The new narrative from BJP :Right vs Left binary (national vs antinationals) - Read Indian version of the US model republican vs democrat

Continuing the conspiracy series- taking the artistic liberty of being subversive, allow me to think a little subversively about current Indian politics, especially the ruling BJP first.  

For a longtime BJP and its ideological mentor – RSS  were keen  to replace our parliamentary election by an American model presidential election. During the last NDA regime, hawkish politician of that time, Advani as a deputy prime minister,  once  even tried to initiate a debate on the same. Although no one gave much  importance to the same at that point of time, finds new voice   after running the successful american model campaign during  2014 national election.  Is it BJP trying to build a national political discourse of right vs left to further that agenda?  Strangely the evidences are proving to be positive!.

In spite of winning a brute majority in parliament in 2014 and running a  Guinness book effort of "missed call" party membership campaign, unfortunately as of now  BJP could not build the party infrastructure at booth level like its competitors Congress or any other regional parties. Other than the elected representatives and their hand picked henchmen, one would find it difficult to locate a local leader or a party office in your vicinity. 

Tragedy of this "party unto himself" situation is, making or unmaking of this local elected representative effectively also means the making or unmaking the party.  Since there are no party infrastructure like party office and permanent office bearers, in long run these custodians of party will start smarting the "party themselves" trait- a potential danger for any political party on long run especially for a centralised political structure like BJP. When one considers the reality that  in Indian politics,  a long run means only five years, one will understand this danger in a better perspective.

 Bihar election did expose this fault line of BJP. In spite of putting up an year long carpet bombing by BJP stalwarts and its centralised political management,  a four month old political agreement by otherwise arch rivals of Bihar politics  had mustered the strength to finish BJP in its prestigious political battle. The only difference between BJP and its rivals were its local political infrastructure.  While BJP's opponents had booth level permanent offices, office bearers  and party members, BJP on the other hand had  only its political leaders and its Guinness book  party membership followers( not even members!). Their  convenient policy of considering RSS as political infrastructure had disastrously boomeranged in Bihar. One should not forget the fact that in a Hindu majority country, RSS still remains as an unease in the political structure than a bankable infrastructure and its membership is still remain less than one percentage of population.

Despite this reality calling, BJP and its president seems to be convinced that the role of party is only about winning election and believes that it can be resurrected at every election! Considering the existence of huge political think tank for BJP, who are the best “pundits” of political wheel and deal, one should not consider this trait as an accident. This had to be a long drawn political strategy. Reading the recent news clip in Times of India about the growing shakhas of RSS under Modi regime only reinforces this argument. Here are few of my conspiracy suggestions

1. BJP does not want a booth level party infrastructure, BJP wants mob.

Caste angle: The ideological mentor of BJP : the upper caste driven organisation can never be inclusive even at their expansion. In the past, they  founded many - now they call as fringe- organisations like Bajrang dal, VHP, vanvasi kalyan  ashram and so on and so forth to include the marginalised and caste hindu "avarnas" to maintain the "purity" of the core organisation RSS and its think tanks- Vivekananda international foundation, India foundation (one exception MJ Akbar also member of this), forum for integrated national security and few others (estimated to be eight in number).

A booth level political infrastructure for a political party in India would mean that the marginalised and caste hindu "avarnas" also getting an upper hand in political decisions above these RSS "savarna" infrastructures. RSS would at any cost want to avoid such a scenario and  would want to limit these sections of people in their fringe organisations that are not directly connected to electoral politics. At the most what  they can  do is vote mobilization, terrorizing, rioting and do all those dirty jobs  these “elite  savarana manipulators”  wants them to impliment. Very few would rise above the ranks from these fringe "avarna"  Hindus in BJP or if at all any one do rise above the ranks with their exceptional leadership qualities, they would make sure that  it will only be through the blessings of a RSS "savarna" leader.  In totality for RSS, the booth level political infrastructure for BJP that represents electoral power politics of RSS is an antithesis to its "savarna" agenda. So they will do every possible tricks of “chanakya neeti” to sabotage such a scenario. 

