Editorial

Desperation On Display

LIKE the chameleon that changes its colours in tune with the environment, so does the BJP change its arguments in tune with its unscrupulous political opportunism. Within the span of a week, they justified the induction of an alleged criminal history-sheeter, D P Yadav and equally justified dropping him from the membership they themselves proudly granted four days earlier! The justification for the induction came on the grounds that the BJP is like the ocean into which the dirty waters of some rivers flow only to be purified! The dropping from membership, however, was not matched by similar unaesthetic poetic imagery. In their eagerness to justify the indefensible, the BJP spokespersons forget simple truths — the waters of the ocean are undrinkable and hence quench no thirst. If the BJP is like the ocean, then the people will necessarily look elsewhere to quench their thirst!

In their desperation to show that they are the most sought after political party in the run up to the elections, the BJP has opened its doors for all and sundry. The methods that they employ to have people join range from threats, intimidation, allurement, appeasement, downright purchasing to promises of protection using the offices of the government. We have often referred to the RSS/BJP as the ‘Ram bhakts’ of the Kaliyuga (in the Kaliyuga, everything is supposed to happen as the opposite of what happened earlier. If ‘Ram bhakts’ like Hanuman would save the life of a dying Lakshmana, the Kaliyuga ‘Ram Bhakts’ kill the healthy living Bharat). However, the only Ram to whom they seem to show allegiance are the ‘aya rams’ and ‘gaya rams’.

First came a string of film stars of yesteryears who are currently unemployed. Camouflaging the freckles through expensive cosmetic surgery, these, instead of adding glamour to the BJP have only given it a face of the desperation of an old person.

Next came those with a criminal track record. This was followed by rootless Muslim leaders, some of whom have changed as many parties in as many years. The grapevine has it that all this is being done in return for a seat in the Rajya Sabha! What can one say about the character of such people who are willing to sell their souls for a Rajya Sabha seat? As we go to the press, the BJP is holding a convention for the religious minorities, not to apologise for the atrocities that they have committed on them, not to express regret or remorse at what happened in Gujarat, but to threaten that they are more dangerous when not in power since they can then unleash communal violence. It is with such veiled threats and intimidation that the BJP is seeking to browbeat the religious minorities into supporting it.

Many have characterised such opportunism as being akin to migratory birds in search of swamps. For, after all, it is only in the swamps that the Lotus flower blooms its best.

Far from the migratory birds analogy, the reality is more akin to those leaving a sinking ship. The National Conference in Jammu & Kashmir, the Lok Janshakti Party of Ramvilas Paswan, the Lok Dal of Ajit Singh, the INLD of Chautala, the DMK, the MDMK and the PMK have all left the NDA. Prominent individuals are leaving some of the parties like the Samata Party that continues to remain within the NDA. The flurry of manufactured media photo opportunities of the BJP president embracing any one that he can lay hands on is the expression of desperation to cover up this reality of the NDA allies leaving one after another.

The chameleon can change its colours. But a leopard can never change its spots. Whatever be the antics of the BJP, the fact remains that it is the political arm of the RSS which is hell-bent on destroying the secular democratic republican character of India in pursuance of its objective of establishing a rabidly intolerant fascistic "Hindu Rashtra". It is this that will have to be defeated for the sake of India, i.e., Bharat in the coming elections.