Opinion D Raja writes: INDIA is about equality – BJP sows division
Opposition alliance promises to protect India's secular, democratic, welfarist fabric
An alliance of secular democratic forces will not only prevent the division of votes but it can also counter the majoritarian agenda of the BJP by becoming the voice of all sections of society. (PTI Photo) 
B R Ambedkar had warned at the time India became a republic that “in politics we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality”. In our times too, we face these contradictions. The very concept of equality — political, social and economic — is under attack. The BJP government headed by Narendra Modi has been promoting an unequal political, social and economic order. Inequality is manifesting itself in all walks of life. To resist and defeat the assault on India’s secular democratic welfarist fabric, history demands that all secular democratic forces unite.
The newly formed Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is a secular, democratic and progressive alternative to the divisive and crony capitalist rule of the RSS-BJP. Rattled by the coming together of secular-democratic forces, the RSS controlled ecosystem is speaking foul of it. Prime Minister Modi led the charge by comparing the alliance with the East India Company. He was deliberately oblivious to the history of patriotic and Left forces chasing out the East India Company and its offspring, the British Raj, from the country. His acts of omission are necessary since he and everyone else know who was serving the British when the country was fighting against colonial rule.
The nine years of BJP rule has seen all-around misgovernance. Sector after sector of the country’s economy has been hurt by whims such as demonetisation. The informal sector was greatly harmed by an anti-federal GST. The mismanagement of the economy has led to a crisis of unemployment. The mishandling of the Covid-19 crisis turned it into a catastrophe. Inequality has increased as Modi showered benefits on corporates while ignoring the social sector. If the wealth of the richest increased manifold in the last nine years, it is by design. Education, health and employment have gone out of the reach of common people and people from all sections of the society have come out protesting. In its lust for power, the BJP has divided the Indian society on the basis of religion and caste, language and region.
The results of this politics are visible all over the country, most recently in the burning of the entire state of Manipur. Voices critical of the government are being silenced using draconian laws. There is a general decline in democratic values and norms. Survival of democracy in our country has become the most critical question before us. The formation of INDIA should be placed in this context.
It has been felt for a long time that a united Opposition alone can stop the trampling on our constitutional values. The CPI was of the opinion that the BJP winning office at the Centre was not merely a change of government but a qualitative change that will strain the constitutional fabric of the country. We have advocated for secular, democratic, and patriotic forces to unite to take on the BJP politically and ideologically. However, the alternative to Hindutva politics has to be radically different from that of the RSS-BJP.
An alliance of secular democratic forces will not only prevent the division of votes but it can also counter the majoritarian agenda of the BJP by becoming the voice of all sections of society. However, constituents of such a bloc have to be accommodative of each other’s interests to foster better understanding and mutual trust. A common resolve has emerged at the national level to defeat BJP. The specifics need to be worked out at the state level. The Indian National Congress, being the largest pan-Indian constituent of INDIA, holds special responsibility in this regard.
To these ends, a meeting was held in Patna in June which was attended by leaders of 15 political parties. Moving forward, 26 parties attended the Bengaluru meeting. It was decided here to name the united bloc as Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, i.e. INDIA. That the unity exercise made the BJP wary was evident when PM Modi called a meeting of the defunct National Democratic Alliance (NDA) the same day INDIA met in Bengaluru. The party that was thumping “Ek Akela Sab Par Bhaari” was forced to join hands with 37 political parties!
INDIA constituents have a rich legacy of liberating the country from British colonialism. These forces heralded the public sector and made our country self-reliant. In the fight against social discrimination, linguistic chauvinism and anti-federal politics, the forces of INDIA have played leading roles. These forces have the trust of the workers, farmers, students and the youth.
Leaders of our freedom movement envisaged a strong, inclusive and harmonious country. Justice — social, economic and political — was to be its foundation. The RSS stands opposed to this idea. It promotes communal divides, caste hierarchies and gendered repression. It is to liberate the country from hatred and to usher in harmony that INDIA has arisen. We will triumph.
The writer is General Secretary, CPI
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