After winning assembly elections in UP, RSS-BJP has completely thrown off its mask by imposing Yogi Adityanath as the new Chief Minister of the state. After coming to power at the Centre on its own, and now scoring more than three fourth seats in UP assembly, RSS-BJP do not feel need for this mask. They have given the reins of the most populous state of the country to a man who not only makes derogatory and violent statements against minorities but has many times openly incited violence against them. He has been accused of violence against Muslims in a number of cases. It is also ironical that RSS-BJP who pride themselves for having got support from backwards and dalits, have brought to power a person who openly justifies caste system and its oppressive institution. But that hardly matters for RSS-BJP who feel emboldened to crush all dissent and impose their fascist version of rule over the country. This victory will pave the way for removal of certain hurdles from their path.
RSS-BJP are openly proclaiming that they have won through reverse communalization, their term for having polarized Hindus. With the help of corporate media they have conducted a campaign of falsehood from which even Goebbels had much to learn. A wholly artificial smokescreen of appeasement of Muslims has been created; totally baseless campaign of Govt. only concerned about Dalits has been popularized, while the reality is quite the opposite. But this has been a consistent theme for last decades.
However, RSS-BJP are quite brazen in their pursuit of fascist dictatorship based on so-called Hindu nationalism. Did they not bring forth and succeed in bringing Modi to power at the Centre though Gujarat had seen a massive genocide of Muslims under his watch? It was for the apologists and advocates of RSS-BJP to give it a spin of ‘development’ which is another name for implementing pro-imperialist, pro-corporate policies. It is to be seen what further spin they give to Yogi Adityanath’s ascension to power. They way RSS-BJP contested UP elections on communal platform with a mixture of caste arithmetic, it was quite obvious that their slogan “sabka sath, sabka vikas” was a brazen lie. They did not bother.
After the UP elections, RSS-BJP feel that they now have enough grip over power to implement their Hindu Rashtra. They do not feel the need for the mask of “sabka… etc.” They estimate that through this they can change the ground reality to keep them perpetually in power.
Secondly, RSS-BJP have cobbled together a mix of castes, upper castes, backward castes and certain Dalit castes. Though they promised a lot of things to these social groups, they do not intend to implement any of them, rather they wish to bring about total sway of upper castes. Hindutva is essentially upper caste chauvinism. However, these social groups would seek fulfillment of the promises. In order to pre-empt them, RSS-BJP wish to keep communal cauldron boiling and who could be better for the job than Yogi Adityanath.
But all this yet does not explain the support RSS-BJP are enjoying with corporate controlled media. Why big capitalists and big landlords are going for this divisive rule? And why this push now? It is quite clear that the promises made by Modi and other leaders of RSS-BJP at the time of 2014 elections have not been fulfilled. Their “Make in India” has been in shambles. Agriculture continues to be captive of weather gods. There are no new jobs while peasant indebtedness is growing. On the other hand, foreign and domestic corporate are demanding further steps in their favour. These steps are obviously against the people and will be resisted by them. Anti-worker changes in labour laws, corporatization of agriculture and retail trade are some of these. Deepening the communal divide has been a time-tested maneuvre of ruling classes to divert attention from these steps. RSS-BJP represent the most reactionary section and most virulent attack of the ruling classes on the people.
It is not just a case of apprehension. Since RSS-BJP victory in UP, anti-Muslim acts are on the rise on unprecedented scale. Deoband name is to be changed to Devvrind and many such projects are in the offing to completely erase the contribution of Muslims to Indian progress and culture. In Bulandshahr, RSS flag was reportedly flown on a mosque. In Moradabad, BJP councilor locked house of a Muslim family because it was in a Brahmin locality with police watching as spectator. In a village in Bareilly, Muslims have been asked to leave the village. These are just a few examples. The whole attempt is to poison atmosphere to the extent that all other issues of the people are sidelined.
Danger posed by RSS-BJP march towards fascism must be faced squarely. Struggling forces should come together to meet this challenge.
March 18, 2017
