IPA Newspack
  • Home
  • now
  • politics
  • business
  • markets

IPA /

IPA Special

IPA Special

For Congress, Defending Rahul’s View On Hindutva Is A Big Challenge

By Sushil Kutty

Comparing whether Rahul Gandhi got his Hindu and Hindutva right or did Yoga guru Baba Ramdev laugh too soon at Rahul’s distinction is an exercise in futility. Neither can claim expertise in semantics, let alone in Hindu and in Hindutva. But leave aside all that and it will dawn on most everybody that there is a churning taking place.

The Hinduisation—whether of the ‘Hindu’ or that of the ‘Hindutva’ variety — picked up momentum, especially in the Hindu-Hindutva paradigm, only in recent years, in the last eight years, to be precise. But now, there is little illusion that almost all political parties are bending to the Hindu tuner in their electoral and promotional campaigns.

Ironically, it is the Congress which is in the lead in giving new meaning to the ‘Hindu.’ The otherwise “party of Muslims” is under no illusions—the grand old party has understood that survival in the maelstrom requires some deft alterations and strategic directional change.

The Congress has caught up to the BJP, or is at least on its way to bridging the gap. That it has chosen Hindu to Hindutva is not because ‘Hindu’ has a solid ring to it, but because Hindutva is already taken and because lynching has been linked to Hindutva. On any day, being accused of cow lynching is worse than being called out for Muslim appeasement.

And now even that is not there. The so-called Muslim appeasement is not even there in Congress-ruled states like Punjab, Chhattisgarh—and Rajasthan. If anything, there is Hindu-appeasement!

The Congress would not want to be linked to any form of Hindu appeasement, not yet, but it is happening and soon it would be too late to turn back. The Hindu appeasement that is taking place these days is the sort practiced by the ‘Hindu-BJP’. Come to think of it, there is no hankering for Muslim votes in the BJP camp.

Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma said it at a conclave of a private television channel. He never believed that Muslims would vote for him and/or his party BJP. “When I know Muslims will not vote for the BJP, then why should I appease the Muslim vote-bank?” The rightwing hailed Biswa for his forthrightness.

They hadn’t come across somebody like Biswa Sarma, who has no time for political niceties or correctness. He and two others like him—Yogi Adityanath and Tripura’s Biplab—with the addition of another in the form of Karnataka’s Bommai, are said to be the “future of the BJP”, whatever that means. The MO of these three (four?) is, for want of a better term, “Hindutva appeasement.”

Like it or hate it, but mark it, “Hindu/Hindutva appeasement” will be coming soon if it is not already here. Political parties will go down on their knees to pay homage and obeisance to “Hindutva/Hindu”. The Hindu is now voting from his belief, increasingly aware that his vote will make the difference, decide victory and defeat.

And Hindu consolidation is a happening thing. Every political party has been caught in the Hindu appeasement vortex. The BJP has been at it for decades. First with talk of ‘kamandal’ followed by the demolition of the Babri Masjid, and then by pitting the case for the Ram Mandir in the people’s court.

Now that Ayodhya has been accomplished, there can only be more of Hindutva and Hindu rejuvenation. More Kashis will happen. Mathura will follow, and so on and so forth, till all of Uttar Pradesh has been dug up. Other political parties will follow in the BJP and Congress’s wake.

Soon, a time will come, not too far in the future, when political parties will have not only gold-diggers in their ranks, but also “Hindu temple-diggers” to dig up the remains of the ruins of temple towns of ancient and Medieval eras. A find here or there of a broken bust of a Hindu god or two will be worth their weight in votes.

