also got stepped up. In these
areas the corporate giants want to have a free hand and have been able to
encroach the lands of Adivasis.
RSS
Combine: Epitome of Communalism
RSS
began in India during the freedom movement as an organization opposed to the
freedom movement, opposed to the concept of Indian Nationalism and harping on
the glory of ancient Hindu kings, era of pastoral Aryans and ancient Hindu
scriptures. RSS began as a response to the struggle of dalits for their land
rights and the rising opposition to the values of Brahminism prevalent in the
society. The non Brahman movement was inspired by Jotiba Phule and Dr.
Ambedkar. As the average people started coming up in the society, started
participating in the freedom movement, the elite-upper castes sections felt
threatened and they came together to form Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This
organization began by holding shakhas, and developed a training module
according to which this (India) is a Hindu nation from times immemorial. The
freedom movement’s values of incorporating people of all the religions in the
movement were not acceptable to them. They trained the young boys into
swayamsevaks, who took oath to work for Hindu nation. They also kept totally
aloof from freedom movement. RSS was founded by the Chittapvan Brahmins and is
an exclusively male organization.
RSS
went on to form various subordinate organizations like Rashtra Sevika Samiti
(for women). In this name the word swayam is missing as RSS being a male
dominated patriarchal organization, it believes in the inherent subjugation of
women as secondary beings. Later RSS went on to form Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi
Parishad, (Student wing), and then in collaboration with Hindu Mahasabha it
formed Bhartiya Jansangh, the previous avatar of the present BJP, Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (for bringing together different Hindu sects under the control of RSS)
Vanvasi Kalyan Ahsram (to work amongst
Adivasis to Hidutvise them), Bajrang Dal as its foot soldiers (for unleashing
street violence against religious minorities) and many other organizations like
Durga Vahini etc.
On
similar lines it began many an institutions to propagate its views (weeklies
like Panchjanya and Organizer), started Sarswati Shishu Mandirs and Ekal
Schools for Adivasi children. Its ideological spread was achieved through
spread of brahminical norms through various channels. Infiltration of its RSS
swayamsevaks into the state apparatus, police, military, bureaucracy is also
very deep.
The
ideological indoctrination
Through
its shakhas it started spreading the hate for minorities, opposition to the
values of secularism and Indian Constitution. This relentless opposition went
on through many other channels also. It also made inroads to the IT
professionals by the web meetings called IT milans (Gathering). The social
media also was and has been used by RSS combine in a very effective way. To add
to all these many a Godmen of the likes of Pandurang Shastri Athwaley, Asaram
Bapu, Baba Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravishnkar etc. started propagating the social
concepts of RSS, the values of Hindu Nation through their subtle and direct
activities. The result has been that the social scene has come to be dominated
by the conservative thinking. Meanwhile RSS also popularized the word,
Hidnutva. This word Hindutva stands for the politics based on Brahimincal
values of caste and gender hierarchy. Mistakenly the politics of Hindutva is
supposed to be ‘a way of life’ by many.
Throughout
the decades of 1960 and 1970 there were sporadic episodes of violence. This led
to polarization of the religious communities and provided the ground for rise
of electoral strength of communal party. In the decade of 1980s, with the Ram
Temple campaign picking up, the intensity of violence also started going up.
Major episodes of violence took place in various cities of North India. All
this was dwarfed by the communal violence Post Babri demolition. The violence
in cities like Mumbai, Bhopal and Surat was too horrific for words. The
violence unleashed in Gujarat on the pretext of Godhra train burning shamed the
nation as a whole, beyond all previous acts of violence.
Modi:
Gujarat Violence and After
The
post Godhra violence was a sample of the way state can actively promote
violence. So far in the communal violence in India, the police, the state had
been by and large an onlooker, mostly police siding with rioters. In Gujarat
the equation was worsened much further with state, led by Modi actively
promoting violence. Though it is claimed that Special Investigation team has
given the clean chit to Modi, the fact is that based on the same report, the
Supreme Court appointed Amicus Curie Raju Ramchandran feels the report has
enough evidence to prosecute Modi for his role in 2002 violence. After the
violence the state of Gujarat totally washed its hands off the responsibility
to rehabilitate the violence victims. The process of marginalization of
religious minorities went quite far. A large section has been living in
ghettoes in Ahmadabad itself, while their civic and political rights have been
trampled and they are living like second class citizens. There is an intense propaganda
that Gujarat is most developing state, the fact is that Gujarat was already
amongst the more developed states, the claims of huge investments through
Vibrant Gujarat summits have little substance in them, promises have been more
than the actualizations. The real indices of social development are lagging
behind. The rate of employment generation is very low, Gujarat is low on the
per capita spending, the Hemoglobin level of pregnant women is on the lower
side and sex ratio has also fallen during last one and a half decade.
