Common thread of Modi, political Hinduism, nationalism? 'Contest' of ideas isn't over

By Salman Khurshid*
Losing the 2019 election and that too in a somewhat extreme manner has confronted us with unexpected challenges: Our leadership has naturally taken it very hard and to heart but with suggested options that we cannot imagine or contemplate. Hopefully the emotions will settle soon and give us the direction to pick up the pieces and march again.
What is more intriguing is a clear difference in perception amongst some who believe Narendra Modi trounced us for good (or bad really) with an overwhelming majority of Indians choosing Hinduism over a variety of secularists and others who give the winner his due but no more than he deserves.
In other words, there are muted complaints about machines manipulating democracy. Then why are the voters not pouring out into the streets to protest, they are asked. They respond with why is there unprecedented silence in the streets instead of great celebration?
Whatever might be deep, hidden truth inside the little chip that makes the EVM so powerful, if so many people say ‘nay’ or have reservations, why is the establishment so fixed on them? The simple proposition is not that the EVMs were fixed for Mr Modi but that they can be fixed. The world believes that. Why do we not listen?
Perhaps democracy is changing in pace with changing society. We are told repeatedly that we are unable to read that change. May be that makes sense, but what sense do results in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh make? No explanations about bi-polar voters or successful implementation of direct cash transfers, housing grants and toilets can convince about the extent of the sweep.
The fact is that each part of the landscape had different factors, but a common thread of Modi, political Hinduism and nationalism. We might have lost in the numbers game but the likes of Amartya Sen still believe that the contest of ideas is far from lost.

Salman Khurshid

I was amazed that a commentator in a leading daily described that thesis as absurd. Wonder if she will ever discover how comforting it is for us lesser mortals to know that the brightest Indian has such little value in contemporary India for speaking his mind.
We have a long and perhaps treacherous road ahead with time enough to put our house in order and once again tell our story.
For the present, in defeat but unbroken, we do not hesitate to say that we cherish Hindu religion in its majesty and beauty; there never was and never will be any reason for a true Hindu to believe that any other religion, least of all Islam, is inimical to Hinduism; that after decades of Partition and a series of remarkable Indian Muslim leaders, there is no reason to believe that patriotism and nationalist fervour is any less their right than of their compatriots.
India’s beauty comes from diversity that is non-negotiable. On delivery and performance even the BJP skirted data or fudged it. These are issues on which the last pronouncement of the Indian people has not come, no matter the extent of the current mandate.
Our leader has done his parliamentary duty in congratulating the second term Prime Minister but he has also affirmed his resolve to fight for the idea of India. We shall wait in anxious anticipation, committed to marching behind the leader, willing to bear any hardship or pain.

What other choice do we have having been told Hindus no longer vote for non-Hindus and Muslims do not vote even for Muslims because Hindus do not vote for them? Whatever happened to patriots and true Indians in whose name the election was fought?

When we return to Indians voting for Indians it will be time to contest again. It will be sooner than many people think, the doomsayers might eat their heart out. Till then we must battle for the hearts and minds of India.
---
*Former foreign minister, senior Congress leader, Supreme Court advocate. This article has been written as a "letter from a Congress person, defeated but unbroken"

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog