LSP in supporting Modi has gone to an extent, which for the first
time in the political history that a party in its own ads has been campaigning
for another party’s leader. A poster which reads “Nation needs Modi, Hyderabad
needs JP”. One has to remember that there is no alliance between these parties.
Is it right for Loksatta, a Party
with a difference to support Modi? Let us have a close look.
The purpose of politics is to
bring in peace. Development and wellbeing of the people are the byproducts or
consequent of peace. And for any political party it should be on its priority
to do so. Unfortunately BJP has a bad track record of it. To substantiate,
its core agenda itself is based on divisive nature, right from its inception in
the form Bharatiya Jan Sangh.
Now its PM candidate Narendra
Modi himself having the history of allegedly allowing or accentuating the
Gujarat riots, 2002, where in around 1000 people died and thousands others
injured and displaced. For this, Modi cannot shed his accountability and
responsibility having his own cabinet ministers been convicted for the riots.
There is an argument that it has
been 10 years and from then there is no single incidence of violence. We shall
not mistake the duty and responsibility for virtue and achievement. That
cannot, any way write off the past misdeeds.
If 2002 riots was age old
incident, then out of Gujarat, under BJP what about the periodical incidents be
it Kandhamal riots of 2008 (where in 38 people were killed and the violence
damaged around 1400 homes and 80 worship places) and Muzaffarnagar riots
which resulted in around 60 deaths and let 50 thousand people displaced.
In both cases BJP MLAs were
instrumental in brewing the violence. In the latter case, two of the party
members charge sheeted were facilitated on the dais shared by Modi himself and
as a token of appreciation are now accorded with MP tickets.
Identity politics, in NDA
coalition doesn’t end there. Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navanirman Sena, Akali Dal,
PMK(Paattali Makkal Katchi) and its sister organizations Vishwa Hindu Parishad,
Bajrang Dal and RSS have been with the purpose and track record of divisive,
hate and identity politics.
If all this is about BJP, the
party which is supporting it, has from an NGO took shape of a political party
to bring in clean politics through systematic change, thus providing an
alternative platform to the traditional, identical and corrupt parties. And in its
journey with all due credit, irrespective of its minimal electoral success, it
has travelled in the self-regulated established path. This though with the
baggage of disappointment, has garnered huge credibility, which was an
investment to be proved successful in the long run. Unfortunately the
leadership has chosen to forego the long term holistic benefits for the short
term limited electoral success.
The 4 yardsticks stipulated by
the party for any alliance:
1.
No dynastic succession and rise of genuine leadership
2.
A conscious attempt to reduce the role of vote buying and money
power in politics
3.
An agenda focused on economic growth, jobs and opportunities, not
short-term freebies and
4.
An effort to unite people, not divide them on caste, religion and
region for electoral gains.
From the above, if 1 & 3 are
debatable, 2 & 4 perfectly fit as to not to support BJP.
Justification given for the support
is to provide stability, corruption free governance and create employment.
First, as rightly mentioned by Dr.Ambedkar “Rights and Liberty of the people
are more important than the stability of the government”. BJP has proven
weak track record of providing both to all sections cutting across religion and
cast line basis. And if stability is what to be sought then Congress has
impeccable record of providing stable governments in the last 66 years. But it
is not to be forgotten that Congress has been successful in tagging corruption
with stability at national and state (Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and
Maharashtra) levels.
Second, BJP has lost all moral
authority to talk on corruption free governance by continuing Babubhai
Bokharia(multi crore illegal limestone mining), Purshottam Solanki (Rs,400
crore fishing scam) in his cabinet all these days on one side and bringing
Yeddyurappa, Sri Ramulu (key aid of Gali Janardhan Reddy) back in to the
party on the other. So we can call BJP lesser corrupt but not corrupt free.
Third, in the name of Development and creating jobs Modi has encouraged Crony capitalism,
losing out natural resources to big corporate houses.
Loksatta Party by
supporting BJP has entered into a realm of the parties like Congress, Janta Dal,
Rashtriya Janta Dal and so on Started to serve the people, develop the nation but
gradually diverted their course, eventually landing up in the business-politics
model. If not as bad as these parties, LSP will take a shape of Left Parties, with
a notion of “Perfection of ends and confusion of means”.
To
conclude, Ideology, like the one of LSP, in case of conflict stays with the
right and not convenience. Here the indicating ‘right’ is to fight against
these traditional parties but not along with them. By doing so a fight would
only be against us. Loksatta Party by supporting BJP has stretched too far for
its own good.
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