Rift Between RSS And BJP? Slight Hint For The Search For A More Accommodative Person To Lead The NDA
By
Ram Puniyani for New Age Islam
20 June
2024
RSS Has Been The Major Beneficiary During The
Modi Rule. The Number Of Its Branches Has Proliferated To More Than Double. The
Pro RSS Ideology Academics Have Important Places In Colleges And Universities.
The Textbooks Have Been Saffronised.
------
In the
middle of the General elections BJP President, J.P.Nadda stated that BJP is now
more capable and does not need the support of RSS for election work. It is well
known that so far in most elections most of the progeny of RSS and RSS itself
backed up the election work for BJP. After the diminished performance of BJP in
these elections now there is a major statement from RSS Chief (Sarsanghchalak)
Dr. Mohan Bhagwat about the conduct of parties during elections. Though couched
in general language it is directed mainly to Modi and BJP. In addition a top RSS
functionary Indresh Kumar also stated that it is due to arrogance due to which
BJP seat share has declined. RSS quickly disowned this statement and Indresh
Kumar withdrew it and certified that only under Modi’s leadership India can
progress. Many commentators have taken the statement of Dr. Bhagwat as a sign
of rift between RSS and BJP.
What did he
say? In the concluding speech to the RSS training camp, he stated that during
elections dignity and values of our culture have not been maintained. The
opposition has been treated as the enemy while the opposition should be treated
as articulating the alternate viewpoint, and attempts should be made to arrive
at consensus between the ruling and opposition parties. He lamented the
continuing violence in Manipur. He also talked about the rising arrogance.
While
couched in general terms all this is aimed at Modi-BJP. One recalls Modi’s use
of Mangalsutra, Mujra, buffalo, INDIA alliance giving all the reservations to
Muslims among other falsehoods in blunt and uncultured manner. Surely the
decrease in seats of BJP might have only marginally been affected by it. The
major reason for decline of BJP vote share and seats is due to the people’s
problems oriented narrative put forward by INDIA alliance. It rightly raised the
issues of rising prices, rising unemployment, regular paper leaks, and farmer’s
issues and rising poverty. Its language was generally dignified unlike the
crass phrases and blunt articulations done by Modi in particular. While INDIA
presented a fairly united front at many places, for BJP-NDA Modi, who had
declared himself as God, was the central figure around whose name the elections
were fought by NDA.
So why has
this step been undertaken by Bhagwat? If he was serious about these issues why
did he not open his mouth so far? Why was he mute when MahuaMoitra and Rahul
Gandhi were expelled from Parliament or when 146 MPs were suspended? Why was he
quiet when Modi was using crass language during elections? Why has Bhagwat been
mum on Manipur violence. Surely he has no interest in any of these issues
raised in his speech. He knew if he opened his mouth on these issues BJP’s
electoral fortunes would dip, and that is not acceptable to Bhagwat.
So why is
he opening his mouth now? Modi’s methods during election campaigns have lowered
the dignity of his and his party even among sections of the populace who are
not diehard supporters of BJP. Its credibility has been hit and its
parliamentary misdemeanour has further enhanced the dictatorial image of Modi.
So Bhagwat wants to tone down those effects to protect RSS progeny BJP from
damages in the future elections.
As such
Bhagwat knows that Modi has fulfilled the Hindutva agenda in the best possible
way. Article 370 has been abrogated, magnificent Ram Temple has been inaugurated
and UCC is now implemented in one state while the central initiative on this is
in the pipeline. It must have been a matter of joy for RSS that issues of
Cow-beef and love jihad have come on the centre stage further intimidating the
Muslim community. The ghettoisation of Muslim community is on the rise as
exemplified by the case in Gujarat where a Muslim state employee allotted a
quarter is opposed by the other residents on the pretext that this one Muslim
family will be a threat to the housing complex as such.
How Muslims
are made invisible all round is also seen by the fact that in schools the likes
of Tripta Tyagi can ask all the class students to slap their Muslim classmate
one by one. The stories of Muslims families not getting housing in the localities
are infinite and shameful. With Modi in the lead the present Central Ministry
does not have a single Muslim minister. BJP did not field a single candidate in
the elections.
RSS has
been the major beneficiary during the Modi rule. The number of its branches has
proliferated to more than double. The pro RSS ideology academics have important
places in colleges and Universities. The textbooks have been saffronised. For
example now Babri mosque is not addressed as a mosque but a three dome
structure. In the name of the Indian Knowledge System the faith based knowledge
is being promoted and things like Darwin’s theory or Periodic Table are out
from the text books.
So, why is
there this storm in the teacup? As the BJP is far short from the majority, the
allies like Nitish and Naidu have to be taken along. Modi right from Gujarat
Chief Minister days has worked in full majority with total and unquestioned say
in the Government. In 2014 and 2019, the NDA was for namesake. Even the BJP was
there for formalities sake. All decisions were taken by Modi himself, be it the
Corona lockdown or demonetization, or promotion of Adani-Ambani, he had the
first and last word. So can he take along Niteesh and Naidu? Nitish has already
got the caste census in his state while Naidu has four percent reservation of
backward Muslims.
It is true
that these allies operate more at pragmatic level rather than at the level of
principles, still in future some differences are likely to crop up. So it is a
gentle way of telling Modi to mend his dictatorial ways. It is also a slight
hint for the search for a more accommodative person to lead the NDA.
As such RSS
must be all smiles as its agenda has gone several notches up, slight ego
clashes as seen in the behaviour of Modi don’t matter in the long run to the
fountainhead of Hindu nationalist ideology.
-----
Ram Puniyani is president of the Centre for Study
of Society and Secularism.
URL:
New
Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic
Website, African
Muslim News, Arab
World News, South
Asia News, Indian
Muslim News, World
Muslim News, Women
in Islam, Islamic
Feminism, Arab
Women, Women
In Arab, Islamophobia
in America, Muslim
Women in West, Islam
Women and Feminism