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Journalism of Courage
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto makes a strong attempt to end speculation within the Sangh Parivar about its goals. It confirms there is no rethinking on Hindutva, Article 370 and Swadeshi. The language on Hindutva is clearly designed to rally the saffron brigade which has been perplexed by the moderate statements of the party’s prime minister-in-waiting and a series of political compromises. Doubters are repeatedly assured by the calls for patriotism and “one nation, one people, one culture” that the party’s fundamental value system remains unchanged. The claim that Ram is the core of Indian consciousness can be positively interpreted to refer to an ethical life and the virtue of tolerance. But the promise to build a Ram temple at the “janmasthan” sounds like a throwback to the contentious form of political mobilisation used by the Sangh Parivar since the mid-1980s even with the commitment to consensual, legal and constitutional means of achieving its ends.
The BJP remains consistent whenit comes to abrogation of Article 370. For the minorities, there are a bunch of reforms ranging from the uncertain political one on “positive secularism” to practical ones on education and employment. The voice is strongly nationalistic, even to the extent of bringing national security policy within that ambit — it speaks, worryingly, of “projecting Indian power” with new weapon systems. It is the voice of the radical. As a strategy for the BJP, it makes sense to hold on to its core supporters even at the risk of disturbing electoral allies and undermining moderates. At least they cannot complain they were deliberately misled. As L. K. Advani has made clear, the BJP manifesto will set out its own goals, not those of the BJP-led alliance. What compromises are made and how contradictions between itself and its new friends (and old ones like the Shiv Sena) are resolved will be seen after the polls when a common minimum programme is thrashed out.
On economic policy, the BJP is pulling its punches. Swadeshiis the war-cry, there is no mistaking that. But what exactly it means is anybody’s guess. This is hardly the time to say the BJP is going to study the issues behind liberalisation before deciding precisely what needs to be done to boost economic growth, protect Indian industry and increase employment. It is like promising a long period of inactivity on the policy front. Since 1991, if not earlier, the BJP has been examining economic issues in some detail within the party and in consultation with business and industry and assorted experts. As the party bidding to lead the next coalition government it cannot be that it has not come to some firm conclusions about the policies it intends to pursue. It does not have the luxury of time when the next Union budget has to be presented a few weeks after the election. Swadeshi is what the Parivar wants to hear. The country needs to be told in rational terms how the BJP plans to accelerate the growth rate to 8 or 9 per cent and the form of investment it is counting on.
