No second acts

As the nation tensely awaits the Allahabad high courts judgment on one of the most defining cases of our history,one partys silence has been deafening. The BJP,which made its political fortune on the Ram Janmabhoomi tidal wave,has vowed its leaders to silence until the verdict is announced. Why is it still afraid to make that imaginative leap and admit that the past is a foreign country?

The VHP,with its Hanumat Shakti Jagran,is trying to stoke up feeling for the cause. But significantly,it is not looking to the BJP for help instead,it appeals to all political parties in its campaign,the character and atmospherics of which are palpably different. But while the VHPs enthusiasm is expected as a play for relevance,the BJP has long left that angry movement behind as it grew into a party of government. In recent years the party has tended to look like it was merely going along with its Sangh siblings,to avoid family embarrassment its electoral focus has been on issues of growth and governance. It is now fairly clear that the Ram mandir issue has exhausted its political utility the BJP,certainly,has more to gain by losing the baggage,both in terms of being palatable to voters and coalition partners and in conveying its more substantive concerns. Whats more,there has been a striking generational shift in the party. None of its current leaders have the same degree of emotional investment in the mandir,and they are keen to be perceived as a responsible centre-right alternative rather than cultural warriors unable to let go of a mouldering,18-year-old issue. It has taken pains to show its capacity for mature stewardship,and fill out the role of government-in-waiting. It has engaged with the UPA on many significant policy issues,from the nuclear liability bill to the enemy property bill,and exhibited all the signs of wanting to play a constructive role. Unlike his rabble-rousing predecessor,BJP President Nitin Gadkaris interventions rarely invoke religion and difference,they are more about a competitive welfare approach.

In short,the BJP and those watching the BJP know that its priorities have shifted. So why the reluctance to verbalise this change and allay fears in the run-up to the Ayodhya verdict? As the main opposition party,it needs to throw its weight behind the forces of moderation and good sense.