People's Democracy

EDITORIAL

 NDA Manifesto: Yet Another Mukhota Slips

IT is now official.  What we have been stating for quite some time has now been confirmed by the convenor of the National Democratic Alliance himself.  George Fernandes has publicly stated that the NDA manifesto this time will contain the demand for the construction of the Ram  temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. This proves the fact that the NDA, far from keeping aside contentious communal issues, is an outfit that serves as a mask for the BJP.  The BJP, in turn, is the mask for the RSS.  The RSS makes no bones about seeking to convert the secular democratic Republican character of India into a fascistic communal "Hindu Rashtra".  It is abundantly clear that once re-elected to office, the NDA government will set about implementing this pernicious agenda in a manner that would be more brazen than it was during the last five years. 

Notwithstanding the lukewarm response bordering on the total ignoring of the `rath yatra' by the people in Ayodhya, Advani publicly reiterated that the "BJP was committed to constructing a Ram temple at the Ram janam bhoomi".  This spot, according to Advani, is precisely  the spot where the Babri Masjid once stood before  being demolished under his leadership.  The message is, thus, clear.

Interestingly, in this context, Advani admitted  for the first time what has always been known to the people.  His Ayodhya movement, he says, particularly the 1990 `rath yatra' was the "effective antidote  to the attempts being made to fragment the Hindu society along caste lines".  This is an obvious reference to the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations by the then V P Singh government.  Clearly, Advani has  confirmed that the RSS/BJP  seek the consolidation of the Hindu society under the leadership of the high castes and any small benefit to the backward sections is simply not acceptable to them. 

By now, the Indian electorate has understood, beyond any doubt, that the issues of development, governance etc on which this government has been found wanting are being raised by the BJP and the NDA only to mask its real agenda.  This agenda is contained in the so-called `Vision Document' that the BJP released last week.  All contentious issues aimed at sharpening communal polarisation have been reiterated in this document – uniform civil code, banning of cow slaughter, Article 370 etc.  In addition, the BJP has promised to amend the Indian Constitution to prohibit "people of foreign origin from holding high offices".

The last of these issues is a surest sign that the BJP's nauseating  propaganda campaign at state expense concerning "India Shining" and highlighting the "feel good factor" far from cutting any ice  is actually boomeranging on them.  Extraneous issues are being highlighted in order to divert the people's attention from the basic issues of livelihood. 

Even this effort is bound to fail.  The Indian electorate, particularly the youth who constitute a large majority, are questioning this government's promises made five years ago.  They had promised to eradicate bhook, bhay and bhrashtachar and generate one crore of jobs every year.  On all these counts, the performance of the Vajpayee government has been a dismal failure as systematically pointed out in these columns.  These are the issues on which the people will vote in the coming elections.

Precisely to preempt the disastrous political fallout of such a reaction amongst the people, the BJP has embarked on its trodden  path  of whipping communal polarisation to consolidate its communal Hindu vote bank.  This time around, the people, however, have seen through such attempts.  The Indian people, committed as they are, to  safeguarding and strengthening the secular democratic character of the Indian Republic are bound to defeat the NDA at the hustings.