It was
naturally a political Yatra, no two opinions about that and the mileage that
was sought is already in, even if it could not take off today.
If
Narendra Modi is the prime-ministerial face of the largest opposition party,
the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), one must be prepared to come across such
developments.
Modi is
the most ‘skilled’ politician in India
And he
is right on the job. This ‘84 Kosi Yatra’ that was to begin today was just an
element in the grand scheme of things Modi would be working on.
The
debate whether Narendra Modi or the BJP are behind this Yatra (that
has religious and spiritual significance for Hindus) or not is irrelevant.
The promoters, the mobilizers, all come from an extended family and share the
same ideology.
Whatever
has been the outcome today, everyone is talking about it, from media to
political pundits to politicians. And given the developments today, there are
clear indications that efforts are afoot to deepen the row.
So
expect more of the chatter. And a growing chatter midst a deepening religious
row would naturally add the group, the majority Hindus, to the chain of
communication, the ultimate aim of such Yatras and events and this Yatra may just
be the beginning of many more such measures.
Vishwa
Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu outfit that is aligned with the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has announced this Yatra. The Yatra is to begin
from Ayodhya and is slated to pass through six districts of Uttar Pradesh. VHP
leaders, though detained today, categorically said the outfit was going to go
ahead with the Yatra.
Whatever
be the developments ahead, a deepening row would certainly scale-up the stature
of Narendra Modi and the BJP. Handling it is not going to be as simple as
Akhilesh Yadav would be thinking.
In
fact, his condition is more precarious. The best scenario for him would be to
allow the Yatra to happen. In that case, nothing much on communal line would
move. Raking up the Ram Temple
Now, if
the row over the Yatra deepens and some untoward incidents happen in next few
days, it may push the people to think again for the Ram Temple India
And,
even if anything like that doesn’t happen, in this case, the state
response already taken is enough to tell more such Yatras (or similar events) in future may produce the desired
result because ‘when the situation flares up is impulsive in such cases’
that no one can predict.
Even
if
the chatter grows only, it will help strengthen the persona of Narendra Modi as
the sole Hindu leader who cares for the majority sentiments. In India
Communal
politics of minority appeasement has been the dominant practice in Indian
politics.
Narendra
Modi is taking a different line by pushing for the communal politics of
majority appeasement, something that he has successfully tried in Gujarat .
What is
going to be and what is going not to be can only be tested on the timescale and
the immediate point of reference for it on the timescale is going to be the
next parliamentary elections.
©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/
