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Mohd Asim is a News Editor at NDTV 24X7)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address was just perfect. He touched all the right chords. There was no bulletproof screen between him and his audience. It was truly a leader in direct contact with his countrymen. But did the message percolate unhindered or untinted?
"Let's shun casteism, communalism, divisive politics." Mr Modi made a passionate appeal for peace and amity in the country. Every word chosen with care and emphasized to send the message of inclusiveness, harmony, communal accord. But what Mr Modi, the Prime Minister, said from the ramparts of the Red Fort, stood in contrast with what his party MP, Yogi Adityanath, said in Parliament just two days before the PM's Independence Day address.
Let's compare parts of the two speeches.
First what Mr Modi said. "Brothers and sisters, for one reason or the other, we have had communal tensions for ages. This led to division of the country. Even after Independence, we have had to face the poison of casteism and communalism... We have had enough of fights, many have been killed. Look back and you will find that nobody has benefited from it... Let's resolve for once in our hearts, let's put a moratorium on all such activities for 10 years, we shall march ahead to a society which will be free from all such tensions.... Shun all the sins committed so far, give up that way, follow the way of goodwill and brotherhood, and let's resolve to take the country forward."
Now, sample what Adityanath said on August 13 in the Lok Sabha during the debate on communal violence. "Communal is the one who says 'My Lord, my Prophet is the most superior. Only those who believe in him have the right to live.' The Hindu philosophy of life does not permit this... Our philosophy believes in live and let live..." Then came a threat. "...if there is a conspiracy against the Hindu philosophy... then Hindu samaj has to unite. Hindu is not a symbol of communalism, Hindu is a symbol of nationalism. People who try to defame the symbol of Hindutva will have to pay the price for this."
He went on to paint the majority as the victim of India's 'secularism' and minorities, particularly Muslims, as its targeted beneficiaries. He called for Hindu unity rather than a national unity.
Replete with invective, bordering on abuse, full of Hindus-this-and-Muslims-that arguments, Adityanath's speech was communal and unconstitutional, to say the least. It was a naked majoritarianism. And that it was delivered on the floor of Parliament and evoked table thumping from his fellow BJP MPs makes it even worse.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh sat through the speech in silence. Are we to take his silence for a tacit approval of Adityanath's vitriol? Was BJP sending a message to a section of the country in its choice of Adityanath as the BJP's opening speaker on the communal violence debate? Was Adityanath playing a part assigned by the party?
The foremost question: Does Mr Modi approve of Adityanath's 'hate' speech -- and in the liberal world it will certainly qualify to be a hate speech. Does Adityanath represent the BJP's view? There are no answers forthcoming to these valid questions. The party has not officially distanced itself from Adityanath's views.
Are we to believe that Mr Modi and Adityanath represent two sides of the same BJP coin? Adityanath pampering the ego and pride of the Hindutva constituency. Mr Modi, the development man, the darling of the middle class?
Mr Modi has till now not disowned Adityanath's words. He should. For Adityanath presents a direct threat, first, to Mr Modi's efforts to present himself as the prime servant of the country, and, secondly, to our constitutional democracy.
If Mr Modi seriously believes in growth, development, security and equal opportunity to all, he needs to show Yogi Adityanath his place. Otherwise, silence is suspect.
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