It is not for nothing that the Congress is the party which got a subcontinent independence. No other political party could have fashioned a victory such as that. And now, when they say the Congress is fading and declining, the Congress is the political party that is pushing the envelope with “Hindu Vs. Hindutva.” Before the sun sets on 2024, there will be Hindu/Hindutva appeasement in some or the other form. More unbelievable temples will rise from the scorched earth. (IPA Service)

Happening Now

India slams OIC criticism of Yasin Malik conviction

May 28, 2022
Politics

Regional parties report Rs 250cr electoral bond donations

May 28, 2022
Happening Now

Pak PM says fuel price hike averted bankruptcy

May 28, 2022
Business

No wheat-like export restriction for rice immediately

May 28, 2022
IPA Special

Places Of Religious Worship (Special Provisions) Act Is Still Legally Binding

May 27, 2022
IPA Special

Remembering Jawaharlal Nehru On His 58th Death Anniversary

May 27, 2022
IPA Special

Labour Market Recovery Is Again Under Threat

May 27, 2022
IPA Special

Is Arunachal And Ladakh The Dog’s Life For IAS & IPS?

May 27, 2022
IPA Special

Geetanjali Shree’s ‘Tomb Of Sand’ Wins International Booker Prize

May 27, 2022
IPA Special

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Calls All-Party Meeting On Caste Census

May 27, 2022
IPA Special

Wage Earners And Bottom 20 Per Cent Are The Hardest Hit By High Inflation

May 27, 2022
IPA Special

Centre’s Sudden Wheat Export Ban Has Hit The Income Of Common Farmers

May 27, 2022
IPA Special

Ray Liotta Of Goodfellas Fame Was An Actor Of Great Talent

May 27, 2022
Politics

BJP wants AAP stopped from becoming main opposition party

May 27, 2022
Happening Now

Imran praises India for fuel price cut, slams Pakistan

May 27, 2022
Happening Now

Putin offers to help solve food crisis if sanctions lifted

May 27, 2022
Politics

Mann govt trains guns on ‘corrupt’ ex-ministers

May 27, 2022
Politics

Expelled Mayawati favourite lands up in Cong

May 27, 2022
Politics

Telangana CM holds talks with Deve Gowda in Bengaluru

May 26, 2022
IPA Special

Indian Membership Of Quad Is Against Both Political And Economic Interests

May 26, 2022

An appeal

The legacy of IPA, founded by Nikhil Chakravartty, the doyen of journalism in India, to keep the flag of independent media flying high, is facing the threat of extinction due to the effect of the Covid pandemic. Only an emergency funding can avert such an eventuality. We appeal to all those who believe in the freedom of expression to contribute to this noble cause.
Click here to learn more

Share

Reply

  • 0
More on IPA

Places Of Religious Worship (Special Provisions) Act Is Still Legally Binding

May 27, 2022 5:28 pm | IPA Staff

By Prakash Karat During the Ramjanmabhoomi agitation, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindutva outfits had raised the slogan “Ayodhya sirf ek jhanki hai, Mathura...

IPA Special

Remembering Jawaharlal Nehru On His 58th Death Anniversary

May 27, 2022 5:26 pm | IPA Staff

By Nitya Chakraborty On May 27, 1964 at 1.44 PM, India’s first Prime Minister and one of the best chroniclers of this great nation’s history...

IPA Special

Labour Market Recovery Is Again Under Threat

May 27, 2022 5:23 pm | IPA Staff

By Dr. Gyan Pathak After significant gains during the last quarter of 2021, the number of hours worked globally dropped in the first quarter of...

IPA Special

Is Arunachal And Ladakh The Dog’s Life For IAS & IPS?

May 27, 2022 5:21 pm | IPA Staff

By Sushil Kutty After the newspaper report with the picture showing the IAS couple watching the dog take a walk in the stadium, the Ministry...

IPA Special

Places Of Religious Worship (Special Provisions) Act Is Still Legally Binding

in IPA Special
May 27, 2022   ·  

Remembering Jawaharlal Nehru On His 58th Death Anniversary

in IPA Special
May 27, 2022   ·  

Labour Market Recovery Is Again Under Threat

in IPA Special
May 27, 2022   ·  

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Follow us on
Up Next: Boris Johnson faces another crucial leadership test
©2020 -2021 India Press Agency, All Rights Reserved
Newspack by India Press Agency
Posting....
logo
  • Home
  • now
  • politics
  • business
  • markets