“There are but two ways of rising in the world: either by one’s own industry or profiting by the foolishness of others.” -La Bruyere
State elections in four Indian states which have been won by right wing BJP has sent alarm bells ringing not only in India but also in several capitals of the world. The Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP Mr Narindra Modi is a known Hindu fanatic who is accused of turning a blind eye to the massacre of Muslims in Gujrat state where he was Chief Minister. Mr Modi and the rest of his party members raised the issues of Babri Mosque and Hindu supremacy side by side with whipping up anti-Pakistan hysteria which has resulted in the party winning elections in four Indian states of New Delhi, Rajhastan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. The Congress party which tried to fight these elections on its performance of the economy and adhering to its secular ideals was unable to stand in the way of the surge of Hindu mentality and at the end those who believed in saffron power won the day for BJP.
But for some observers everything has not been lost for the Congress that has the capability to stage a comeback and improve its standing amongst the people before the general elections that are scheduled for 2014 in India. Both Sonia Gandhi and her son Mr Rahul Gandhi not only gracefully accepted the electoral defeat but also bemoaned the incumbency factor which may undo them in the year 2014. The basic reason for the lackluster performance of the congress was not only because Mr Modi presided over 45 public gatherings in the four states his party won as compared to 20 rallies that were addressed by Mr Rahul Gandhi, the potential congress candidate who will face Mr Modi in 2014 elections.
The congress party was also to blame for going easy on elements who were responsible for mega scams like the coal block allocation, the 3G scam and the corruption scandal that rocked the commonwealth games in India. The congress also failed to capitalize on the various irregularities of the BJP led governments and could not highlight properly the support of fanaticism by BJP and its allies which failed to make an impact on the electorate. These elections were billed as a referendum in the Indian media for the 2014 elections in India.
And if that is to be accepted, a new and dangerous era might begin in the region which would have frightful consequences for an entire block of nations. The BJP may ignite the tinder box of communal riots but also the future of minorities in India could well be in danger in case these extremist elements are successful in capturing power at the federal level in the coming general elections. Allies of BJP like the Shiv Sena and RSS are known to encourage state sponsored acts of hatred and bigotry.
While it is entirely proper not to meddle in the affairs of a neighbor yet Pakistan must make arrangements to ensure that in case the BJP comes to power, it should have a policy in place so that it can persuade the Indians to ensure that better sense prevails between these two countries. Mr Narindra Modi has a record where he was denied visa by several western countries including the United States for his conduct while he was Chief Minister Gujrat for his lack of action to prevent acts of violence against innocent members of minorities in India.
In case the present militant surge in India continues, Pakistan and some other neighbors of India must be prepared to face great amount of hostility which is now being projected as the party manifesto of the BJP. Reports are also circulating that some vested interests including those countries who do not want peace and stability in this region are also quietly bank rolling the campaign of the BJP to achieve their sinister designs.
While some of the tough talk by BJP leadership may be election rhetoric, yet it would be prudent to devise a policy that will take care of any adverse designs that the BJP government could have for this country in case they are voted to power in the coming general elections. It appears it will again be a hung parliament necessitating a weak coalition government. Some political analysts have also predicted that the political bloc consisting of several regional political parties could play a vital role in the formation of new government after the general elections. The present BJP has sidelined the leaders who were a part of Mr Vajpayees’ BJP government in India and therefore they will not have any significant clout kicking off apprehensions around the world on the designs of a militant government that has several stains on it due to its communal past and how the minorities under its rule will suffer.
All one can do is to keep a close eye on the emerging situation in the neighboring country.
The writer has been associated with various newspapers as editor and columnist
Email:zarnatta@hotmail.com