Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conduct vis-à-vis
address to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in southern state of
Kerala on Sunday on Muslims has predictably evoked mixed reactions. To be
precise it has made many raise eyebrows in socio-political circle as Modi has
always tried to uphold his core hard-line Hindutva constituency. He need not
have cherished the image of a ‘Muslim hater’ but the perceived “antagonism”
towards Mulims actually helped him and had endeared him to his voters.
In fact
the so called “Moditva brand” people talk about either romantically or acidly –
as the prism would be – generally suggests to a lethal combination of a
Hindutva champion, an industry friendly catalyst for development and a man
would not compromise with ideologies of his roots – essentially given to
antagonism towards Muslims.
Like anything else in life, success
for any politician also comes with hard work, proper planning and playing the
cards well. There is little to dispute that Modi’s pro-development image
building exercise “Vibrant Gujarat” – organizing conclave of industry captains
and diplomats to attract investment in Gujarat – was certainly well planned.
Therefore when he waxes eloquence on Muslims –
rather in an unprovoked situation – when the public mood is about hard measures
against Pakistan – and suggesting that the battered Muslims of 2002 be treated
as “our own” – there is certainly more to it.
Some politicians already see a plot in his scheme of
things. Bhartruhari Mahtab, a Biju Janata Dal lawmaker from the eastern state
of Odisha – a Hindu-dominated state where Modi’s BJP is still to make much
headway – says Prime Minister Modi is trying to distance himself from the core
agenda of the hard-line Hindutva brigade – the Sanghparivar.
“Modi is trying to give
an effect to playing the centrist role henceforth. May be he wants to
transform. He wants to play a bigger role – an Asian role. I welcome this because
this is necessary for a country like India," Mahtab told this writer.
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on this backdrop seems to have come a long way vis-a-vis his troubled
relations with the Muslims – who would not long ago compare him with Hitler and
Milosevic – the two popular ‘hate’ images.
This is certainly a long way from an outright rejection to wear a Muslim skull cap at his Goodwill Fast in 2012.
"Do not rebuke Muslims... They need not be rewarded. Empower them. They are not items of vote market nor are they substance of hate. Treat them as your own," Modi told a BJP national council meeting at Kozhikode in Kerala.
This is certainly a long way from an outright rejection to wear a Muslim skull cap at his Goodwill Fast in 2012.
"Do not rebuke Muslims... They need not be rewarded. Empower them. They are not items of vote market nor are they substance of hate. Treat them as your own," Modi told a BJP national council meeting at Kozhikode in Kerala.
Notably many see his remarks on Muslims aimed
towards ensuing elections in the northern province of Uttar Pradesh – India’s
most populous state with sizeable Muslim population. Five years in the local
state elections, BJP did not do good at all and the repeat of the same
performance –to finish third below two regional caste-based parties will be a
big setback to Narendra Modi’s image of a “performer Prime Minister”. Muslims
in this state are at cross roads on deciding about their political patrons and
hence the pro-Muslim tilt could be deliberate and well timed political move.
On the other hand it is vital now to examine Modi’s
or his ministerial colleagues approach towards other minority Christians. Many
in his party including sitting parliamentarians have time and again spoken
about “Ghar Wapsi (a popular local agenda of re-conversion of Christians and
Muslims to Hinduism). Generally, Modi has kept silence on the controversies
only to earn rebuke of liberal Hindus and minorities. But on February 17, 2015,
Modi had addressed a large Christian gathering and
said his government would ensure that there was complete "freedom of faith
and that everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of
his or her choice”.
Christian clergy say that thousands of
their religious group have faced threats in recent months from hardline Hindu
groups agitating to make India a Hindu-only nation.
Many politicians like
K.C Tyagi of socialist party – Janata Dal United – says Modi is not trying to
be centrist. “Modi remains 100 percent Sanghi – an adjective for committed
followers of hard-line Hindu chauvinism,” says Tyagi.
Thus the obvious inference
is perhaps Prime Minister is only playing double games allowing hardliners to
pursue polarisation agenda on one hand while he gives only a lip service that
only religious book for his government is the Constitution of India.
With
regard minorities in India, for their part – they do face certain predicament
and there is no easy way to come out of this. An impression was created that Christians would back Congress
party led by Sonia Gandhi – an Italian Christian by birth. But it is also true
that overwhelming Christians have voted for the BJP in the past even in
Christian-dominated states like Nagaland.
Which way India under
Modi and the Prime Minister as an individual is moving –only the posterity
would judge that better.
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