Narendra Modi and India
RESULTS of the elections to the Legislative Assembly of Gujarat were long awaited because Chief Minister Narendra Modi had acquired considerable notoriety over the last decade. He had presided over the pogrom of the Muslims of the state in 2002, an offence for which the US State Department still refuses to grant him a visa to that country.
Modi has expressed no contrition and made not the slightest effort to make amends for the loss of 2,000 lives. Not only that, he went on to consolidate the Hindu community’s support by what can only be described as a campaign of hate. That accomplished, he began asserting his independence from his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) central leadership and its mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Having won his first assembly election in 2002 after the pogrom and the next in 2007 on a similar stance, he made a bid for victory in 2012 on the platform for the BJP leadership in the 2014 general election in order to ultimately emerge as prime minister of India. It was not the Muslims and the secularists alone who waited for the poll results with bated breath. So did the BJP’s leadership and the RSS cabal. Since independence few elections to a state assembly have been watched with such keen interest as the polls in Gujarat.
On paper the results declared on Dec 20 would suggest that Modi’s rise has been checked. In a house of 182 seats he won 115 seats, two short of the tally in 2007. The Congress won 61 seats, two more than it won in 2007. However, even as results were being declared, printed placards surfaced declaring Modi as the next prime minister. They were obviously printed well in advance for the predicted victory.
Modi himself emerged in public and, in a rare performance, eschewed Gujarati to declaim triumphantly in Hindi, the national language. The symbolism was not lost on the BJP’s leaders. His supporters predict that the 2014 general elections to the Lok Sabha will witness a straight fight between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. At 62, Modi can face reverses more than once as he pursues his ambition.
The crucial question is what do his politics portend for the future of India’s polity? He claimed: “The entire election was fought here on the plank of development. Gujarat has endorsed the plank of development and has voted accordingly.” Both claims are false. He freely exploited the communal factor, and his speeches were laced with attacks on Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and others in coarse language. He accused the prime minister of selling out Sir Creek to Pakistan. Not one Muslim was awarded the party’s ticket for the polls.
Modi was a hard-core RSS pracharak (volunteer) who was seconded to the BJP. In 2001, he was sent from the BJP’s headquarters in New Delhi to Gujarat to replace Keshubhai Patel as chief minister.
The burning of the train at Godhra in 2002 provided an opportunity to whip up hatred towards Muslims. A pogrom followed.
The hatred persists. From mixed localities Muslims have moved into ghettos. Politically they are marginalised. So deep is the demoralisation that a few significant sections of Muslims decided to make peace with Modi.
In the run-up to the 2007 elections Sonia called him a “maut ka saudagar” (merchant of death). During the recent polls however, none dared attack him along those lines as it would have alienated the Hindus who back him. Muslims constitute 10 per cent of the total population. The BJP won in 24 constituencies which had more than 15 per cent Muslim voters. In nine seats with 25 per cent or more Muslims, the BJP won seven, including one in which they had a 60 per cent majority and another in which they had nearly 50. The number of Muslims in the assembly is down to two from five in 2007.
The contest was between a Congress afraid to fight for secularism, let alone for redress of Muslim grievances, and a BJP which is increasingly communal. A minority community has some leverage in a multi-party contest, very little in a polity divided on religious lines. If Modi launched a sadbhavna (harmony) campaign last year it was not to woo the Muslims but to project himself as a moderate on the national level. During the campaign he firmly refused to put on a skull cap presented to him by a Muslim while accepting all manner of other caps which were offered to him. The message was driven home forcefully.
Modi’s false claims on development have been exposed thoroughly. Gujarat ranks 14th and ninth respectively in men’s and women’s rural wage rates among the country’s 20 major states. The network of super highways, which impress some, cannot conceal the awful state of roads in the interior and the abject poverty that is the norm there. Meanwhile big business has rallied behind Modi.
The BJP leaders in New Delhi had no say in the award of party tickets nor were they assigned a role in the election campaign. It was Narendra Modi’s show entirely and exclusively. Therein lies his greatest strength and greatest weakness. He has undoubtedly emerged as a powerful regional satrap but has in the process alienated some in the BJP and the RSS, their allies in the National Democratic Alliance — especially the Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar — and very many across the country.
In 2013 there will be elections to five state assemblies. Will Modi campaign in any of them? For that matter will he tour the country to project himself as a ‘national’ leader? In that event what will be the country’s response? If he manages to win significant popular support outside Gujarat, will the BJP adopt him as leader, as in 1990-1992 when L.K. Advani launched his Hindutva hate campaign?
In 2014 India will battle for its soul once again. As before it is certain to triumph for the hate campaign is assured of failure. The souffle cannot rise twice.
The writer is an author and a lawyer based in Mumbai.
on similar lines is mms responsible for the rape in delhi or the incidents from assam from where he is an MP?
Very one sided argument. Bad journalism.
The author needs to sit with educated Gujarati Muslims to get he fact and education .
One can never…I repeat never win a national election in India on communal grounds alone. The proof is India is a Hindu majority nation and if Hindus were communal BJP would have forever stayed in power. This statement alone should end the entire discussion of are communal forces powerful in India. All such discussions are pure ‘waste of time’
Next point is Congress which always professes love for Muslims – They have been in center for the most part of independent India. Its time for those who feel oppressed to ask the question of whether they have been served in all these years. If not, then Congress might be the culprit but who is the fool?
