By NM Sampathkumar Iyangar,
While reiterating the BJP’s commitment about building a temple at the location of the since-demolished Babri Masjit, Nitin Gadkari has made an entreaty to Muslims. He asked them to donate the disputed land at Ayodhya to the party’s traditional vote bank – right-wing Hindus. There have been angry outbursts from Muslim sections at “adding insult to injury.” The community is understandably furious not only at repeated scuttling of the judicial process in the Ramjanambhoomi title suit, but for imprisoning thousands of Muslim youth across the country on specious grounds. They are tired of being marginalized in every sphere and targeted as the culprit behind any terror attack.
Gadkari’s entreaty, however, needs to be viewed in the context of what can be said to be the emergence of a New-BJP. Ignoring, trashing or rejecting it outright may not be the wise thing to do. The need is for presenting a unified stand after dispassionately weighing the current situation. The pragmatic response must be bereft of excessive emotionalism.
What BJP is openly asking Muslims now – “Be generous towards Hindus and facilitate construction of a grand Ram temple” – has always been the goal of the supposedly secular Congress party. But, clandestinely so. The game plan started in 1949 when the Nehru regime collaborated in the illegal occupation and takeover of the “abandoned” mosque, trashing the 300-year-old land title. Four decades later, when BJP mobilized a mob of two lakh people to bring down the structure, the hatchet job was virtually presided over by Narasimha Rao. Rao was not as successful as the Vallabhbhai-Rajendra Prasad axis under Nehru that had played exactly the same game in Somnath.
The stark reality of India is that its elite judiciary has consistently failed to maintain neutrality. It has an inglorious record of always conniving with the ruling classes. In this scenario, it is bootless to place any trust in the courts. If and when there would be fair verdict, ruling against the dominant forces, the administration will not implement it. Numerous past incidents have shown that. While the BJP has been flexing muscles and making belligerent demands to dispossess the title-holders, the Congress has been doing it by frustrating obfuscations and Liberhans!
Let there be no illusion. There is NOT going to be any credible justice. Powerless sections will be compelled to be ‘generous’. This leaves but one option open. The question to be asked before responding to Gadkari’s initiative is: “So, why not extract a good price for the ‘generosity’ due to the inevitable injustice?”
He should be asked to make an offer that cannot be resisted. As long as the ‘generosity’ can be linked to equitable representation in governance to end the current farce of vote-bank elections, a “composite dialogue” with BJP cannot worsen the situation any further. The negotiations may include Ayodhya as the core issue. But, they must encompass a variety of issues facing the oppressed sections. Only, it will need to be mediated and guaranteed by a credible outfit of impeccable credentials – such as an International Commission or Court of Justice.
It would be wise to leverage Gadkari’s compulsions of showing concrete results during his term to gain back legitimate rights and liberties. The community had surrendered many of its rightful privileges that the colonial rulers were prepared to concede during negotiations to transfer power. The faith reposed in the Congress party while endorsing a common electorate has been belied by the Grand Old Party and its leaders. They violated the specific commitment that the State will not trample on the Muslims’ distinct identity. The government was not to deny – in the guise of non-discrimination – accelerated avenues for development to the oppressed classes.
There is a chance – of whatever probability – of cooperation and tactful negotiation with BJP will lead to equitable and meaningful participation by the marginalized sections in governance. This would be a mirage in a farcical vote-bank democracy created by universal franchise that blindly imitates western societies.
[The author is an unattached policy analyst based at Ahmedabad, India]