Viewers' voice

Not A Wise Man

M Shamsur Rabb Khan

Many in Bihar or elsewhere in India including his fans and followers might be praising Nitish Kumar for his 'masterstroke' to separate ways with RJD and landing in the BJP camp or what is called 'ghar wapsi', the over intelligent Chief Minister has cut short his political journey as an independent entity. Either he has to accept the hard line dictates of the BJP in times to come which might be even tougher for him to gulp down than what he had to with RJD or would remain powerless like a fallen leaf when the BJP will compel him to gyrate around the biggest imaginary wave that Narendra Modi-led government has created one of which, as I write, is demolished by Yashwant Sinha (I Need to Speak Up Now, Indian Express, 27 September 2017). Nitish Kumar, the wise politician, will be in a gargantuan personal conflict whether to side with Hindutva agenda of RSS/BJP and stay in his place in lieu of encroachment to his secular or fair political credentials or turn a hardliner out of reaction.  By his stunning decision to part ways with Laloo Prasad-led RJD in late July 2017 Nitish Kumar has caused irreparable damage to his political career. Instead of proving himself to be an able administrator and upholder of secularism he preferred to sit in the lap of Narendra Modi, the forbearer of 2002 Gujarat pogrom, and a Prime Minister who has put the nation in great distress due to his unrealistic and quixotic moves. Soon Bihar CM, like the people of India, will understand that under the bluff and bluster of fine oratory, there is complete hollowness and nothingness. If Nitish Kumar, as we used to believe, has been so intelligent in going for the politics of opportunity, he must comprehend the larger motif of the BJP, and that motif was fulfilled once he deserted RJD. Division of JDU and RJD was the first step that Amit Shah-led BJP achieved in Bihar, and once the BJP is succeeded in sidelining RJD, how long will it take it to smother JDU in its own den? If winter comes, can spring be far behind? Going by his logic if Bihar CM felt fettered in JDU-RJD regime due to Tejashvi's working style or corrupt ways, he will be chained in the JDU-BJP to witness unprecedented corruption since corruption is institutionalized in the BJP regime where a large section of government partners are party to it. As a sagacious politician Nitish knows the future of his party as well as his own stature that will be eroded by the surcharged BJP sooner or later. In the next Lok Sabha elections, Nitish, as the signs have begun to appear, will either think of retirement from politics or become an stooge of the BJP. Since BJP is so hungry of power, albeit its leaders never get tired of accusing other parties particularly the Congress, it can go to any extent, for example, in Goa and Manipur where Congress emerged as the largest contender, it can go to any extent. The whole India watched with batted breath the drama of horse-trading over Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat and how BJP used all unfair means to defeat Ahmed Patel. Political pundits, and "You know and I" as TS Eliot puts it, understand how the governments are formed in India when a political party needs support of other parties. Nitish sided with larger, institutionalized corruption than the shorter, normal corruption. The RSS-guided BJP, Nitish must know, is hell bent on to get rid of all political parties from the Indian democratic system, and in establishing an oppositionless system, the BJP has been busy in applying sama (the process of pacifying), damaa (the process of giving money in charity), bheda (the principle of dividing) and dandaa (the principle of punishment)). Except for fine rhetoric and opposition bashing, the BJP and its leaders including the Prime Minster have encroached upon individual rights, speak nice language and promise hollow El Dorado but does just the opposite. Once in power all over India, BJP, in following dictates of RSS, will open a Pandora box of conflicts – change of Constitution, establishment of Hindutva as core ideology where Muslims, Christians and Dalits will have second class citizenship, imposition of cultural imperialism, change of history, change of names of places, and nationalism as the last refuge of a scoundrel. In the suffocating environment that we feel or will soon begin to feel, Nitish Kumar will have no option at all. In Mahaghatbandhan, Nitish, on the other hand, were a formidable force, a big leader to challenge the onslaught of cultural and communal forces that have become a big threat to national security and peaceful co-existence. It needs a wise vision to discern the consequences of the policies being adopted and implemented by the Prime Minister-led government which would be disastrous on all fronts – political, social and economic. Hindu-Muslim relation is at its nadir, thanks to the Prime Minister and RSS/BJP leaders whose single-point agendum is to corner and whip the community with countless blames and fake charges. But then, Nitish Kumar will only have to watch since late realization of 'complete annihilation of opposition' and 'disastrous internal conflict' will serve no purpose. comments powered by Disqus