Why BJP is scared of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo’.

Indeed Pappu Rahul Gandhi appears, albeit for the first time, to have taken the wind out of the sail of BJP. Significantly, with the passage of everyday, Rahul Gandhi, unlike any other politicians in opposition, has picked up the gauntlet to extend a direct challenge to BJP over nationalism which, the former, not too in the distant past, claimed its exclusive patrimony; its overwhelming claim over peddling nationalism and, whoever would dare to raise any issue purely based on nationalism, BJP spokespersons would shut them down; would rain vollies of sarcasm pointedly at the person daring to broach the same, making him feel a rank outsider in this circus jamboorie of nationalism. Small wonder then, much like what its own leader Dr Swapan Dasgupta, the pioneer writer on Hindu nationalism, had sarcastically taken the potshot in the past, targetting Jawaharlal, ‘The tag of being repository of all wisdom should not be attributed to an individual’, invariably and inevitably, albeit in equal degree of poignancy does recoil upon BJP today: the party should not attribute to itself the label of being the repository of all nationalistic thoughts and feelings whereas others, especially the opposition, are being reduced to be the flag bearers of the pride of Pakistan. No wonder, the latest ‘Bharat Jodo’ Pad Yatra, with the passage of every single day, when more and more people, especially from the intelligentsia class, have been expressing their solidarity with Rahul Gandhi in open public view, Rahul Gandhi, notwithstanding the translation of his latest move into electoral dividend, has succeeded in exploring the myth which BJP has sought to institutionalise: its monopoly over the nationalism.

But then, the moot question arises: why Rahul Gandhi who was never attached any seriousness in the BJP camps, for his omissions; always ending up as the butt of jokes, suddenly transformed his image into that of a crusader who would dare to bite the bullet to take the fight straight to the BJP camp, with his Bharat Joro movement gaining traction with the nation? Interestingly, the mainstream media, which sought to collectively ignore him as ‘another stunt of Pappu’, which even though began with bang, would end up in a whimper, suddenly began giving weightage to his crusade for his awakening the national consciousness towards the stark communal divide which India has come to represent today. Moreover, the polarised polity, despite BJP disowning this fact, is starkly reflected in Mohan Bhagwat, the Sarsanghchalak of RSS, seeking a meeting with the Muslim intellectuals in the past, for reuniting the ruptured polity, is the vindication of the degree of trepidation and worry in the Hindutava brigade which too, with the extent of polarisation reaching crescendo, has come to seriously believe that ‘ all is not well in Modi raj’. Little wonder then, BJP’s rabid advocacy of Hindutava, which was the trigger for the riots in Delhi in 2020 contributing to such inflammatory statements as ‘ Desh ke gaddaron ko goli maro shalon ko’, had invariably worsened the communal harmony across the nation.

Significantly, with BJP thriving on greater polarisation of Hindus for its electoral edification, the continuation of Anurag Thakur as the minister in Union government, despite his outrageous observation of ‘ Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maro shalon ko’, is the living testimony of BJP going all out to appease the majoritarian sentiments by posing itself as the only saviour of Hindu race, which has been under the severe invasions from Islamic groups–both within and without. No wonder, this invocation of rabid Hindu sentiment, adequately found its corresponding match in the Islamic fanaticism, injecting the greater fragility in the republic. Thus the nation’s communal harmony fell casualty to this menacing communal divide which, if not stopped forthwith, would be the trigger for the communal cauldron seeking to engulf the nation in its ghoulish tentacles. Moreover, with the nation divided along the communal lines, for the sake of vote bank politics, the unemployment had risen to the unconscionable height, with the food prices soaring, adversely impacting the Aam Admi to lead their lives. Apparently, with the prime minister Modi’s popularity rising across the world, the voice of the common men towards their basic necessities of life, stood drained by this feast of frenzy orchestrated around this meteoric rise of Narendra Modi as the global statesman. Significantly, the common men and women of this country, felt disempowered by the political class muffling their cries of agonies brought about by economic scenario, yet the government had little time for hearing their tale of owes.

Moreover, the government managers, on the one hand, sought to project Modi as the saviour of Hindus in particular and the nation in general, through such slogans like ‘ Modi hai to mumkin hai’, ‘ Har har Modi, Ghar ghar modi’, it sought to browbeat the opposition through setting the investigative agencies upon them. The burning example of the same is, Mamata Banerjee. How the aggressive Mamata is sought to be bridled today, with investigative agencies snarling at her throat, resulting in the softening of her stand vis- a- vis Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Also, in view of Partha Chatterjee’s indictment in massive scam, the latter was a close confidente of Mamata, and financial stridency brought about by the Centre turning a blind eye towards the governments not being under the ‘ double engine’ sarkar, even the aggressive Mamata had to eat the humble pie: her recent capitulation before the Modi government is ostensible to one and all. If Mamata has been browbeaten into silence, the other opposition leaders too are facing the heat of investigative agencies. Mayawati, Sharad Pawar, Sanjay Rout, Laloo Yadav —all are under the radar of one or the other investigative agencies–CBI, ED, Income Tax and others. In fact, a fear psychosis is sought to be created among the opposition leaders to be expediently turned into political irrelevance. The democracy is sought to be turned into a totalitarian regime where Narendra Modi, in the phrases of Dr Swapan Dasgupta, even though it was attributed to Nehru, ‘ has come to represent the ‘ repository of all wisdom’ in contemporary India.

Small wonder then, the current ‘ Bharat Joro’ mission of Rahul Gandhi has its reverberations across India. The people of India have begun realising the fact that the degree of communal disharmony which contemporary India represents, can never be good for the nation. Significantly, the people of India, have increasingly begun to realise the political stunt of BJP to divide the nation on communal lines for its vote bank politics. Notwithstanding Modi government’s multiple plans for national development, which is apparent across the nation, people believe that the degree of communal polarisation will prove disastrous for the nation in the long run. Moreover, the stupendous rise of Modi phenomenon across the globe, whereas it is a matter of celebration, yet the thriving democracy needs the viable opposition which appears to be in tatters; the slide of nation’s democracy towards the totalitarian state is becoming obvious to them. The credible erosion of institutional credibility culminating in government seeking control over the affairs of supreme court, as the latest letter of Kiren Rijiju to D.Y. Chandrachud suggests, is the vindication of government subjugating even judiciary, the most credible watchdog of democracy, Unequivocally has strengthened the belief of people that Rahul Gandhi’s initiative of uniting the fragile nation, deserves the much desired thums up. Also, Rahul Gandhi’s stubborn determination to awaken the national consciousness towards a fragile India, collapsing under the very weight of its inherent contradiction, is increasingly resonating with the people of India. This is why, with the passage of everyday, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Joro mission is increasingly resonating with the people. Rahul in his new avatar as the one who is seriously concerned about the fate of the nation, finds many takers, as the crowd and the quality of people joining him, itself causes dread in the hearts of BJP leaders.