The editorial in the latest issue of People’s Democracy accuses the BJP of going back to its ‘communal politics’. It says “India’s social fabric is distinguished by its vast plurality and rich diversity. The interests of our country can be protected and strengthened only when this fact is not merely recognised but accepted. It is precisely this that the BJP refuses to accept. Further, the strength of any country, especially under a parliamentary democracy, lies in how well and competently are the interests of the minorities protected. The measure of the success of democracy is the rising index of the welfare of the minorities...

“The Sachar Committee findings have comprehensively nailed the lie of the BJP’s vicious campaign of ‘minority appeasement’. Thus, despite one of their important planks of communal polarisation being exposed, the BJP is now opposing any measure to improve the welfare of the minorities by advancing, once again, the very logic of minority appeasement...

“This must be seen as a part of the larger strategy being employed currently by the RSS/BJP and its affiliates, i.e., the return to the basics. The anointment of L.K. Advani as their future prime minister (presuming that they are ever able to win a general election), is central to this strategy. The effort is to recall the memory of the infamous ‘rath yatra’ led by Advani in the early ’90s preceding the demolition of the Babri Masjid, with the hope that this will help consolidate the Hindu vote bank. The BJP’s hardcore Hindutva campaign in the recent elections in Gujarat led by Narendra Modi and the venomous speeches of their leaders highlighting the three core issues of the Hindutva agenda — construction of the temple at Ayodhya; uniform civil code; and the abolition of Article 370 — in the Himachal Pradesh election campaign only confirms this.”

... contd.