By Jai Prakash Sharma, on 21-03-2009 19:03
Voice of Inida :
voi.org
http://voi.org/2009032192/jai-prakash-sharma/some-frank-advice-to-bjp.html
From BJP's election preparations it appears that the party has already mentally accepted defeat in the forthcoming elections. It seems that it has been cowed down by the propaganda of anti-Hindu forces and conceded that Hindutva is communal and that it must compete for votes on a purely "secular" (as defined by the UPA constituents) agenda and give no room for being seen as a "communal" party. By doing so it is only inviting contempt from its original constituency who were already disgusted by the BJP led NDA government's evident spinelessness in addressing issues of core concern to the vast majority of Hindus. If the BJP leadership thinks that it will have a better chance of winning allies by watering down its commitment to the Hindu cause it will end up only as a pale shadow of the Congress.
Here are some points which the BJP leadership will do well to ponder over:-
What are the sections of the citizenry that the BJP can reasonably expect to support it. The Muslims are clearly out. So also would be the followers of the rabidly Tamil Parties in TN and the reds in WB and other Naxal infested regions as well as the Christists in Orissa ,Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere . It is only the Hindus on whose support the BJP can hope to come to power. But will they support it? The experience of the recently held elections in Delhi should have been an eye opener. If the BJP fights the election on the issue of development, the voters will have to choose between two parties promising to deliver the same product. The BJP will be unable to match the powerful propaganda of the Congress (howsoever false or exaggerated its claims may be) and there is no way it can convince the electorate (except in Modi's Gujarat) of delivering a superior performance. Its traditional constituency –the Hindus will then have no option other than supporting good candidates of other parties or to refrain from voting altogether.
The important issue for Hindus is not development but the discriminatory treatment meted out to them in a country where they are in a majority. They are looking for a party which can be depended upon to champion their cause. If the BJP is unable to speak for them, why should the Hindus vote for it? The Hindus only want to be secure in their homeland and to be treated equally with all other Indians. What objection can there be to this demand? The BJP leadership must understand that policies promoting the division of Indians on the basis of religion, caste, region, language etc. are extremely harmful to national interest and it should be bold enough to say so.
ISSUES OF CONCERN TO HINDUS
Rampant Islamic Jihad
Only those oblivious of Indian history and ignorant of the true nature of Islam (and they form an overwhelming majority of Indians and particularly Hindus) are unable to see the looming Islamic Jihad threatening to engulf India. Several dimensions of the Jihad problem are:--Terrorist attacks which have been continuing for the last 20 years---attackers including foreigners and Indian Jihadis. Alarming increase in Muslim population through illegal immigration and faster breeding coupled with increasing stridency of Muslim demands. No Muslim is prepared to subordinate his identity as a Muslim to his Indian identity. Assam, West Bengal, many pockets in UP, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh are already having areas of Muslim predominance.
Vicious and ceaseless campaign to demoralize the security forces, by direct attacks, demands for enquiry against defenders of the nation against terrorist attacks, street violence on allegations of insult to Islam or injustice to Muslims-( reaction to Danish Cartoons, Bush visit, hounding out of Taslima Nasreen , Batla House encounter where hostile mobs attacked police vehicles and shouted slogans like Pakistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad etc. right in New Delhi , Indian flags being held upside down by the Ulemas demonstrating at Jantar Mantar; bullying of Statesman by Jihadis in Kolkata for the offence of reproducing an article published by Independent of UK etc.etc.) all illustrate the aggressive attitude of Indian Muslims.
Virulent anti state propaganda promoting feelings of victimhood among Muslims by media (particularly the Urdu press), NGOs, some Muslim Political parties and collaborators. Vast Islamist funds flowing into India from Pakistan, Middle East, and from Islamists elsewhere.
The response of the GOI has been denial, cover-up and token action. It is well known that Muslims can not peacefully coexist with others. India lost a third of its territory in 1947.The way things are going it looks certain that (1) there will be another partition within a few years or (2) if the Muslims decide to wait a little longer the whole country will become an Islamic republic. Knowing what happens to Hindus in Muslim majority countries the Hindus are naturally apprehensive. BJP must boldly announce what steps it will take to counter the Jihadi menace.
