A fresh commitment to the ceasefire agreement puts pressure on Islamabad to respect and uphold this understanding with New Delhi, but on our side of the border, for the pact to succeed, a great deal of responsibility also lies with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. Their refrain from resorting to belligerent rhetoric against Pakistan in the election season could go a long way in promoting peace.
‘Pakistan bashing’ ahead of polls in a bid to whip up communal and nationalistic frenzy is the favourite trick of the BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah —. A selling point that finds takers across states and social divides.
However, diplomatic and strategic relations cannot be sacrificed for domestic politics and election thrills. But the BJP seems adept at doing that — whether it is by coupling Bangladesh with CAA-NRC or its leaders passing facetious comments like the one by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb that upset Nepal.
With the political season now heating up and crucial states like West Bengal and Assam going to polls this month, and Uttar Pradesh early next year, the temptation among the BJP leaders and workers to rake up the ‘enemy’ narrative would be strong. It is this urge, however, that the party has to resist and the onus is on Modi to lead by example and keep his flock in check.
Also read: Beyond Hindutva and nationalism, one element drives Modi’s success — last-mile delivery
Domestic politics and diplomacy
Aggression, othering, flaunting machismo and furthering the 56-inch-chest is the BJP’s brand of politics. This, in fact, starts right from the top and percolates down to the party cadre and workers. How emotive an issue is, how well it lends itself to high-pitched rhetoric, and how it can help galvanise voters is what matters the most, political correctness and diplomatic niceties notwithstanding.
Take for instance, then BJP president and now Home Minister Amit Shah’s constant pitch raising on CAA and coupling it with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Shah didn’t refrain from referring to Bangladeshi ‘infiltrators’ as ‘termites‘, whom he wanted to throw into the Bay of Bengal. The shrill semantics got to Bangladesh, a largely friendly neighbour, with Dhaka even demanding a written assurance from the Modi government that it won’t send Bangladeshi immigrants back. The domestic politics ended up straining ties with the neighbour.
Shah didn’t stop there.
In August 2019, he roared in Parliament saying India will take back Aksai Chin. What followed was Chinese aggression at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and clashes in Galwan Valley that saw 20 Indian soldiers killed in action.
When it comes from the top, it usually trickles down.
Tripura CM Biplab Deb stirred a row when he said Amit Shah has plans to set up BJP governments in Nepal and Sri Lanka. His remarks may have been in jest and more of exaggerated chest-thumping, but they did invite a formal denunciation from Nepal. This diplomatic turbulence with a country with which we share a highly porous border was avoidable, especially at a time when New Delhi-Kathmandu ties have been under duress.
Pakistan, meanwhile, tops the list when it comes to the BJP’s fondness for displaying over-the-top machismo and belligerence and fits the bill perfectly — of being the punching bag that moves voters.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi again misses the bus in Assam. His anti-CAA pitch too little, too late
The seductiveness of Pakistan
Pakistan is an Islamic country, an aggressor and ‘enemy-in-chief’ since 1947 — an alluring blend for the BJP to attack it frequently before the Indian public, more than anything else, as I have argued in the past.
The P-word finds a mention before every crucial election, with the BJP’s women and men refusing to let go of this weapon. ‘Go to Pakistan‘ has actually become a curse-phrase for the BJP, to banish those it doesn’t like.
In the run-up to the 2017 Uttar Pradesh polls, PM Modi blamed Pakistan for a train derailment in Kanpur that killed 150 people. Ahead of the Gujarat election, Modi made an audacious claim that Pakistan was trying to influence the verdict and that some ‘secret meeting’ had taken place between former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani officials.
As he campaigned for the Delhi assembly election last year, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal had the backing of Pakistan.
These, of course, are just a handful of examples in the BJP’s massive doctrine of pre-election Pakistan blaming. Do recall how the Lok Sabha polls were preceded by an overwhelming reference to Balakot-Pulwama, how horrid Pakistan is and how only Modi can tackle it.