Hindutva: Electoral Strategy
RSS
combine has been entering into the electoral arena by and by. While in 1984
elections when it was giving the slogan of Gandhian socialism, it had only two
MPs in Lok Sabha. In 1996, it went on to more than 150 MPs and it emerged as
the largest single party. That time no other electoral party was willing to
ally with it. The BJP government fell. After going through couple of
‘third-front’ experiments, BJP managed to cobble up the coalition, National
Democratic Alliance. For this it had to give up the core issues of Ram Temple,
abolition of Article 370 in Kashmir and Uniform Civil Code. This strategy
worked and BJP led NDA ruled for nearly six years. During this time it
communalized the text books and recruited RSS volunteers in to various
government schemes and supported many NGOs with RSS agenda and RSS got a big
boost in the political arena and its dominance was painfully perceptible in
different walks of life.
The
Hindutva combine knows that it was so far not able to come to power on its own.
Now it is hoping that it will go with aggressive Hindutva agenda and by coming
to power on its own it will bring in Hindu Rashtra.
Agenda
of Hindu Rashtra- Hindutva Politics
Modi
is the aggressive form of Hindutva agenda. He has openly started saying that
they believe in Hindu nationalism. This is a subtle and open hint at the
communal fascism which RSS combine, of which Modi is the major leader, wants to
bring in. The major support base for RSS combine, more so with Modi at the helm
is the corporate sector on one hand and the middle level corporate employees,
the Information Technology-MBA groups on the other. Modi has demonstrated in
Gujarat that he can open all the state coffers for the industrialists, land,
loans and necessary paraphernalia. This has impressed the corporate sector and
they are pitching for him in a large way. The corporate media has uncritically
propagated his claims about development. The social welfare schemes have been
kept in abeyance, due to which the poorer sections are suffering. As for as
minorities are concerned all the central schemes related to Sachar Committee
are not being implemented, the scholarship funds for the Muslim students is
being returned back year after year. Modi in this sense is ruthless as for as
schemes related to religious minorities are concerned.
He
is the choice of corporate, middle classes, the traders and the RSS support
base. Each of these has their own understanding of Modi and he fits in to the
bill of these all. Corporates think he will give them a free hand to plunder,
the middle classes know Modi is the best guarantee against social change for
betterment of the deprived sections and religious minorities. The RSS,
discarded Advani on two grounds, one that he made that statement about Jinnah
being secular and other that he is on the wrong side of the age. RSS, the real
controller of BJP and other affiliated organizations see in Modi a ruthless
swayamsevak out to bring in Hindu Rashtra.
Way
Ahead
While
Modi and RSS agenda is being projected and Modi’s rise is being anticipated it
is clear to most that Modi’s coming into the top of power ladder will instill
an autocrat who will soon follow the path of Hitler. Our country is rich of
diversity with varying interest groups, who know Modi-RSS are going to impose
Hindu Rashtra a synonym for communal fascist state. This diversity of the
country and the realization of this sort amongst large sections of Indian
voters should wake up to this danger to our democracy and ensure their defeat
in the electoral area. While RSS combine and corporates will try their best to
prop him up, the large section of Indian electorate should not be taken in by
such propaganda, as Modi’s reality is too well known to most by now. Though
Modi is trying to project as if he is changing his profile and becoming
liberal, one knows that a leopard cannot change its spots. And that is the
reason as to why Modi’s tricks on the electoral arena should be made to fail in
the coming elections.
The
responsibility of ensuring that mishap of Modi’s victory does not take place
will also rest on the progressive sections of society, the sections who are
getting affected by the agenda of communal politics and the religious
minorities who have experienced the Modi’s deeds of commission and omission.
The realization of this sort will be in the center stage of the progressive
sections of society and it is crystal clear that they have to come up to
fulfill this historic responsibility to understand the Modi phenomenon and to
make the large sections of population aware about this truth. This truth they
are trying to mask by the propaganda unleashed by Modi and his minions. Some
facts are known and others will have to be made known to the struggling masses,
which is the need of the hour for democratic movement in the country. While we
have to intensify the struggle for human rights of all, we may have some
differences, we also have to come together on this common goal of saving
democracy which is being attacked by the communal fascist forces as represented
by Modi and those who are prostrating in front of him.
Some
people, ideologues try to argue that more violence has taken place in non BJP
ruled party, that other parties are not truly secular. What we have to remember
is that BJP as a party cannot and should not be compared with any other party,
as BJP is not just and electoral party, it is basically the electoral wing of
RSS, whose agenda is opposed to the agenda of secular democratic India, the
dream of Indian nationalism, the dream of those who contributed to the ‘Making
of the Nation-India’, the diverse streams represented by Gandhi, Bhagat Singh
and Ambedkar!