Hardliners show no change of heart; liberals want a change
While the mainstream BNP welcomes Khaleda Zia’s latest steps to reverse their long-held anti-India stance, hardliners are yet to believe the big neighbour can be friendlier to the party.
As Khaleda during her just-concluded India visit said she would never support insurgents or terrorists and her party did not oppose transit, some top party leaders told the press the anti-India policy was a “mistake”.
However, there is still a stream within the party that believes the country’s experience with India did not inspire the party to trust the neighbour who always tried to bully Bangladesh with its big brotherly attitude.
They say her statements would adversely affect their politics and it might have a negative impact in next general elections.
But this section is not willing to go on record to oppose Khaleda’s latest stance as yet. They say they have to at first talk with the chairperson to hear it from her about her position on India.
Several senior as well as many mid-level leaders in Dhaka gave their mixed reaction over the party chief’s India visit that concluded yesterday, specially her comments with the New Delhi leaderships.
Liberal BNP leaders said the visit along with efforts to come out of anti-Indian politics was a bold step as such politics was obsolete.
Talking to The Daily Star on Wednesday, former foreign minister M Morshed Khan said it would be foolish to bank on anti-India politics just to please the country’s people, as they very well understand the importance of good relations with India.
“Those days of anti-India politics are gone and it would be a mistake if anyone still maintains that stance.”
Bit hardliners say late president Ziaur Rahman founded BNP challenging the Indian hegemony and people who strongly opposed India joined the party. The party’s main strength is the anti-India politics, they added.
They said the people who are new in BNP and believe in shortcuts think the party can go to power by winning Indian trust, and they apparently misguided the party chief to say many things during this tour.
“Those who are the mainstream BNP can’t be pro-India … BNP was born with anti-India sentiment as the majority of people in the country are anti-India,” said a senior leader of BNP, also expressing apprehension that BNP may lose mass support and true foreign friends if its “new policy to please India” continues.
It would not be wise for BNP to keep faith in India or expect anything from it because, ultimately, New Delhi will help Awami League to win a second term.
Another BNP leader said although media reports suggest Khaleda Zia went only to give commitments to India, but he is confident that the party chief would not overnight change her mind and policy towards India.
Many mid-ranking BNP leaders think the visit is part of a conspiracy because her statements in India will weaken BNP and the mainstream supporters and activists of BNP will be unhappy because they belong to BNP for its anti-India stance.
Asked whether the unity of the 18-party alliance, a combine of extreme right-wing political parties, will be affected with this visit, a top BNP leader said, “Our unity with Jamaat or other right wings are not based on principle.”
This is a strategic alliance and the allies play no role in BNP policy making, the party leader said.
On Khaleda’s commitment regarding anti-India militants and insurgency groups, he said BNP never said it instigated the activities of separatists or militants; so her statement in this context is not new.
Source: The Daily Star