Essentially, Pakistan is a safety net for the BJP. The party may talk about welfare, development, ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ extensively, but adds a very generous dose of bashing the neighbour in its poll discourse.
The approach, however, will have to change now.
You can’t commit to maintaining peace along the border on one hand, and on the other use Islamabad as a punching bag to further domestic politics. India must live up to its side of the bargain and not whip up unnecessary paranoia around Islamabad. PM Modi has to play the statesman here and ensure his ‘soldiers’ don’t go down that route this election season.
If there is a violation of this peace understanding, let it be from Pakistan’s side. To have India instigate it due to petty domestic politics will be a blot on the country, and on the ruling party and its top leadership’s ability to draw the line. Old habits die hard, the cliché goes, but when the outcome is potentially dangerous and can re-start another phase of toxicity, the habits must not only die, but be buried somewhere deep inside.
Views are personal.
Islamic Pakistan can kill Hindus & Sikhs on a daily basis since 7 decades but BJP/Indians can’t say a thing about Pakistan !! These leftist/communist scums must be eliminated like communists were from USA!!
India should bash Pakistan and China till they return PoK and CoL respectively.
The Print says “India needs free, fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism” and yet! it’s all but fair or non hyphenated!! It does question though but those questions in majority are directed against Hindus/BJP and often pro Jihadi & anti anti forces!! Hypocrisy & lies of Indian leftists/communists is amazing!!
please understand it is imran khan who is hurling choicest abuses at modiji. both modi and shah have not responded to the offensive. moreover it is pakistan which is now trying to charge india with terrorism. they some how want articles 370 and 35A repelled. they are also trying to indulge in terrorism and support khalistan movement.
it is but natural these things will be talked about in election rallies.
i see a sinister attempt by your channel to portray modiji as the villain who does not want peace with pakistan for electoral gains.
your attempts are diabolical.
i am sure all of you realize that pakistan is fanatical about kashmir and islam.
Making peace with Pakistan is a Sisyphean endeavour. Many have tried, all have failed. There is a genuine dispute dating back to the creation of the two nations. Our position has hardened to the extent of saying there is no dispute, nothing remains to be discussed, except reclamation of PoK and GB. Perhaps even by force. So one would not look forward to joint award of the Nobel Peace Prize in our lifetimes. 2. However, there is a need to manage the always tense relationship. Avoid actual conflict. We came close to that after Pulwama. Speeding up the release of a captured pilot is not a good enough reason for aggressive nuclear deployment. The world is changing, not entirely to our comfort. With both Pakistan and China, a new sense of realism seems to have dawned. What works in a domestic echo chamber runs up short in the real world outside our borders. I think this ceasefire will last. For once, that is my head, not my heart, speaking …
This was posted more than one day before reading Lt Gen Panag’s down to earth column.
@ashok: You are deluded as your head!! The Islamic terror factory of Pakistan is 24/ 7 business!!
The Pakistanis are now again trying to resurrect the Khalistani seperatism albeit not in Lahore! In J&K, new terror groups with ‘non Islamic names’ have emerged to project Islamic terror as secular!!
How much anger and hatred the author has towards BJP in general & Modi Shah in particular is quite amusing! But I can understand, as I stand at the opposite end of the spectrum. But at the end of the day, the duty of the journalist is to be objective, not just opinionated. Am I right? A layman, an ignoramus like me can be opinionated and get away with it, but can a journalist (at least a claimant to be acknowledged as a journalist) get away with it? I dont think it would be fair. If this author had written a similar castigating & scathing article when Arvind Kejriwal demanded proof of the Air Strikes & Surgical strikes, I would have accepted this article. If this author had launched a tirade against Rahul Gandhi when he accused the Indian Army of surrendering territory to China just a few days back, I would have accepted this article. If this author had raised hue and cry against the Congress Party when their leadership called none other than Gen Bipin Rawat a ‘road hooligan’, I would have accepted this article. All BJP had done was praise Indian Army, and launched an attack against Pakistan in public discourse post terror attacks. It was the opposition which launched a counter attack against NOT BJP BUT – Indian Army & its claims on surgical strikes and Balakot. Hence, whether ‘chest thumping’ derails the ceasefire remains to be seen, BUT chest thumping is there because we have a clueless opposition which attacks the Nation, the Judiciary, the Election Commission and yes EVEN the Indian Army. The more they do it, the more they will cede ground to BJP. If I was BJP, would i discontinue the ‘chest thumping’? Hmmmmm…What do You think? With ‘Journalists’ like this one, and opposition like Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal…its tough to let it go.