ASSAULT BY EVAGELISTS
Next to the jihadis the evangelists constitute the most serious threat to India. Most of North –East India has already been Christianised. Orissa, Andhra Pradesh are under serious threat. Backed by vast funds from the west and their powerful Indian politicians the evangelists are relentlessly pursuing their programme of converting Hindus and planting churches in all parts of India.
The Christian population has increased much faster during Sonia Gandhi's rule than ever before. While the unconverted Hindus do not expect to be slaughtered if the Christians come to wield power, the threat of secession of Christian majority parts gets more serious and the foreign and domestic policies of India are liable to come increasingly under the influence of Christian west . The threat of humiliation of Hindu religion and culture will increase many fold. There is urgent need for stopping conversions brought about by offering incentives of various kinds.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HINDUS
In independent India, inheritor of the Gandhi-Nehru ideology, Hindus have been suffering severe discrimination in several respects. UPA Prime minister declared in blatant disregard of all Constitutional promises of equality and definitions of Secularism that the minorities and particularly the Muslims have the first claim on the nation's resources!!!
This discrimination has become all pervasive. SCs, STs,OBCs, Minorities have been receiving favours in the matter of educational facilities and employment opportunities while children of equally poor families are denied all benefits just for the crime of being Hindus.
Government grants to Muslims and Christians for religious purposes e.g. for Haj for Muslims and journey to Bethlehem for Christians are a blot on secularism. Figures of direct govt grants to churches and Muslim institutions by the government of Andhra Pradesh reveal this misuse of the taxpayers money. Most galling is the fact of huge sums of money donated by Hindu devotees to their temples being used by the governments for grants to Muslims and Christians. Hindus demand that their places of worship be freed of Government control and administered solely by representatives of the community and temple funds used only for such purposes as are approved by Hindu Acharya Sabha or similar such respected body.
Religious and cultural issues agitating Hindus
- Reconstruction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, Preservation of Ram Setu, Restoration/reconstruction of the temples at Varanasi and Mathura .
- Removal of distortions from history being taught in schools and colleges; impetus for scholars, scientists, archaeologists etc to promote research for gaining better knowledge about our past.
- Impetus needs to be given for the promotion of Sanskrit and Hindi.; improving career prospects of students taking higher courses in Sanskrit and Hindi
- Improving Hindutva representation in electronic and print media to mitigate the stranglehold of the Islamists, Evangelists, Marxists, Macaulayites and Nehruites
ISSUES OF GENERAL NATIONAL CONCERN
Apart from the matter of discrimination there are several other issues which should be of equal interest to all citizens. These are
- Governance---all matters of government activity need to be rid of corruption, favoritism, inefficiency and delays. The two most important matters which must be given top priority are corruption and defects in the system of administration of justice, particularly criminal justice. Investigation and prosecution of criminal cases must be absolutely impartial and efficient and delivery of justice must be made fair and fast.
- Money in illegal foreign bank accounts
- Common Civil Code
- Abolition of Art 370
- Barring of criminals from contesting elections
- Curbing use of black money in elections—Suggestions of Shri N Vittal need to be acted upon
ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES FOR THE PARTY
The BJP seems to be facing severe organizational problems. Many of its senior leaders not only seem to have fickle loyalties but are so madly power hungry that if power is denied to them or to their nominees they have no compunction in openly swearing to seek destruction of the party (as evidenced by the conduct of some top leaders e.g. Bhairon Singh Shekhavat, Jaswant Singh, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharati etc). Narendra Modi is of course universally admired. Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Raman Singh are reputed to be clean but a large number of ministers/ex-ministers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka are widely believed to be thoroughly corrupt. The UP BJP leadership has the poorest image.
Why can the BJP not find honest persons to take up leadership positions? And why are honest and competent people like Jag Mohan ignored? The party has to ponder how these problems can be addressed. There seems to be impressions that even if talented people join the party they will only remain at the fringe. Perhaps the party can benefit by prescribing strict limits for tenure of important leadership positions. It must consider discouraging heredity as stepping stone to leadership positions as also rewarding turncoats. Another suggestion could be to have think tanks composed of independent experts for formulating policy and independent impartial advisory groups to warn the party whenever it is found making wrong decisions
