MY QUICK THOUGHTS ON ELECTIONS IN NORTH INDIA
My worst apprehensions seem to be coming true. The thorough defeat of the Congress in the North. And perhaps – unless drastic changes happen immediately – in the ensuing Parliamentary elections. And that means Modi will soon be where Indians like me viewed and admired men like Nehru. And India will never be the same for me again. Hindus will never be the same again for me. All in all, rather bad times. I have been writing – excepting short interventions – broadly along the following lines:
a. The Congress is the least evil party as parties go, and is the only alternative for those that wish to see India harmonious, inclusive, pro-science and modernity, and integrated
b. The AAP would act as the spoiler against Congress, and would only strengthen BJP, even if unwittingly
c. The pattern, as I detected, was somewhat like this: – Create a perception of the Congress being bad: thoroughly corrupt, pro-Muslim etc. First the Anna campaign , then the AAP and the sustained campaign by BJP nearly enforced this perception which I firmly hold to be untrue – or at least vastly exaggerated – as Indian political system goes H|/Pr-FB-Activity%20Log-Sep-Dec%202013.htm[03-Sep-14 6:30:28 PM] – Raise the right wing Hindutva: first on the force of aggressive, macho Hinduism, and once consolidated there, champion the dream of an alternative Development model – of which we are yet to know rudimentary details. The sweeping widespread undercurrent of anti-Muslim sentiment worldwide has entered and influenced Indian middle classes widely. While most refuse to, or fail to recognize this, I see this as a distinct phenomenon. This has helped the Hindutva emergence enormously. – Estrange the half-informed youth, alienate it from the Congress by delinking it with glorious past, yet holding it responsible for the past mistakes, – Thus transfer the dissent, anti-incumbency votes to BJP The Congress’s chief failure has been its communication. It simply failed to educate the masses, challenge the false accusation, stand up loud and clear at the right moment, establish rapport with people and produce a charisma. It appeared over-confident that its work would deliver it. Undoubtedly it has the best track record of all contestants but it has the most negative perception concurrently. And democracy is more about perception, than about reality. At least in the short run. The soft, well-meaning people on even this Group discounted the damage their neutrality or opposition to the Congress in the north would cause to secular cause – or under-rated communalism as a significant threat to the nation. This was apt to work for Modi. And it clearly did.
Do I feel tired?
Frustrated?
Defeated?
Hopeless?
Yes, Yes, Yes, No.
Tags: Election North India
