Lotus… during polls

 - D Vishnumohan Rao

Every politician and political party of the country, perhaps the world may be, has two standards and stranded phrases to deliver to people on any dais, in store all the time.

The first and foremost would be, ‘we are not lurching for power. It is public who wishes to place us and see us there.’ This statement is presented in all new cover to the people every time. Then comes the next one, taking two shapes. One shape would be when the party is in power and the other transformation when they are in the opposition or out of power. The ‘power’ statement looks or is heard some thing like this. ‘We are always on the right track and doing all the right things, else people will not put us here.’ It takes shape of other extreme when they are out of power like this, ‘ruling party miserably failed on all accounts, it should immediately resign for conduction of elections, so that people take us there.’

No political party is exception to this rule, as the records on the summary of their statements prove it.

If we look at the Bharatiya Janata Party considering the national perspective, it is singing the hymns of Lord Sree Rama. Earlier, they hailed Lord Sree Rama before they came to power. The party sources reveal that BJP strongly believes that it would never have taken to throne in some states and at the centre had it not taken “Jai Sree Ram” slogan with it.

They, the party top brass (according to sources) discuss during their meetings that the identity of the party should have been lost had it not taken the ‘blessings’ of Lord Sree Rama. It is evident with the Union Home Minister Lal Kishen Advani’s recent public address comprising ‘Lord Sree Rama’s blessings on us’. This triggered off a series of fresh debates in the political circles. Henceforth, the BJP and its backseat driving forces disclosed that, it is the Ayodhya issue that gave elevation to the social status for BJP in the country.

Therefore, there is no doubt that BJP dragged the Hindu God Lord Sree Rama as a tool in the ‘vote war’. The party cadres and leaders are hailing and singing this political tool hymns in a vibrant angle and new style, as the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are around the corner.

The critical critics keep their fingers crossed about the strategies of the Bharatiya Janata Party, as the Election Commission of Union of India regulations contains a clause that no religion or Gods of any religion should form part of politics. Even the opposition parties several times yelled at the BJP and its Sree Rama reference, in vain.

The right and left muscle wings of BJP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) claim in the open that they would construct Ram Mandir (temple) at Ayodhya at any cost and consequence. Critics were waiting for the dumb spectator Election Commission to initiate action against those organisations. It is another fact that they are having the guise of non-political identity; eventually history reveals that all the activists of both the organisations carry the lotus flag on their shoulders whenever there is any programme of BJP or elections, especially in Uttar Pradesh. The same question was posed by the opposition parties, which could not be answered by any of the BJP, RSS or VHP cadres.

Another naked truth evolves here. Over 99 percent of BJP political leaders, persons holding cabinet berths at the central government are groomed by RSS. Beyond doubt, it is also a fact that some of the personalities who are functioning as central ministers on the screen are playing up and down with the Ayodhya issue to bang the Hindu vote bank, during elections. Media and opposition time and again demanded a proper answer about the situation either directly or indirectly and not strangely no response from the BJP or its muscle wings was heard.

Amid these circumstances, let us gaze through the comments of leaders agonised on BJP about bringing Lord Sree Ram into the picture.

BJP – Elections – Sree Ram, a vicious triangle, says Digvijay Singh

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh during his addresses at various occasions directly questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party to clarify whether it would remember Lord Sree Ram only during elections, not otherwise. Sree Ram is a Hindu deity and it is shameful to the BJP to chant Sree Ram for political mileage.

He further warned that people of the country are watching thoroughly about these sequences and are getting ready to give brickbat return to that party in the Assembly elections that are to be held in Uttar Pradesh. Political analysts too nod in confirmation to the comments of Digvijay Singh. Moreover, opposition parties express a common view that BJP is resorting to this ‘technique’ even in the ensuing UP elections, as it knew that BJP is losing ground in the state. Besides this, it is also a fact according to the opposition that multi-corner contesting would be inevitable in this election and BJP is striving hard to chant Sree Ram for emerging victorious.

BJP cannot fool people every time with Ram: Subodh Kanth Sahai

All India Congress Committee Secretary Subodh Kanth Sahai forecasted that BJP learns a lesson after the UP elections that it cannot fool people every time and any longer with the chant of Lord Sree Ram and Ayodhya. Sahai feels that BJP augmented its chant of Ram after viewing the success of Sonia’s recent tour in the state. Supporting his statements, he referred to the turnout of people for Sonia’s public meetings at the four corners of Uttar Pradesh.

Sonia warns countrymen of BJP communal trap

All India Congress Committee President and Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament warned people of the country to stay neutral from the traps being spread by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Calling BJP as a Chauvinistic party, she called on the countrymen to check themselves from being staked by the BJP leaders for their own political advantage.

In all the public meetings at Uttar Pradesh, Sonia directly lashed her criticism against the forcible entry of Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists into the controversial premises. In addition to this, Sonia said that union ministers were duping people with contradictory statements and confusing them. Referring to Sushma Swaraj’s explanation on Advani’s statements, Sonia said if one union minister commits a blunder, another minister comes covering the reality.

When the country was struggling with many problems, instead of finding ways to solve them the ministers were instigating communal violence in the country in the name of religion, she criticised.

Echuri fears men slaughter on hearing Ayodhya

Politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Seetharam Echuri, feared that there would again be a man massacre in the name of religion. BJP is projecting its true face again when the UP Assembly elections are drawing closer. If the party presents its political tool, Sree Ram, in this election, an emergency situation in the state of Uttar Pradesh might erupt.

Recently during his visit to Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, he charged directly that BJP alone should shoulder the responsibility for any outbreak of communal violence in the country. Apart from all this, the integrity of the nation and nationals would be split with these parties’ attitudes, he said.

Does BJP have any other effective tool besides Sree Ram?

Bharatiya Janata Party, which is holding power in Uttar Pradesh and controlling the steering of the NDA government failed in both the places from fulfilling the pre-poll promises to the people. The impact of the failure was clearly seen in the Assembly elections, by-polls and local body elections in various states. BJP could hardly come out in colour in these elections.

When Kargil war story is old for voters now, there are no scoring lists of central or state governments’ achievements to project for UP Assembly elections. Now, the only tool left is Ayodhya and its Lord Sree Ram.

Hey Ram! Bless BJP.

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