Last and most important – the author says Muslims have been marginalized, Muslims have been demoralized to an extent where they voted for Modi…really???? One should be living in paradise for the ‘simble’ minded to believe that smoke of thought….Where does the Indian govt favor one religion over other!! Infact where does Indian govt favor ‘anyone else’ other than itself!!!
Very bias article.All that vent wrong in riots 11 years beck is loaded on Narendra Modi and other two leaders and ex chief ministers and also ex RSS men are not mentioned are they holy?.If Narendra Modi can do this carnage what the other two did to save Muslims? Were this two leaders not complacent? Why do you want to use this unfortunate incident to defeat Narendra Modi and drive poor Muslims in to Ghetto. Poor Gujarati Muslims have enough of propaganda so they do not listen to you,they see ground reality and they are well off then other parts of India.Mr Noorani is a lawyer in Mumbai and he knows Muslim Ghettos in Mumbai,are they also created by Narendra Modi? There is fear in corrupt politicians and corporate media of India with the rise of Modi.
Mr. Noorani blame today’s terror attacks in Pakistan on Mr. Modi too. It seems like people are looking for somebody to blame. Gujrat riots were started when the train car of Hindus was set on fire first. It is interesting to see that how special interests like you pick selective events/sub-events to make your case. This article is a disgrace.
Such a nonsensical writing…Clearly Modi is an able administrator than Manmohan Singh, in fact PM has openly declared that he doesn’t have a magical wand to stop deep rooted corruption in Congress & it’s alliance. That’s how the PM is.. worse than a puppet…These lawyers like Noorani just for the sake of getting attention and try to win Pak people’s heart, writes something rubbish. I want Noorani to think what will happen in Pakistan if a rude mob of Hindu youth burn the 100′s of Muslim people going for Hajj..Will you then accuse that Zardari failed to protect Hindu’s..Infact Zardari can’t run behind each and every Hindu’s. He can maintain law and order only if the rude people from both sides clam down. They are desperate to kill each other so obviously govt can’t do anything better. Whose mistake is this and who are you pointing out? Think before writing something, Modi is much needed in this situation because Rahul doesn’t have a political clarity n he is clearly overrated…
Noorani does not explain why the Muslims had to burn the train coaches crammed with Hindu pilgrims. Nor does he mention that the fire brigades were stopped by a Muslim crowd from approaching the burning train at Godhra. Nor does he realize that the idea and the practice of killing someone who has a different belief was introduced in India by the Muslims, still less does Noorani explain the reason of a mentality that believes India is dar-ul-Harb is valid in the midst of a secularism which Muslims support for their interests while holding to a separate personal law. And what is the meaning of 285 million people ranting all the time that it is a minority community? Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Yadavs, Dalits, Paris, Christians, Mizos, Boldos, Santhals, and a host of other minorities constitute the social structure of India. They do not whine. Indian Muslims have reversed history by claiming victimhood after centuries of destruction of Centres of high learning together with the catastrophic destruction of Indian Buddhism, without putting anything worthwhile in their place. Despite all this havoc they still claim the right to be given special privileges and political favours. Why do they not rise and join the mainstream while holding on to their identity based on a few legal dispensations? Modi reacted to Muslim violent intolerance as he should have according to his duty as a responsible administrator. It is a shame that Noorani would find virtue in an abjectly inept PM like Man Mohan Singh while berating a leader like Modi. The need is for the Muslims to grow up. And for a man like Modi to be allowed to do what leaders like Sonia Gandhi and MMS fail to do.
The report is biased and came from one of the typical Modi haters. The reporter tried his best to give a balanced view but miserably failed “So deep is the demoralisation that a few significant sections of Muslims decided to make peace with Modi”… few and significant ha.. ha.
In another area of his report he brought “Sir Creek “ to make it relevant to Pakistan context. All of these Modi hate prove that Modi is getting bigger and bigger with support from sensible Muslims. I normally see Hindu hate / India hate reports in Pakistan Tribune. Please note that I respect Dawn as you guys are responsible and stand for your nation’s best interest unlike Indian newspapers.
Dear Journalists, there are a hell a lot of issues happening in Pakistan, day in and day out, in fact the Muslim brethren are killing, bombing and murdering their own clan in spite of having achieved their country, saying muslims cannot get justice in Hindu India. Why don’t you people write on that rather than having to write only on Mr. Modi and shaming our own country. Abdul Rehman Malik, the greatest Interior minister to have come from Pakistan equates 26/11, 9/11 with that of Babri Masjid. We Indians do take special pride in lowering our own nation’s image in front of the country Pakistan, which has no shame doing all these bombings, killings, attacks on our Indian brothers and you people still want India to host Pakistan and it’s teams for sports, culture and bilateral talks. Remember, always be patriotic to your own country, not your neighbouring country for the sake of personal benefits. Better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
So, one more Journalist starts writing to bash Modi. I am an Indian and I do ask all these so called Intelligent journalists of our India. Pls think logically. Do you mean to say that Indian people and that too gujarati people are so idiotic, including the Muslims who have voted for Modi, that too in 2012, where internet, facebook and twitter are so powerful to dupe the public in the name of development. Do these journalists want to disrespect and put these voters to shame, who have exercised their franchise. Dear journalists, pls I understand your frustration at Mr. Modi winning every elections belying your expectations. Just respect the freedom that people of India have exercised.
The author has written this article purely as a Muslim without the application of his lawyers brain.Hence we do not expect any different reaction.Most readers will ignore this rubbish.