It has taken us seventy years, since gaining independence, to build a strong and united nation. Today, we proudly stand as the world’s fifth-largest economy, with leaders who symbolize peace and growth on the global stage. However, there are elements within our nation whose relentless pursuit of power is becoming a growing concern.
After the British left Bharat and democracy was introduced, the nation faced many challenges such as poverty, lack of development, and inequalities, including disparities in caste, wealth, education, and language. This was a time when some powerful individuals exploited these issues for their own political gain, giving rise to a strategy known as appeasement politics.
How did minority appeasement and caste divisions impact Bhartiya politics? In Today’s segment, we’ll discuss the communal perspective that shaped the political landscape of Bharat.
Due to the practice of favoring minorities in a country where Hindus make up 80% of the population, a Prime Minister from the Congress party boldly claimed that minorities should have the first claim on resources in Bharat. According to Congress, the nation consists of two groups: the Muslim community, voting as a unified bloc, and everyone else, divided and treated according to political considerations.
But Congress, is not the only party viewing society through this communal lens. Leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, KC Rao, Siddaramaiah, Ashok Gehlot, Akhilesh, and Lalu Yadav share a common approach. They view Muslims as a dependable voting bloc. But when it comes to the non-Muslim population, they see a society divided into numerous castes, making it easier to exploit, deny rights, insult their culture, and create divisions for political gain. In essence, their second strategy for gaining power involves keeping the extensive Hindu community divided along caste and sectarian lines.
Casteism, is undoubtedly a major issue in our country. What’s even more alarming is how, over the past 77 years, certain opportunistic individuals have manipulated it into a political weapon, primarily directed against Hindus. They’ve exploited caste divisions for votes, pitting one against another to satisfy their own selfish goals and retain their hold on power.
Today, in the eyes of leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Lalu Yadav, Mayawati , and Stalin , people are often categorized as Yadavs and non-Yadavs, Dalits and non-Dalits, Dravidians and non-Dravidians. Their clear strategy is to keep society divided, whether it’s along religious, caste, or linguistic lines. And if these divisions aren’t enough, they find new ways to create more divisions. Their strategy revolves around perpetuating division within society, securing their route to power.
Bihar’s former Chief Minister Lalu Yadav, involved in numerous scandals, came to power promising to uplift the poor and backward classes. However, despite being richly endowed with resources, Bihar remains one of the most underdeveloped states, where poverty still persists, and the backward remain disadvantaged. Lalu Yadav’s policy to remain in power was evident: prevent the people of Bihar from becoming educated, prosperous, and united, as that would threaten his political support.[9] Consequently, despite its abundant resources, Bihar remains one of the most underdeveloped states and has suffered from caste-related violence.
As elections loom in five states and the Lok Sabha elections draw nearer, political leaders are on the hunt for issues that can secure their positions and bring them back to power. In the absence of clear-cut public concerns, politicians, like Rahul Gandhi, craft new agendas with the goal of establishing fresh voter bases, either by dividing or consolidating certain groups. Currently, there are three major issues in Bhartiya elections that have become permanent fixtures: poverty, caste-based politics, and concerns related to minority communities. These issues are interwoven and strategically used to win over voters.
Nevertheless, the rise of the BJP in 2014 brought a shift in political discourse, focusing on development over vote banks. Since 2014, there has been a shift in the national discourse. For the first time in the country’s history, the focus has been on economic growth and comprehensive development. People from various communities, including Muslims and other minorities, are not merely perceived as political vote banks. Caste-based politics has also been gradually receding, allowing the nation to progress.
In various fields, including agriculture, industry, internal and external security, the economy, and science and technology, Bharat gained prominence. Long-standing issues that had been pending for 77 years were finally addressed. Contentious matters like Article 370 were resolved through determination and resolve.[16] In cases such as the practice of triple talaq, the government demonstrated its commitment to ensuring the equal participation of Muslim women in the nation’s progress.
