There might have been countless rebuttals
already to the nearly famous Suchitra Krishnamoothys blog post (not her
autobiography, surprisingly) about how the BJP is the worst idea since
Hitler’s. This, nevertheless, won’t deter me to write another one.
First things first:
1) Let me start bottom up. In this blog post I talk about my views and
my views only. I don’t talk on behalf of the 130 crore Indians as Ms
Krishnamoorthy conveniently and unapologetically does in her own.
2) This blog post will lack the finesse, charm, use of metaphors and
adjectives. This will not be a literary masterpiece. Far from it, actually. So
if you are looking at reading something worthwhile which might give you a shot
at GRE/GMAT, I would advise you to move on to some other, rather diligently
written with that intent, blogs. I can point out some if you want.
3)I wish the BJP paid me to write this article. Unfortunately for me,
it doesn’t. Quite a bummer that we bloggers have to do what the spokespersons
of the BJP should be doing in newsrooms.
4)There will be a lot of grammatical errors. Grammar Nazis can have
their fair share of laugh at my expense. I will be more than happy to grant you
the little sadistic pleasure you might get after dissecting this post.
Now that I have set the expectations let me
start with disagreeing respectfully with Ms Krishnamoorthy. The article is a
mere reflection of how the media has been able to set the narrative that this
is a ban-friendly government. Not only it is factually incorrect, it also puts
forward her lopsided views and the unreal expectations she has with the
government. The write up reeks of stereotypes that have been pushed down our
throats in the last one-year or so. But I won’t blame her for the misguided
non-egalitarian view she has of the government. If I had suddenly woken up from
a slumber and watched the news channels day-in day-out without bothering about
any sort of fact checking, I too would have held a similar view. It’s a perfect example of Goebbels Law.
I will skip the rhetoric and get on with
the points she has put forward.
People have varied views of different
political parties of India. BJPs hard-core supporters remember ABV’s 6-year
rule that gave India the much needed push in development of physical
infrastructure. It’s detractors however remember it for the infamous rath yatra
carried out by its patron Lal Krishna Advani followed by his, and in turn BJPs,
alleged role in the demolition of Babri Masjid and the riots that ensued. But I
don’t think anyone remembers BJP for its mishaps in Karnataka. Karnataka, did
you say?
Anyways, the battle of perception can go on
forever. The sooner we move on the better is the probability of not losing the
context.
Beef
Ban
Let us not get swayed by facts. Le us just
believe the rhetoric about India turning into Banistan under Modis India. Beef
ban has been in place in majority states before the BJP even took it’s first
breath. But let’s for a minute assume that it was the BJP who had enforced the
ban in most of the states. If they are in fact doing it, they are fulfilling
their poll promise. The BJP promised an end to the pink revolution. It was a
part of their manifesto. Frankly, I would have been disappointed if they hadn’t
taken any action in this regard.
Anyways, the debate around cow protection
has been going on since ages. Let’s not go so long back but to the post
independence India. This is what Mr ZH Lari of the United provinces had to say:
Most of the Indian states except a few in
north eastern states and Kerala have a ban in some form or other in place.
Meat
Ban
Let’s first look at what was banned,
irrespective of the time it was banned. Open slaughterhouses had banned the
sale of meat on the days where Jains celebrated their festival. What does this
actually mean? That you would not have been able to purchase your meat from
these places. Would you have been able to eat your meat at home? Yes. Would you
have been able to eat your meat in the restaurants? Yes. Would you have been
able to purchase the meat? Yes, but only at places where there was no slaughter
of animals. The previously stocked meat could be easily purchased just like any
other grocery item.
Now look at the history of ban. It was in
the year 1964 that the resolution was first passed the order. Later on it was
reaffirmed in 1994 and 2004. BJP didn’t exist in 1964 and wasn’t ruling in
either 1994 or 2004. All the three years it was either the Congress on it’s own
or in alliance with NCP had ruled the states.
Sedition
What should a state government do when it
is ordered by the High Court to implement its orders? Defy it or comply with
it? I guess a sane mind would definitely go with the latter. This is what the
state govt did. It translated the court order, which was a result of an
affidavit filed by the then Congress led govt in the Bombay High Court, in
Marathi and circulated it across. The Bombay High Court later asked the govt
itself to not act on the order given by them.
The so-called fear of ‘fascism, despotism, and
dictatorship’ has become boring. It has become a fashion by the self-declared
intellectual class to demean the govt without knowing the facts. It has become
agenda driven. In their hate for Modi, they have started oppose anything for
the sake of opposition.