You seem to be aBhagat
@Drbaldevbrar: It’s a trillion times preferable to be a Bhagat than be a congressi/communist slave that you seem to be!!
Off course. I am a bhakt of my country & constantly think of my national interest & shall support anyone who thinks & acts in my country’s interest.
@P.Sharma: Well said Mr. Sharma! These liberal/communist & Jihadi elements go against everything this nation represents!! They are the real asuras which even gods have punished & eliminated!!
Hindu-stan will be well served with 24/7 soldier citizens & yes! Bhakts! against these evil anti India & anti Hindu elements!!
Good article, that sends the message across in a very balanced way. Although there is no evidence that China came knocking because of Amit’s rant in Parliament, and some other instances mentioned in the article, journalism is about connecting dots and the Author has done a very respectable job.
I for one strongly believe that People in the govt should never talk about soveriegn countries lightly or in derogatory manner. Especially India, which has interests in all parts of the world and where we pride ourselves with sayings like ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’. BJP has to educate its own cadres the meaning of the phrase.
Its not vasudaiv, its vasudhaiv…meaning whole earth. Secondly, You are right that there is indeed no evidence that China came knocking due to some comment. Large countries and powers dont go attacking other large countries on the basis of ‘comments’. Maybe in the alternate universe of Print, Wire & NDTV it happens that way, but not in the real world. Thirdly, the whole world is now saying that India believes in Vasudhaiv kutumbakam, we dont need to say it. Therefore, actions indeed speak louder than words. Again, a caveat, in the real world, not in commie universe where Yogendra Yadav is PM, Kejru HM, Ravish Kumar I&B minister and Rahul Gandi defense minister.
@Prashant Sharma: Correct!! For sure BJP/Hindus & India are punching far below it’s potential against Islamic Pakistan/China as also the communist/western media warfare & politics in India & abroad!!
Pakistanis by agreeing to ceasefire have made a strategic move. They are aware that a group of ultra left wing radicals, jihadist and rented journalists who had unbridled power during congrass rule and are out of power equation now would side with Pakistan to bring chaos and bloodshed to regain power.
Pakistanis are happy to save lives of Pakistani soldiers and money as Pakistani is already a beggar nation. However recent events and future events where communist and jihadist along with congrass have come together to oppose Hindus in elections is a clear indication of what Pakistani strategy would be to attack India from within.
As far as India is concerned it accepted the ceasefire to concentrate on building up its defences against China.
Hence the idea of not speaking against Pakistanis for fomenting trouble in India can only be of a person who is part of the problem.
@Data: Absolutely correct!! Hindu-stan must eliminate these leftist/Jihadi mentality & anti Hindu & anti-national activity!! BJP has started the job but it must fast be brought to an end!!
Since 1947 we have been dealing with Pakistan and China, the recent agreement to mutually respect the 2003 cease fire agreement cannot be seen as any improvement unless there is over the next two years no cross border infiltration and stop to Pakistani support to terror in all forms.
Any concessions including on Pak bashing will be foolhardy. The nationalistic frenzy must continue, both against China and Pakistan who have set us back years and will continue to do so even with the withdrawals and cease fires in place.
Our well being is perceived as danger by both the neighbors.