India's election drama

Last updated on: May 11, 2009 at 8:01 pm by Desh Kapoor

India's election drama 2009-05-11T20:01:36-05:00 Desh Kapoor

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We in India just pretend to be secular or communal. Indeed that is true of the rest of the world as well. Every one has an ideology and sticking and pushing one’s ideology is always considered “Secular” and the other pushing his/her ideology is considered “Communal”. That’s about it.

However, in this election, as in many, the parties have made a big deal about the BJP and that it is “Communal”. That others have done worse treatment of others doesn’t matter. I was reading the thoughts of Cho Ramaswamy [1] – one heck of a thinker – and he has a nice way to put the “Politics of Secularism and Communalism” in the context of Poll Numbers.

If the BJP gets around 170 seats, they will be secular. If they get less than 150, they will be communal as far as the other parties are concerned. 150 will be a communal number and 150 and above will be a secular number!

I agree with that assessment. I also agree with him that the chances of BJP being a “Secular” party by his definition is also a big possibility now. The confusion over Mamta Bannerjee, AIADMK, RJD etc will surely affect Congress and help BJP. In the end, Naidu may not be in the Third Front anymore.

I too feel that it will be a hung parliament and very unstable. But as the elections went ahead the chances of BJP have become better. One of the things that people have not missed is the Congress consistently asking Left to join in post-poll alliance. Now, after the drama of the Indo-US Nuke deal and the way the country was held at ransom by the Leftists.. when they pushed COngress and UPA into the ditch (and the country as well), the Congress is going back to join with Communists.. to …. “keep BJP out”!?? You know, if an opportunist like Ram Bilas Paswan or Mayawati use such a phrase I can understand.. but Dr. Manmohan Singh? This is height of opportunism. Well, even the Communists after all that drama are making noises to cozy up to the Congress![2]

Either you should beat someone or just accept defeat. Where is the need to play negative from the get go?? That statement clearly showed that Dr. Singh is also … after all.. going for the rule.. rather than an election!!

In that interview, Dr. Singh also remarked that 1984 Sikh massacres issue cannot be kept alive “forever” and accused others of playing politics. However, he does not lose any opportunity to slam Modi on 2002. So, raising the issue of deaths of 3000 people in one city is “playing politics”. Raising the issue of deaths of 800 people in a state is “being secular”?

But like I said, definition of what is secular and what is communalism is only semantics. It is, as Cho says, the majic of poll numbers which decides who is what. And the number is 150.

Reference Links:

1. ‘If the BJP gets around 170 seats, it will be secular’
2. Communist Party of India hints at joining Congress-led coalition
3. Unhappy UPA allies could be won over: PM

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