Not surprisingly, India's minorities are being wooed by the political parties ahead of the parliamentary elections, beginning April 07. The voting in the vast country involving more than 810 million voters will be completed in phases on May 14 and the results would start pouring in from May 16. The outcome would set at rest as to who would form the government and also who would be the next prime minister of the world's largest democracy.
Forerunner in the race of prime ministership, Narendra Modi of main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is particularly seeking to woo the minority voters. This is because his credentials are tainted by the 2002 Gujarat riots when he was the chief minister of the state. Other political parties too are not lagging behind since the Muslims, the Sikhs and the Christians or other small minority groups account for more than 15 per cent of the 1,200 million population. Focus is evidently on the Muslims who account for nearly 12 per cent of the Indians.
Modi kicked off his campaign targeting the Nehru-Gandhi political family, particularly the scion of that traditional family Rahul Gandhi. The popular but divisive leader describes Rahul Gandhi, who is widely believed to be next prime ministerial candidate from the ruling Congress-led UPA alliance, as 'Shahzada'(Prince). He says members of a particular family are becoming head of government of India one after another while countless people hardly can reach that position despite their long sacrifice and political wisdom. Obviously, Modi referred to the Nehru-Gandhi traditional political family that has given India several heads of government.
The 63-year-old Gujarat chief minister has been criss-crossing the vast country ahead of the polls to garner support. He told a public meeting in Jammu in the Kashmir region that the Muslims and the Hindus must remain united to take India to the height of glory and progress. It may be mentioned that the Jammu and Kashmir is the only Muslim-majority state in India.
But Modi, seen a radical Hindu nationalist, is also seeking to keep his Hindu vote bank intact. This was clear from his address in the temple-town Varanasi where he spoke of establishing 'Ram Rajya' if voted to power. He said such a 'Rajya'(empire) would be free from injustices and wrong-doings which would serve the interests of the common people. His supporters likened him to Hindu lord 'Shiva' as they chanted slogans 'har har Mahadev (Shiva) - har har Modi.'
Modi told another rally in the northern Bihar state that he knew Rahul and the Congress were 'upset' by his description of Rahul as 'Shahzada' and added that it is in 'reality'. Why must members from a particular family become prime minister in a country of more than 1,200 million people? Modi asked. He said he would stop calling Rahul 'Shahzada' if the Congress and ruling circles bring about an end to the dynastic rule.
Modi, the polarising figure in Indian politics, especially among the minorities, sought to allay fears about his attitude to the Muslims while addressing a meeting in New Delhi when the BJP leader poured scorn on 'secularism'. He said he believed all religious people should practice and propagate their own faiths in a greater way. "We all must be serious about their respective religions", said Modi.
Is Narendra Modi inching towards adorning the most powerful office in his country? This is the most-talked-about subject in India and beyond at the present moment. The matter has assumed particular significance in the view of the fact that the national elections are nearing fast. As the BJP named Modi as its prime-ministerial nominee, the ruling Congress said it is not its practice to name a prime-ministerial hopeful before polls.
Modi is a much-talked-about politician in India for his extraordinary records in both directions - positive and negative. The Chief Minister of the industrially advanced western Gujarat state is credited by his party BJP for his ability of being at the helm of the state for three consecutive terms. This is a unique feat and is also matchless in the BJP and as such, it is no wonder that he is rated very high by his organisation. But he is not above controversy in his own party as several party stalwarts were not in favour of his candidature for the top post, but they later reconciled. Modi cuts in both ways as he is like a double-edged sword. On one hand, he is now the most successful chief minister of the country, who brings back his BJP party to power in succession despite the organisation not being much comfortable politically. On the other, he is staunchly criticised - even hated by the secular and progressive forces, which consider him as a rabidly communal person. He refuses to be seen as communal, but makes no bones of the fact that he is a proud nationalist Hindu.
The odds may be against him. But it is also true that Narendra Modi appears to be the only person, who could guide the party again to the zenith of power. He is efficient and honest and steered Gujarat for successive three terms to the path of development. Of late, Modi is also keen in shedding his communal image when he says that he is for all religions. But it is also true that he wants to thrive on the Hindu nationalism which had in fact once helped the BJP come to the centre stage of Indian politics. Nonetheless, the party later developed differences between the liberals and the hardcore ones on the religious issue with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K.Advani, also an ex-deputy prime minister, siding with the liberals. The moderates feel Modi can be good for a state, but not for multi-racial and multi-religious vast India, which needs leaders with impeccable image. But the hardliners insist that he is the right person to confront the ruling Congress and other political opponents in the next balloting. In any case, Modi is now the opposition nominee for the prime ministerial job and he confronts Rahul or any other aspirant from the ruling circles. The 81-year-old prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will not continue even if his Congress party and allies win the next polls.
But the chance of retaining power seems quite tough for the ruling Congress-led UPA alliance. None from the Nehru-Gandhi family adorned the top position of head of the government for a pretty long time although the ruling alliance and also the government are largely governed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul. After two terms, the ruling UPA alliance is now facing a tough challenge from the opposition, especially from Narendra Modi.
Muslims were traditionally a 'vote bank' for the secular Congress for many years, but the trend changed later. It still has good command over the Muslims although not solidly. The leftists, other secular and regional parties which believe in secularism, are also close to the minorities. In Paschimbanga, once the minorities were with the Congress, then with the leftists and now mostly with the Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee.
This time BJP may also gain access to the minority votes - albeit in a small way. Modi and the BJP are courting the Muslims and even met the Islamic scholars from famous Deobandh of north India. Minorities hold the sway at least in 70 to 80 of the 543 parliamentary constituencies.
zaglulbss@yahoo.com
Indian election: Political parties woo minorities
Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury | Published: April 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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