PRASANTA VARMA, ADVOCATE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA |
| Blog | Posted By: prasantv on:11/1/2011 12:49:24 PM |
WHETHER MUSLIMS AND THE
MINORITIES ARE FEELING MORE SAFE TO BE WITH BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY TODAY ?
When the Bharatiya Janata Party
came to power in the centre in 1999, throughout it was a campaign / news, that
Hindu Extremist Party won the election to form the Government in India. At that time neither the party had the majority
to form the Government in centre single handedly nor till that date any
political party have ever run the coalition Government in the centre successfully
for a complete tenure. I will say, it was possible because of the strong leader
like Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had successfully run the Government for a
complete tenure despite of unity in diversity amongst all the allied political
parties (NDA).
During Mr. Vajpayee’s tenure (1999-2004)
people of this country have witnessed many a developmental work and possibly
from the date of independence, our country has never witnessed such tremendous
work in a complete tenure. Be it is the revolution in the telecom sector,
bringing National Highway projects, Gramin Sadak Yojna, even testing the
nuclear weapons, Joining the Rivers in India, Disinvestment and privatization of
the corporations for a better Industrial policy and growth, the work of Mr.
Vajpayee was a class apart.
It was Mr. Vajpayee who had shown
the real raja Dharma while ruling consistently for a complete tenure and even
never touched any kind of sentiments of other minority people of this country,
to which others had their apprehensions those days. Particularly after the
Babri Masjid issue, others had different apprehension against the Bharatiya
Janata Party which had never occurred. Today I am touched and saying about the
Raja Dharma being performed by Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee which I have derived
from the recent news that Mr. Vajpayee had asked Mr. Narendra Modi to perform
raja dharma after the Godhra incident.
Through out I have campaigned and
ever told others that no political parties in this country can be said to be
having their affiliation for any particular community and in any case, for me
Bharatiya Janata Party cannot be said to be only for the Hindus. Like no
political party or no sincere and serious group of people in this country
cannot be expected to act against the basic constitution of our country India.
When I say so before my North
Indian friends, I have noticed some people oppose to my above stance and some
never fail to give their remarks against me that, because of having political
inclination I am saying so. However, personally speaking I have a feeling that,
in northern part of our country a small percentage people have reservation
against the minority community because of the reason that they were either the
victim of the partition or their family had problems with those minorities for generation
together who were ruling this country prior to the Britishers for more than 200
years.
Today on 1st November,
2011, I receive one mail from the Minority cell of the BJP Odisha, wherein
their leader had expressed his views which I am quoting herein below :
The present
ruling party and their alliance are promoting vote bank politics in the nation.
He said that in the last 65 years since Independence, the present ruling party
has been on the helm of affairs for a major period. The minorities have only been more
marginalised and pushed lower in the poverty level. The present ruling party
talks of the Sachhar Committee Report but has done nothing to implement any of
the recommendations. They have been playing with the sentiments of the Muslims
and other minorities with their divisive and pseudo secular programs.
The leader of
the minority community in his press release has further stated that the
Bharatiya Janata Party believes in the creed of “Equality for All and
Appeasement for none”. The maximum number of Minority welfare schemes were
launched and implemented under the Prime Ministership of Shri Atal Behari
Vajpayee. The quota for Haj pilgrims was increased, Madrasas were computerized,
the relationship with Muslim countries had improved to a great extent.
He cited the
examples of BJP ruled States and said that there is a genuine sense of security
in the State like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar wherein the development
programs for the minorities have been successful and fruitful.
For me today it is apparent that there
is a nationwide swing of the minorities towards the BJP and the Minorities particularly
the Muslims are feeling more safe to be with BJP for the ultimate development
of India. In Odisha too, the party has seen a lot of enthusiasm from the
minorities.
(This article is written based on
personal feeling of the writer without any political compulsions, motivations
and even in any manner touching any sentiments of any community)
Response and comments if any shall be highly appreciated.
Prasanta Varma
Advocate, Supreme Court of India
E Mail : prasantv@yahoo.com