The recent national vs antinational business should be seen in this backdrop, since these manufactured agendas with no roots whatsoever are better suited to RSS lead party to oppress those genuine concerns of the country like prolonged agrarian crisis, employment, education and health. Raising these issues would also mean raising rural leadership that are mostly driven by caste “avarna” Hindus and other backward castes or people from other religion.  So these  historically “Manipulative”,  “savarna”  think tanks, who had always  used OBC and Dalit warriors to protect their interest in the name of “ patriotism” continue to do the same trick even today at the beginning of 21^st century. For them all those who are better suited for their agenda remains “nationalists” and all those who are against are “ anti nationals”: a clear binary “either with us or you are the enemy” declaration.

One should not confuse this trait with even “ hitler’s Nazi” or mussolini’s fascism, since this Indian phenomena is much complex than a race or religion. In India,  this savarna syndrome is much more crude and cunning than those nazis and fascists. As a matter of fact t unlike those race supremacists,  Indian caste supremacy  is not even worried about the religion or culture, considering within the religion, these self appointed custodians of Indian culture are only interested to elevate their position by  controlling  the entire “Gods” of the nation; the last resort of  a helpless poor. This is completely different from race dominance argument. From the days of Vedas, one would find in the history of Hinduism and it’s philosophical schools, a tireless effort and fight    to question or neutralize this cacophony or anti thesis to humanity.  Unfortunately time and again using the control over the “God” through temples and rituals ( one should not forget, most of the Gods worshiped today are caste  Hindu Gods appropriated by these section of society. Except Vishnu no other Vedic Gods find place in popular Hindu belief system now. ) they are able to threaten the caste Hindus at individual level to mobilise  a collective frenzy for their advantage. Ram and Ram’s temple symbolizes this cunning agenda and so is “Bharat mata”.  

Savarna Hindus will remain the beneficiary and avarna hindus can become the martyr or foot soldier for its upkeep!. The difference is the RSS  savarna ideologues and VHP rogues.

So BJP and its mentor, RSS does not want a booth level party infrastructure for BJP, they just want their foot soldier rogue “avarna mob”.

Unfortunately BJP and its ideologues do not realize that technology accentuated 21^st century has changed India much to their discomfurt.  Through thousands of centuries, the “Savarna” class of the hindu society could successfully stifle the rise of “Avarna” hindu’s by denying the access to education. But the post independent and especially in a technology accentuated 21^st century, India is changing that demography much faster than anyone has imagined. Post Rohit Vehmula suicide unrest in Indian campuses signifies that change. India is going to witness more and  more assertive, not much religious (who can not be controlled by the colonization of the God alone) educated and demanding non savarna Indians occupying visibly and physically the privileges and positions once occupied by the savarna Hindus using their access to education and knowledge.

So it is time for RSS and BJP to think effectiveness of their age old trick in Indian politics and their own relevance if they continued to practice it. Their holy myths of religion will not be able to stand the academic critique and its rational objective from educated minds. Even if they unleash a panic onslaught on Universities after Universities- especially Humanities universities, will not make any impact on Indian society. The number of educated marginalized with rational critical minds are emerging across the nation and in front of them this holy religious myths business will stand the chance only for a mockery of intelligence. Ambedkar is only a beginning. Bihar has shown the result. The emerging educated aspirational India does not want your unholy “ holy myths”, rather India prefers rationality of politics: a practicing politician at booth level who would not preach them nationalism but helps them find solutions to their day to day living. Do not confuse, its not mob who voted Modi to power, it was an aspirational young Indian, who has seen the other side of the world on TV and internet did vote for Mr.Modi.

As a matter of act that young Indian did not even vote for Mr. Modi, they in fact were casting their vote for those life that their tv and internet shown them as possible: a life they believe is their right- the right of an educated, informed Indian.

Continued….