The sudden shift of the BJP to woo minorities
Any deviation from Hindutva?
When regional parties dream of their national stature like K Chandrasekhar Rao floating Bharatiya Rashtriya Samiti, Akhilesh Yadav Leader of Samajwadi Party touring southern states, Nitish Kumar addresses Iftar party with a Red Fort backdrop, DMK wants to project M K Stalin as Prime Minister, and the national party Congress space is shrinking, only one national party that is the BJP has suddenly gained momentum to shift its core Hindutva to speak loudly about Christian and Muslims minorities.
The changing pattern of BJP’s outlook in Kerala to induct Anil Anthony son of a veteran Congress leader A K Antony and nominating a Muslim Leader a former Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University to the Upper House of Uttar Pradesh Legislature are indicative of whether BJP is wooing minorities for 2024 or going in slow motion on its core Hindutva philosophy? Or is it an intentional strategy when RSS is celebrating its centenary in 2025?
If analyzed three major outpourings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oratory abilities – BJP won the hearts of Christians in North Eastern state elections. Modi compared the change of mind in Christian votes is an outreach message to Kerala Christian brothers and sisters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Pope Paul in the Vatican. As per the sources PM Modi’s suggested to members of the national executive of BJP in Hyderabad in a closed-door meeting about encouraging Pasmanda Muslims in a few states in Cow Belt needless to say-speaks volumes.
Most recently, veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad blamed Rahul Gandhi for his exit, and commented that ‘once you are in Congress, you are spineless’. Continuing his attack, Ghulam Nabi while speaking after the release of his autobiography “Azaad”, the veteran leader made it clear vote base of the Congress is shrinking among minorities.
An endorsement by RSS is learned to be at the center of the Yogi Adityanath-led government’s proposed move to get AMU vice-chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor nominated to the legislative council, highly placed sources in BJP said that if Prof Mansoor would be the fourth Muslim after Mohsin Raza, Bukkal Nawab, and Danish Azad to be routed to the UP’s Upper House by BJP.
An emotional father, A K Antony, called his son Anil’s joining the BJP a wrong decision. “The decision is really painful. Till death, I will be a Congressman. I am 82 years old. My life is in its last lap. I don’t know how I will live. After he (Anil) quit the party posts, I have not discussed or reacted. This is my first and last reaction to this (son’s entry into BJP),” the former Kerala Chief Minister said.
The Samajwadi Party which has a strength of nine MLCs, in Uttar Pradesh- currently has two Muslim legislators — Shanawaz Khan and Jasmir Ansari — in the legislative council. Whereas BJP has more. What does it indicate?
Mansoor has the backing of a senior RSS functionary who has been active in UP since 2017.
Prof Mansoor, a decorated medical professional, had taken the charge of AMU as VC.
After its return to power in Uttar Pradesh, BJP is emphasizing on Muslims. Triple Talaq amongst Muslim women clicked, and PM Modi is a savior to many Muslim women.
Sensing the mood of the nation, the PMO quietly released a 45-second video clip of Modi being cajoled by a Muslim recipient of Padmasree Rashid Ahmad Quadri a Kannadiga, and that video went viral. Renowned Karnataka artist Rashid Ahmed Quadri thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after receiving Padma Shri, the highest civilian award in the country, Quadri said that he had lost hope of getting it during Congress rule, but the honor was restored after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government came to power as he thought the saffron party won’t reward a Muslim, adding that PM Modi proved him wrong.
BJP’s determination is explicit about wooing minorities. The UAE holding its business summit in Kashmir is another hype in diplomatic circles in world capitals. Branding Tulip flower show in Kashmir after 370 abrogation.
Is there a change in the broader policy of the RSS-BJP duo towards minorities? The openness of Mohan Bhagwat RSS chief in Gyanvapi case that “Why look for Shivling in every Mosque”: RSS Chief amid Gyanvapi row ‘Shivling’ controversy in Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque: Hindu and Muslim petitioners are fighting a legal battle over court-ordered filming of the mosque complex to check whether there are idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is also an agent of change for minorities. Owaisi is helping BJP in an indirect manner. Owaisi mocked Rahul Gandhi and asked whether he had killed himself. This was in reference to Rahul Gandhi’s recent statement in which he said Rahul Gandhi is in people’s heads, but he has killed him. “This is the condition of the Congress. A 50-year-old says he has killed cold, he has killed himself. Tu kya hai phir? Jinn hai? If you have killed yourself then who is this person? Had I told something like that, people would have thought I was having fits,” Owaisi heckled. This is also a hint at how Muslims view BJP opponent Rahul Gandhi who day in and day out criticizing RSS. Each breadth Rahul Gandhi comes out that he is not a Veer Savarkar to apologize.
On the contrary, when the national party BJP has taken up minority issues, regional parties like Trinamool, Samajwadi, JDU BRS, and even AAP have begun to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti. Mamata Banerjee visits Hare Krishna Temple, but DMK is steadfast in not greeting Hindus for Diwali which is an irritant for right-wingers in the state of Tamil Nadu. Looking at a broader perspective 2024 is like to veer around appeasement politics by the ruling party. That is BJP.
Note:
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2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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