The other day BJP made a ruckus about the naming of the new flyover in Hyderabad. It was hilarious while being hypocratic. They wanted it named after Mahatma Gandhi while the Government decided and named it after Late Indra Reddy, a local Congressman and late husband of present Home Minister. The handful trouble makers were bundled out and the function went off smoothly.
There are four aspects to this episode. One, BJP trying to appropriate the name of Mahatma Gandhi after it tried to appropriate the name of Sardar Patel. Secondly, BJP taking the name of Mahatma is like the devil quoting the scriptures given its roots and creed. Thirdly, jettisoning its legacy of Hindu Maha Sabha and the Sangh given these organisations’ stance vis-a-vias Mahatma. Fourthly, its intolerance of regional culture, icons, aspirations and diversity.
When people aspired for Uttarakhand, even while conceding, it took churlish delight in naming the new state Uttaranchal only to be cuffed on the wrist at the first opportunity. The state has been re-named Uttarakhand.
BJP’s growth has been stymed not because of its bankruptcy of principles, which is a fact, but because of its narrow thinking in rejecting the plurality of India and Indians, not only from the religious point of view but from cultural and linguistic angles too. Unable to expand on its own, it finds solace in the arms of the likes of Sibu Soren.
It is not a matter of pride for this party that it is chosen or dumped by others and never the vice versa. Whether it is Chandra Babu Naidu or Jayalalitha, it is they who use BJP when convenient and discard it at first hint of uselessness.
Today, even in an environment where coalitions are inevitable, if we have a unipolar power centre like Congress, it is thanks to the intolerance and incompetence of BJP. The TINA factor will keep Congress going strong. With the absence of a viable alternative party or even an alternative viable alliance, Congress is audacious enough to put regional satraps of its own party and allies like Arjun Singh, Laloo Prasad and Mulayam Singh in their places.
…ponder
