Fishing for Votes

Fr. Gaurav Nair Fr. Gaurav Nair
06 May 2024

The BJP, seemingly oblivious to the ancient adage 'Once bitten, twice shy', continues to recycle its tactics. Despite the ample response to Mr Modi's diatribe in Banswara, Rajasthan, one would have expected a change in approach. However, the BJP's repetitive behaviour has stripped it of any class, as it persistently resorts to crass narratives, further tarnishing its image.

Recently, the PM swiped at Tejashwi Yadav for eating meat during the Chaitra Navratri when, in fact, nobody even bothered to look and blamed him for hurting Hindu sentiments. He then blamed Congress for distributing the nation's wealth to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children" and snatching away the women's mangalsutras (a necklace worn by married women) if voted to power. He was also kind enough to expound on the theory of the Muslims' priority claim to the nation's wealth, where he maliciously slanted Manmohan Singh.

Things did not stop there. Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath have set off a tug of war for who will emerge victorious in slandering the opposition. While Amit prophesied the implementation of Sharia, Adityanath was sure of Congress promising cow slaughter to be allowed.

Even before considering that Tejashwi consumed fish on the eve of Navratri, the nation is a melting pot of cultures. As Shashi Tharoor wonderfully puts it, true Hinduism does not micro-manage its adherents. If so, what is Mr Modi and his ilk preaching?

Modi's misquoted statement is from a speech Singh made on December 9, 2006, at the 52nd meeting of the National Development Council in New Delhi. The speech was about the Approach Paper to the XI Five-Year Plan, titled 'Towards Faster and More Inclusive Growth'. The paper elucidates that minorities (including Muslims) were falling behind the national average, and the focus was to bring them to par with the rest of the nation. So much for Muslims taking away the opportunities of the Hindus!

The latest in Modi's litany of sorrows is his attribution of Pakistani discipleship to Congress. Hilariously, his imagination has turned Chaudhry Fawad Hussain's post praising Rahul Gandhi into an unintentional exposé of Pakistan's wish for Shehzade to be in power. He fails to realise that his shenanigans will not win him any fans. Truthfully speaking, it is not improbable that these exploits have cost him some votes.

A quote attributed to Otto von Bismarck suggests that only nincompoops learn from their mistakes, while the wise learn from others'. Instead of fostering unity and progress, the party's leadership indulges in fear-mongering and polarisation, undermining the Indian democracy. As the electorate witnesses these tactics, the BJP risks alienating its traditional supporters and those seeking genuine governance and inclusivity. It's time for everyone to heed the lessons of its past missteps and embrace a more dignified and respectful approach to politics that genuinely reflects the nation's aspirations.

Recent Posts

From emperors kneeling in penance to a president posturing as the Saviour, Trump's attacks on the Pope expose a reckless inversion of moral order.
apicture A. J. Philip
20 Apr 2026
The US-Israel attack on Iran marks a dangerous breach of international law driven by power, exposing the erosion of global norms, India's diplomatic missteps, and the perils of unchecked militarism th
apicture G Ramachandram
20 Apr 2026
The Vande Mataram row is less about patriotism than power, where enforced symbolism risks redefining nationalism as conformity to the majority religion. It undermines India's plural identity and its c
apicture Jacob Peenikaparambil
20 Apr 2026
Framed as welfare, the proposed Christian Board risks masking rights violations, expanding state control, and fragmenting vulnerable communities. It substitutes justice with management while sidelinin
apicture John Dayal
20 Apr 2026
New Delhi, April 14, 2026: In the backdrop of several ongoing conflicts and wars across the world, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), through its Office for Dialogue and Desk for Ecumen
apicture Dr Anthoniraj Thumma
20 Apr 2026
The TCS Nashik case exposes a deeper truth: workplace harassment is not an exception but a systemic failure often hidden behind reputation, weak enforcement, and fear of retaliation—where silence is i
apicture Jaswant Kaur
20 Apr 2026
Pigs are now being weaponised as instruments of provocation, turning faith into hostility and everyday life into intimidation. Such tactics deepen segregation, normalise humiliation, and signal how ea
apicture Ram Puniyani
20 Apr 2026
Ambedkar was not just a social reformer but also a visionary economist, linking currency stability, industrialisation, and labour rights to social justice while exposing caste as an economic barrier.
apicture Dr J. Felix Raj
20 Apr 2026
The shock was not the new insult, but the contrast. Having once breathed as an equal, he could no longer accept the air of slavery.
apicture Dr Suryaraju Mattimalla
20 Apr 2026
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God" (The Gospel according to Matthew 5:9)
apicture Dr Jude Nirmal Doss
20 Apr 2026