After the results of the Lok Sabha elections, it seemed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would change. He would start treating the opposition as opposition and political rival. It also seemed that his party would now respect the opposition parties because the people of the country have chosen them as a strong opposition. After the formation of the coalition government, the way Prime Minister Modi adapted himself to the situation and started saying NDA government every time instead of Modi government, it also seemed that the Prime Minister would now be more inclusive than before.
But after three months of the government, the same old story has started repeating itself. The leaders of BJP and its allies have started attacking Rahul Gandhi and Congress and other opposition parties in the same manner, and the Prime Minister himself, as soon as the elections came, has started such bitter attacks on the opposition, especially the Congress, considering it as a sworn enemy, which is generally not expected in civilized democratic countries. However, now the meaning of civilization, etiquette and democracy is changing. In a country like America, when the propaganda of dogs, cats, black, white and outsider, insider has become the main thing, then what can be said about India too!
Still, there is no point in increasing so much bitterness in politics and election campaigns. Fighting perception battles all the time and being engaged in perception management is also not politics. Similarly, using spin masters in politics all the time is also not a good thing. But it seems that the BJP is constantly engaged in perception management for itself and at the same time always uses spin masters to spoil the perception about the opposition.
For example, when Rahul Gandhi was asked in America when reservation will end in India, he said that it will end only when equality comes and equal opportunities are available to everyone. Think, what is wrong in this or is it against the Constitution? Even in the Constitution, a time limit was set for reservation in the beginning! Rahul did not say anything that is against the Constitution or against reservation.
But since he used the word reservation at one place and the word end at another place, the spin masters presented it as if he had talked about ending reservation. Whereas the reality is that Rahul has said that reservation will continue till eternity. He said that it will end when equality comes. But everyone knows that equality will never come. There was no equality even five thousand years ago and it will not come even after five thousand years.
So, Rahul did not say that reservation should be abolished. But by publicizing this, there was talk of cutting his tongue. Two leaders of Maharashtra announced that Rahul Gandhi’s tongue should be cut. One leader even announced a reward of 11 lakh rupees for this. Do the Prime Minister and the BJP leaders understand the seriousness of this? Do they know what is the effect of such announcements? The fundamentalist, jihadi thinking which is being opposed all over the world today, starts from here. Similarly, if someone announces that a reward will be given for beheading a certain person or cutting his tongue, then crazy people reach there to cut off the head or tongue.
The fatwa to cut Rahul Gandhi’s tongue for something he has not said on reservation is not only bitter but also a symbol of the strengthening of a dangerous fundamentalist ideology in society.
Similarly, Ravneet Singh Bittu, who left Congress and joined BJP a few days ago and became a Union Minister even after losing the election, called Rahul Gandhi terrorist number one. He said that he is the biggest terrorist and a reward should be declared on him. For what should a reward be declared? Ravneet Singh Bittu’s grandfather himself has been a victim of terrorism. He was murdered by Khalistani terrorists when he was the Chief Minister.
They know that Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother Indira Gandhi was also killed by terrorists. Yet they are talking about announcing a reward for Rahul Gandhi. Why? Just to show their loyalty to their new political masters! Otherwise there was no need to be so bitter.
This is not just about small leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is campaigning for elections and the harsh words he is using for Congress and other parties in his rallies from Jammu Kashmir to Haryana and Maharashtra are surprising. In the Lok Sabha elections that ended a few days ago, he had campaigned against the opposition with the same bitterness but it did not yield much benefit. Still, he is campaigning in the same way. According to him, Congress is being run by urban Naxals. He says that Congress is being run by the Tukde Tukde gang. He says that the spirit of patriotism has vanished from the soul of Congress. He says that Congress does not like his Ganesh Puja. According to the Prime Minister, Congress is the most corrupt party in the country. Congress is nepotistic. Congress is useless, which has brought the country to the abyss. Congress is against reservation. It is anti-women. It is anti-Dalit, anti-tribal. Congress is with anti-national forces. According to him, Congress and Pakistan have the same agenda.
The reality is that Congress is the main opposition party of the country, which has about one hundred Lok Sabha MPs and is in power in many states. The Prime Minister sits with it in Parliament. Currently, Congress has got the chairmanship of four parliamentary committees. In such a situation, if it has joined hands with anti-national forces or urban Naxals are running it or the tukde tukde gang is associated with it and the Prime Minister knows this, then it is surprising that instead of taking action against it, he is asking for votes by saying this in election rallies! This means that even at the cost of anti-national forces, BJP wants votes, no action needs to be taken!
However, it is not that this bitterness is being spread only from one side. Narendra Modi and BJP are being talked about more because BJP is the ruling party and Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister. On the other hand, Congress and other opposition parties also show similar bitterness towards BJP, Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi himself has been raising slogans of ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ and has called the Prime Minister a coward and useless. Apart from this, Congress leaders have used very abusive words for the Prime Minister. JP Nadda has mentioned all this in a letter written to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. He has written that 110 abusive words have been written and spoken for the Prime Minister. Obviously, more or less the same bitterness is being spread from both sides. Political opponents are being attacked as sworn enemies. This is not a good sign for democracy.