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Journalism of Courage
Uma Bharti has returned to form after six years of growing obscurity,as she tries to enlarge the BJPs presence in Uttar Pradesh before the 2012 assembly election. And going by her first big move,the party might fall back on the same identity politics tack,combined with her own special talent for theatrics.
Bharti has launched a full-scale agitation to restore the Ganga to its fabled glory,choosing splashy self-denial and penance to try and get her own way. As part of her Save Ganga campaign,she will shun cereals and survive on fruits until the Centre takes substantive action on checking polluting projects on the river. The last time she tried this tactic was over the Sethusamudram project. Now,Bharti alleges large-scale irregularities in the funding and implementation of these works on the Ganga,and says that the muck and pollution in the river was now even deterring devotees. While the cause,aimed at
Bharti faces the unenviable task of making the BJP a real contender in UP,after its collapse in recent elections. The party has only a fraction of the mindspace it used to have. Along with the attempt to win back OBC voters,Bhartis campaign will also try to rally the faithful,and mobilise the Hindu vote. The Ganga stir is a soft,more palatable reminder of her old fire and its success or failure will be telling of the political utility of such appeals,and of stunts like extended fasts.
