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Journalism of Courage
Prime Minister Narendra Modi often says that he makes “stairs out of stones thrown at me”, and his opponents need not be reminded of his astuteness in turning any attack or criticism to his advantage. He has done it now with Rahul Gandhi’s “Jitni aabadi, utna haq” phrase to attack the demand for caste census.
Even as the BJP is pointing to the number of Muslim groups within the EBC category in the Bihar caste survey report, which was released recently, the PM has used Rahul’s phrase – first raised in the Karnataka elections – to suggest that it is the Congress leader who is being communal.
“Jitni aabadi, utna haq” means that the Muslims as a minority would be deprived, Modi said at a recent rally in Chhattisgarh. He went on to draw a contrast with what Congress leader former PM Manmohan Singh had said in a 2006 speech about minorities having “the first right to resources”.
At a rally later the same day in Telangana, Modi used Rahul’s phrase to suggest that the Congress didn’t care enough for the South as, post-delimitation, which was due in 2026, the southern states “could lose 100 (Lok Sabha) constituencies”. The prospect of that is one of the biggest concerns of the southern states.
The PM added that, for him, the “poor” were the only caste and their welfare his government’s primary motive.
The PM’s refrain suggests that the BJP is worried about the Bihar caste survey, and how it might help a united Opposition take away its backward class votes. This is contrary to the BJP’s public posturing that the “Modi phenomenon”, bringing multiple regional identities together under the PM’s strong leadership, will transcend caste and class lines again in 2024.
The caste survey held by the Mahagathbandhan government led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar puts OBC numbers at 63% of the state’s population, with 36% being EBCs. This upends the various social engineering formulas worked into a successful political message by the BJP, as well as other parties, especially in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
For now, the INDIA bloc has not been able to find a language to take on Modi’s new line of attack, though they have stuck to the caste census demand. Asked about the PM’s statement that the South could lose 100 seats in the Lok Sabha post-delimitation, JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh was evasive. “Why will there be any loss? Several southern states have been supporting the caste census. They have not opposed the delimitation process either. Besides, will the BJP remain in power to even complete the delimitation process? Let the time come, everything will be solved,” Singh said at an Idea Exchange session with The Indian Express.
There is some talk that the BJP might still put a rabbit out of the hat for that extra “push”. The hype generated by the sudden convening of the special session of Parliament – days after the Monsoon Session had ended – and the quick passage of the women’s reservation Bill has been overtaken by the Nitish government move.
The Opposition’s demand for an OBC quota within the quota for women has also dovetailed nicely with the Bihar caste survey. The fact that women’s reservation will not come into force anytime soon has dulled enthusiasm too.
BJP leaders admit that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has not had the impact the party leadership expected. The party’s calculation that some cracks might develop in the INDIA bloc over the Act, with parties putting conditions for their support, has also not come true. All Opposition parties, including those such as the Samajwadi Party, RJD and JD(U), which opposed women’s reservation in the past, voted for the Act, while demanding an OBC quota.
BJP leaders now suggest there could be another “dhamaakedaar (explosive)” move before next polls. Several Opposition leaders continue to believe that the special session was not meant for the passage of the women’s Bill alone, and that the BJP leadership had to drop its “real plans” due to some reasons.
The apprehension that one nation-one election could be on the BJP’s mind has settled to some extent with the declaration of the Assembly poll schedule for five states in November. Last week, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also seemed to pour water on this by insisting that Assembly elections in the state would be held as due, after the Lok Sabha polls next year.
Clearly, there is set to be a spike in anti-Pakistan fervour. Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that under PM Modi, India’s goal was reclaiming Gilgit and Baltistan in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. “We have only just begun walking north. The journey will end when we reach the remaining parts of (PoK), Gilgit and Baltistan,” he said.
Last month, Union minister and former Army chief V K Singh said at a press conference in poll-bound Rajasthan: “Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will become a part of India on its own.”
On Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said: “If Ram Janmabhoomi can be reclaimed after 500 years, why not Sindh?”
