Abu Hena
The second Sunday of May is a French national holiday. That is the day a peasant girl named Joan of Arc, acting under a divine ‘Voice’, led the French army to a momentous victory against the English forcing them to lift their siege of Orleans in May 1429. Although she was executed by her English captors in May 1431 she revived the courage of the French people and their faith in an united France no longer partitioned among numerous independent princes.
Exactly 575 years after that, on the 3rd Sunday of May an Italian born Roman Catholic heard the ‘Voice’ of her inner soul (antar atma) and after winning an election in the world’s largest democracy declared he r memorable decision in the following words: “The post of Prime Minister is not my aim. I was always certain that if I found myself in the position that I am in today, I would follow my own ‘inner voice’. Today, that ‘Voice’ tells me I must decline that post …Power in itself has never attracted me, nor has position been my goal. My aim has always been to defend the secular foundation of our nation and the poor of our country.
We have moved forward a significant step towards that goal. We have waged a successful war. Yet, that is a long and arduous struggle and I will continue it with full determination. But I appeal to you to understand the force of my conviction. I request you to accept my decision and to recognize that I will not reverse it”.
Depth of secularism
Prince Siddharta, who later became the ‘Buddha’ was born in 563 B.C in the Sakya Kingdom which lies on the border of Nepal and India. Touched by the suffering of humanity the prince who had three luxurious palaces to live left home in the middle of the night when his wife Yasodhara and their dear son Rahul were sleeping. This is known as the great ‘renunciation’. The great Buddhist Emperor Asoka (c.269 -232 B.C) established ‘Dhamma’ as the religion of ‘Ahimsa’ meaning non — violence. ‘Asoka Chakra’ the national symbol of India is named after him. Later on, India’s greatest Emperor Akbar (1556–1605) known as ‘Akbar the Great’ laid the foundation of modern secular India. He married a Hindu Rajput princess and built a Hindu temple inside the palace giving her the freedom to practice her religion freely. Both Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru visualized a secular India.
While declining the post of prime minister of the largest democracy of the world Sonia Gandhi broke the heart of the vast majority of people who wanted to see her in that position. Yet, she remained unmoved not once but twice when the Congress formed the government. Belonging to the old order by birth she has been carried over to the new by her ideas. She, more than any other person, has tried to recreate India that we know for the last decade and which has been speedily vanishing before our eyes.
During this time no one in India found it discordant to recognize that the President of India was a Muslim who gave her nuclear power, the Prime Minister, a Pakistan-born Sikh economist and the Leader of the coalition in government was an Italian born Roman Catholic. It was not possible at that time to predict it before the biggest ever election surprise that took place.
The unfolding situation
While going for an election six months ahead of schedule, there was no issue before the Indian electorate except whether the BJP should emerge as a stronger party, and no one could say that the 680 million voters had any intention except to put the Hindu Nationalists in power with a stronger mandate. But the result dealt the cruelest blow to the Hindu extremists who decided to sacrifice India at the altar of the cult of Hinduism. The soul of India survived. There was in the verdict, a plebiscitary factor deciding firmly that India belongs to all its children — Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and the Jainas.
The 2004 election was conducted as a simple plebiscite in favour of secularism as against religious extremism. The government which Sonia Gandhi organized on 22nd May was a coalition of different kind, not a coalition of groups which looks back to the past, but a coalition that anticipates the future. Had it not been for Sonia Gandhi’s spirit of renunciation, it would have been the first secular government in India’s history headed by an Italian born Roman Catholic. The government which was formed then was more an association of individuals, united only to win the war for a secular India.
Now, unfortunately, the situation in the 2014 Indian election appears totally different. Early polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhatishgarh, Mizoram and Delhi gives the impression that India’s most controversial leader, the self- declared ‘Hindu Nationalist’ stands a clear chance to become India’s next prime minister causing possible damage to the democratic polity and pluralism. Despite his tainted image as a ‘communal’ politician, who is accused of having patronized the killing of minorities in his Gujarat state in 2002, Modi appears to be making steady progress. According to the Congress such assessments were proved wrong in 2004 and 2009. Many analysts feel that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, led by the Congress has slim chances of retaining the power, although it cannot be ruled out totally because of complex coalition culture of the Indian politics.
Both facing graft charges
The ruling coalition has suffered decline in popularity due to corruption-related scandals involving the high-ups. India’s economy is also not performing well in recent times. The BJP has brought allegations of corruption against Mr. Vadra, Rajiv Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka’s husband. The Congress in its turn, has publicized photographs of Narendra Modi with Afroz Patti, the Hawala trader who was arrested by the enforcement agencies in connection with fake bills for Surat diamond consignments worth a thousand crore rupees.
Following an allegation of corruption made by Narendra Modi against West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee the two leaders are now at daggers drawn. The TMC has termed Modi as the ‘Burcher of Gujarat’ and asked him to either prove the allegations or apologize or face charges of misconduct. The BJP and RSS are certainly misreading the people’s response. Even then, there is strong possibility that a pro – Hindutva government may rule India for the next five years. In line with their declared intentions they would certainly want to reduce the country into a Hindu state. This, therefore, is not just a dark time for the Indian people; politics here have grown vicious and corrosive. There is creeping intolerance, mounting cynicism and unbridgeable ethnic divisions.
Modi’s religious card
The BJP feels that its religious card is paying off well. Modi himself has exploited all opportunities of making a public display of his Rambhakti, devotion to gods, and respect for the holy places. Recently he chose Banaras in the Uttar Pradesh state to file his nomination paper for the Loksabha seat. Banaras has miles of river frontage with steps for religious bathing. The city is bounded by a road known as Panchakoshi. Every devout Hindu hopes to walk this road once in lifetime and, if possible, die there in old age.
He has vowed to construct the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the same site of Babri Mosque and follow the same civil code for all Indians which will put followers of other religions at a disadvantage. He has asked the Bangladeshi immigrants in India to pack their bags after 16 May. As the election is coming to a close, the spirit of accommodation and tolerance is fading fast. The UPA led by the Congress pins its last hope on the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Kamataka, Kerala and Orissa and also Tamil Nadu and West Bengal where regional parties sway the voters. There is hope, as the Indian Constitution provides for unity in a secular, for a pluralistic setting.
The writer was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2006.
Source: Weekly Holiday
