Ghostly past Vs. ghastly present

The political atmosphere has been rife with discussions that Yogi has fallen out of favour with Mo-Sha duo in the aftermath of the recent Lok Sabha poll results which saw massive setbacks for the BJP. The talk of replacement of Yogi has been strengthened with the Delhi visit of UP Deputy CM Dr Keshav Prasad Mourya

Difference in opinions is not a problem, negativity is. The country does not need negativity, it needs a progressive ideology. I hope we will use this temple for democracy in a constructive manner to realise the dreams of people - Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Modi is so right. The nation doesn’t need any more negativity as we have enough of it. While he advises the opposition not to spread negativity, his party and party-run governments have been doing exactly the opposite – hate mongering. In our previous columns we have discussed dime a dozen cases of hate mongering that ultimately led to Modi’s Machli-mutton-Mangal sutra-masjid-mujra jibes. The latest in the series is the enforcement in an Uttar Pradesh government order to display names of owners of eateries and handcarts in the route of Kanwar Yatras in which devotees of Lord Shiva – referred to as Kanwaris - carry holy water from holy rivers such as Ganga to their native places for performing Abhishek ceremonies on Shiv Lings during the Shravan month.

The name-display order obviously stirred up a huge controversy with the entire opposition slamming it as a diktat aimed at Muslims. The first few pictures that came from places such as Muzaffarnagar showed the handwritten signs, bearing apparently Muslim names which were stuck on fruit carts by policemen. This is discriminatory and anti-Constitution move, said the Congress and Samajwadi parties which rightly called for rescinding the order. The Supreme Court has since stayed the order and ruled that no shopkeeper should be forced to display his name. The eateries should, however, declare the type of food that they serve, the apex court said.

While the ripple effects of this UP order were felt in other BJP-ruled States such as Uttarakhand and Rajasthan where similar orders were issued, the name-display order has once again whipped up the Hindu-Muslim rhetoric which was never experienced in any of the Kanwar Yatras so far. Yours truly has himself observed in Odisha that the Kanwarias get hosted at various villages and highway points by the respective local devotees and organisations. They hardly visit any shop or eatery. So, why did the Yogi Adityanath government play this extra innings? Was it the CM’s strategy to deflect attention from the talk of threats to his seat?

The political atmosphere has been rife with discussions that Yogi has fallen out of favour with Mo-Sha duo in the aftermath of the recent Lok Sabha poll results which saw massive setbacks for the BJP. The talk of replacement of Yogi has been strengthened with the Delhi visit of UP Deputy CM Dr Keshav Prasad Mourya.

But now that the name-display controversy is put to rest and the Parliament budget session on Yogi replacement talk takes a backseat.

Getting back to the PM’s statement, he reminded the Parliamentarians that the people of the country have given them their mandate to serve the country and not the agendas of political parties.

“This House is not meant for political parties; this House is meant for the country. It is not meant to serve the Parliamentarians but 140 crore citizens of India”, he emphasized on the first day of the current Budget session. “Views that oppose are not bad, instead it is negative views that hamper development”, he said and expressed the confidence that this temple of democracy will be used to realise the dreams and aspirations of the common citizen. How nice to hear such words from the Modi who himself was at the helm of degenerating political discourse!

Modi also accused the opposition of trying to block him out from speaking, conveniently forgetting that the BJP when in opposition did not allow the Houses to function and the then PM Manmohan Singh to speak. But, as Modi said – rightly so - it is time we forgot the past bitterness and start a new chapter in federal friendship. Instead of walking-the-talk, Modi is out to dig out past bitterness and open healed wounds.

It was not expected of the government to come out with Gazette order to declare June 25, the day Indira Gandhi government imposed the Emergency as the Samvidhan Hatya Divas – Murder of the Constitution Day. It might be okay as a political cliche for the BJP to talk of Samvidhan Hatya or whatever. But certainly not the government to bring out a GO with that line. Let us not forget the fact that the Constitution is still strong and very much functional. How on earth the Modi-led NDA government assumed power if the Constitution was murdered as the GO says? Moreover, Modi revered the well decorated Constitution as holier than the holy book. It is, therefore, absolutely wrong to say the Constitution was murdered.

The Constitution of India is the most important document for all 140-crore people, and not just politicians. Everyone swears by it as it governs the democratic system of government. During the infamous Emergency, the basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution were suspended. In the absence of the jailed opposition MPs, Indira Gandhi government had a free run making innumerable amendments one of which gave the PM immunity from getting challenged in Supreme Court.

The imposition of the Emergency on June 25, 1975 is undoubtedly the darkest chapter in the history of democratic India. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had herself apologised for the act and suspending the constitutional rights of the people and excesses committed during the Emergency. Even her grandson Rahul Gandhi said it was a mistake. Moreover, and most importantly, Indira Gandhi was punished by the people for imposing the emergency and defeated her government lock, stock and barrel.

So, the question is whether it is necessary to dig up the old wounds as if you have nothing else to do? The Partition Horrors Remembrance Day is another such move. Both Hindus and Muslims got killed in the holocaust of 1947 amid unbelievable hatred for each other. If there is anything to learn from such history that is to learn to live in peace. No nation can progress in an atmosphere of violence and hatred.

Come to think of it, even the NDA government can be accused of many unconstitutional and anti-democratic policies and actions. The passing of key acts such as the new criminal laws without even referring it to the Law Commission; the persecution of opposition using the caged parrots; the electoral bonds; the washing machine politics and attempts to subvert the democratic election process as in the case of Chandigarh mayoral poll are just a few examples and the debate could go on forever.

There are innumerable problems around us which we keep listing in these columns – the Manipur crisis, poverty, mounting joblessness, price rise, housing, drinking water, drought and climate change related challenges. As Modi himself likes to say, start a new chapter of cooperation with the opposition. To expect the opposition to cooperate, Modi must take the first step of starting a dialogue with the opposition on all issues, and to begin with the agenda for Parliament sessions.

When Modi government says it is willing to discuss any issue in the House to find an amicable solution, the treasury benches should not block the opposition from talking. Isn’t it high time the top leadership behaved like a statesman rather than a street-smart guy? Think!

(The columnist is a Mumbai-based author and independent media veteran, running websites and a YouTube channel known for his thought-provoking messaging.)