With the revocation of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has completed two out of the overemphasised and over-discussed three promises entailed in its manifesto. The third one — uniform civil code — is still waiting to be drafted even after the party has completed 9 years in the centre with full majority.
 |
| BJP rally in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu. Photo- BJP twitter |
Following the January 22’s consecration of the temple, the party will be busy for the next general election that is expected to be held in April this year. A favourable result for the party will decide the fate of the UCC. What achievement attained by the party in the recent times is not out of the frame. Can it be guessed what traits make the BJP different from any other parties in India?
Is it a disciplined cadre?
Shaped and prepared by the RSS, numbers of devoted workers have been ready to participate in the BJP’s activities including protest, ‘gherao’, march and newly-invented IT cell. They always follow the party’s guidelines and instructions without raising any questions because of their allegiance to the ‘Hindutva’, an ideology drafted and propagated by the RSS. For them, the party’s decision is everything whether it is suitable for a specific period of time or not. It is said that senior BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been opposing the Advani’s Rath Yatra in 1990, but he was the first to flag off the ‘Yatra’ after the party nodded for it in the executive meeting.
Recently, it is also witnessed how the supreme leaders have been peacefully replaced in the states and workers have been raising their hands in support of the decisions taken by the governments and the party.
Is it a support of RSS?
Founded in 1925, the RSS has been working for the unification and well-being of Hindus, and also giving training to its workers for this purpose. (Hindus are used for those who live on the land of Bharat despite of the dissimilarity in their way of worshipping. It does not refer to religious Hindu.)
The workers who have been trained for the sake of RSS activities are known as ‘swayamsewaks’ whose motto is ‘apna khao, aur desh aur society ke liye kaam karo’. (Earn for your livelihood, but work for the country and society.) This motto makes the workers selfless and devoted to the society.
These workers are trained at the organisation’s initial and smallest unit what idly is called ‘shakha’. As per a report, more than 50,000 daily ‘shakhas’ and above 10000 weekly ‘milan’ (meeting) for professionals are being run. Approximately 6 to 7 lakh people attend the daily ‘shakhas’. They have been giving unconditional support to the BJP.
Is it the idea of Hindutva?
The word ‘Hindutva’ is sometimes used as synonymous to Hinduism, but it is totally different to its literal meaning, and used to rise the political consciousness among Hindus.
The RSS do not use the word ‘Hindu’ in the context of a worshiping deity or as a religion. Hindus have a ‘view of life’ and a ‘way of life’. A judgement delivered by the Supreme Court is always quoted—Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life.
It is ‘Hindutva’ that works as a pool between the RSS and the BJP.
Is it the presence of internal democracy?
Having a deep philosophy, a great cadre and devoted comrades, the Bharatiya Janata Party has reached there, which is still a dream for many parties. In only 40 years, the party has given two prime ministers to the nation and several chief ministers to the states. Its leaders believe that what the party has achieved today is happened due to the internal democracy.
Internal democracy is a crucial thing for any party to be flourished on the turf of electoral politics. Decision making process, appointment of office-bearers specially its president and the distribution of tickets for election affect the party affairs and the morale of the workers. In India, parties that attained the status of national party are either one-leader party or ‘vanshwadi’ party except some parties.
Parties that lack internal democracy
Founded in 1984, most of the time, the Bahujan Samaj Party saw its presidents either Kanshi Ram or Mayawati. In only 12 years span of its history, the Aam Aadmi Party also did the same that was never expected because of its founding nature which included no religious sentiments, no caste inclination and the absence of left-right binary. Although the party has been discussing about the internal democracy, but it assumed the power, Arvind Kejriwal became supreme of all activities. Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Anand Kumar like leaders have been sidelined that killed the spirit of internal democracy. Several leaders of the party are behind the bars in corruption cases. It’s an irony for a party which origin is traced back to a corruption movement, today its leaders are imprisoned for corrupt practices.
Also, in the politburo of the Communist Party, many members are from the upper dominant castes and many of them have been holding the position for a long time. The Congress is in its worst state. There is no clarity in decision making. Its president is Mallikarjun Kharge, but Rahul Gandhi is leading the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
Internal democracy in practice
In comparison to the parties discussed above, the Bharatiya Janata Party has been successful in implementing its constitution. Its presidents have been chosen regularly for a specific period of time. Office-bearers are appointed on the basis of their capability and work. Choosing Mohan Yadav, Vishnu Dev Sai and Bhajan Lal Sharma as chief ministers respectively in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan is frequent example of the party’s democratic functioning.
The fact which makes the BJP successful
It can be said that having a philosophy of ‘Hindutva’ to mobilise the mass, a disciplined cadre rinsed by the RSS, the internal democracy and the RSS-like mother organisation are the traits which make the Bharatiya Janata Party different and successful from any other political parties in India.
No comments:
Post a Comment