Essential services like electricity, water, gas, sanitation, healthcare, and safety became accessible to all. The country’s GDP, foreign reserves, and foreign direct investment (FDI) saw significant growth. Bharat not only achieved self-sufficiency but also experienced a substantial increase in GDP. The entire world started to view Bharat in a new and positive way.
The construction of the Shri Ram temple[19] , the Kashi Corridor, the development of Kedarnath , and the restoration of various cultural sites have ignited a renewed sense of enthusiasm among Hindus. Society is rediscovering its pride in its cultural heritage. The dream of a united and better Bharat has become a reality, and the vision of Bharat becoming a global leader no longer seems out of reach.
All of this progress happened under a single government. So, in their harsh attempts to overthrow this government, the opposition probably needs a new plan and approach.Rahul Gandhi and his allies seem to forget that their efforts to take down the BJP might also undermine the country’s overall progress.
Now, with limited options at their disposal, the Congress is determined to find ways to divide the nation and appeal to what they call “minorities.”
Currently, the Congress and the opposition are advocating for rights to be determined based on population. They believe that this strategy may help secure their political careers. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have declared their intent to conduct caste-based census in their respective states. In Uttar Pradesh, the Leader of the Opposition, Akhilesh Yadav, has pledged to conduct a caste census if his party comes to power.
Experts in this field have raised several questions regarding the intentions behind the caste census, primarily questioning why the Nitish government is releasing caste data shortly before the Lok Sabha elections. They wonder whether being in power will lead to change, considering Bihar’s historical under-development during Lalu Yadav’s rule, the state’s ongoing challenges, and a significant portion of the population living below the poverty line. Similar questions arise for Uttar Pradesh, where Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav presided over caste violence and limited progress. Mayawati’s tenure in Uttar Pradesh also faces scrutiny regarding the improvement of conditions for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. It raises concerns that these leaders may have prioritized their personal interests over the welfare of the population.
The hypocrisy of the Congress is so evident. Despite a history of insulting Dalits, the party is now attempting to position itself as the savior of Dalits through initiatives like “Dalit Gaurav Samvad.” This is the same Congress that consistently disrespected figures like Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Babu Jagjivan Ram during its time in power.
Another concerning aspect is the credibility of the census report. Numerous leaders and analysts in Bihar are asserting that this census report is entirely fabricated and relies on falsified data. Jitan Ram Manjhi, leader of Bihar’s regional party Hindustani Awam Morcha, has alleged that this report has been created internally with manipulated data. Manjhi questions the claim that Yadavs make up more than 14 percent of Bihar’s population when, in reality, they are only 4 percent.
The caste system can be likened to a societal ailment that weakens the fabric of our society. Using caste as a tool, it becomes easy to erode one’s pride and self-respect, effectively enslaving them. When a society is entangled in internal strife based on caste identities and gains and losses, it’s less likely to unite and raise its voice against the government. However, this seems to be the sole agenda of Congress and the opposition.
Congress’s recent move underscores a few crucial points:
Firstly, it reveals Congress’s desperation to return to power, which has driven them from being anti-Modi to taking an anti-Hindu and anti-national stance.
Congress, which remained silent in the ongoing issue with Canada over Sikh Separatism, now expressed support for Hamas terrorists. This is in stark contrast to the Bhartiya government’s official stance in support of Israel. It’s worth noting that Hamas is not solely focused on the destruction of Israel; their larger aim is to establish Islamic rule worldwide.
It is presumed that Rahul Gandhi also made agreements with the anti-Bharat forces in China. The pro-Congress journalists run China’s propaganda machinery in Bharat and the Congress stands up to defend these journalists, newsclick being the recent example.
The anti-Hindu face of Congress has once again come to the fore. The Congress that denies Ram Setu, denies the existence of Shri Ram, the Congress that stands against the construction of Ram Temple, the Krishna Janmabhoomi, Kashi Vishwanath or the thousands of temples on which the invaders demolished and built mosques, will never be able to support the Hindus. And all their Hinduism tactics are just part of their poll campaign.
In their relentless quest for power, Congress is probably appeasing the Muslim vote bank with unrealistic hopes.. of returning to power.
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