Nitish’s challenge: keeping renewed Hindutva frenzy under check -Governance Now

Nitish’s challenge: keeping renewed Hindutva frenzy under check

Bihar’s border districts have seen clashes, BJP’s rise to power can provoke more trouble

Shankar Kumar | July 28, 2017 | New Delhi

#RJD #JDU #BJP #Bihar #Nitish Kumar #mob lynching

(Photo courtesy: Twitter/@SushilModi)

How does one describe Nitish Kumar: an opportunist or a shrewd politician who loves to indulge in political brinkmanship or principled politician at least when it comes to corruption? Depending on your viewpoint, he fits any (or all) of these descriptions. Yet, all said and done, he stands tall among politicians of Bihar. His walking out of ‘Mahagathbandhan’, a three-party alliance which ran the government for 20 months since November 2015, or his joining hands with the BJP and its alliance partners to form a government within hours of resigning from his chief ministerial post, has, however, fuelled concern among those who looked at him as a principled politician.

He was a darling among the country’s ‘secular brigade’. In 2013 not only did he oppose Modi’s projection as NDA’s prime ministerial candidate, he also removed all BJP ministers who were part of his cabinet. Thus he ended a 17-year alliance with the BJP. On the other hand, despite being highly critical of Lalu Prasad-led RJD and the Congress, he formed an alliance with them to end Modi’s winning spree in one after another assembly polls. Their coming together pushed aggressive and forceful BJP to the third position in the Bihar assembly polls, thereby emasculating the saffron party of its fiery nerves and any chance to form a government in the state.

Nitish Kumar, known for administrative acumen, was recognised as a secular force. Till the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the narrative spun by sections of the media and the opposition except the Congress was that Nitish Kumar would be the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. This projection was basically premised over his non-controversial image. All this has come under scanner after his re-bonding with the BJP.

Liberal elements worry the most about the development as it has taken place at a time when parts of the country are in the grip of heightened Hindutva assertiveness with incidents of mob lynching of minority people by so-called gau rakshaks (cow protectors) becoming a norm during the past two-three years. Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have witnessed incidents lynching of members of minority and caste groups by the cow vigilantes.

It is not that Bihar didn’t see communal tension under the JD(U)-RJD-Congress government. On April 4, Nawada town witnessed clashes after some anti-social elements had torn Ram Navami posters. Violent clashes had erupted between two communities in Bihariganj of Madhepura district on October 12 last year. A few months before this incident, Saran was in flames after an objectionable video of Hindu gods and goddesses had gone viral in social media.

Going by these incidents, it is hard to say that Bihar has remained out of bound for trouble-mongers on either side.

Now when Nitish has again formed a government with the support of the BJP-led NDA, it has to be seen whether right-wing Hindu groups remain under check or become assertive. The districts to be watched would be those located on the border with Nepal and Bangladesh: Kisanganj, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Madhepura, Supaul, Forbisganj and Saharsa. The border belt has a large population of Muslims. Significantly the border belt has been peaceful and not seen riots of the scale of the Bhagalpur (1989) or Biharsharif (1981).

Comments

Other News

Cabinet approves museum at North-South Block complex

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday has approved the development of the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum (YYBM) at the North and South Block Complex, New Delhi, at an estimated total project cost of ₹3,230 crore, as appraised by the Public Investmen

Cabinet approves extension of Noida metro corridor

The Union Cabinet, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, has approved the extension of Aqua Line Metro Rail Corridor from Noida Sector-51 to Greater Noida Sector-04 of Noida Metro Rail Project with corridor for a length of 8.449 km with 5 elevated stations. On operationalization of this corridor, Noid

India reaffirms commitment to climate multilateralism

India has reaffirmed its commitment to climate multilateralism and the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), calling for a fair, equitable and ambitious outcome at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framewo

How the mind can help the body heal itself

Why do some people recover from illness against all odds? Can our beliefs, emotions and consciousness influence the body’s ability to heal? Drawing on over three decades of experience in medicine, research and medical innovation, internationally trained ophthalmologist and author Dr Dinesh Verma ex

1,364 anti-cancer formulations to cost less from today

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has capped trade margins on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of 137 anti-cancer drugs. This was based on the recommendations of an Expert Committee constitute

Who checks the books?

I read about the news about the Coimbatore library over coffee this morning. On the face of it, the headline was about a political ‘war’ between the DMK and TVK. But what stayed with me was something much more important than the blame game behind what had transpired. A writer walking through