Ex-Hindutva Posterboy

Posted on 2009-02-06
POLITICAL migration often comes with ideological migration as former Hindutva posterboy, Mr Kalyan Singh’s case shows. No one can deny that the BJP owed its phenomenal growth catapulting it into power in Delhi to Mr Kalyan Singh, who strategically articulated the voice of certain castes in UP against Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav. Today the same Mr Singh, who had gone back to the BJP, has decided to join his former archenemy, Mr Yadav who has constantly attacked aggressive Hindutva. Mr Kalyan Singh’s exit from the BJP is not a major political development.
The BJP is no more a party with a difference. Over the years it has turned into a carbon copy of the Congress and is infected with all the political ills that are associated with the Congress. Look at what is happening in Gujarat. The BJP minister, Ms Maya Kodnani has been declared ‘absconder’ as she failed to respond to the SIT summon for questioning her about her involvement in the 2002 massacre of Muslims in Naroda Patiya. How could an absconder remain a minister? Obviously for the BJP, enjoying power is more important than adhering to norms and moral values. In such a state, when Mr Singh’s request for a Lok Sabha ticket for his son was turned down he revolted against the party and quit. With politics ceasing to be social service, Mr Singh has not done anything different. It was basically his instinct to survive that forced him to join hands and befriend Mr Yadav: he told Muslims so on Thursday to justify his embracing Mr Yadav. The Muslim leadership might have genuine reasons to feel suspicious of his motives. But his courting Mr Yadav would surely weaken the BJP. It is clear though that both Mr Kalyan Singh and Mr Mulayam Yadav are out to exploit each other’s strengths and weaknesses.