The great Indian democratic exercise, Lok Sabha elections 2014, is here with a bang. Old loyalties are giving way to new equations which see strange bedfellows. The deciding factors for new alignments seem to be party tickets and prospects, and not any principles. All sorts of unprincipled alliances along with horse trading appear to be the order of the day.
Indian National Congress appears to be a bit tired besides carrying the burden of incumbency and misgovernance.
BJP appears to be very hopeful of forming the next government by getting the support of as many smaller players as possible. Large sections of Indian population, prominent among them Muslims, have expressed their apprehension if BJP comes to power for the second time.
BJP is not ready to make amends for its fundamental communal and parochial thinking. Its president Rajnath Singh spoke about his inclination to tender an apology for what it did to the Muslims. It was a half-hearted attempt bereft of any sincerity behind it.
The battle very clearly appears to be between the forces of secularism and those of communal fascism.
The strange thing is BJP’s choice of Mr. Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. People can never forget that he had supervised the 2002 massacre of Muslims in Gujarat. Even Mr. Vajpayee, the then PM, had to remind him of his raj dharma. Who can forget Mr. Modi’s remarks supporting Gujarat carnage by calling it a case of opposite and equal reaction. He never cared to visit a single relief camp of hapless victims. He called the camps child producing centres. This shows his inbuilt inhuman tendency. He returned a part of the central government funds earmarked for the victims. Should such a heartless, self-centred, puffed up with pride person be made the prime minister of the largest, multi-cultural and multi-religious democracy? That is why observers opine that even if BJP succeeds in cobbling a coalition, it may not be possible for Mr. Modi to be at the helm of affairs of India.
Let us hope that the Indian citizens, in spite of their weaknesses, would use their votes with greatest care and sagacity. If democracy loses this battle, the days ahead may be very dark.
One is reminded of what the great poet of the East, Iqbal said, “Again the battle between spirit and matter is raging / The deranged powers have brought out their beasts out.”
Let India prove with all its strength that it is not ready to tolerate any communalist, fascist and beast.